Pro Bike Tool Cautionary Tale

The subject tool, a 1/4" drive torque wrench ($70), was a Christmas present. However, it was impossible to establish a torque setting. The company states they have a CS team that will respond "usually within 24 hours", but it's been a week and they haven't responded to either of my emails. Accordingly, I had to "wing it" when replacing the bars on my bike with carbon ones.

 

I have one of those "cheaper" torque wrenches, and it's worked pretty well... But when it comes to the bars and stem, I always reach for the little Park Tool beam torque wrench. It makes me go slow and steady and I know it's accurate.

I had to buy it when I discovered that two of the suspension bolts on the Stumpjumper are left handed.

 

You'll survive. I've been"winging it" 99% of the time for 50 years and I bought a torque wrench 15 years ago...which is where the other 1% comes from. I've yet to have an issue.

 

I bought this little "torque wrench," a few weeks ago and had the same issues. I returned it the next day. Totally worthless.

 

I use one at work, it is awesome. You can record every fastener. works int CW and CCW. in oz to ft lb. It is a torque transducer. But torque is a fools errand. So many factors affect torque. But use clean fasteners with a tiny spot of Teflon grease and that is the best you can do. measure the free running torque, the locking torque and the prevailing torque. Free running you would need that transducer, locking torque is when you engage the locking element, prevailing torque = free running + element torque = the book value you are trying to reach, in other words these are things that may you under torque.
Or as I say torque until it gets easy. then you have gone too far.

 

Thanks for the replies. I always heard that you tightened a bolt until it started to strip, then backed off a half turn - haha. I put some carbon goop on the bars and torqued by "feel"; everything seems OK.

 

Hmmmmm.... never owned a torque wrench. I guess I've been playing with fire. Better go knock on wood, throw some salt, burn some incense, cross my fingers and continue to hope everything stays together, assuming I ever ride my bike again.

 

With everything being carbon these days , Anything screwing into the frame or clamping a carbon bar gets a torque wrench. I snapped a couple bolts a few years ago doing a shock install . Not doing that again. That being said practice with the torque wrench and figure out how the indent works before you got something important. I broke a bolt with a torque wrench to because I went past the indent and did not realize it the first use. Wrench on!