Park tool - Expense justified?

[PaulSecteur]

Hi,

I enjoy fettling my bike, and have sorted a few problems on friends bike, and also friends of friends bikes too. Made a few quick kwids... which was nice!

Now that Im doing more I think I need a torque wrench to take the guesswork out. Park tools have a good reputation, and the few bits of their stuff I have got my hands on does seem to be quality stuff.

Their TW-5 torque wrench (3-15NM) is about £100, other decent brands come in between £50 and £70.

Is the extra for the Park tools justified? I would rather buy quality once than cheap crap several times. But I dont want to spend the extra if its not worth it.

Ta, Paul.

 

[stu1903]

Found this one at a very reasonable price. Not sure how good it is tho.

http://www.parker-international.co.uk/18497/MPart-Torque-Wrench.html

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

I can't speak from specific experience of PT torque wrench, but generally speaking, I have found their more expensive tools to be better value than their cheap ones.

For example, the chain ring bolt tool is an ill-fitting piece of pressed steel that isn't worth the £7-odd it costs; whereas their pedal spanner is a well-conceived and well-made item.

Broadly speaking, the more (generally) expensive the tool, the more it is worth buying a good quality example (in my experience).

PS Good quality tools won't skin your knuckles, wreck your components or cause you general grief (like a woman): buy the best you can afford, it is money well spent that will pay you dividends (compare and contrast).

 

[yello]

Whilst I generally give a thumbs up for Park Tools (as ime their tools are worth that bit extra), I would look around in the specific case of torque wrenches.

I don't personally use a torque wrench but if I decided I needed one, I'd look at a company that has a good reputation for them. I did a Park Tools course once and the instructor actually recommended a (non PT) wrench... the name of which evades me for the moment.