Torque wrench, do most people use them.

[WorcesteRob]

Just wondered if people use torque wrenches to tighten up their bolts or is a std Allen key good enough.

 

[martint235]

I'm a standard allen key kind of mechanic. Although you do have to be prepared for stuff breaking every once in a while. I've snapped seatpost clamp bolts before now.

 

[compo]

I use a torque wrench, but not on wheels and the such like. I mainly use it where steel screws/bolts are threaded into aluminium.

 

[Red Light]

I just use an Allen key and have never broken anything or had it come loose.

 

[CopperCyclist]

I've been considering getting one for when I get a carbon bike, as I'm paranoid about over tightening the stem etc

 

[Alien8]

Touch, feel and common sense works for me - do you do a lot of fettling?

 

[asterix]

+1

Mostly my bikes have been steel, it's possible carbon is so very sensitive you'd need a torque spanner but I've no experience so can't say.

 

[ianrauk]

Touch, feel and common sense works for me - do you do a lot of fettling?

Same here.......
As long as you don't go down the hamfisted route you will be ok.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

What I'd like is to get hold of one simply to get a feel for what kind of tension I'm applying. Once I've got a good idea of the right amount of leverage, though, I doubt that I would use it again because I'd rather work by feel. Which is why I don't own one. Which, in turn, is why I don't know what tension I'm applying....

I've been considering getting one for when I get a carbon bike, as I'm paranoid about over tightening the stem etc

Talk about over tightening the stem, did you see a rather panicked mechanic (Peru?) tightening the handlebars on the track at the world championships a couple of days ago? He used so much force with a multitool that I started to worry whether my own bars were done up tight enough. The poor lass only got 2 metres down the track before stopping and neutralising the start while they swapped over the bars from another bike.

 

[WorcesteRob]

Touch, feel and common sense works for me - do you do a lot of fettling?

I like to do fettling/cleaning when weather is like today, but as you touch, feel and common sense has served me well for the last few years with no issues.

 

[Sittingduck]

Nope but if I ever switched to carbon h/bars I might.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I do use one. Although I have plenty of common sense I do lack mechanical sympathy

 

[Red Light]

What I'd like is to get hold of one simply to get a feel for what kind of tension I'm applying. Once I've got a good idea of the right amount of leverage, though, I doubt that I would use it again because I'd rather work by feel. Which is why I don't own one. Which, in turn, is why I don't know what tension I'm applying....

You just need the scale developed by Brant Richards of On-One - tight, very tight and bastard tight, the last reserved for crank bolts.

 

[accountantpete]

Common sense - but again I don't have carbon to worry about.

 

[Svendo]

With the carbon seat post I used carbon assembly paste to increase friction and prevent seizure then went through a process of tightening it up to tight, then adding a quater turn until it didn't slip. When I need to loosen it, to prevent seizure or adjust it down a bit in winter (thicker tights) I note how much I've undone it and do it back up the same. Tend to apply the same principle to stem bolts as well.

Zinn has a similar scale to Brant Richards, though with less swearing!