Torx...why?

[Poacher]

My neighbour came round last Sunday; just about to start a late afternoon ride, he was worried that his front light was working loose. I glanced at it and said "come in, no problem, i've just bought a a set of security bits to let me mend Mrs Poacher's steam generator." (Needed a size 25 star bit, by the by).
I thought my smallest torx bit, a 10, would fit - would you believe it, it was too big! Ended up using a size 2 tri-wing bit, a lot of pressure, some threadlock and crossed fingers. Anyway, he hasn't been back to complain.

 

[mjr]

Or buy a quality multi tool which would already have them included.

Or one with square or hex drive and then you only buy new bits when bike makers pick the next fad instead of a whole new multi tool.

 

[mjr]

I can see a benefit to using pin torx head bolts on any bike that gets left out in the open. It would reduce the number of passing thieves with the tools to steal bits.

I think all my non-bike-specific torx tools are pin torx. They still work on non-pin torx, don't they? If so, I expect nobbers will just carry pin-able tools.

 

[mjr]

If everything on bikes were pin torx then yes thieves would have the tools.Right now though they are not, so it might give a small advantage.

Why do you think any thieves will be carrying any non-pin-compatible torx ever?

 

[subaqua]

You can still use an Allen Key in a torx ... if you are a ruff assed pipe wrangler ...

Us refined engineers use the correct tool for the hole...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Surely an allen bolt provides *enough* contact, especially with a decent quality tool and in low torque applications?

Robots

 

[GrumpyGregry]

If everything on bikes were pin torx then yes thieves would have the tools.Right now though they are not, so it might give a small advantage.

Allen bolt. Ball bearing. Heat soluble glue.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Be spline next year and ovalistic magnifica in 2020 ..to work with 27.88 wheels and 152mm axle

 

[screenman]

Be spline next year and ovalistic magnifica in 2020 ..to work with 27.88 wheels and 152mm axle

Well if it is engineering improvements bring them on.

 

[Randomnerd]

Double like if I could.

I’ll quadruple your like and raise you a double like. Quietly awaiting torx adherents ranting about how torx used to be standard and now norx+ultra is the go-to fixing.

 

[rrarider]

They're not "allen bolts" the proper term is "socket head cap screws".

 

[winjim]

If everything on bikes were pin torx then yes thieves would have the tools.Right now though they are not, so it might give a small advantage.

Pin torx can be undone with a regular flat head screwdriver.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

Or buy a quality multi tool which would already have them included.

Yup, I agree. I have a multitool that so far has had everything I need for all my sized allen and torx screws on the bike and haven't had to go dig through the toolbox at all (even has a little Phillips screwdriver for adjusting the brake calipers ). It is a Specialized.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Be spline next year and ovalistic magnifica in 2020 ..to work with 27.88 wheels and 152mm axle

According to Wikipedia torx screws were developed in 1967 so they aren't exactly a newfangled thing. Allen screws (or "internal hex") are garbage and need to die a death IMO - they are the most likely of any screw to get mangled and they have no advantage over torx. Even the trades are (slowly) moving over to torx from posidrive.

Edit: Apparently just as the original torx patent expired they came out with "torx plus" so you might not be entirely incorrect . I don't think I've ever seen one though.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

They're not "allen bolts" the proper term is "socket head cap screws".

Yeah, and a Hoover is a vacuum cleaner.