Pro tip: I stopped using a torque wrench on every single bolt after a job in Seattle

I used to think you needed to torque every bolt to spec, but last year I had a client bring in a bike where the previous shop had over-torqued the stem faceplate bolts to 6 Nm and cracked the clamp. Now I just use a calibrated hand and a T-handle for anything under 8 Nm, and save the torque wrench for carbon parts and cranks. Anyone else find that over-reliance on the click can cause more problems than it solves?

3 comments

3 Comments

logan_young292d ago

Honestly, some shops treat that torque wrench click like gospel from a mountain. Tbh I've seen more stuff messed up by people who just mindlessly click to a number without any feel for what they're doing. It's like they forget aluminum can only take so much before it gives up. Ngl, your method makes way more sense for the small stuff.

adamr142d ago

Yeah that "gospel from a mountain" thing... it's everywhere now. People just follow the steps on the screen without asking if it makes sense for the situation in front of them. It's like common sense got swapped out for a set of instructions nobody is allowed to question. You see it with all kinds of tools and tech... the feel for the work gets lost.

phoenix_grant342d ago

Learned the same lesson after cracking a derailleur hanger with my torque wrench.