Torque wrench questions

[bumperjohn]

OK. I am going to be getting a torque wrench to add to my tool kit and was wondering what do you use and /or reccomend? Brand? Drive size? What range in lbs? Any help/guidance here would be most appreciated. Thanks.

John

[kgreene10]

I almost bought a torque wrench and then decided that I only really needed it for the stem and seat post. I found a fixed size (3mm I think) Ritchey Torque Key for $15 from Pro Bike Kit that works perfectly.

[dekindy]

Effetto Mariposa GF Torque Wrench is what the good folks at RoadBikeRider.com recommend. It is not cheap but is accurate, high quality, and will last a long time. The Park torque wrenches also get very high ratings. You could not go wrong with Snap-On or Craftsman either.

[Charles M]

I really like the GF wrench...

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/mariposa/giust1.jpg

Review is here... (http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5772)


The range is right for all but the big nasty stuff and it's simple and effective... Park is also comming out with a new one.

[Birch]

I really like the GF wrench...

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/mariposa/giust1.jpg

Review is here... (http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5772)


The range is right for all but the big nasty stuff and it's simple and effective... Park is also comming out with a new one.

X2 on this guy. Love it and use it often. I need to take the seat post out of my SLC-SL to fit it in the inside rack of my Toyota FJ. So I use it to reinstall the post.

[Dekonick]

Everyone touts Park - why? It is ok, but lets think about this for a minute.

Torque wrenches are a staple in many industries - and let's face it - bike industry aint the big boy...

so why go with a Park?

Snap on, Craftsman, etc...

They all work the same. You can get a beam torque wrench for next to nothing and it will work just fine. Personally, I like craftsman. There are specific one's that work in the range needed, but you pay for it... and why?

I use my beam most of the time, but sometimes break out the click wrench - just make sure you store it with the spring released...

I would save the $$ and go to Sears.

Nashbar had one for sale recently that would work just fine.

this topic has been covered at length here before - do a forum search.

Dek

[93LegendTG]

I've been using 2 Craftsman micro-torque wrenches for years. Both are 3/8 drive and the one that gets the most use is for 25-250 in. lbs. The larger 10-75 ft. lb. wrench is used primarily for BB and crankset installations.

[xjoex]

The Effetto Mariposa Guista Forza torque wrench is perfect for bike work.

Where it really shines over other larger torque wrenches is that you are turning a small lever not a 16" snap on torque wrench so the forces seem more natural for bike applications.

I have a full review here (http://robonza.blogspot.com/2008/02/review-giustaforza-torque-wrench.html) .
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h85/boulderjoe/100_0667-resize.jpg

-Joe

[-dustin]

the variances in the Ritchey tool are too great for me to consider them usable. We have 5 of them in the shop and at least 3 do not match eachother. I didn't realize this until I cracked a bar, after using the thing religiously. That's the only time I've ever over-tightened a bar. I felt like crap for the rest of the day.

I've gone back to using torque wrenches only on crank bolts...and even then, it's only on SI cranks and Ultra Torque cranks.