Torque Wrench

[li10up]

My new bike is carbon. I'm afraid to adjust anything because I might over-tighten something and break an expensive carbon part. Do any of you use torque wrenches? Are they hard to use? Or should I just let the LBS do all the adjustments on my carbon bike?

[SouthernBelle]

Carbon really isn't that fragile. I ride full carbon and abuse the poor thing quite regularly. She takes it well.

A torque wrench would only be useful if you knew how tightly on the gauge to go.

[Eden]

While yes, carbon is quite strong, even someone with relatively weak upper body strength can over tighten onto carbon. A torque wrench is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to be sure you aren't going to wreck your expensive carbon handlebars or seatpost. It is usually marked on the item in nm (newton meters) how much force you want to apply (if not I'm sure you can find the measurement in the documentation for the bars/seatpost etc) - even some non carbon items have this (like your stem). A torque wrench is easy to use - it has a gauge on it with a needle that moves as you apply force. Apply enough force to go to the measurement that you wish and voila you are done - I've also seen a style with a guage that is like a collar around the wrench.

[mimitabby]

torque wrenches are cool. They're easy to use!

[li10up]

I've seen the recommendations imprinted on the parts so I do know what measurement to use. Anyone want to recommend a brand or where to get one?

[Eden]

I think you use them for cars as well, so any place you can get general tools probably carries them- Sears Craftsman is always a good bet since they have a 100% return policy - we even exchanged a very abused screwdriver for a brand new one once without any problems.