Thanks.
The Chainbot looks interesting. Is it a pretty heavy duty (shop quality) tool? Looks like it’s on closeout most places.
Is there a specific make/model of dial torque wrench that you’d recommend?
Steve
I’ve only used my Chainbot a few times but it seems pretty sturdy and I’ve used many chain tools over the years, including when I worked as a mechanic in college. The chain tools that always broke were the old Rivolis and, surprisingly, the big Park tool. I found that the small Park chain tool (CT-5) actually worked better and that sufficed for a few years until I upgraded to 10-spd. I found that the CT-5 could break 10-spd chains with some fuss but could not reassemble them even with the help of pliers and a screwdriver. The Park site now lists it as 10-spd compatible but I would expect them to have incremented the model number if they made any changes. Topeak has a good reputation for customer service should you ever have any problems with it.
As for torque wrenches, you should look at the torque specs of your bike parts. The manufacturers always say that their wrenches are accurate from 20-100% of their max value. Normally, you would need a small TW and a big TW to cover the range of torque values on a bike. The big TW is necessary for crank bolts, BB cups, and cassette lockrings. However, cassette lockrings are one thing you can just tighten by feel as are BB cups (tighten until the bearings bind then back off). With Shimano external cranks, the big crankbolts are gone, replaced by pinch bolts that require 12-15 Nm. Most handlebar and stem bolts are 5-8 Nm.
There only seem to be two models of beam torque wrenches for bikes (it’s likely all the cheaper beam torque wrenches are made in the same factory in China). Their ranges are 0-60 in-lbs (6.8 Nm) and 0-600 in-lbs (68 Nm). The general recommendation is that torque wrenches are only accurate between 20-100% of capacity. The useful ranges are thus 1.4-6.8 Nm for the baby beam torque wrench and 13.6-68 Nm for the bigger one. That leaves a gap that some bike fasteners fall into.
CDI and Precision Instruments are two of the many brands of dial torque wrenches. The problems with clicker torque wrenches are inherent in the basic design, not the brand. Similarly, the accuracy of dial and electronic torque wrenches is largely due to how they work. I have a CDI electronic wrench whose 2.7-27 Nm range covers low and medium-torque bike fasteners so look for a dial wrench that covers a similar range–at least 5-15 Nm or English equivalent.
It might seem expensive but I counted about 16 bolts that required 5 N*m on my aerobars/stem/headset and it only takes one to slip or snap and there goes your event/collarbone.
One affordable alternative maybe a preset torque key if you only have handlebar fasteners to deal with:
http://ritcheylogic.com/web/Ritchey~Logic/Ritchey~Site/web/EN/main/product/accessories/greaselube/23850.html#
Technically, it is a clicker type TW but it’s preset to one value and may avoid the problems of an adjustable value clicker TW.
