Using the correct torque when tightening bolts is something I’ve been a bit lax with over the years. I had a wrench which I would use now and again but as it was one I bought for working on motor-bikes, it wasn’t able to adjust to the lower settings needed for a lot of the fasteners on a bicycle. It was big and awkward to use, especially in tight spaces so I tended not to use it.

Park Tools make a few torque wrenches suitable for using on a bike. I decided to try out the adjustable torque driver (ADT-1.2).

This driver has an all-metal internal construction and a composite handle which makes it comfortable to use. It comes with four 1/4″ drive hex bits which covers the most used on a bike. These are stored in the handle when not being used. The T-shape means there are a couple of fasteners, like the bottle cage ones, that it won’t reach but this can be overcome by using an extension I have in a ratchet wrench set, so this is not a big problem. One thing I appreciate is the pronounced “click” rather than an electronic “beep”, when the dialled in torque is attained. Other torque wrenches I have used can be confusing when the indication is not so pronounced.

After using the driver for a few weeks, during which I spent some time checking and adjusting all the fasterners on my bike, I found out that I had to resort to the old and unweildy wrench for many of them. This convinced me to purchase the more conventional handled wrench (TW-5.2). The torque driver is handy but it just doesn’t have the same range as the wrench which, as it is smaller than my old one, is much better for using when working on the bike. The range of 2 – 14Nm covers all the settings I will need on the bike. I may keep both. as you can never have enough tools, but I’ll use them for a while before deciding.

Park Tools web site

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