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I used to think a torque wrench was just for carbon parts

Spent about $90 on a basic 5Nm Tekton wrench last year for a customer's carbon seatpost. It felt like a lot for one job, but then I used it on an aluminum stem and realized how many bolts I'd been over-tightening for years. The click is so clear, and I haven't stripped a single thread since. What's a tool you bought that you now use way more than you thought you would?
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2 Comments
harper395
harper39534m ago
It's crazy how a torque wrench makes you realize how much you were just guessing before. I started checking things like water bottle cage bolts and rack mounts after that first stem job. Now it feels weird to tighten anything without hearing that click.
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henderson.mason
Honestly I've had the opposite experience. I used a torque wrench for a while and it just slowed me down for simple stuff. You get a feel for it after working on enough bikes. My bottle cages have never fallen off from hand tightening. That click just becomes a crutch for things that don't need that much precision.
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