How To Use A Torque Wrench – GCN's Guide To Tightening Bolts Safely

How tight should your bolts be? This is essential to get right, so here's our guide to using a torque wrench.

Tightening your bolts might seem pretty academic... However, as bike parts get lighter and lighter you need to pay more attention to just how your tightening your bolts. You might have seen something something like '5Nm' stamped on your bike parts. This is the recommended maximum torque. Much looser, things might work loose and fall apart. Any tighter and you risk component failure, plus, your warranty is gone.

To get this important factor exactly right, you need to get a torque wrench. There are plenty out there and it's a tool that we think should be in every serious cyclist's toolbox.

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[adonisbagaporo]

Thanks for the video! Everytime I searched for something about bicycle, GCN has a video to offer.

[Gixerpilot]

Don't forget to only wind up to a setting, never down. If you have to go to a lower torque setting for a different bolt, always back it off past the desired setting, then wind it back up to the desired setting. This eliminates any backlash. And yes Mr. Patchy Pits was correct when he said store it nearly fully unwound. This also helps you wind up to the setting next time .

[dwaynerandolph]

I had to pause the video to give you a thumbs up 👍🏾. I just invested in a torque wrench that actually came in by mail today, cheers.

[keanMechanic]

Well done GCN and Simon I Am impressed with the information contained in this video, it's spot on.
I mythology with screws that rely on the fiction between the flange of the bolt and face of the component there in to prevent them back off, is to use a product such as loctite 222 is perfect for all fixings on a cycle.
The advantages are as follows;
1) acts as a lubricant so the correct torque is reached with out having to over come fiction.
2) vibration proofing the fixing
3) creates a seal between screw and component to spot water ingress a there allowing easier disassembly in the future.
4) And it looks Pro!

[superducky]

Me: **Can’t ride a Bike**
Also me: *watches bike maintenance videos*😂

[mikahakinen]

Great video, more people should be aware of the importance of correct bolt tightening!

[NewEnglandDirtRoadie]

Click-style torque wrenches are fairly expensive. could you do a video comparing a click-style vs a beam-style TW?

[Boopop]

Watched video, immediately went downstairs to reset torque wrench. It'd been sitting in its box at 6Nm, woops! Cheers :)

[millomweb]

This is my third vid on using torque wrenches but the first to mention bolt lubrication. As yet, I've never seen a torque spec state dry or lubed ! CRAZY !

[kalijasin]

The manual that came with my road bike reads: "DO NOT under-tighten fasteners. Part may slip or fail to function. DO NOT tighten the fasteners too tight. You may damage the thread, which may cause an accident".

[Sanko]

Really good video, which made me decide to head straight over to the bike shop to have the pros take care of my bike. Torque wrench - eek!

[howardsladen]

Good video as always, although a lot of manufacturers are putting bolts in ever increasing harder to reach places which in turn is a pain in the a#* to torq, ie canyon speedmax seat post bolt.

Wish manufacturers thought about this.

[Sinkrte_]

Just sheared 2 bolts using one of these! Think I’ll take it back to basics !

[PatrickGSR]

What's ironic is that I religiously use a torque wrench on car mechanic work but pretty much never on my bikes. Nor have I ever used Loctite on my bikes. And in many thousands of miles I've never had any problems.

[yuxuansun]

1:00 it’s pound multiply by foot, not pound per foot

[edamps]

What brand of torque wrench are you using?

[dbenzhuser]

And pay attention to whether the torque wrench works in both clockwise and anti-clockwise direction. Most (cheaper) wrenches can be used in both directions, but only prevent over-tightening in clockwise direction. This is important for bottom brackets and pedals.

[U]

also notice that the first 'click' of the torque wrench may cause by impact load, u should gently tighten the bolt for another ONE 'click' to make sure u've reach the specific value. u may also gently hammer the bolt and surrounding area by a mallet before the second torque, this help to release uneven stress between components, then u may find u need to tight the bolt a bit more, could be as much as 1/4 turn, to get the 'click'

[benshield]

Warm up the spring on a lower setting first. Then go up to desired torque for increased accuracy.

[zachwong]

I thought fiber grip's usefulness was that it spread the load across all of the little beads which obviously distributes the clamping force, which is better (for carbon).