did you use a torque wrench to assemble your bike?

[rpwbike]

I plan to buy a 1/4 inch torque wrench to assemble my bikes properly, although I am tempted to put it together with just normal allen wrenches.

Curious how many people assembled their bike just using regular allen wrenches?

[RadJohn]

Depends on your experience level. If you've read the Rad torque chart and seen that none of the recommended values are significantly different from normal bicycle standard practices, and you have experience in applying those torques with standard hex keys, then you PROBABLY don't need to use a torque wrench (but it certainly wouldn't hurt anything, as long as it's accurate).

On the other hand, if you if you don't have that much experience, there are a couple of ways to get some:

1) Trial and error. You MIGHT eventually learn how to keep from stripping out threads and having parts fall off your bike (could take years and multiple bikes though).

2) Use a torque wrench (the preferred method of learning what specified torque values feel like).

I've found that some Rad bolt holes are a little crappy (rack & fender mounts in particular), often clogged with paint and some apparently had partial or dinged threads. If a bolt feels like it's going to exceed the recommended fully tightened torque value while your just running it down, it's better to chase the threads with a tap instead of just wrenching it in all the way. A torque wrench is an invaluable aid in learning stuff like this.

[FortunatelyTheMilk]

I used a regular set of Allen keys and spanners. The bolts under the centre console are challenging to remove, but the rest of the bike went together fairly easily.

[Veggyhed]

I did assemble my bike with a torque wrench. I bought it for about $70 on amazon and I've used it many times since. However it is not large enough for the rear wheel nuts.


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[gadgetex]

I bought and used a torque wrench. A Venzo bicycle specific one. But I like tools and only had a bigger wrench.  I've got plenty of bike mechanic experience but talked myself into it due to greater forces on an ebike.

[Joel52334]

Before my Radwagon 4 arrived, I got a 1/4" or 6.35 mm torque set. A mid-priced one from Amazon. It really helped, and I'll use it for any repairs, or adjustments I need to work on.  I have the PDF of the Manual on My phone or Google Drive, so I can reach it anywhere.  Today it's a derailer adjustment.  EOM settings were a bit hokey.  Little things are to be expected.  I called support (that's the best way to get help) and he'd sent me some specs and a few how-to documents.  Very nice folks to work with.  Good luck to all, JLH

[rpwbike]

Thanks to all, I appreciate the feedback.  I bought a torque wrench, might as well do it right.

[Veggyhed]

Now for some controversy.
Should you torque a dry bolt, greased/anti-seize compound, or blue loctite?




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[hbanquer]

Torque on a bolt can depend on many things from thread condition, lubrication and head contact surface area.
I previously worked on many engines from Solar turbines, CAT to Detroit Diesel engines. True torque or bolt preload is done by snugging the bolt up till it just tightens then turning the bolt a certain amount in degrees or turns to properly tighten or preload the bolt base on the thread pitch. All this said it is important not over tighten the bolts. I always use "Never Seize" on bolt threads to they will open after a period of time and conditions like rain, snow, salt on roads etc. Even Stainless steel bolts seize.
This is Techie talk!
Use a torque wrench or commonsense you can retighten or torque after a period of riding just to be sure.

My torque wrenches actually were calibrated in a lab and certified annually!

For years those in the company would tease me saying I did not support the industry I worked in (oil exploration) I road my bike to work (office and workshop) and heated my house with wood!

[Jeff_RI]

I did assemble my bike with a torque wrench. I bought it for about $70 on amazon and I've used it many times since. However it is not large enough for the rear wheel nuts.


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for the rear wheel nuts I bought a 3/8" torque wrench at Harbor Freight for $20.

[Airborne_Chemdog]

Since this was the first time I have put a bike together and I was doing 4 of them I did buy one, it was not expensive and it worked great.
Here is the one I bought -
PRO BIKE TOOL 1/4 Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench Set – 2 to 20 Nm – Bicycle Maintenance Kit for Road & Mountain Bikes - Includes Allen & Torx Sockets, Extension Bar & Storage Box
by Pro Bike Tool
Learn more: https://amzn.to/3BMUiZK

[JimInPT]

Since this was the first time I have put a bike together and I was doing 4 of them I did buy one, it was not expensive and it worked great.
Here is the one I bought - PRO BIKE TOOL 1/4 Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench Set

I bought one of those sets a few months back; they are very high-quality for the price and beautifully finished.  Not cheap, but if you want a good low-range torque wrench set at a reasonable price, I haven't seen better.

[Joel52334]

Yes, I did, a nice metric set from Amazon.  Along with a chain break, extra slip links, some rounded end hex wrenches.  A Pro Bike Tool set also.

[Eric7]

I just used the tools supplied - meaning I did not use a torque wrench. I have been a bike owner for decades and commuted for more than 5 years on a bike and always fixed my own bikes.

Rad did not say you need to have a torque wrench to assemble the bike. It is of course nice to have a torque wrench and I am not arguing against one.  But I did not want to spend the money.

[kenchang]

I bought a torque wrench for my RadCity 5.  I've had a mountain bike for over 20 years for which I never used a torque wrench, but then again that thing was built like a tank.  I think Rad's instructional videos and guides are HIGHLY "liability" sensitive.  I think it is perfectly possible to assemble the bike (which comes mostly assembled anyway) without a torque wrench and be perfectly safe.  But I don't know this bike and this manufacturer. 

For one, their quality control appears to be a bit lacking.  When I received the bike, I found that one of the fender mount brackets (which need two drilled holes on each) had only one hole drilled on it rather than two!  The other one was just fine. How does THAT happen???  Fortunately, I live in Seattle, and I could just hop on over to the Seattle store and they got me a non-defective one, and helped me to take out a couple of hex bolts (on the head tube for the front rack) that I foolishly stripped. They were perfectly nice.  But I suspect that the manufacturing and shipping part of their company lacks adequate quality control, given the fact that the back fender comes mounted on the wrong (upper as opposed to the lower) holes on the fender as it is supposed to be, and this is a systemic problem, not just mine...  I want to be on the safe side and follow their instructions to the letter in case something goes sideways. 

And also, the ebike's target consumers appear to be older folks some of whom had little experience riding or maintaining a regular bike.  Rad probably wants to make sure that they provide as accurate and safe instructions to them as possible in case something goes wrong so that they can say, "hey, we did everything we could to provide a safe instruction." 

Even though I feel fairly comfortable maintaining a regular bike, I felt that this whole ebike thing is a qualitatively different experience, and I wanted to do it right.  And torque wrenches are a pretty cool thing to own.