{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1515;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\li2880\ri2880\f0\fs20 Every Cyclist Needs A Torque Wrench\par According to a wise old bike mechanic, there are three types of cyclists--those who wait for something to fall off a bike before checking its bolts for tightness, those who overtighten bolts to the point of damaging something and those who own a torque wrench. The new breed of flyweight frames, seat posts and other parts made of carbon fiber are easily damaged by overtightening and this can cause them to fail while you are riding. Parts made of titanium, aluminum and steel can also be damaged by overtightening and anyone who has had a handlebar, stem, or other critical part come loose while riding knows this is also a safety issue.\par The click-type torque wrench I use is easily adjusted to apply the desired amount of force to a nut or bolt and is designed to "slip" or "give" internally, thereby signaling that tightness has reached its recommended level. I bought it along with a set of socket-type metric hex wrenches at Sears for about $75; bicycle shops also sell them. The owner's manual that came with my LeMond bike specifies torque in inch-pounds for every one of its nuts and bolts but I had to contact Cervelo in order to obtain that information on my R3. How often bolts need to be checked for tightness can vary but I routinely check the crank, seat clamps, handlebar and stem every 1000 miles or so and then check everything else every 2000 miles.\par }