From what I understand, the torque ratings on different parts are based on the amount of clamping force that the part in question can take. Using that measurement, engineers calculate an appropriate torque for the fastener that is affecting that clamping force.  However, when torquing your parts it's a good idea to aim a little low and then increase torque if nessisary to keep the part from slipping. If you are given a torque range, I usually use the low end of the range and move up as needed. If pink is the new black, 3 nM is the new 5nM.

As carbon parts have become more common across the biking industry all mechainics have had to adjust the way that they tighten certain bolts on a bike. With other materials mechanics could follow a few simple rules of thumb, be smart about it, and no parts would be damaged. However as anyone who has cracked a carbon part can tell you, it's not especially difficult. To that end, even weekend home mechanics should add a torque wrench to their toolbox. The Recycled Cycles favorite begin the BBB Torquefix. Why?

Size: It's small. The wrench itself is only eight inches long, and even with the case and bit set takes up about as much room as a can of Fosters.

Bit set?: Yes I did say bit set. It comes with 1/4" drive bits for 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, and T25. Not only does this mean you don't have to go out and buy the bits to make your new tool work, but having a dedicated set of bits for final toqrue will help keep your reading accurate for the life of the tool.

Acuracy: Yes. Guaranteed by BBB to be within 4%. So when set to 5nm the highest torque possibly applied would be 5.2nm.

Price: At $100 it is one of the least expensive mini torque wrenches on the market. And it comes with bits. (Did I mention that?)

So, unless you want to spend the beginning of your next ride regaling your riding buddies with the story of why you don't still have your cool new carbon bar, add this to your toolbox.

As the winter wears on, I have gotten the privilege to work on a great number of bikes that have been ridden through all of the grit and grime that a nice Seattle winter has to offer. The roads are wet, bikes get dirty, we clean them, the job security is nice. However one thing I have noticed over the years is the general public’s tendency to over lubricate their chains. The process of lubricating a chain can be broken down into four basic steps:
1)    Wipe down chain with a rag.
2)    Apply new lube, about one drop per pivot point
3)    Pedal through a couple of times to let the lube work it’s way in
4)    Wipe off as much of the excess lube as possible

The last step is the one that is usually missed and the one that leads to your chain having too much lube on it. Basically: any lube that can be wiped off of your chain isn’t doing anything but attracting dirt. Any lube that is doing it’s job won’t come off when you wipe down the chain. By following those steps properly you will make your drivetrain last longer and you will have to clean it less often. Everyone wins.

Many bike tool makers offer a wide variety of regular tools (screwdrivers, open end wrenches, etc) that can often be more easily and cheaply acquired at your local hardware store. This is, to a certain extent, true of the new Park Tool Socket Bit Set (SBS-1). However what Park has done is created a set of scokets including just the sizes you would need to work on your bike. The set is shop quality, and includes sizes for most every fastender on your bike. As a bonus they include a 1" socket which fits most of their cassette, freewheel, and bottom bracket tools. Further: at $33 for an eighteen piece set it is affordable for even the msot basic home mechanic's kit. This set plus a 3/8" drive ratchet and you're in business. If you are starting your own home shop, or just want to work on your bike more often, you need this set.

SBS-1 (all 3/8" drive)

3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10mm hex bits (10mm is extra long)

T25, T30, T40 Torx bits

8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15mm and 1" sockets

Recently in the shop we had the opportunity to build up the first Shimano Di2 bike for a customer. For anyone who is unfamiliar, Di2 is Shimano's new electronic shifting Dura Ace group (DA 7970). It uses wires connecting the shifters to the derailleurs and buttons on the shifters to actuate shifts. All of this is powered by a rechargeable battery mounted on the down tube right above the bottom bracket. Shimano claims that the electronic group provides superior shifting especially under torque and always makes sure the front derailleur is in the ideal position. This second part is undeniably true. The computer in the front derailleur auto trims, accompanied by a very Robocop type noise, to eliminate rub as you shift through the cassette. The design for the superior shifting comes from making  the computer slightly over shift before returning to its position holding the chain in gear.

On the bike we built the front shifting seemed to be noticeably improved from previous DA groups and fractionally better than the regular cable actuated 7900. As far as the rear shifting it seemed to be about on par with it's non-electronic sibling and did not provide the increased accuracy under load that Shimano had previously claimed. My other criticism of the shifters is the design of the buttons. Mostly they just don't move enough. It might be it is just what I am used to, but the lack of a positive click makes the shifting feel as computerized as it actually is. Maybe this is what the engineers were going for, but it leaves something to be desired in the satisfaction department. All and all, Di2 is pretty cool and very expensive. If you have the extra couple of thousand dollars to spend on an electronic shifting bike, maybe wait until the second generation rolls around. There will doubtless be improvements.

As professional bike mechanics we try our best to stay up to date on the latest in product and technology from the bike industry. This also leads to what, at times, amount to an excess of opinions on what the biking world has to offer. In the attempt to help dispurse this information to our customer base we have created this blog so that we can write about bikes, components, tips, tricks, and tools from the technical minds of Recycled Cycles.