There was a time when the vast majority of bike frames were steel and specific torque specs weren’t that big of a deal. Tighten down the bolts until they feel tight enough and call them good. If they feel a bit loose after a ride, give it a little more. The time of this being good advice is long past. As frames have gotten more advanced, torque requirements have become very important. If you want to work on your bike at home you will need a torque wrench. To help you choose one, we’ve put together a list of the best bike torque wrenches available, within which the Topeak Torq Stick sits very happily.
The Topeak Torq Stick is what we’ve dubbed the best bike torque wrench for all-around use: We like the features and the price point, and we like that there’s an option for more accessories or less depending on how you plan to use it. Now that we’ve had more time to spend with the product, we are ready to discuss what it’s like to use in a bit more detail. If you are looking to start working on your bike at home, keep reading to see if the Topeak Torq Stick is the right choice for you.
Design and aesthetics
It’s a funny thing to talk about how a torque wrench looks but just like any product in your possession, it matters to some extent. Not only does it matter, just as a matter of rule, but the Topeak Torq Stick Pro actually stands out a bit in this regard. The exterior is black anodized aluminium with an overall length of 22.5cm. Down the top of the main body is a simple graphic that reads “Torq Stick” in all caps with white lettering and a thin line helping to ground the graphic in the space.
Just below where the graphic ends is where the working part of the handle begins. This section has a subtly different design if you are looking at the pro version vs the original, non-pro, version. Both units feature a knurled bottom section but the design of the knurled detail has changed a bit. The pro version also continues the knurled texture farther up the body of the wrench. On the newer wrench, it surrounds the torque selection meaning that there’s enough space to fit your entire hand over the knurled grip texture. The selected torque indicator has changed a little as well and is now a flattened indent into the rounded wrench body.
What hasn’t changed is the design that covers how to select a torque. In both versions of…
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