During a bike check this Easter Sunday, Cyclist Lee sprang into action by quickly offering his Ritchey TorqKey with a 4mm hex bit. This pocket-sized torque wrench, which fits in the palm of your hand, worked well during a customary Ritchey carbon handlebar and Ritchey alloy stem check. Torque spec is usually printed on the stem. The TorqKey has one 4mm hex bit and a fixed torque setting of 5 newton meters (5 Nm or 44 inch-pounds), so it works with Ritchey handle bar and stems. When you have tightened a stem face plate bolt to 5 Nm, the wrench clicks, signaling it has topped out, and you can relax knowing you have tightening the stem face plate bolts to manufacturers' spec, and not crushed your carbon handlebars. The alternative, of course, is that under the influence of jelly beans, in a jet-fuel-like sugar coma, you decide arbitrarily to guess what 5 Nm of torque feels like, and with your folding minitool and a few marshmallow chicks for courage, deeply scar or snap your pricey handlebars. We will have the TorqKey at the shop, and you can pick up one for less than a large pizza with two toppings. (Remember we've moved to 1400 San Pablo Ave. between REI and Performance.)
