Starting to realise that the giant allen key set grandad used to fix steam engines and tractors with may be a wee bit overkill on modern mountain bikes so can anyone suggest a good torque wrench that won’t cost an arm and a leg?

Define expensive?
You can get a Norbar 1-20Nm 1/4 drive for £70-odd. It’ll be a lot better than any of the bike specific stuff.

Willing to spend up to £80.

http://www.toolstop.co.uk/index.php?option=shop&page=shop.product_details&product_id=70033&l=uk&utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&gclid=CjwKEAiArdG1BRCLvs_q-IObwxMSJACXbLtzL4HZkzS3jkf-jHSDjIgpCe45Hdtpe0ymbd3krKzZOxoCgnPw_wcB

I got a BBB one for £35, seems to work..

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essential-torque-wrench-set/

Liking the look and price of the Norbar wrenches.
The Norbar 13658 has a range of 8-50NM so that would be good for BB’s and cassettes etc.. that need a bit more ooomph!
Toolstop doing it for £69

I was about to start a torque wrench thread myself.

Being pointed down the Norbar route, so these are decent yeah?

Looking at a 1-20Nm 3/8″ and a 20-100 Nm1/2″ both ‘professional’ range…

(For motorcycle use primarily)

Norbar are widely regarded as very good indeed.
Metalheart, I managed to snaffle one of these adaptors from the bay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331750207211?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

With one you’ll only need one set of bits.
The longer ones require an adjustment in torgue setting via calculation.

Cheers, I’m being pointed in the right direction then 🙂

Halfords do the 1/4″ norbar 1 – 20 Nm
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=318448&productId=1219817&storeId=10001.

If it was me I would try and find this wera one for cheaper
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wera-Series-05075393001-Spanner-Ratchet/dp/B00BT0F7JE
It does 1 – 25 Nm and wera stuff is really good quality.

Edit: cheapest I can find the wera http://m.www.my-tool-shed.co.uk/p1090357/Wera_Torque_Wrench_14in_1-25Nm/product_info.html?utm_source=googleversafeed&vfsku=1090357&gpla=pla&gclid=CPmUn_e-4coCFQHlwgodvT4Ong

Edit No.2: I wouldn’t bother with a torque wrench that starts at 8Nm. Most bike stuff is less than 8 and much higher and you should be able to guess. Cassette lock rings are one of the highest at 40Nm. Most stuff on a bike is around 5Nm.

There is one on the for sale forum now.

Nowt to do with me just matching the posts….

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-oakley-jawbone-glasses-and-pro-tek-torque-wrench-14-drive-5-25nm

I have the Superstar one:http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/pro-torque-wrench-2-14nm-bike-specific.htm

It’s on sale at the moment for £33. Does the job for me. My friend has a Norbar and it is nice to use, but at twice the price, I just went with the Superstar.

If I didn’t buy a nor bar, I’d be getting a unior 615485. Slipper wrench, 2-24Nm and available cheap from Europe.