An adjustable wrench is a type of wrench that has a movable jaw that can be adjusted to fit different sizes of nuts and bolts.
The term adjustable wrench can refer to several kinds of wrenches, such as the crescent wrench, the monkey wrench, the pipe wrench, or the spanner wrench. The word wrench comes from the Old English word wrencan, which means to twist or turn.
Uses in cycling
An adjustable wrench is used for various purposes in cycling, such as tightening or loosening bolts on the stem, seatpost, pedals, or cassette. However, some bolts on a bike require a specific torque value, the force applied to the bolt.
Using an adjustable wrench for these bolts can result in over-tightening or under-tightening, damaging the components or affecting their performance. Therefore, it is recommended to use a torque wrench for these bolts, a tool that measures and controls the torque applied to the bolt.
Examples of Adjustable Wrench
Some examples of adjustable wrenches for cycling are:
- [BikeMaster Adjustable Micrometer Torque Wrench 3/8″]: This torque wrench can be set to the desired value of 5 to 80 ft-lbs. It has a ratchet mechanism that clicks when the torque is reached and a micrometer scale that shows the torque setting. It is made of chrome vanadium steel and has a rubber handle for comfort and grip.
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.