Norbar SLO 1-20Nm review

You can get a torque wrench for pretty much any application from UK company Norbar, but the Norbar SLO 1-20Nm is spot on for bikes.

You can immediately tell by handling the Norbar that it’s a quality tool; it’s got that weight about it and its moving parts rotate and engage with high precision. You don’t need to look at the certification of accuracy for confidence in its performance.

As its name suggests, it covers 1-20Nm, sufficient for nearly all bicycle applications, and torque value is set quickly and accurately using a dial at the base, with an easy-to-read scale in Nm and lbf/in. It’s simple to swap from right to left-handed thread, and compact enough to use where space is tight, especially as its rapid ratchet engagement makes very slight rotations possible. There is no mistaking when the desired torque has been reached, with a really obvious release and audible click.

Unlike some precision instruments, this one has a tough exterior, and is built to last. Certainly for home use you can’t imagine ever needing to replace it. You will need to buy a set of Allen key adaptors for the 1⁄4in drive, as it does not come with any, but I managed this relatively cheaply from a local tool supplier