I had similar problems for a few months a few years ago with the lockring coming unscrewed. Pounding on a stick with a rock out in the middle of the country isn't much fun; fortunately, there was a SAG stop a few miles later that was staffed by a good wrench, and he tightened it well.


20-25 ft-lb seems to be the going, minimum torque. If you're using a 12" crescent wrench, that means you need to push on the end with enough force to hold up four to five 5 pound bags of flour. I don't know what your "arthritic elbows" are capable of, but that's a good push.


If you're using one of the travel versions of the tool, your torque arm is about twice as long, and you have the whole bicycle to roll (backward?) to tighten it. Easier to tighten adequately, but, if you're at home, using one of those travel versions is fussier because of futzing with the skewer.

I have one of these Stein tools. I no longer use it because it mauls the paint around the dropout. I carry a fiber spoke. I take a regular cassette tool if I go on a really long tour. I build my own wheels and have never broken a spoke on one of these wheels. I would say the fiber spoke is probably enough to get you through any situation, provided you are riding good quality wheels.

Another option is to build your rear wheel with a hub with an easily removable freehub body. I'm currently using a Velo Orange touring hub on a five-month tour. I've popped off the freehub a few times for routine service. This way I don't need to carry extra tool.

Thanks for that info. I suppose it is always wise to follow manufacturer's instructions. That said, I'm surprised to learn that they specify a tight fit for the lockring. The lockring is made with raised teeth on the inside surface that engage with corresponding serrations on the small cog to prevent loosening. I've always installed the ring snug (but not particularly tight) and never have had a problem. Never too old to learn the right way!

I like the Unior Cassette C-R-A-C-K-E-R for this function. Thy seem to have become hard to find in recent years, but at well under an ounce, almost no space taken up in the tool bag, and a cost of just a few bucks they are a good answer if you can find one. They could possibly ding the paint on the drop out, especially if you have an extremely tight lock ring, but I have not noticed any problems with that.

I don't tighten cassettes very tight so mine have always come off easily. Typically there are clicks as you tighten and I go about 3 clicks and have never had a problem with it being too loose or being hard to remove. I am a little puzzled why a cassette lock ring would be coming loose after tightening as Papa Tom described. Over the years I have probably installed dozens of lock rings on my bikes, family members bikes, and friends bikes just a few clicks and am not aware of any of them ever coming loose.