The Bicycle (Specialty) Tools Thread

[HannibalLecter]

I generally agree, BUT the Shimano chains just keep going albeit in a worn state. T chains break. The inner surfaces look like they have beat with a ball peen hammer.

And the Simano just feels/shift better.

Let's not make this a sram vs shimano thread lol. But I'm curious, have you seen a broken flattop chain?
And on these drivetrains you would be a really unhinged person to run a worn chain, for the simple fact that a sram top level cassette costs 400€, shimano 250€ and so on. The uneducated e bikers who lease their bikes and ride only on harder gears are an exception

 

[slowtwitch73]

Yes, all flat tops.

 

[slowtwitch73]

T-type works extremely well on well on e-bikes, saves a lot of chain mashing by inexperienced riders

My experience is strictly non E bike...

 

[HannibalLecter]

My experience is strictly non E bike...

I tried the transmission, didn't like it one bit. The delay is unbearable for me. And it's true it's more for e bikes. However there is a new firmware update that eliminates the delay

 

[f121]

I tried the transmission, didn't like it one bit. The delay is unbearable for me. And it's true it's more for e bikes. However there is a new firmware update that eliminates the delay

The delay is the whole point, it waits until the chain is aligned with the shift ramps, rather than just mashing it until it catches.

 

[HannibalLecter]

The delay is the whole point, it waits until the chain is aligned with the shift ramps, rather than just mashing it until it catches.

I know that and I still hate it. It helps with clueless e bikers with 80nm motor assistance

 

[ericm]

Here's some bike tools I found while packing my garage/shop.

Dial calipers for a Park wheel truing stand. The rollers go along the side and the outside edge of the rim to measure how out of true it is. I've never used them- I must have bought them and then forgotten about them. Maybe it was about the time I switched to MTB riding and was no longer destroying road wheels.




Spoke tension gauge built for me by a guy in Moldova. It's got a spring that provides consistent force on the spokes. The two points the spokes touch the body are bearings, and the plunger slides very smoothly. It's a real work of art for a tool.

To use it you need to first make a rig to variably tension spokes while measuring the tension on them, then at regular tensions make a deflection reading with the tool. From that you can make a graph. I have a bunch of those around for the spokes I was using at the time.

 

[Odd-job]

sram flattop chains with oversized rollers, and quite probably for shimano

So because of your post I did end up getting a 3 prong chain checker . It does look like Shimano uses the standard sized rollers on their 12 speed chains, but I did reason with myself that the 3 prong is more accurate in theory should there be variation in roller size as everyone has a bad day at work now and then... even the Japanese.

 

[Odd-job]

Has anyone found thread restorers like the lang's in M5? I am finding myself using my standard tap and dies quite often for clean up work and am not crazy about the amount of material they end up removing.

 

[slowtwitch73]

You can get taps undersized. Also could make your own restorer out of bolt of choice.

I made a set of crank thread cleaners/restorers out of some Shimano pedal spindles.

 

[JradM]

Tangential, but I've found the "thread wizard" handy for cleaning bolts without removing any metal. It's just a wire brush surrounded by different-sized holes, but while you can do essentially the same thing running a brush across the threads; the tool just makes it faster and more convenient. I'm not only using this for bikes, but I certainly use it on bikes too - it's good for removing old threadlocker.

I only have the "metric" version - but when you consider how it works, I'm not sure why you would need both. It's just wire bristles, they conform to the threads.



Actually, that makes me wonder, if you're only cleaning and not forming threads, maybe you could just get a brush to toss in a drill and run it in/out of your threads? M5 is pretty small, but maybe some small gun bore cleaning brush would work? Like for .17 for example.

 

[Jaywalk3r]

NP-6 seems ok too.

Just wondering if I'm overlooking something superior in that same price range.

I paid the same price for my Tsunoda KRP-150 on Amazon as I could get the NP-6 wholesale. I like the Tsunoda better than Park's version, based on my limited personal experience with NP-6. I also prefer my Tsunoda cable cutters to the Park cutters I have used.

Park is a pretty safe bet for bike specific stuff, but I avoid them, and other bike-centric companies, for more general purpose tools. You can usually find better quality elsewhere for the same price or less.

 

[mattthemuppet]

Has anyone found thread restorers like the lang's in M5? I am finding myself using my standard tap and dies quite often for clean up work and am not crazy about the amount of material they end up removing.

try using a roll form tap - they don't cut material but form the thread by displacing material into the thread shape. If you have a boogered thread they push the damaged material back where it came from. The thread won't be as strong as it was, but you typically have more threads engaged by the bolt than you need for the strength required, so it doesn't matter. The only thing they're not good for is cleaning **** out of threads - for that you can always take a bolt and cut a slot into it with a dremel. I've done that before for cleaning out loctite and the like.

 

[HannibalLecter]

So because of your post I did end up getting a 3 prong chain checker . It does look like Shimano uses the standard sized rollers on their 12 speed chains, but I did reason with myself that the 3 prong is more accurate in theory should there be variation in roller size as everyone has a bad day at work now and then... even the Japanese.

Which one did you get? The shimano isn't that expensive

 

[Odd-job]

roll form tap - they don't cut material but form the thread by displacing material into the thread shape

Thanks. Probably need to appreciate different taps more, but just what I was looking for. Looks like I have an excuse to order from McMaster Carr.

Which one did you get?

Supported my LBS so ended up with a Park CC-4.

 

[willf650]

Does anyone know what this is for?











I was reorganizing a some stuff and have a drawer of bicycle tools and this was in it. It’s threaded to fit the crank bolt of a shimano tapered spline crank bolt. I think these were also the same bolt as on an “isis” splined crank.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever even used it as I don’t know what it’s for at this point. It may have been part of a crank puller set. It’s is 20-25 years old at this point whatever it is.

 

[willf650]

Anyone tried the Klein version? I noticed they're SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper. The 34056 hex crimping pliers are $50 Canadian, the square-crimping version (34055) is a mere $35. These days you can't tell exactly what you're getting from Klein - there's no COO information on the website, so I assume these are Chinese-production. Still, it had me curious - that's not much more than the random-letter-company copies on Amazon.

I have that and it works fine. I use it a work regularly. It is foreign made but I don't remember where.

I also have an eight sided chinese one and don't really notice the difference.

I have no experience with the Knipex version to compare these too.

 

[AdAstra]

Anyone tried the Klein version? I noticed they're SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper. The 34056 hex crimping pliers are $50 Canadian, the square-crimping version (34055) is a mere $35. These days you can't tell exactly what you're getting from Klein - there's no COO information on the website, so I assume these are Chinese-production. Still, it had me curious - that's not much more than the random-letter-company copies on Amazon.

Getting off topic but I believe this is private labeled from IWISS. Unfortunately even though it looks similar, I have found it does not perform similarly on wires at the smaller end of its advertised range, the texture on the inside jaws can subtly damage the ferrule at the base and cause it fracture very easily... long-term reliability nightmare. Compared side by side with similar Weidmueller and Rennsteig/Knipex tools, which have more sophisticated texturing, they do not do this and perform well.

 

[Odd-job]

Does anyone know what this is for?

pivot bolt? doesn't look like an extractor, but weird that it is solid. What's on the other side of the knurling?

 

[willf650]

pivot bolt? doesn't look like an extractor, but weird that it is solid. What's on the other side of the knurling?

Nothing, it’s flat on top the knurled end. It’s definately a tool of some sort. It’s blued steel and heavy.

 

[old-air-performance]

I made a tool to disassemble and assemble the new enviolo lockring with a torque wrench.
I don't like to use 3 adaptors on 1 tool, 1 dedicated tool is faster and safer.
I used a tool for shimano steps (41mm 16 notch) lock ring.
Made sleeve for extra height, and used an old broke torx socket, made it a tight pressfit , and for some overkill i tig welded it.








I knurled the sleeve for some extra grip , then sandblasted and blued it.




Kind regards,
Toon

 

[Odd-job]

^ Toon those are some pretty welds! I now need to figure out how to delete the post of my DT swiss lock ring tool that was for impact usage so embarrassed with how ugly that one turned out.

 

[old-air-performance]

Hello,

A few new tool sets: a Unior bleed kit and a Unior bearing puller and installation set.













Kind regards,
Toon

 

[-sg]

Hello,

A few new tool sets: a Unior bleed kit and a Unior bearing puller and installation set.

Kind regards,
Toon

Those look nice and tidy. Question as an amateur home mechanic - how does everyone store their bleed kits? Should I be flushing them after use or are they fine leaving some fluid in them?

 

[BWWgarage]

Hello,

A few new tool sets: a Unior bleed kit and a Unior bearing puller and installation set.













Kind regards,
Toon

Pretty!!

 

[duneslider]

Those look nice and tidy. Question as an amateur home mechanic - how does everyone store their bleed kits? Should I be flushing them after use or are they fine leaving some fluid in them?

I curious to hear what the pros say but for me I generally clean out as much as I can. For me that means squirt out any left in the syringe into a waste can I have and dump out funnels into same can. I typically wipe out the funnel with a paper towel. In my mind I should be wiping out the inside of the syringes too but I don't and I have not had a syringe go bad yet (oldest is probably only 4-5 years old).

Totally different but I can't get syringes for sealant to last and I do try to clean those out quickly after every use, hot water, soap, rag, brush, etc. Its like a sticky film just happens no matter what I do.

 

[kppolich]

I flush mine (SRAM DOT) with some soapy water and spray down the inside with a light IPA mist then let dry before putting back into the Jagwire blow mold case they live in.

 

[BWWgarage]

I flush mine (SRAM DOT) with some soapy water and spray down the inside with a light IPA mist then let dry before putting back into the Jagwire blow mold case they live in

... like a Founders All Day or Lagunitas Daytime?

 

[old-air-performance]

I keep the syringes with mineral oil filled in this Elvedes bleeding station, because I use them daily.
The syringes with DOT fluid I empty and try to store as clean as possible.



Kind regards,
Toon

 

[MidMoBob]

My selection of bicycle tools would be fairly useless on anything made after the early 1980s, but I still keep them around. Hardly ever use them, though . . .

 

[Meursault74]

My selection of bicycle tools would be fairly useless on anything made after the early 1980s, but I still keep them around. Hardly ever use them, though . . .

nah, from what I see you could go to early 2000's on higher end stuff. Cartridge bottom bracket tool, crank puller, cone wrench for the hubs were still used regularly used then.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

I keep the syringes with mineral oil filled in this Elvedes bleeding station, because I use them daily.
The syringes with DOT fluid I empty and try to store as clean as possible.



Kind regards,
Toon

Got a link to that station?

 

[duneslider]

nah, from what I see you could go to early 2000's on higher end stuff. Cartridge bottom bracket tool, crank puller, cone wrench for the hubs were still used regularly used then.

Or even more current. I still see a lot of new entry level bikes that need those tools. Sure all the higher end stuff is different but they are still using all that stuff on the entry level bikes.

 

[Meursault74]

Or even more current. I still see a lot of new entry level bikes that need those tools. Sure all the higher end stuff is different but they are still using all that stuff on the entry level bikes.

for the bottom brackets. On my trainer that's only indoors, I have a "cup and cone" set up, no cartridge. . One bike has a cartridge square taper. Two have Cartridge Octalink. If those are low end now, so be it.

I don't have any of the tools for the outboard bottom brackets, as I don't have any (yet).

I wonder if the low end still uses threaded headsets. I have a couple of those still going too. Thin headset wrench still needed.

 

[duneslider]

for the bottom brackets. On my trainer that's only indoors, I have a "cup and cone" set up, no cartridge. . One bike has a cartridge square taper. Two have Cartridge Octalink. If those are low end now, so be it.

I don't have any of the tools for the outboard bottom brackets, as I don't have any (yet).

I wonder if the low end still uses threaded headsets. I have a couple of those still going too. Thin headset wrench still needed.

I haven't seen a newer bike with a threaded headset, unless you shop at walmart. Even shimano is moving away from loose bearings in their newer hubs, I still have a few wheels with shimano hubs with cup and cones. Still have a couple fairly new bikes with square taper BBs but I am not seeing any newer bikes that are in the higher end offering that have that stuff anymore. I just did a service on a square taper BB and man they are easy to work on, I would take working on that over beating shot pressfits out of a frame anyday.

 

[Meursault74]

I haven't seen a newer bike with a threaded headset, unless you shop at walmart. Even shimano is moving away from loose bearings in their newer hubs, I still have a few wheels with shimano hubs with cup and cones. Still have a couple fairly new bikes with square taper BBs but I am not seeing any newer bikes that are in the higher end offering that have that stuff anymore. I just did a service on a square taper BB and man they are easy to work on, I would take working on that over beating shot pressfits out of a frame anyday.

earlier this year i bought a new wheelset. site was having a blowout, of I guess new old stock components that were higher end at one time. I couldn't resist as I figured that high end clincher rims may be hard to come by in the future. Nothing aside from the spokes/******* and rim tape were current from the manufacturer.

Ultegra 10 speed hubs (cup and cone), DT Swiss box section rims for clinchers, Sapin spokes and ******* 32 and 3cross, and velox rim tape. I believe they built them when I ordered them, but no substitution were allowed. The only thing I would have changed would have been 14/15/14 double butted spokes instead of straight 14, but for the price I wouldn't complain. I'll be able to fix these and my other wheelsets as they are similarly built. Loose bearings and J-bend spokes.

I replaced/repacked the front bearing on one of my wheels earlier this year. 90's Shimano hub. Cone wrenches and that's it. It's nice to just have several of bags of standard size bicycle ball bearings to cover all my fleet.

I have some old Mavic wheels that have the press fit bearings, I've resigned then to hang in the garage and trainer use or as a rim when I patch a tube and install it there to check if it holds for a while. They did give me a good ride for a long time though. If I wanted to service them, I'd need to buy a bearing puller and order the sealed bearings of the correct size. For the press, I have a threaded rod with nuts and washers that I've used for headset installs. That would likely work for those hubs.

There is/was an elegance to adjusting hubs, headset, and bottom bracket with threads. Although for the bottom bracket, the screw in cartridge for me is pretty much screw it in and forget it. The only reason I still have a cup and cone bottom bracket on the trainer bike is because I don't use it that often. I wouldn't run one outdoors at this point in time though. Just get a square taper cartridge that would fit. The crank is an old Sugino square taper, and I'm too lazy to figure out what taper to use so I just keep it as is.

 

[BWWgarage]

guessing some here have seen but I recently stumbled onto this on FB

tool box wars on FB ...

​

 

[kppolich]

Yep, currently waiting a few of the smaller Pelican cases on eBay to make my own version as well. between the Case and the Kaizen foam - you are starting at $100 without any tools.

Weight also becomes a factor too with the pelican cases once you get about the 1500 protector series.

 

[old-air-performance]

The Park Tool tire levers have been serving me well for several years now, so I ordered an extra set.
I also bought a new crank puller, the old one broke.
I had replaced it back then with a handle-less Cyclus model, it’s very good quality, but I find a version with a handle more convenient.
I also picked up a syringe for tubeless sealant and a new tire inflator gun, which I don’t have any experience with yet.
And finally, a Shimano derailleur hanger alignment tool—by far the best one I’ve ever come across.
If only all professional bike tools were made to this level of quality.

 

[old-air-performance]

A few syringes for applying bearinggrease and anti-seize grease.
Cyclus thickness gauge ( go/ no-go )