The Bicycle (Specialty) Tools Thread

[Meursault74]

I looked over bunch of listing on ebay as the sellers of used HG50 9cassettes spread them out. I didn't see any with those odd looking teeth.
I found an image from on online vendor selling the same iteration of HG-50 that I have in my hands. They both have those odd teeth at the same location.

So, that's either a new feature or a bad day for 14T cogs at the Shimano plant .

 

[Grant Gunderson]

I looked over bunch of listing on ebay as the sellers of used HG50 9cassettes spread them out. I didn't see any with those odd looking teeth.
I found an image from on online vendor selling the same iteration of HG-50 that I have in my hands. They both have those odd teeth at the same location.

So, that's either a new feature or a bad day for 14T cogs at the Shimano plant .

It’s 100% an updated feature. All of my highend cassettes have those slanted teeth.

 

[shibertus]

Do the tops of those two teeth at the top of the 14T cogs look the same to you on the two different cogs I posted.? They don't to me, which is why I posted.

Those two also are taller. If I look at the cassette from the side while it's mounted on the carrier it shipped in, I can see those 2 sticking up higher when I rotate it. None of the others do that. Teeth in question vs other in same cog.

It's normal. Here are similar looking teeth on my Ultegra 11 speed and XT 12 speed cassettes.

 

[Meursault74]

It’s 100% an updated feature. All of my highend cassettes have those slanted teeth.

It's normal. Here are similar looking teeth on my Ultegra 11 speed and XT 12 speed cassettes.

Thanks. I see that now.

When Shimano road went to 10 speed many years ago. The price of 9 speed components dropped like a stone. I bought a whole bunch of parts on the cheap then and have been using them since. The prices were ridiculously cheap I couldn't resist. Now some of that NOS 9 speed stuff brings a lot of money on ebay if it says Dura Ace. I have a DA STI shifter kit in the box untouched. It's shocking how much that will sell for. But I'm keeping them to use. The ones on my bikes are still going. One had to be resurrected, but it's still going with a little tri-flow now and then.

This is the first "new" 9 speed component in a while, it's not high end either. I just wanted to try a little lower gear.

 

[ericm]

Yea mine are all Ultegra and Dura Ace and have had the slanted top teeth since they went 10sp. Maybe earlier, I can't remember.

A bike shop owner friend who did a lot of them said the best way to fix sticky Shimano 9sp shift units is to liberally spray CRC Powerlube in the holes. It works for mine. He said there's 30 or 40 tiny parts in there, unlike an SRAM shifter which has two or three. Maybe someone like @Grant Gunderson could work on that but my friend recommended I just hose it down with lube.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

Yea mine are all Ultegra and Dura Ace and have had the slanted top teeth since they went 10sp. Maybe earlier, I can't remember.

A bike shop owner friend who did a lot of them said the best way to fix sticky Shimano 9sp shift units is to liberally spray CRC Powerlube in the holes. It works for mine. He said there's 30 or 40 tiny parts in there, unlike an SRAM shifter which has two or three. Maybe someone like @Grant Gunderson could work on that but my friend recommended I just hose it down with lube.

Shifter or Derailuer? I like to lube the pivot points on the derailleurs. I never bother with working on shifters. Done it twice and it’s futile as many use a clock spring and if you don’t wind it to the correct torque they are done. Both times I found broken / worn parts and of course there is zero repair parts available.

Unless you get excessive dirt / grit in there they tend to be greased for life from the factory.

99% of shifter issues is usually worn cable and housing. Back when I ran non-electric shifting I would always line the shift cables with Shimano cable grease. I’m almost certain it’s just white lithium rebranded. I’d replace my housing and cables 4-4 times as summer. It’s a slow degradation so you don’t usually feel they are getting bad till they are completely f’d.
I always buy the thin housing in bulk as it fits both internal / external and is way cheaper than buying the kits. Same with cables

 

[ericm]

Shifter or Derailuer?

Shifter. The Shimano 9sp road shifter internals were lubed with something that gummed up over time. Or that's what my bike shop owner friend thinks anyhow. Maybe it's when they sit, or maybe it's just age. Mine were fine until they got relegated to back up bike duty and then a year or two later they got sticky. A big shot of Powerlube would fix them for a year or so.

 

[dscheidt]

Shifter. The Shimano 9sp road shifter internals were lubed with something that gummed up over time. Or that's what my bike shop owner friend thinks anyhow. Maybe it's when they sit, or maybe it's just age. Mine were fine until they got relegated to back up bike duty and then a year or two later they got sticky. A big shot of Powerlube would fix them for a year or so.

the 9spd stuff was well known for getting gummed up, and flushing with new lube was a very common practice. It generally made them work for a while.

 

[308guru]

I had some XT shifters from ~1998 or so on a MTB. After sitting for many years the grease inside had dried out and the pawl mechanism wouldn't work. Some Triflow spray and working them back and forth for a while freed them up. Worked like a charm for a couple more years as a kid trailer tow truck until I sold it.

 

[Mecha]

I had some XT shifters from ~1998 or so on a MTB. After sitting for many years the grease inside had dried out and the pawl mechanism wouldn't work. Some Triflow spray and working them back and forth for a while freed them up. Worked like a charm for a couple more years as a kid trailer tow truck until I sold it.

You'd be amazed if you use electrical cleaner spray. Hose the mechanism down, let dry and follow up with Triflow or equivalent. It's fixed a lot of old rapidfire, brifters, and what not for me. Great trick.

 

[LOW1]

I bought this about 1980. Because of the pouch it comes in I assume it was intended to be carried on a bike but by today’s standards I think it would be considered very heavy. The tools are sturdy and seem well made.

 

[BWWgarage]

I bought this about 1980. Because of the pouch it comes in I assume it was intended to be carried on a bike but by today’s standards I think it would be considered very heavy. The tools are sturdy and seem well made.

Very cool. Could weigh as much as some modern road bikes though . What’s the below clamp
Thing?

 

[LOW1]

Brake clamp. It held down brake pads for adjustments

 

[slowtwitch73]

Sometimes called the third hand tool... one hand to do what that tool does, one to pull the cable taught, one to tighten the anchor bolt/nut.

 

[Pexto]

Sometimes called the third hand tool... one hand to do what that tool does, one to pull the cable taught, one to tighten the anchor bolt/nut.

My favorite 3rd hand tool is the VAR. It works well on sidepulls, centerpulls, cantilevers, V-brakes, just about everything (random pic from the web).

 

[BWWgarage]

My favorite 3rd hand tool is the VAR. It works well on sidepulls, centerpulls, cantilevers, V-brakes, just about everything (random pic from the web).

Had to check out on eBay ... looks like someone else from GJ added a watch in last 24hrs too

 

[Mecha]

If you have quick clamps, the pistol grip kind, you can use those for third hand tools.

Don't forget fourth hand tools too.

Pedro's Cable Puller Bike Cable Tensioner Fourth Hand Tool

Pedro's Cable Puller, commonly known as the "Fourth Hand Tool" provides the perfect tool for tensioning brake or derailleur cables while making adjustments. Featuring one hand operation, this tool simultaneously grips and tensions the cable while keeping your other hand free to secure the cable...

www.thebikesmiths.com

 

[duneslider]

If you have quick clamps, the pistol grip kind, you can use those for third hand tools.

Don't forget fourth hand tools too.

Pedro's Cable Puller Bike Cable Tensioner Fourth Hand Tool

Pedro's Cable Puller, commonly known as the "Fourth Hand Tool" provides the perfect tool for tensioning brake or derailleur cables while making adjustments. Featuring one hand operation, this tool simultaneously grips and tensions the cable while keeping your other hand free to secure the cable...

www.thebikesmiths.com

I have one of those 4th hands and it works great but I am very glad I haven't had to use it in a lot of years. I honestly do not miss cable actuated brakes.

 

[duneslider]

Hydraulic brake hose repair. Just curious if anyone has run across a way to repair (temporary) a hydraulic brake hose?

I took a bit of a digger at a bike park yesterday and my rear brake hose received a tear. Before now, I haven't ever carried brake hose in my tool kit. I do have stuff to bleed brakes but not a whole hose. As I sat there not riding I thought it would be cool if I could have cut out the inch of bad hose and rejoined it and gave it a bleed and then got back on the lifts. Its internally routed and the routing is sort of a pain and I am not certian how fun it would have been to try and replace it in the parking lot but I did also think I could have just run the hose external and zip tied it up, that would have been fairly easy as well. A little splice kit would have been cool if such a thing existed.

 

[Odd-job]

A splice kit would be pretty cool. Shouldn't be hard with the barbs and a coupling.

Never had to do a brake bleed in the parking lot, but I guess folks do it in the Autozone parking lots all of the time.

Would some plastic or rubber hose protector done any good? Guessing it got nicked near the rear caliper if internally routed?

 

[slowtwitch73]

If you're going to futz with barbs and compression beads, may as well just bring along a full length of hose and replace the whole thing leaving it a bit long.. zip tie it externally, when you get home, run it internally and shorten to correct length.

 

[duneslider]

A splice kit would be pretty cool. Shouldn't be hard with the barbs and a coupling.

Never had to do a brake bleed in the parking lot, but I guess folks do it in the Autozone parking lots all of the time.

Would some plastic or rubber hose protector done any good? Guessing it got nicked near the rear caliper if internally routed?

Best I can tell is the handle bars over rotated and some how split the hose between the lever and the frame. I haven't seen that happen before but thats what it was. I think the easiest route would be just running a hose from lever to caliper and zip tie it up. I could have done that fairly quick.

 

[Gebirgekind]

Yeah, if you're at the bike park and can keep an extra hose in your car, replacing the whole line is best. But Ti Cycles also makes this coupler which could be a great trail fix (but you'd still have to carry fluid).

Hydraulic Brake Line Coupler — TI CYCLES FABRICATION

HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE COUPLER Extend hydraulic brake lines for all applications, road, gravel, mountain, tandem and cargo bikes for internal and external routing. Intended for use with standard 5mm OD hydraulic brake line. --- STANDARD kit recommended for Shimano, TRP, Magura, Campagnolo and

www.ticycles.com

 

[Gebirgekind]

We're starting to see more quick-connects too on gravel bikes with internally routed forks and others. Here's a great dry-break version that doesn't require rebleeding.

Hydraulic Brake Line Dry-Break Travel coupler, ZENO Q-Connector — TI CYCLES FABRICATION

Recommended for all travel bikes or anytime you want an easy way to change hydraulic parts for your brakes. Bicycles shops and frame builders email Ti Cycles about bulk prices for these items.

www.ticycles.com

 

[duneslider]

Yeah, if you're at the bike park and can keep an extra hose in your car, replacing the whole line is best. But Ti Cycles also makes this coupler which could be a great trail fix (but you'd still have to carry fluid).

Hydraulic Brake Line Coupler — TI CYCLES FABRICATION

HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE COUPLER Extend hydraulic brake lines for all applications, road, gravel, mountain, tandem and cargo bikes for internal and external routing. Intended for use with standard 5mm OD hydraulic brake line. --- STANDARD kit recommended for Shimano, TRP, Magura, Campagnolo and

www.ticycles.com

This still might be worth having in my tool box, thanks for the link.

 

[duneslider]

We're starting to see more quick-connects too on gravel bikes with internally routed forks and others. Here's a great dry-break version that doesn't require rebleeding.

Hydraulic Brake Line Dry-Break Travel coupler, ZENO Q-Connector — TI CYCLES FABRICATION

Recommended for all travel bikes or anytime you want an easy way to change hydraulic parts for your brakes. Bicycles shops and frame builders email Ti Cycles about bulk prices for these items.

www.ticycles.com

This is really cool, not sure I need anything like this but good to know it exists! Thanks for sharing.

 

[BWWgarage]

This still might be worth having in my tool box, thanks for the link.

I’m struggling with what your carry on trail to make this work? This kit, fluid, cup thing for brake lever? Seems limping back without brake and a full brake line replacement in parking lot is way to go?

 

[duneslider]

I’m struggling with what your carry on trail to make this work? This kit, fluid, cup thing for brake lever? Seems limping back without brake and a full brake line replacement in parking lot is way to go?

Yeah, I wouldn't have this in on the trail, this would be a parking lot fix. If I am just at a local trail I don't take much of anything but if I spent money to ride the lifts I am motivated to fix the bike in the parking lot to get back on the mountain, same with at races, I want to make every effort to get riders back on course if possible.

I'm extremely lazy at the local trails though and rarely even carry stuff to fix a flat, guess I have been spoiled with tubeless and been lucky.

 

[Meursault74]

This lube tool showed up in a e-newsletter I receive. Not something I'd likely get, but it's seems to be a new bike tool.

RotaLuber

Save time and money. Properly lubes your bicycle chain faster with less waste and mess. Increases the life of your drive train. Better for the environment.

rotaluber.com

 

[Odd-job]

Thanks for sharing. Too bad this doesn't seem to work too well with the wax emulsion lubes as per the FAQs. Except for the Silca stuff.

 

[Meursault74]

Thanks for sharing. Too bad this doesn't seem to work too well with the wax emulsion lubes as per the FAQs. Except for the Silca stuff.

Yes I read that. I use White Lightning, it specifically says no go. I figured as much as soon as I saw the device.

The little WL bottle I use to apply gets clogged up at times, so not surprising it's not going to work with this device.

Seems like it would be OK for oil types. Don't know if I'd shell out $40 if I did use oil based lube.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

Wow $40 for a useless tool. Holding any lube bottle upside down and rotating the chain does the exact same thing. Laughing my *** off that their are apparently idiots that will spend money on this.

 

[HannibalLecter]

Wow $40 for a useless tool. Holding any line bottle upside down and rotating the chai does the exact same thing. Laughing my *** off that their are apparently idiots that will spend money on this.

Couldn't agree more. Luckily many dumb cyclist Freds that will be potential clients lol

 

[Odd-job]

Hey my name is Fred and I don't believe in there being a useless tool!

I guess I can live with my permanent puddle of squirt underneath my bike stand.

 

[HannibalLecter]

Hey my name is Fred and I don't believe in there being a useless tool!

I guess I can live with my permanent puddle of squirt underneath my bike stand.

Don't tell me you are a dentist as well lol. It's not exactly useless, it's that it's too expensive while providing hardly any benefit. As for the squirt pool I feel you. However the mess mostly occurs when backpedaling, after the application

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Wow $40 for a useless tool. Holding any line bottle upside down and rotating the chai does the exact same thing.

This places the lubricant only on the rollers, which is fairly tedious to do by hand.

That method is beneficial for not having excess lubricant on the outside surfaces of the chain to attract contamination, and less waste.

There are arguments about the necessity and value of the tool, but it's not useless.

 

[bonneyman]

Shifter. The Shimano 9sp road shifter internals were lubed with something that gummed up over time. Or that's what my bike shop owner friend thinks anyhow. Maybe it's when they sit, or maybe it's just age. Mine were fine until they got relegated to back up bike duty and then a year or two later they got sticky. A big shot of Powerlube would fix them for a year or so.

My old bike guy told me that Shimano had an epoxy-like compound in their shifter grease, that would harden over time and cause a malfunction. It was supposed to be timed to cause failure after the warranty period, but so many shifters came back under warranty that they changed the grease.

Very cool. Could weigh as much as some modern road bikes though . What’s the below clamp
Thing?

Old time third hand brake tool. Had one and my brother was always trying to get me to give it to him.

It's normal. Here are similar looking teeth on my Ultegra 11 speed and XT 12 speed cassettes.

I recall on the older 8-9 speed cassettes their was a groove or valley cut into the outside edge of the cogs. Meant to grab the chain pins (as they stuck out ever so slightly more than the chain plates) so as to facilitate quicker, more secure shifting on the index systems. Perhaps this profile change accomplishes the same result more reliably.

 

[slowtwitch73]

There are arguments about the necessity and value of the tool, but it's not useless.

Sorry, but very useless. Worse than useless.

Saves waste? Like how much? Not as much as the effing plastic and packaging for that thing.

Take a look at the inner face of a 1x chain and tell me it doesn't need lube.

Ditto the outer face if there's more than one chainring.



Get a squeeze bottle, place on top of chain, squeeze, turn cranks backwards.. let sit a bit, squeeze rag over chain, turn cranks backwards, done.

 

[Meursault74]

Wow $40 for a useless tool. Holding any lube bottle upside down and rotating the chain does the exact same thing. Laughing my *** off that their are apparently idiots that will spend money on this.

Couldn't agree more. Luckily many dumb cyclist Freds that will be potential clients lol

RotaLuber Quick Review

By John Marsh HOT! NOT! https://rotaluber.com Cost: RotaLuber with stand – $39.95; options for e-Bikes (includes a backpedal tool) – $60 Available: company website RBR Sponsor: no Tested: 3 weeks RotaLuber an Ingenious, Effective Chain Luber I’ve had enough conversations over the years with...

www.roadbikerider.com

here's a review of it from RBR. which is were I saw it.

I wouldn't get one for that price. Maybe if I used oil and that device was cheaper I'd give it a try. But I'm good pedaling backwards and wiping with a rag.


But yeah $40 seems ridiculous to me, but not more so than a $5 cup of coffee(which I don't understand, but yet is pervasive).

Wow, I didn't think posting that info on a new bike tool would inspire such a debate.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Sorry, but very useless. Worse than useless.

The device makes the manufacturers' recommended application method easier, so it's not useless. That's what the makers of the best lab tested lubricants say to do.

Saves waste? Like how much?

I don't know, maybe half. This was the secondary reason.

Take a look at the inner face of a 1x chain and tell me it doesn't need lube.

They will get enough through migration when you turn the cranks backwards.

Get a squeeze bottle, place on top of chain, squeeze, turn cranks backwards.. let sit a bit, squeeze rag over chain, turn cranks backwards, done.

This will result in more excess lubricant on the outside surfaces (including the inner faces) of the chain, attracting contamination.