Posts
302
Joined
9/14/2012
Location
San Diego, CA
US
I realize we're not all mechanics, but inevitably as riders, we all start to tinker around with our bikes and begin acquiring tools. Having personally wrenched in shops for a number of years, I've become very particular about my tools and utilize pretty much all of them quite frequently. Even so, there are still a couple tools I've began to favor over the years.
The first tool I couldn't live without is a simple poker. No matter what the task at hand is, I typically find myself using this thing at least once.
My boss at my first shop showed me how to make one, and this one is actually the first one I had ever made. Obviously over the years I've made plenty more, but this guy's stayed in my travel toolbox or on my home bench since I left that shop. All you do is take a straight-pull or a J-bend spoke (if you only have a J-bend, straighten the bend with either a vice or pliers), put the spoke in a drill and hit the end you want to sharpen with a circular grinder while spinning it with the drill. Cut a piece of 5mm brake housing and stick the sharpened spoke though it. Once the spoke is through the housing, drip a little Super Glue in the housing. Take two ferrules, put a little glue in them and one on put one on each end of the housing. Boom, you got the raddest poker ever.
The other tool I couldn't live without is kinda a cop out, but I use it all the time: the 4-5-6mm allen key tri-wrench.
So, what about you? What tool couldn't you live without?
The first tool I couldn't live without is a simple poker. No matter what the task at hand is, I typically find myself using this thing at least once.
My boss at my first shop showed me how to make one, and this one is actually the first one I had ever made. Obviously over the years I've made plenty more, but this guy's stayed in my travel toolbox or on my home bench since I left that shop. All you do is take a straight-pull or a J-bend spoke (if you only have a J-bend, straighten the bend with either a vice or pliers), put the spoke in a drill and hit the end you want to sharpen with a circular grinder while spinning it with the drill. Cut a piece of 5mm brake housing and stick the sharpened spoke though it. Once the spoke is through the housing, drip a little Super Glue in the housing. Take two ferrules, put a little glue in them and one on put one on each end of the housing. Boom, you got the raddest poker ever.
The other tool I couldn't live without is kinda a cop out, but I use it all the time: the 4-5-6mm allen key tri-wrench.
So, what about you? What tool couldn't you live without?
Fixit-Sticks is all you need
I also second the tri wrench. Having both a 4 and a 5 on the same tool make adjusting road brake calipers and headsets so much easier.
I guess a "different" tool would be a pair of small flush cut dykes I got from harbor freight for like $2. Use them to cut zip ties so they're flush with the anchor and don't leave that sharp edge that can rip shorts and skin.
Another one that made my wrenching more enjoyable (read: less fraught with error and sadness) was the Park Tool saw guide SG-6. Definitely one of those tools that reinforces the old cliche of "right tool for the job".
Post a reply to: What Tool Couldn't You Live Without?