The tool you bought that proved a revelation ??

[geomannie]

For brake pad toe-in, I once read a handy tip of using a couple of thick elastic bands tied into a loop and slipped over the end of each brake block.

All I will say is that the brake pad toe-in tool makes it a lot easier, especially with old-school canti brakes.

[Marcus Aurelius]

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-missing-li ... or-pliers/

[Phil Fouracre]

I hate using traditional chain whips for cassette removal and frequently skin my knuckles. Using one of these https://www.decathlon.com/products/chain-whip-cassette-remover was an eye opener. Recommended if it fits your cassette/cassettes.

(Note - link is to US site as UK site temporarily down. The tool is normally available in the UK).

Just been using a chain whip, bloody awkward! Will be buying this immediately, many thanks

[keyboardmonkey]

... For brake pad toe-in, I once read a handy tip of using a couple of thick elastic bands tied into a loop and slipped over the end of each brake block...

I used to have a short length of cut up inner tube to slide over the trailing edge of the brake blocks when setting toe-in.

Park Tool “shim”

I don’t do eBay - those Jagwire spacers sort of seem worth a punt - but on Amazon they’re nearly 20 quid including delivery! However, last week I used a 5mm Bondhus screwdriver-type Allen key. I felt it gave me more control when aligning.

My fairly recent purchases that I use a fair bit:

Left to right...

Tekton 1/4” drive swivel head ratchet (handy to start out as a ‘spinner’ when fastening up);
Bondhus 4mm T hex wrench (great for stem bolts);
Bondhus 3mm screwdriver-type ball end Allen key (for starting off those annoying grubscrew-like fasteners that hold a little plastic clip clamping brake cables on the front forks of some hybrids/MTBs);
Vessel +2 screwdriver (just because...)
Knipex flush cutters (relegating my old Hobbycraft ones);
Pro chain keeper (cheaper and more compact options are available, but I rather like it);
Knipex 250mm pliers wrench (old school headsets, bending stuff... pumping water...?).

[Mick F]

Aren't we going round the buoy here?
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=106178

[reohn2]

I hate using traditional chain whips for cassette removal and frequently skin my knuckles. Using one of these https://www.decathlon.com/products/chain-whip-cassette-remover was an eye opener. Recommended if it fits your cassette/cassettes.

(Note - link is to US site as UK site temporarily down. The tool is normally available in the UK).

Just been using a chain whip, bloody awkward! Will be buying this immediately, many thanks

I've never found a chain whip awkward to use,I'm truly puzzled

[keyboardmonkey]

Aren't we going round the buoy here?
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=106178

It’ll definitely be a secondhand story if someone wheels out their fourth hand tool

I hate using traditional chain whips for cassette removal and frequently skin my knuckles. Using one of these https://www.decathlon.com/products/chain-whip-cassette-remover was an eye opener. Recommended if it fits your cassette/cassettes.

(Note - link is to US site as UK site temporarily down. The tool is normally available in the UK).

Just been using a chain whip, bloody awkward! Will be buying this immediately, many thanks

I've never found a chain whip awkward to use,I'm truly puzzled

One thing I’ve found that can be fiddly is the lock ring tool and adjustable spanner combo. Park Tool do a fixed removal tool complete with handle. It’s generally thought to be a copy of the Abbey Crombie:

Not cheap (mine was a present), but handy if like me you don’t have a peg board and like your kit to be stashed in a tool roll/box.

By no means essential, and I’m not sure I’d look to replace the ‘Crombie’ and ‘Whip-it’ if they were nicked or something.

[531colin]

The easy way to remove a cassette is with a regular chain whip, but as you need both hands to operate the whip, fix one of these removers in the bench vise….https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/143002134499?chn=ps

[simonhill]

A credit card.

Once you have one almost everything is possible.

[simonineaston]

There've been so many! Hilka three-leg puller?, head-torch? SpokeKey?, TopPeak multi-tool?, Park cable-inner-shears?, Funnily enough, I treated myself to a Leatherman Wave about a year ago and I don't think I've used it once!

[Mike Sales]

I don't buy a tool until I am sure I need it!

[reohn2]

The easy way to remove a cassette is with a regular chain whip, but as you need both hands to operate the whip, fix one of these removers in the bench vise….https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/143002134499?chn=ps

My way of doing it is with the wheel laid flat on the bench cassette uppermost, drop that tool into the qr hole engaging castlations/teeth on the lockring,engage the chaiwhip on about 3rd from top sprocket(correct way round ),put the spanner on the lockring tool so chainwhip handle an spanner lever are close together then squeeze them together with one hand.
Simples

[Tangled Metal]

Aren't we going round the buoy here?
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=106178

I thought that might be the case but no harm in getting an update. Afterall not many bother searching forums, me especially. I never find forum search facilities that helpful, often returning the last twenty posts on the most recent thread with your stay terms in. If that's not relevant then the next twenty will be posts from the next thread and so on.

[Tangled Metal]

A credit card.

Once you have one almost everything is possible.

I do that with all but the basics and embarrassing could. Bike shop mechanics are the ultimate tool you can rent with a credit card.

[mjr]

Water pump pliers https://www.gassafetyshop.co.uk/Products/Expert-Waterpump-Pliers

+1. Most often used on the bike for opening 2-part quick links (just squeeze diagonally across the corners with the jaws set to ⅜" IIRC), but they have been used to grip, undo and remove bizarre-shaped obsolete-looking headset fixings too.