Metric spanners

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ratherbeintobago
Posts: 974
Joined: 5 Dec 2010, 6:31pm

Metric spanners

Post by ratherbeintobago »

I feel the need for a metric spanner set.

What range of sizes does the panel reckon I’d need for the majority of bike tasks?
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by Brucey »

depends what bike/parts you have or intend to work on, and what jobs you want to do. In truth modern bikes have relatively few opportunities to use standard metric combination spanners, but there are many opportunities to use special spanners of various kinds. Old bikes use all kinds of weird sizes (not metric) anyway.

I have (literally) hundreds of spanners of various kinds and about once a week I realise that I could do with some more...

If you want to buy some standard combination spanners in useful sizes, 8.9.10, 12, 15, 17 would be a good start. But on some bikes you wouldn't use any of them.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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cycleruk
Posts: 6065
Joined: 17 Jan 2009, 9:30pm
Location: Lancashire

Re: Metric spanners

Post by cycleruk »

Then you will need "cone" spanners which are extra thin. 13/14/15/16/17 mm.
Although the last cones (Shimano) I did yesterday where just 13 & 17 mm.
Maybe a Pedal spanner.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
ratherbeintobago
Posts: 974
Joined: 5 Dec 2010, 6:31pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by ratherbeintobago »

I have cone spanners, but I’m not intending to adjust any cones.
gregoryoftours
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Joined: 22 May 2011, 7:14pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by gregoryoftours »

Many modern and decent spec bikes/components use more allen fittings than hex bolts/nuts, but if you are going to work on old-ish and or cheap-ish road/mountain/hybrid/touring bikes/components, then I'd get the following in combi spanner form - 7mm (shimano hydro disc brake bleed nipples)
8mm, other hydro disc brakes and nuts for m5 bolts that you might use to mount pannier racks etc.
9mm cable clamp nuts on mechs and front band on mech clamps.
10mm brakes and general. 2 are useful eg to fix mudguards at fork crown,
11mm, rare but I've used for something, can't remember what.
12 and 13mm - some saddle clamp bolts, seatpost clamps etc.
14mm - 9mm solid front axle track nuts and cheap saddle clamps. square taper crank bolts can also be 14mm hex but you need a socket for them because they are recessed.
15mm pedals, rear solid axle nuts. I'd go for a double ended cranked ring spanner for 14/15mm as they are really convenient for what these sizes are needed (but not pedals).
16mm fit the flats on the adjustable cup side of some adjustable bottom brackets if you don't want to buy a proper tool.
17mm hub locknuts.
Those are the most common uses I can think of.

threaded headsets, hub cones, bb, etc you are more likely to need specialised spanners on occasion or different sizes on bmx

Of course it's always good to have a small 6" adjustable along with a sodding great big one for brutish tasks and threaded headset locknuts etc.
Airsporter1st
Posts: 784
Joined: 8 Oct 2016, 3:14pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by Airsporter1st »

Apart from the numerous specialist spanners which may be required, I think it is important to look at the thickness of your chosen spanners. By sheer luck, I happened to come across a set of RS metric combination spanners a few years back, which were somewhat thinner than the other good quality sets I had. Subsequently, I found the RS ones to be far more useful for cycle use.

If you are going to buy spanners, I'd certainly go for a full set from one of the better quality suppliers, rather than try to source individual sizes; firstly, whatever size you don't buy will be the one you next need and secondly, a decent set will have many more uses than cycling alone. I would suggest a decent set in 1mm increments from 6mm to as large as you can reasonably afford. (Genuine) Sealey, Kennedy, Facom, Elora, Clarkes, Britool, Bahco, Draper Expert, Halfords Professional, Snap-On, Teng are all brands of which I have experience (together with many more) and are generally good quality.
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Mick F
Spambuster
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Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Metric spanners

Post by Mick F »

The only hexagonal nuts on my bikes are on the mudguards, the rest are Allen fittings.
Actually, the Moulton has wheel nuts on the Sturmey Archer, so I need a 15mm spanner for that.

That's all.
Mick F. Cornwall
keyboardmonkey
Posts: 1120
Joined: 1 Dec 2009, 5:05pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Metric spanners

Post by keyboardmonkey »

When they are available at a sizeable discount the Halfords Advanced 12 piece ratchet spanner set (8-19mm) is worth considering.
Suffolker
Posts: 149
Joined: 5 Jul 2014, 7:04am

Re: Metric spanners

Post by Suffolker »

A Knipex plier wrench is a useful tool to have, primarily for workshop purposes.
simonhill
Posts: 5227
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Metric spanners

Post by simonhill »

I only use:
an 8mm - the nut on the end of the hex bolt in the top fitting of the front mudguard which I remove for flying; and
a 15mm for when I can't get my pedals off with an Allen (hex) key.

Everything else is Allen key.

.......but then again, I don't do much maintenance, that's what my LBS is for.
gxaustin
Posts: 890
Joined: 23 Sep 2015, 12:07pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by gxaustin »

An adjustable is handy but they often round off the flats. Not the Stanley adjustable spanner with clamp though. The clamping device is similar to that on a mole wrench and by clamping the spanner on a nut it doesn't drop off or slip. Image
Randy_Butternubs
Posts: 64
Joined: 16 Jun 2017, 8:32pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by Randy_Butternubs »

gxaustin wrote:An adjustable is handy but they often round off the flats. Not the Stanley adjustable spanner with clamp though. The clamping device is similar to that on a mole wrench and by clamping the spanner on a nut it doesn't drop off or slip.


+1. That was one of the first tools I ever bought and it's always in the top of my toolbox. It's fantastic for holding things like cassette lockring tools. It's way too big for normal, small nuts and bolts but on the plus side it doubles up as a makeshift hammer.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by thirdcrank »

ratherbeintobago wrote:I feel the need for a metric spanner set. ...


What other excuse do you need to buy one? As others have said, go for top quality; as a life-long Britool enthusiast, I've recently taken a fancy to Facom. There is something rather satisfying about sets of anything and good quality tools are no exception.

Otherwise, make a careful list of everything with metric hex heads you are ever likely to want to fix and on a modern bike there's not enough for a whole set. Look carefully also at what type of tool you need when making your list: socket spanner; double ended wrench which may be long for leverage, normal length or stubby where there's poor clearance and the ring end can be ratcheting or not etc. Get a big toolchest and there's room for sets of every style.
landsurfer
Posts: 5327
Joined: 27 Oct 2012, 9:13pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by landsurfer »

10mm and 15mm everything else is Allen keys ...
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
Airsporter1st
Posts: 784
Joined: 8 Oct 2016, 3:14pm

Re: Metric spanners

Post by Airsporter1st »

gxaustin wrote:An adjustable is handy but they often round off the flats. Not the Stanley adjustable spanner with clamp though. The clamping device is similar to that on a mole wrench and by clamping the spanner on a nut it doesn't drop off or slip. Image

A good quality adjustable (e.g. Bahco - the inventors), properly used, shouldn't need the locking device which adds a lot of bulk.
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