Emergency toolkit Spanner

[rmurphy195]

Hi there - I'm used to not needing any wheel nut spanners in my toolkit 'cos my bikes have QR wheels, however my recently-acquired Brompton has 15mm nuts, so an extra spanner is needed.

I'm at present carrying-around a pair of 15mm combination spanners, which of course are very good quality, but they are a bit long and a bit heavy. So I'm looking for an alternaive.

The dumbell spanners as sold by Halfords etc. would seem to be ideal but my experience of these many years ago is that while they are easy to use and don't dig into my hands, that they are a bit soft and likely to distort or break.

Has anyone any ideas - without breaking the bank that is. (I'm not in the market for the Brompton toolkit, a tad expensive and has a lot of stuff which I don't need).

Many thanks - Richard

[MLJ]

I use a 6" adjustable spanner for this, which also fits other nuts on the Brompton.

[Brucey]

you only need one spanner really. If you must carry two then carry a cheap flat spanner with lots of holes in; you get one in a pound-shop puncture repair kit IIRC.

Other options include a cool tool and (for fixed gear riders) there are track nut tools available as well.

BTW those dumbbell spanners are indeed useless; the last time I saw anyone try to use one, it broke.

BTW I often carry a 6" adjustable spanner too.

cheers

[Mick F]

I bought a box spanner and cut the required end off. It's only an inch(ish) long and I made it for my 18mm trailer wheel nuts. The holes in the spanner are big and it's easy to use an Allen key or screwdriver as a tommy bar.

[Cunobelin]

I use one of these:



Short and stubby, but does the job nicely

[rmurphy195]

Thanks Cunobelin - I've just ordered the non-ratcheting version of this (ebay, where you can get single spanners instead of buying the set) which looks good and at 118mm length it's half the size of the ones I currently have. I haven't seen anything like this in any of our local tool shops.

Thanks for all your replies - having worked on cars and bikes for a few years I tend to prefer the solid chrome-vanadium tools so have gone down this route.

Cheers - Richard

Update 14/9 - Stubby Britool spanner received a few days ago, brilliant bit of kit, will be looking to get other sizes for a couple of awkward nuts on the car (and no, I don't mean the one in the driving seat!)

[sore thumb]

Fixed gear shops sell a selection of these spammers. Even ones with a bottle opener at other end

[Erudin]

I like/use the stubby spanners, the Surly Jethro Tule is one with a bottleopener.

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/index.php/store/tools/surly-jethro-tule-detail