Tools you never knew you needed until you got one

[Vetus Ossa]

This is a tool I wouldn't like to be without.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wGxxXp1N8s

[Mick F]

Var tyre lever?
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... b0s72p1263

Or follow 531colin's excellent tutorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4

[Mick F]

Had a play with my new 4th hand tool.
It makes fitting the rear mech cable easy peasy, though it isn't really necessary for brake cables though helps a bit.

HIGHLY recommended for rear mech cables.
Wish I'd bought one years ago.

[JonMcD]

I bought a couple of tools following recommendations on the forum, and I’m very pleased with them.

Brucey recommended the KAMASA 55836 off-line ratchet driver. A good quality driver and very useful when you can’t get a straight alignment on a fixing. Not widely available – had to get mine from eBay.

chris_suffolk recommended the Teng TM029 29 Piece Bits Box 1/4in drive. Once again a good quality tool and since the ratchet head surrounds the bit you can use this in confined spaces where a conventional ratchet handle and bit just wouldn’t fit.

On Bikeradar there are mixed views on the usefulness of a Fourth Hand Tool – not that that will stop me getting one .

EDIT - Someone on the Bikeradar thread mentions that a Fourth Hand Tool is pretty good at pulling cable ties tight. If it gets them as tight as my usual method, using two pairs of pliers, then I would buy one for that alone.

[foxyrider]

For me it's a pair of Park Cassette Pliers - no more chain whips, cassette off in a trice without attempting the octopus grip! Not cheap but brilliant!

[NUKe]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-t-hand ... rench-set/
T Handled Hex wrenches

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Used my 3rd Hand Tool yesterday to set the new blocks into position.3rd Hand Tool.jpg

Got to admit I always just got by with two hands, more a knack I think.

[Samuel D]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-t-handle-hex-wrench-set/
T Handled Hex wrenches

Why, out of curiosity? Are they quicker to use?

[Sweep]

thor mallet.jpg

A thor leather faced mallet:

Bought it because it appealed to me and seemed quite well priced but not sure what I thought I'd use it for.

Incredibly useful for hitting things pretty hard without damaging too much. More use on car parts than bicycles to be fair
When my first one got nicked, I bought two more in different sizes

Got one of those.

My departed dad gave me it, telling me itwould be useful.

And it has been.

I love the name/branding of it.

Must admit to being intrigued by what sort of miscreant goes around stealing hammers. Sounds as oldy worldy as the Thor itself.

[Sweep]

[code][/code]

the dial sort are pretty good (and don't need batteries) but...twice a year Aldi and Lidl have digital vernier calipers for about ten quid. These are tops! Just make sure you have a few spare batteries to hand....

cheers

Yes, I have one, though have since found that the same thing is available year round for less on ebay.

[profpointy]

Had a play with my new 4th hand tool.
It makes fitting the rear mech cable easy peasy, though it isn't really necessary for brake cables though helps a bit.

HIGHLY recommended for rear mech cables.
Wish I'd bought one years ago.3rd and 4th.jpeg4th.jpeg4th closeup.jpeg

is that the cheap on rather than the park tools one? Was about to buy one but the £7 one seems to cheap yet the £37 park tools one seems nothing special - both asseents going only by wiggle's pictures. I take it both are better tha pliers. I'm not too bothered by price, providing it really is a better item

Any advice?

[Sweep]

For me it's a pair of Park Cassette Pliers - no more chain whips, cassette off in a trice without attempting the octopus grip! Not cheap but brilliant!

Pic?

Anything like the device from decathlon?


http://www.decathlon.co.uk/chain-whip-c ... 09913.html

[Sweep]

the dial sort are pretty good (and don't need batteries) but...twice a year Aldi and Lidl have digital vernier calipers for about ten quid. These are tops! Just make sure you have a few spare batteries to hand....

cheers

The Lidl digital calipers I bought a few years ago which take a 1p size coin cell are still on their original battery, some calipers I bought elsewhere which used a smaller battery would flatten a battery in under a year. I suspect the issue is the electronics rather than the battery.

Good point. Mine, from lidl or aldi, use the smaller battery and it does go flat.

[Sweep]

It grips the inner cable and pulls it so you can tighten the cable clamp.

It used to be called a Fourth Hand Tool because the Third Hand Tool is a clamp that holds your brake calipers in. I've had one for donkey's years, and it's excellent.images.jpeg

Basically, using the THT and the FHT, your brake calipers can be held in and the cable pulled, leaving you to tighten the clamp whilst everything is held together.

You don't perhaps have a vid of one being used?

I did buy one but never really used it, never understood it properly

[Brucey]

FWIW I have a fourth hand tool and its main use is to gather dust.

It is right there in my toolbox, but it still takes longer to bend down and pick it up than it does to do the job just as well another way. I think that there are many other tools that I'd put ahead of a fourth hand tool.

cheers