That all sounds like very good advice. Those tools I have for bike work that have built-in handles rarely have those handles well-designed for their task of applying the necessary forces. They aren't offset so foul the gubbins in which the part is on when trying to loosen or tighten; they have a shape or edge that digs into the hand so that applied force is restricted by resultant discomfort in using them. And so forth.slowster wrote: ↑17 Sep 2022, 11:06pmBefore even buying one tool, for tools like cassette/Centrelock disc lockring tools and bottom bracket tools I suggest you consider the pros and cons of tools with integral handles vs. those designed to be used with torque wrenches, large sockets and/or large adjustable spanners.
I would not get tools with handles because:
- they don't allow a torque wrench to be used
- it's usually possible to choose separate tools which can be firmly held in place with a QR skewer to stop them camming out
- separate tools give better options with a stuck or seized BB or lockring, e.g. adjustable spanners with a longer handle (or handle extended with a metal tube) or a breaker bar.
If you get separate tools, it makes sense where possible to choose ones which use the same drive and eternal hex sizes, so that you do not need multiple sockets, adapters, or both 3/8" and 1/2" torque wrenches, breaker bars etc. .......
These days, the issue of torque is more prominent, with lightweight or minimal-material designs needing careful spannering if the part isn't to break. I do have small and large torque wrenches that come with various included driving-socket sizes so I suppose the obvious thing is to look for tooling to fit them, as you and Jonathan suggest.
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One issue with such tools is that they come designed for use on a particular kind of bike part but their interface (of splines or other shape) to the bike part to be loosened or tightened is adopted for other kinds of bike parts. One must be careful, if both kinds of parts need working on, to make sure the tool will fit both.
For example, I have 20-spline tool with a 1/2" drive socket that's designed to loosen square taper bottom bracket cups but which, in theory, can also be used to loosen a 20-spline spider used between a Fazua FSA ISIS splined axle and various chaintings of different OLN dimensions. But the tool can't be used to loosen these spiders because the inner recess isn't large enough to take the ISIS axle end. It only has space to take a smaller square-taper axle end.
So I need a different version of this 20-spline driver with a much larger inner recess so it'll go over an ISIS axle end and still engage with the splines of the FSA-Fazua spiders. Happily Icetoolz seem to have one.
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Next tool for consideration - the chain whip.
I have a cheap one from the 30-quid bike toolbox and it does work .... but .... the chain links are fat (for 6 or 7-speed sprockets, probably) and the thing has an uncomfortable handle that's also difficult to hold on to the cassette properly. It's one of those where it becomes all too easy to slip and get a sprocket-tooth bite on your knuckles. I'm wondering if this differently-designed item is any better?
I have a matching splined tool for the cassette lock ring but this too has a "bad" handle so perhaps I should also get a handleless version for use with the torque wrench?
Cugel