I just scored a decent bike repair stand on Craigslist for $20. I am looking into upgrading my current tool box (which as of now contains a butterknife, some duct tape and a Men Without Hats cassingle for Safety Dance/Pop Gooes the World).
Is Park the gold standard? The Super B Delux seems to have just as much and is cheaper in price.
Here's what I am considering, I'll take your comments off the air.
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
i have a park roll-up and it proved great for a starter kit, especially if you just want something you can keep packed away and then pull out when needed. the major things i've added has been an improved chain tool, additional headset wrenches, and a 14mm/8mm crank wrench.
Alex
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:46 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
In most cases I think you get better tools and a better understanding of how to use them by purchasing tools one at a time. I don't think that any single manufacturer makes the best of everything.
In a kit you are likely to end up with tools that don't apply to your specific bicycles.
Last time I priced things out you didn't save a lot of money buy purchasing a kit either. I haven't done that in a while though.
langston
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:43 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
my two cents:
not all bike tools are bike-specific. I found/was gifted a really nice T-handle hex wrench at http://www.harborfreight.com/ for $7 what would have cost $40 from Park. They have a few retail store fronts in the area, my favorite is in Everett (along with the Work & More)
derrickito
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:28 pm
now with 50 percent more EVILJoined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 10566
ive done pretty well with a basic tool kit (supergo gift!) and augmenting that with specific tools needed for my bike set ups as i go
basic toolkit i have has chain tool, headset wrenches, freewheel removers, hex wrenches, basic wrenches, pedal wrench, bottom bracket tools, crank pullers, etc
im FAR from a good mechanic, but for doing basic home stuff, that's done pretty well for me. and hey, 40 bucks isnt bad. just be prepared, it's not all top quality stuff, and things will break on you eventually.. but again, you can't buy all those tools individually for 40 bucks.
rlotz
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:06 pm
Joined: 23 Jan 2006Posts: 311Location: Capitol Hill
What do people think of the park cable and housing cutter (CN-10)? I like park because most of their tools are made in the USA (their cable cutter isn't apparently) and they've got a nice repair help website. I bought their cutter the last time I had to rerun my brake housing and have had a problem getting a consistently clean cut. Is it my poor technique or an issue with the tool?
I got a park "Sproket Remover" SR-1 and have found it rather obnoxious for pulling cassettes on an off. Alex has a much easier tool that doesn't involve the annoying length of chain. I don't recall its name. I think I may replace mine with a hypercraker for installing and removing cassettes.
Mostly, I've been impressed at how well my Topeak Alien II(?) multitool has worked for maintenance.
Aaron
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:32 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
Those tool kits are made by Lifu. Some of their tools are good, some are crap. Even the Park kits have good and bad. Still you get pretty good bang for your buck. But srsly, fuck REI. Support your LBS, whomever that may be. 20/20, Mobius and myself need your money more.
Long ago I wrote out a suggested tool list on my website. Here is the direct link:
What do people think of the park cable and housing cutter (CN-10)? I like park because most of their tools are made in the USA (their cable cutter isn't apparently) and they've got a nice repair help website. I bought their cutter the last time I had to rerun my brake housing and have had a problem getting a consistently clean cut. Is it my poor technique or an issue with the tool?
The CN-10 has worked well for cutting cables and shifter housing, but cutting brake housing has been a little tricky to figure out. I haven't used any other cutters though so I can't compare. At first I kept crushing the housing spiral enough to partially block the cable passage. I get a better cut if I gently squeeze the cutter around the housing until it finds the gap in the housing spiral, then I squeeze hard and fast. I usually still have to snip the edge of the spiral but it comes out ok this way.
eärendil
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:44 pm
Joined: 23 Jan 2007Posts: 88Location: Beautiful Bellingham, Washington
MikeOD wrote:
rlotz wrote:
I bought their cutter the last time I had to rerun my brake housing and have had a problem getting a consistently clean cut. Is it my poor technique or an issue with the tool?
The CN-10 has worked well for cutting cables and shifter housing, but cutting brake housing has been a little tricky to figure out. I haven't used any other cutters though so I can't compare. At first I kept crushing the housing spiral enough to partially block the cable passage. I get a better cut if I gently squeeze the cutter around the housing until it finds the gap in the housing spiral, then I squeeze hard and fast. I usually still have to snip the edge of the spiral but it comes out ok this way.
The best bet for brake housing is to use a common diagonal cutter (wire cutter). Work it back and forth around the housing until you're through the vinyl, then gently bend the housing away from you so that you can cut between the spirals. Poke it in the end with a sharp stick and finish it off with a grinder. A good pair of these will also do a fair job with cables, but the park C-10 is about the only thing that can cut shift housing with any success.
zuvembi
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:53 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
MikeOD wrote:
The CN-10 has worked well for cutting cables and shifter housing, but cutting brake housing has been a little tricky to figure out. I haven't used any other cutters though so I can't compare. At first I kept crushing the housing spiral enough to partially block the cable passage. I get a better cut if I gently squeeze the cutter around the housing until it finds the gap in the housing spiral, then I squeeze hard and fast. I usually still have to snip the edge of the spiral but it comes out ok this way.
One thing that can help is to poke a bit of used brake cable in there before you cut. Since there's no hollow portion, you don't get the compression. For longer portions, just cut it a 1/4" longer and then cut with the brake cable in.
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
joeball
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:39 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
I started with one of those 40$ kits 4 years ago, with that kit I would have been able to have almost fully disassembled my road and mtn bikes save for the headset cups, they were current bikes though. As I started messing around with free rack bikes that were of an earlier vintage I needed new tools and I bought them one by one. I still use some of the tools from that original set though.
Alex
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:21 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
rlotz wrote:
What do people think of the park cable and housing cutter (CN-10)? I like park because most of their tools are made in the USA (their cable cutter isn't apparently) and they've got a nice repair help website. I bought their cutter the last time I had to rerun my brake housing and have had a problem getting a consistently clean cut. Is it my poor technique or an issue with the tool?
I don't have the Park. I have a Lifu (which is a clone of the Park with an additional reamer to clean out the cut end of the housing) and a Wrench Force. The Lifu is about 9 years old and gets very regular use and is still doing well. I'd buy another. The Wrench Force was bought at this years Bike Expo for $5 as a "just in case" item. I've only used it once or twice, but it seems to work.
[quote="rlotz"I got a park "Sproket Remover" SR-1 and have found it rather obnoxious for pulling cassettes on an off. Alex has a much easier tool that doesn't involve the annoying length of chain. I don't recall its name. I think I may replace mine with a hypercraker for installing and removing cassettes.[/quote]
The one that I have is the Stein Hyper-Handle. It's a damn awesome tool. I don't know where to buy them, I bought it from JA Stein when I was at Interbike in 2004. It even came with a free t-shirt.
The best bet for brake housing is to use a common diagonal cutter (wire cutter).
Actually the best bet is a Dremel with a cutoff wheel. They make nice clean cuts in both sorts of housing.
I typically use the housing cutters though because they are easier to find in my messy basement.
alex
joeball
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:28 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
Alex wrote:
eärendil wrote:
The best bet for brake housing is to use a common diagonal cutter (wire cutter).
Actually the best bet is a Dremel with a cutoff wheel. They make nice clean cuts in both sorts of housing.
I typically use the housing cutters though because they are easier to find in my messy basement.
alex
The only thing I don't like about the cutting wheel is that sometimes this spiral metal part of the housing absorbs the heat and deforms the outer vinyl casing, snug fitting housing caps don't always work then.
Sometimes the inner lining fuses close too so I have to heat up the end of a nail to open it back up.
I could bu just taking too long to get through the houseing I suppose, Shimano prepackaged cable/housing sets have obvioulsy been cut in some similar fashon but with better final results. I'l envisioning a tiny chop saw with a small cutting disc.
joeball
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:37 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
Alex wrote:
rlotz wrote:
I got a park "Sproket Remover" SR-1 and have found it rather obnoxious for pulling cassettes on an off. Alex has a much easier tool that doesn't involve the annoying length of chain. I don't recall its name. I think I may replace mine with a hypercraker for installing and removing cassettes.
The one that I have is the Stein Hyper-Handle. It's a damn awesome tool. I don't know where to buy them, I bought it from JA Stein when I was at Interbike in 2004. It even came with a free t-shirt.
I use a lifu lockring remover since it has a long pin extending into the QR axle on the hubs (though now park makes one)
and the nice park chainwhip.
jeff
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:01 am
SOC pussyJoined: 05 May 2006Posts: 4501
Good stuff, thanks bros.
Alex
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:49 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
joeball wrote:
Alex wrote:
rlotz wrote:
I got a park "Sproket Remover" SR-1 and have found it rather obnoxious for pulling cassettes on an off. Alex has a much easier tool that doesn't involve the annoying length of chain. I don't recall its name. I think I may replace mine with a hypercraker for installing and removing cassettes.
The one that I have is the Stein Hyper-Handle. It's a damn awesome tool. I don't know where to buy them, I bought it from JA Stein when I was at Interbike in 2004. It even came with a free t-shirt.
Cool. What size cogs is it for? The hyperhandle fits 11, 12, 13, and 14t top cogs with one tool (all of the sizes that Shimano has made except for the rare 9-26 Capreo cassette).
Edit: I can click and read. It is only for 11t and 12t top cogs. You also can't replace the pins. The Hyperhandle uses standard M5 socket head cap screws for the pins. It's a way smart design.
Quote:
and the nice park chainwhip.
The hyperhandle is way cooler than a chainwhip. I'll bring it to the next Aaron's event.
joeball
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:02 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
I use the big park chainwhip for afixing my SS frewheels and track cogs as well, since I like methods a little less permanent than Lee's application of the rotofix procedure.
And typed in "chin whip alternative"...I didn't get many bicycle related hits.
Alex
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:17 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
joeball wrote:
I use the big park chainwhip for afixing my SS frewheels and track cogs as well, since I like methods a little less permanent than Lee's application of the rotofix procedure.
Oh, I have two chainwhips too. They are also useful for disassembling multicog freewheels.
For singlespeed cogs I tended to just use a bench vise.
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1337
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