Been running some B&Q allen and torx key specials for while. Now the bikes are starting to get expensive (plus alloy and ti bolts!) thought I might treat myself to a few decent allen keys and torx keys (T25 and T30).
Any recomendations or shall I just stick to the basic ones? Draper okay?
Park is best in my opinion! especially cable cutters!
IMO Park make adequate bike specific tools - but that's about it
for Hex & Torx etc. look at the likes of Facom which should give you decent quallity at a good price
cable [rope] cutters? - the best generally available ones are made by Felco
Halfords pro range are good quality for the money.
facom allen keys are the best I own, and I have several sets.
Bondhus make good allen keys too.
For other stuff halfords pro range is good.
In my bicycle tool box I have a mix of Park, Facom and Snap-On. I don't skimp on tools as the have a job to do and good ones do not wear out as much and make life so much easier!
I would also vote for Bondhus keys and torx. I also like Beta from Italy. The Park allen keys and torx look suspiciously like Bondhus-in-blue to me.
My local motorfactors has Beta stuff in, Id never heard of em so dismissed immediately. Will give them more thought now.
The park Allen keys are by Bondhus. I'd 2nd Facom or Bondhus for Hex/torx keys. I don't think much to park cable cutters either, I've some Record rope cutters that I've had for 18 years and still cut as good as the day I bought them, hot knife through butter.
I use Bondhus too...nice German made quality
The best bike specific tools I've come accross are Pedros.
I got a full Park Tool tool kit a while ago, several tools gradually broke or wore out and were replaced with Pedros ones, which have lasted a darn site longer.
Bondhus are US made. Nothing teutonic about them. I think it's important to divide tools into bike-specific (like for BBS and sprockets and stuff) and non-bike-specific (like hex keys, screwdrivers, hammers, etc.). For the latter you are a bit potty if you buy from Park or Pedros - the mark-up on a set of Pedros ratchet ring spanners shocks me every time I see it in the shop. For the bike-specific you need to look at each tool indiviually. Pedros have some nice tools for the transmission, but not everything is good - and their cable cutter (not bike-specific of course) is a 5 quid job with yellow handles, costing about 30 quid (when I looked last). Don't be fooled into thinking everything Park or Pedros is good quality - it only is sometimes.
anlegov hits the nail on the head,
unless you are using the tools in a workshop scenario,
then park etc. is slightly overkill
a good compromise is cyclo tools
there pedal spanner / cable cutters / cone spanners are nice!
you wanna get yourself a torque wrench if your worried about expensive bolts etc
Bondhus stuff the prices are great and it has a lifetime warranty. They've happily replaced mine twice (over 8 years) after only a phone call.
If anyone wants some Bondhus bits I can reccomend Tom's Toolchest for online sales - I think they also do Beta (and a load of other stuff too).
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