Perhaps none of these are essential but they are all items you will never regret buying (apart from one)
I’ve got the Wera Allen keys above and on first look they seem great. What they do leave me wishing for is the longer end not being a ball type Allen key. Maybe I just need another set essentially the same but with normal ends on as it would be useful to have both…… That Pedros metal tyre never would make me nervous - I find the cushcore bead dropper gets pretty much any tyre on without scratching rims. I find it especially helpful when fighting with a tyre with an insert in it.
Syringes are undoubtedly useful for tyre gunk and brake fluid, but it's worth saying that buying a 'bike specific' one is just asking to pay over the odds. You can get a 150ml syringe + length of tubing for less than a fiver on eBay, for example.
IHN - true ish. It's the threaded end that goes on to the valve and makes everything more secure (especially when there's resistance in the valve) that's worth it in my opinion.
You can get a 150ml syringe + length of tubing for less than a fiver on eBay, for example.
Yep, and I use some mini-snippers from a £6 pack of three pliers & snippers that Lidl do a few times a year (vs. the £25 Park ones)
The DH tyre lever (think mine is X-Tools) recommendation is spot on though, mine has helped me get the better of many a stubborn tyre/rim combo.
That Pedros metal tyre never would make me nervous - I find the cushcore bead dropper gets pretty much any tyre on without scratching rims.
No fricken way is a metal tyre lever going anywhere near any of my rims. I can get most stubborn tyres on with normal pedro plastic tyre levers and the, as per Joe the cushcore bead dropper does the rest. Just bought one of those Tyre monkey lever to see if it make it easier.
Have the wera set allen key, but I still tend to use an my Halford professional range more
I've also never needed more insertion depth
It's the threaded end that goes on to the valve and makes everything more secure (especially when there's resistance in the valve) that's worth it in my opinion.
Fair enough, I'm a whip the thing out, slip in my length and empty my load kinda guy.
My mate tried to take one of those Pedros tyre levers through Geneva airport in his hand luggage about 16 years ago. Standing and watching him try and explain to the Swiss security people what it was with lots of hand motions etc was a sight to behold. They let him on with it as far as I can remember... vs the pricks at Manchester who made me bin a set of allen keys this summer which accidentally found their way into my hand luggage. What am I going to do with those? Kill someone with a 5mm allen key? Disassemble the plane mid flight?
I have one of those fork cap tools on order from Halfords (20% off Park Tool just now) as a luxury tool to replace my usual bit of inner tube over some pliers. Also ordered the (way overpriced so it had better be a joy to use) wheel holder WH-1
Wera hex keys I also find good but occasionally irritating. I’m not convinced their special shape is ideal on aluminium fasteners and the plastic sheath can make them useless if access is tight e.g. recessed grub screws. They do loads of options though, I just bought the wrong option
I’ve got the Wera Allen keys above and on first look they seem great. What they do leave me wishing for is the longer end not being a ball type Allen key.
Agreed. One of mine has rounded and buggered a thru axle.
My mate tried to take one of those Pedros tyre levers through Geneva airport in his hand luggage about 16 years ago. Standing and watching him try and explain to the Swiss security people what it was with lots of hand motions etc was a sight to behold. They let him on with it as far as I can remember... vs the pricks at Manchester who made me bin a set of allen keys this summer which accidentally found their way into my hand luggage. What am I going to do with those? Kill someone with a 5mm allen key? Disassemble the plane mid flight?
I had them getting difficult about the tube on a camelbak bladder once - 'you could use it to strangle someone'.
Allen keys definitely banned - I almost lost a multi tool that way. We traveling with someone else who'd not checked in and somehow I got them to let me back out and gave it to them to put in their hold baggage. Whilst at the checkin desk. Immediate 'has anyone given you anything to put in your baggage' question. 'no'
Most used tool in my tool box – Knippex plier wrench.
Also the best tool I have for resetting brake pistons. Parallel action and smooth jaws work better than any other of the various tools I've tried over the years.
I've also got a Stans branded sealant syringe same as that one. I've actually blocked the nozzle/tube up with the squirting action a couple of times when using really good sealant, I tend to just use it as a funnel now and it works that way too.
No fricken way is a metal tyre lever going anywhere near any of my rims. I can get most stubborn tyres on with normal pedro plastic tyre levers and the, as per Joe the cushcore bead dropper does the rest. Just bought one of those Tyre monkey lever to see if it make it easier.
+1 for this. It's one of those bike tester things I guess. If you actually have to pay for your own rims, you're probably a little more wary of gurt big metal tyre levers with long handles.
Does spinning the wheel backwards not have the same result as the Muc-Off tool? Or does that not work with eBikes?
I use my Wera hex keys loads and no complaints - am I doing it wrong? Sleeves have come loose on a couple which was easily fixed with superglue. No complaints about the size of size of them or the ball ends.
A tool I am interested in is something to help get insert-equipped tyres OFF. I can get them on no problem but my issue is getting the buggers off again. It's probably technique (lack thereof) but if there's some sort of magical tool I'm all for it.
A tool I am interested in is something to help get insert-equipped tyresOFF.
Are you having trouble breaking the seal?
I got a set of those Wera allen keys for Christmas last year and they're great - an unexpectedly thoughtful gift! I agree that the ball end could do without being a ball end much of the time, but it's no biggy.
Next up for me: mini ratchet set, I reckon.
A tool I am interested in is something to help get insert-equipped tyresOFF.
Are you having trouble breaking the seal?
Yeah. Just the initial getting the tyre bead released and into the centre channel in the rim. Insert taking up that space definitely making it harder. Worse with Rimpact v1 than my bike with a Cushcore XC. My thumbs were agony afterwards last time!
TBF I've not looked into technique since last swapping tyres over so I'll be missing some trick (or some tool).
Vittoria make a great liner fitting/removal tool.
Thanks. https://int.vittoria.com/products/air-liner-tool this I assume?
Yeah. Just the initial getting the tyre bead released and into the centre channel in the rim.
I've had success with putting it in a vice, with a rag to protect the rim.
Tighten up, and bend the wheel down so it drag the bead into the centre.
Did it on one of mine at the weekend, tyres are re-useable afterwards.
That was without an insert, but think I did it on one with a Rimpact in the past.
Those Vittoria pliers look like such a good idea that I just ordered some immediately. Hopefully they'll be just the trick for breaking the bead with Rimpacts in. I've also suffered from crippled thumbs in the aftermath of a tyre battle.
I've got the large metal Park tyre levers which will remove any tyre but with inserts I sometimes can't even get them in to begin with.
I be interested in hear if that Vittoria tool is any good, but it always seemed aimed at roadied tyres not 2.6's...
Off-hand "cushcore bead dropper" the clue is in the name, and definitely helped me deal with swapping tyres, while recovering with a broken collar bone.
I've just gone ahead and ordered the MTB version of the Vittoria tool too.
@z1ppy, I've already got that CushCore bead dropper tool but tyre/rim combo so tight it was near-impossible to get the bead over the bulge into the centre channel. Definitely an improvement over normal tyre levers but I still struggled.
Does spinning the wheel backwards not have the same result as the Muc-Off tool? Or does that not work with eBikes?
The tool is for folks who don't have the bike in a stand with the wheel off the ground, spinning the wheel is not an option
Um, just turn the bike upside down - takes 2 seconds. Makes applying lube and rotating the cranks/wheel easy.
My Weras are the old green sleeved ones. The sleeves are all chewed up after using them as levers, the writing has worn off, some sleeves have come off and get stuck in the rubber holder, I trimmed the 10mm sleeve down so I could get deeper insertion on something. Still going strong.
I've put off the knipex pliers for ages convincing myself I don't want (or need them) but the desire is still there.
The park tool wheel holder looks pretty appealing.
Side cutters are great but if you spend £25 on the Park ones then I have a gold brick to sell you.
Agree about the Weras though, they can be really good but for bike use, where a lot of fasteners are shallow, or not great quality, and also full of mud, and especially for smaller sizes I just don't think they're the right too. I retired mine to other jobs and they still do good work but all that really gets used on the bikes is some bog standard teng ones
“Um, just turn the bike upside down - takes 2 seconds.”
My ebike is too long to turn upside down in my (tiny) garage, plus the huge rear mudguard that’s a necessity for my winter commute would get squashed into the ground when flipping it, and I’d rather not have to replace it more often.
The little crank turning tool is actually a really neat solution, I’ve been using it since Benji reviewed it at some point in the last few years.
If you're going to spend c. £25 on cable tie cutters then these are great https://www.electrical4less.co.uk/product/c-k-cable-tie-cutters/
A 5mm hex key on a 3/4" socket is a lot cheaper than the muc off tool and works just as well, and it's even cheaper if you already have one knocking about from a socket set. Wrap the OD in insulation tape if you're precious about your cranks (but there's barely any force there)
Also wera hex keys are superior to standard keys for 95% of jobs IMO. They don't wear/ round off as quickly, I think they give better engagement and don't round out soft bike hex screws as easily. The ball ended bit has the same issues as any ball ended bit, and once in a blue moon the small ones aren't thin enough to poke into a hole. The slipping rubber only happened to me after about 10 years and was easily fixed with some liquid super glue dropped inside then rapidly re-assembled. 5⭐, will buy again
“A 5mm hex key on a 3/4" socket is a lot cheaper than the muc off tool and works just as well”
Have you used the Muc-Off tool?
I’ve found it works a lot better than any of the alternatives because:
1. The rubber sleeve means that it doesn’t tend to jam hard against your cranks making it hard to get out.
2. If it does seem stuck then the removable hex bits lets it separate into two parts, again stopping you having an annoying fight.
The Weras are great, I use mine almost every day. Definitely the go-to set of allen keys. The hex-plus shape does seem to work for reducing rounding bolts. The sleeve on the 5mm did slip a bit, but a heat gun seemed to solve it.
Literally never had a hex socket get stuck so maybe I've not run into the problem that this solves. I'll save my £20 until I do
Edit: that's with a Bosch gen 4 and there always seems to be enough backlash to unload the socket. Maybe other motors are different
“Edit: that's with a Bosch gen 4 and there always seems to be enough backlash to unload the socket. Maybe other motors are different ”
That must be it - there’s no backlash on my Levo motor, every wiggle as you try to coax it out feels like it’s making it even tighter!
you could use it to strangle someone
If I'm going to kill or maim anyone it will be with the cheapeast bottle of sparking wine I can get in Duty-Free! Proving that:
a The terrorists have won &
b What is practiced at the 'security' scanners is theatre
(Mrs Sandwich was stopped at both Stansted and Aldergrove this weekend for a travel size bottle of Tresemmé shampoo in a black bottle. "Come at me with that banana")
Being new to tubeless, I found a syringe invaluable - use the tube with the long needle spout.
I don't like the idea of tipping fluid in and then trying to get the rest of the tyre on the rim
I be interested in hear if that Vittoria tool is any good, but it always seemed aimed at roadied tyres not 2.6's...
There are two versions, the mountain bike one is wider and happily broke the bead seal on a. pair of 2.8s seemingly perma-welded to a WTB rim, just a horrible Maxxis/WTB combo. Just make sure you order the mountain bike version. Brilliant, effective tool.
I also own a Cushcore bead dropper, which is kind of a Pedros lever on steroids with a nice rounded handle so you can push the bead down into the central well of the rim pressing down at 90˚ to the sidewall. Does exactly what's it's supposed to, but didn't make a dent in the horrible welded, 'you can stand on me, but I'm not budging' tyre/rim combo.
There's very definitely a technique to inserts - not one I ever want to use on the trail - but with really stubborn combinations, a mix of the right tool and the right approach is arguably the only way to triumph over the dark, malevolent forces of inserts. Unless you have the sturdy thumbs of a world champion rock climber I guess.
I also own a Cushcore bead dropper, which is kind of a Pedros lever on steroids with a nice rounded handle so you can push the bead down into the central well of the rim pressing down at 90˚ to the sidewall. Does exactly what's it's supposed to, but didn't make a dent in the horrible welded, 'you can stand on me, but I'm not budging' tyre/rim combo.
Similar to my experience with the CushCore bead dropper tool on a tennerager-level-stubborn tyre/rim/insert combo: Conti CrossKing/Reserve 30HD/CushCore. Took more force than I was happy applying to get the bead off, involving a combination of inappropriate tools from around my garage. I'd not stand a chance of removing the tyre trailside if something happened.
For anyone looking for the Vittoria tool, this might be worth a look. Doesn't specifically state it's the MTB version although that's what's pictured (the box at least has 'MTB' on it) and no mention of the 6 tyre lever things. £12.99 vs the ~£25ish it is most other places: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/pliers-and-tyre-lever/_/R-p-X8910022
Never found an issue with Wera hex or Torx wrenches. Use the ball end for low-torque just spinning the bolt and then nip up with the other end and check with a torque wrench. Not rounded a bolt head or wrench in the 5 years I have been using Wera wrenches. Have to admit I am mechanically sympathetic and look after tools.
Nail clippers as mentioned above are great for cutting zip-ties.
Tyre fitting tools have moved on so much since I have been riding. The Vittoria tool and a Tyre Glide have made a great difference - especially with tyre liners and poor rim and tyre combinations. My thumbs thank the inventors of these!
Chain link pliers - made joining or splitting a chain at the split link so much easier!
Cable cutters. Nothing has beaten the old Suntour ones I lost 😭. The Park ones are ok - but just not as good.
Most used tool in my tool box – Knippex plier wrench.
Also the best tool I have for resetting brake pistons. Parallel action and smooth jaws work better than any other of the various tools I've tried over the years.
@tthew how do you do this? I can’t picture how this would work. (I’ve got a set, one of my favourite tools)