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Are they as good as everyone says? And what size do people recommend?
Yes they are good.
The size depends on what you want to use them for ?
I’m assuming your are looking at the pliers wrench ?
Yes, the pliers wrench. Would be using them for general bike maintenance?
Which type of pliers? They make a lot!
I'm guessing you're looking at the plier wrench?
Yes, they're excellent. I've got some 180s and 125s for work. The 180s obviously give you more leverage but the 125s will still get into a 22mm nut. I prefer the dipped handles over the moulded ones, they're bit slimmer but I'm only using them for light duties really. Idbinagine if you were using them for shifting big fixings then the moulded handles would be more comfortable.
For home stuff like plumbing, they're great because you don't need a random bag of spanners and it doesn't matter if you suddenly find yourself needing a 5/16ww.
I'm not sure there's much use for them on a bike though.
I wouldn't say they are especially useful on a modern bike. Don't think I've ever used mine on it and I do quite a bit of bike work. There's always a better tool. Might be handy if you only have a limited tool kit but personally I'd say you'd be better off buying specific tools
The only things I could see me using them for on my better bikes would be cassette and centrelock tool turning, but it wouldn’t be a big benefit over a reasonable adjustable spanner or the socket set. On our cheapy town bikes the bigger size could fit the big headset nuts and the wheel nuts, but again, other cheaper tools do those jobs very well. Plumbing and machine work is where those and the slip joint grippers come into their own.
125 thru 400 (I think). Brilliant for glands etc at work with the parallel jaws, but rarely used on the bike
I used some of these helping a mate with a spannery building task the other day. They were brilliant and I'm not liking at buying this set
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Knipex-00-31-V03-Multi-Colour/dp/B00V3A2YVY/ref=mp_s_a_1_17
And then because I can't help myself, probably this too
https://www.amazon.co.uk/KNIPEX-82-01-200-atramentized/dp/B09FPZPY96
I find it odd that anyone would choose these over a properly sized spanner or normal adjustable.
I’ve got a couple of sets but find them clumsy in use for what most people would want them for and they’re very expensive.
I mainly use them at work for holding and tightening chromed parts that I don’t want marked from the jaws on my Cobras. For that they excel, the small ones are also good for trying rotors!
I use them at work. The equipment I work on has a nice mix of metric and imperial fittings with some Whitworth thrown in for good measure. I have to carry my tools around with me. A pair or pliers wrenches take up less space than 2 adjustables and a handful of other spanners. They still live in the car because sometimes the pliers wrench is impractical but generally, they do well enough.
If I'm in the garage, I'll usually go a normal spanner because there's better leverage which means you can better control the torque but for out and about stuff, pliers wrench are the shiz.
I inherited a couple from my father, who used to make and sell car tools, although not these.
Often use them for plumbing jobs, but would always use an adjustable wrench or a socket where possible. Never had cause to use them on the bike.
I've got a pair of (I think 145mm) Cobra pliers in a little tool pouch booboo kit. Surprisingly nice to use. Got on special for $50 (usually 75-90 or so)
I've got three sets in different sizes but I can't think of a time when they've been used on a bike
Only use i have for them on bikes is for doing seatpost and suspension servicing. Good quality tools.
I mainly use them at work for holding and tightening chromed parts that I don’t want marked from the jaws on my Cobra
You can get plastic jaw covers for them, to reduce risk of damaging the nut
As above, fab tool but not used that often on bike.
Was recommended to use them in place of a flat socket (which I don't have) for the 24mm on the top of suspension forks.
Occasionally use mine for attempting to straighten bent rotors. Not really useful for anything else on a bike, even pulling end caps off.
Correctly sized spanners are much more useful for the bike.
Quite handy for general bodging of plumbing.
Bike uses: Crimping cable ends, dropper post collars and, as above, fork top-nuts. They are also used for pulling things that may mark easily (spacers for instance).
I like that you can get a really good fit on the part to be moved, whilst also controlling the amount of pressure applied to the part.
Knipex make great cable-cutters too. And also cutters that cut tie-wraps without leaving a lethal edge!
As above, they're useful if you need to grip something, but for 99% of tasks they're either a bodge and a proper socket / open / ring spanner would be better but less convenient, or overkill because a set of normal pliers would have done just fine.
And you're going to have to get that socket out out anyway to torque it back up ......... you are going to torque it back up right?
They're not the Messiah they're a very naughty boy posh set of plumbers grips.
I've got the Knipex Pliers Wrench pliers 150 mm 86 03 150. I was always in the same boat thinking I didn't need them but they are genuinely the most useful tool I've ever bought, always seem to come in handy.
Love them. I mainly use them when away as it allows me to take fewer tools to do all the jobs I’m likely to need to do
There are some Knipex pliers wrench copies on AliExpress, at your own risk though, if they slipped it might be bad news, could be good.
Anyone tried?
Lucky me, I have some marvellous 30 years old Facom parallel jaw locking pliers that work like an adjustable blended with a vice grip. But, sadly, seem to be no longer made. edited at 13:00
Thanks all - sounds like the answer here is that I probably don't need them…
I have some of the teeny tiny ones which I carry around on the bike. I have lost a lot of hand grip lately and they enable me to get the lock nut of tyre valves. I once had an unfixable tubeless puncture but couldn't get a tube in because the valve lock was thoroughly stuck. Doesn't happen very often but easily sorted with mini knipex.
Disagree with the people saying they're a bodge. They're better than pliers because they apply pressure evenly in parallel, they're better than a conventional adjustable spanner because a) you can set them to the right size and b) they're gripping tightly (an adjustable spanner set slightly wrong is a great way to round off nuts).
Not sure I've ever used them on the bike but they're a lovely tool to have.
Are they as good as everyone says?
Yes they're fabulous things. Just wish I could justify/afford more.
And what size do people recommend?
Think mine is the 180 and it will do pretty much everything a set of spanners will do up to a point. It's a bit bulky and there's occasions I'd rather a smaller one but I use it for all sorts. As a spanner, pressing in (small) bearings, crimping ferrules and probably a load of other stuff I've forgotten.
They're better than pliers because they apply pressure evenly in parallel
Yup, but you shouldn't be trying to undo nuts and bolts with pilers.