Tinkering with the bike earlier and noticed my Allen keys are pretty knackered. I unfortunately only noticed this after rounding 3 bolts. I also don’t have a decent torx key set, only a freebie thing which is looking ropey.

So any recommendations for something half decent that won’t cost hundreds? Any handle type is fine too.

Thanks

I have a set of Wera multi colour hex keys that my son bought for me about 3 years ago. They are very good and not showing any signs of wear yet.

I’ve got a set of Bahco from Amazon for not much and they’re really good.

Wera hex plus, wiha ergostar or Bondhus.

I bought the wihas, but would spend the extra and get the hex plus if doing over, not that the wihas have let me down, just think the hex plus design is worthwhile to reduce the risk of rounding.

I also have the Wera multicolour ones.

The colours are great as you get to know what colour is what size.

Wera hex plus are well worth the extra

On offer at toolstation

https://www.toolstation.com/wera-ball-end-multi-colour-hex-key-set/p71306

You should only need a couple of Torx keys to cover most of the bike stuff

The wera ones are the dogs bolloks. They were my work set where everything was nice and I could work methodically in a nice clean room with the right tools and spend a whole stripping things down after it had been used.

At home I use a draper set because the only problem is you end up looking at a slightly worn screw head and thinking

A) if i use the wera it’ll knacker my nice wera.
B) if i use a cheap allen key it’ll knacker the bolt.

Or put another way, no tool can survive if you overtighten, let stuff corrode, dont use threadlock/anti sieze etc!

Im tempted to get a set of impact bits for those jobs (the right tool for the job).

Ohh, and on the subject of bike tools, get a JIS screwdriver, if you have shimano bits you’ll wonder why you spent so long using a Philips to set limit stops and having it slip out all the time! They’re like a philips, but with the tip ground down.

+1 Wera

Facom user here, since 1993, only the 2.5 is tired as I used that nearly everyday at work for 15 years to unscrew TAIT radios from their chassis and also unscrew battery cover bolts on the same radios.

Only Allen make Allen keys.

HTH

I have a set of Halfords Professional which are re-branded Wiha Magic Ring. Halfords don’t sell them any more, but Screwfix do! They’re ace. Nice and long, but a bit pricey.

Now That’s Magic!

+1 Wera

Another vote for Were. Got a set of the multicolour hex plus Allen keys and a set of torx keys and they’ve lasted years.

Wera

Swisstool. PB

Facom or Bahco are my faves.

yep, another vote for Wera.

Wera are very nice, but any decent CR-V tools will be up to the job and last for years, if you’re on a budget.

e.g.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lifeline-x-tools-torx-star-key-set-long/rp-prod122323
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lifeline-x-tools-allen-key-x-9-ball-end-set/rp-prod10192

Might paint my boring silver allen keys for easier identification though, to steal an idea from the Weras.

Wera colour hex plus are the best ones in their price range IMO, their only flaw is the plastic coating stopping access to deep set grub screws.
Check out MachineMart’s interesting colour options from Clarkes and Draper. I also got a case of T-handle ones from lidl a while back, Allen keys on one side of the case Torq keys in the other, worth checking for when theyre back in store, I’ve also got x-tools colour coded ones, I must have about 5 sets, does anyone else have this addiction.

Another vote for the Wera multicolour, but get the long versions.

Just grind your existing knackered Allen ends down and hey presto as good as new Allen keys.

(doesn’t work with Torx though)

Got the Wera set in my toolbox, but my 10+ year old Kennedy set are my favourite and most used. They still look perfect. The ductile temper means they have a good degree of flex to them and a massively reduced tendency to snap like my 2.5mm Wera did. Also, they are about a fiver.

The wera plastic sleeves will eventually become lose which it a shame. Otherwise, they are fab. I’m on my 2nd set which have been better, but showing signs of wear now.
I rather like the look of the new park sliding T handle hex wrenches. Just a shame they are so pricey.

For the Torx, seemingly the majority of fasteners on bikes that use them are T25 size. I got myself a single tee-handle T25 (X-tools I think) which is really nice and comfortable to use for rotor changes or brake adjustment.

I then got a relatively cheap set of normal torx keys for those times when there is a different sized version of the hateful things! I hate Torx… 😠

I’ve got the fancy red long handle ones, Bondhus I think which are ace but also a superstar set for about a fiver. The ss ones are great, definitely as a second/ house/ car set.

For carrying in a pocket: Park Tool AWS-10 folding.

For keeping in the car: Wera Hex Plus

Workshop set for at home: Beta 951 T-handle

I have the Draper Expert Hexs shown above and the PB Swiss multicolour hexs and Torx.

+1 for lifeline from crc/wiggle

I like the Wera L ones, but also have a set of Teng t-handle ones too (like this), can get for £35 or so. They have a 7mm size which lots of others tend to leave out but are pretty common on things like French cars.

Iv’e had a set of Bondhus for 15 years and never had a problem with rounding (touch wood) and not showing any signs of wear as of yet

ive got the wera hex and torx the hex in stainless.

There good. However im not convinced by the way they drive. I do prefer the way a normal hex works and believe that the wera is more likely to round off soft bolts.

there nice to use tho otherwise. and i can get replacements afetr i left my 6mm in a field at south lakes.

I got an X-Tools set from CRC when they were discounted to £10 after uhmming and ahhring for ages over nicer-looking sets from Weha et al.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lifeline-x-tools-pro-coloured-allen-key-set/rp-prod175040?utm_source=CRM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=OrderConfirmation&utm_content=GB

The X-Tools set are decent, and infinitely better than messing about with multitools and the ancient three-way 6mm/5mm/4mm thing I got free with a bike years ago.

They have a 7mm size which lots of others tend to leave out but are pretty common on things like French cars.

Car brake calipers are mostly 7mm, as are the bleed nipples (spanner not hex obviously), no idea why.

Only Allen make Allen keys.

HTH

By the same pedantry torx is the trademark owned by Acument of a driver system developed by Camcar Textron in the 60’s and officially you should refer to it as ISO 10664 hexalobular internal.

Wera, Bondhus, Beta have all worked well for me.

Thanks everyone, will have a look into those. In all fairness the sealey Pro set I have now have lasted 20 odd years so not too bad. Just wandered what was worth a look. Will hopefully get some ordered next week when I have some money.

Another vote for the Wera coloured one. As a bonus, you can buy them individually so if you wear them out (or lose one!) you can buy the replacement relatively cheaply. I’m on my third 4mm… 🙂

I don’t really like the Wear hexplus- it’s sometimes great, but sometimes not, especially with smaller or softer bolts. I wouldn’t have them as an only set. The colouring is really useful though.

My most used ones are from Teng and Bahco, they’re just plain simple good tools, very beaten up but still working as good as new. Before that I used a set of Draper Pro p-handles for about 15 years, they were way better than you’d think. I do have a lovely set of Inbus allens which are worth their weight in gold for the hundred tiny shitty bolts in my 3d printers and my rc cars but I don’t really see the need for anything fancy on bikes or cars.

These are really good imo for standard keys, and if I had to choose one set , I’d always pick them over my Weras. I can have both so I do 😉

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-9770-BE-9770-1-5-10mm/dp/B002SHPOZO/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=bahco+hex+keys&qid=1579107750&sr=8-1

I have a basic Draper 30 piece ABS wallet that I got cheap in TK Maxx. I’m all for spending money on good tools but after buying them as a stopgap I’ve never found the need to upgrade. Half the set is imperial which has been useful albeit rarely, if I was buying again I’d get a similar set for all the half sizes as they make all the difference.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-Metric-Imperial-Allen-Allan-Alan-Hex-Key-Set-Long-Pattern-Hexagon-KW30-B-/380895060576

Beta.