What is your favorite bicycle tool of all time?
 

What is your favorite bicycle tool of all time?

I knew a guy who could fix anything with a 5 lb mallet and $350.

For me, it's a spoke wrench and my super big, super good-quality adjustable wrench I call "The Convincer" because just about any bolt I attach it to moves no matter what.

Unlike the cheap-0 made in China tools, this one can tighten big 1" plus bolt heads or even get a good tight grip on tiny bolt heads.

8mm allen wrench

for me its got to be a combination of my 15mm spanner / wrench and my T-Mobile multitool. It's incredibly annoying to have a pink multi tool - given I am a very unfeminine and self sufficent woman who detests things that are overtly girly - but it is seriously good quality and i have had it since Jan Ulrich was on the team.. no worn bits at all.

if need be I can strip almost completely most of my road bikes with my folding parktool multi tool, including breaking the chain and popping the tires off the rims. Can't beat that versatility

Edit: its the Park IB-3

Why that's easy: It's my Park derailleur hanger adjustment gauge/tool.

In the past, I've had many cases of folks bringing me bikes in which the rear shifting wouldn't dial in. Several of those had already frustrated one or more bike mechanic. Ten minutes with my hanger gauge and the problem was fixed. It made several people think that I'm smarter than I really am.

Unfortunately, I think that the times have caught up with me. Most bike shop mechanics today are onto the hanger alignment thing. Also, when people used to post questions on BF regarding bad rear shifting, I used to be the first responder to suggest checking hanger alignment. Today you have to be real quick on the trigger to be first.

It's still my favorite tool.

Truing stand.

Park's MT-1 "dogbone" multi-tool. As a take-along tool it's much lighter and smaller (and cheaper) than any of the Swiss Army Knife type multi-tools and does nearly everything I need. It has 3,4,5,6 and 8 mm hexes, 8,9 and 10 mm boxes and a small flat blade screwdriver. The larger hexes are positioned to have good leverage so the thing is really useful. Combined with a small chain tool it's a pretty complete on-the road repair kit.

Campy T wrench. I don't use it as much anymore as my Super Record stuff is not being used . . . but it's just cool to use.

CO2 dispenser

Beer.

Changes day-to-day. Yesterday's was my Shimano cable-cutters for doing their usual perfect job.

5mm hex.

Next to this would be cable cutters.

I'm gonna second the Beer...not too much though, don't wanna lose focus!

But really, truing stand/Park Tension meter combo. Being a Clyde, straight, true, tensioned wheels are a must.

pcad or botto, I can't decide ;)

I love crank pullers, treat 'em right and they do their job perfectly. Every time I use one, it's one of those 'so this is the right tool for the job' moments.

Today's Fave:

My 8mm open & box-wrench. Craftsman from SEARS. Took care of a cable. Pinch-bolt. YAY!!

If a repair stand counts as a tool, then it would be that (a Park Tools Home Mechanic model). It is the best birthday present that my wife has ever bought me. It has been saving my back from needing to bend over for five years now.

If that doesn't count, then it is my 4, 5, & 6 mm Y-shaped allen key - I use this for 50% of the bike work that I do.

I gotta agree on that. Removing cranks would be an impossible job without a puller that would end in pain and bloodshed. But using the puller is just so simple its like "ahhhh".

Win.

Very neat tool if of limited use except to those who do a lot of C&V restorations. It took me a while to figure out what it was. :)

Crank puller by far.

I would say my most favorite tool of all time would be the pump; my second most favorite is the QuikStik because it makes fast work of taking off and putting on a tire; and my third most favorite is the Park MB3 mini tool. I consider a pump and the QuikStik tools because you obviously use them more then anything else. I have an assortment of bike related tools in my tool box but since I've purchased the MB3 about 5 years ago I rarely needed the others!

I like them all! especially the specialized (not the brand) tools for preparing a frameset are great to work with. chasing a BB shell, facing the BB and HT really make you feel like you are truly begining to create a classic machine and a work of art.