What is your favorite Park Tool tire lever?
01-29-20, 04:47 PM
#26
Enock
Thread Starter
Thanks Dan, I could see them being very handy for a tight road tire due to the skinnyness of them. I will try that next!
01-30-20, 10:20 AM
#27
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I mainly use Pedros. I have the Park TL 6.2 at work but haven't used it yet.
I just bought the Silca levers for my saddle bag on my personal bike. I haven't used it yet but it looks like it'll work like the TL 6.2. I don't want to jinx my next ride so maybe I just need to try it at home here before I go out.
Tire levers in my "collection"
Starting at the top left,
Pedros, Nashbar, Park, Pedros.
Bottom,
Silca, Blackburn, and last but not least, QuickStix.
The yellow Pedros is the most used, Nashbar next.
The large Pedros I only use with really hard to remove or new tires.
The Blackburn I found in a seat bag on an old bike I no longer have.
The QuickStix is something I purchased and tried but its not that easy to use.
The Park levers I got somewhere but don't use.
The Silca, as I said above are new and I haven't tried yet.
I just bought the Silca levers for my saddle bag on my personal bike. I haven't used it yet but it looks like it'll work like the TL 6.2. I don't want to jinx my next ride so maybe I just need to try it at home here before I go out.
Tire levers in my "collection"
Starting at the top left,
Pedros, Nashbar, Park, Pedros.
Bottom,
Silca, Blackburn, and last but not least, QuickStix.
The yellow Pedros is the most used, Nashbar next.
The large Pedros I only use with really hard to remove or new tires.
The Blackburn I found in a seat bag on an old bike I no longer have.
The QuickStix is something I purchased and tried but its not that easy to use.
The Park levers I got somewhere but don't use.
The Silca, as I said above are new and I haven't tried yet.
Last edited by Jmpierce; 01-30-20 at 11:13 AM. Reason: added photo
01-31-20, 07:19 AM
#29
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I've been at this for nearly 50 years. Pedro's. Hands down.
01-31-20, 11:00 PM
#31
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I bought TL-1 and my dad gave me a TL-4, so I use one of each. The TL-1 has a spoke hook, and the TL-4 is thin enough to wedge in between the rim and tire when it’s a tight fit. It looks a lot like the Schwalbe levers people in this thread are plugging.
02-01-20, 01:27 PM
#33
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02-01-20, 02:29 PM
#35
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Thanks for the suggestion on this tire lever. I had never heard of it before and now it is part of my collection. In full honesty they are not for me I had a real hard time with the size of the hook end that is suppose to grab the bead but to each their own. I made a video of them if you want to see me struggle LOL. 
I'd gotten some TL-4 super cheap and I hated them at first,
But once I got acquainted with them they work just fine for me.
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02-01-20, 02:30 PM
#36
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02-01-20, 04:01 PM
#37
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02-01-20, 07:39 PM
#38
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You forgot the only one worth a damn https://www.crankbrothers.com/products/speedier-lever I have used a lot of tire levers and the Speedier Lever is the one I keep going back to time and time and time again. Pedro's will do in a pinch but I have seen so many broken ones I have abused some of my Speedier Levers and I have heavy use ones from 8 years ago (a little more bent and scrapped but still going). Park does some fine tools in some categories and some meh tools in others.
Just got one! Used it! No complaints! Got a little arthritis...this made life easier!
02-01-20, 09:39 PM
#39
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02-02-20, 01:39 PM
#41
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02-03-20, 09:34 PM
#42
Enock
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02-06-20, 11:46 AM
#43
Clark W. Griswold
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Awesome that is what I like to hear. Having used it for years I am really happy with it. At one of the shops I managed I had my techs write the date when the took a new set of Pedro's levers and most of them didn't last a month mine while having not seen constant service in several years is still kicking.
02-06-20, 04:08 PM
#44
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Guess we have drifted away from the original title of Favorite Park Tool to run what ya brung...I haven’t seen these mentioned and one of them may be kinda newish...I find these at yard sales and in group of tool buys...the TyreKey worked as presented...couldn’t be simpler and I’m afraid that it’ll break...koolstops again work as designed and presented...any port in a storm...
Hmmmm...one is unbranded...
I got this shipped from across the pond...it works...it didn’t break the bike bank...
Hmmmm...one is unbranded...
I got this shipped from across the pond...it works...it didn’t break the bike bank...
02-06-20, 04:23 PM
#45
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https://www.amazon.com/VAR-Nylon-Tir.../dp/B004YJ30M8
02-06-20, 06:30 PM
#46
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This guy from Texas has been selling them on eBay for a long time.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VAR-Super-T...EAAOxyxpxQ8G3G
They seem to be available from some of the UK sellers. Cost + shipping might be a wash with eBay, unless you're buying other things, then cheaper.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/va...evers/?geoc=US
02-09-20, 02:52 PM
#47
Senior Member
+1 for VAR.
I agree with VintageCyclist (see above photo) that the VAR tool is probably the most effective tire tool ever made. Way back in the day (1980's) we used them for the thin IRC tires "racing" tires. They were a real bugger like the Gaoterskins and Challenge tires today. The VAR tool is hard to find in shops now but if you do find one, buy it.
The lever puts the thin edge just underneath the tire bead and uses the other side of the rim as a fulcrum point, then just pull and the tire seats. I have one of the old models that were gray in color and had an even thinner bead seating edge. I think I bought mine over 30 years ago. The new blue ones are probably better. The old gray ones would snap off after a couple of years of hard use. Couple this tool with an old toe clip strap to hold the tire at one point and you could get any tire on a rim with little effort.
..
I agree with VintageCyclist (see above photo) that the VAR tool is probably the most effective tire tool ever made. Way back in the day (1980's) we used them for the thin IRC tires "racing" tires. They were a real bugger like the Gaoterskins and Challenge tires today. The VAR tool is hard to find in shops now but if you do find one, buy it.
The lever puts the thin edge just underneath the tire bead and uses the other side of the rim as a fulcrum point, then just pull and the tire seats. I have one of the old models that were gray in color and had an even thinner bead seating edge. I think I bought mine over 30 years ago. The new blue ones are probably better. The old gray ones would snap off after a couple of years of hard use. Couple this tool with an old toe clip strap to hold the tire at one point and you could get any tire on a rim with little effort.
..
Last edited by drlogik; 02-09-20 at 03:02 PM.
02-10-20, 08:39 PM
#48
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I use 3 different tools; the best tire irons I've found is the Soma Steel Core Tire Levers, these darn things last forever and won't mar your rim; the next one I use and like is the QuikStik; and lastly, for extremely tough tires the VAR tire lever will make mincemeat out of the toughest tires.
I noticed someone already posted a pic of the VAR so I won't post another.
I noticed someone already posted a pic of the VAR so I won't post another.
02-10-20, 10:01 PM
#49
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I tried to take a photo of the Somas after their single use in the cold, but I apparently did not bother to keep them for evidence and trashed them right away.
02-10-20, 10:17 PM
#50
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found a source
.
I ordered a set of 6 metal spoons with hook for next to nothing with free shipping . These things are light and rust free and sweet to use. They are available all over the ebay . I've got a bunch of plastic ones and most were free with tubes I just don't care for them.
These are the type I find easy to work with. https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Pack-Keng...wAAOSwUKxYj9Zt Sorry no Park that I have used
I ordered a set of 6 metal spoons with hook for next to nothing with free shipping . These things are light and rust free and sweet to use. They are available all over the ebay . I've got a bunch of plastic ones and most were free with tubes I just don't care for them.
These are the type I find easy to work with. https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Pack-Keng...wAAOSwUKxYj9Zt Sorry no Park that I have used
Last edited by Olefeller77; 02-10-20 at 10:26 PM. Reason: more info
