Looking for recomendations on allen wrenches?
- Thread starter stosh
- Start date
For bike stuff any decent wrench will do, the usually lightweight components hardly ever require enough torque to cause a problem. For heavy duty stuff I like Bondhaus, decent price and freakin indestructable.
Ok cool I'll look into them. Thats a good point that I really don't need the big handled ones for the smaller stuff. Also I'm going to have to invest in a good torque wrench. I've been borrowing my dad's in the mean time. I'll probably buy a set of Allen wrench sockets.
Craftsman is the way to go for sockets. I still break them on occasion (not on my bike) but they always replace them without question. Once I returned a 3/8" socket one that had the rachet mech broken and the handle bent 90 degrees, obviously misused. The Sears guy just shook his head and handed me a new one.
Yeah, I absolutly love the Craftsman warrenty. I don't use it a lot but I broke the ratchet mech on a pretty big and expensive wrench that is lord-knows-how-many-years-old (probably 15+ years old - I got it from my dad), and when I brought it in the guy gave me a replacement mech, instructions on how to change it, and sent me on my way. No questions asked, no hassle, just good tools with a good warrenty.
A basic metric set with long handles and ball end is nice. I have a set of Wrench Force, made by Snap-on for TREK which have big plastic L handles and long ends with a ball at the long end. But they are too long for some tight spots so you need some shorter ones too. Personaly I can't stand the triple Y wrenches but some people love them. I'm always putting the wrong end in the bolt.
I originally bought a Park triple/triangle thing....I will haveit forever. I also picked up a folding park allen set. They are clean and neat in my tool box. I bought a larger folding set from the local hardware store (for my 3 pc cranks etc that my little Park set wasn't big enough) and it gets the job done just fine.
I don't like the loose allens as they clutter up my tool box and I tend to misplace small tools on occasion
: 
So a folding set is harder to lose.
I don't really like the T-handles....I think they look cool but just don't work for me and my small work space....if I had a garage shop...and a wall to hang them on.....but not now. My garage tools are the same as my race tool box tools.
I don't like the loose allens as they clutter up my tool box and I tend to misplace small tools on occasion
: So a folding set is harder to lose.I don't really like the T-handles....I think they look cool but just don't work for me and my small work space....if I had a garage shop...and a wall to hang them on.....but not now. My garage tools are the same as my race tool box tools.
If you do loose your folding set, their all GONE at once.Originally posted by RhinofromWA
I originally bought a Park triple/triangle thing....I will haveit forever. I also picked up a folding park allen set. They are clean and neat in my tool box. I bought a larger folding set from the local hardware store (for my 3 pc cranks etc that my little Park set wasn't big enough) and it gets the job done just fine.
I don't like the loose allens as they clutter up my tool box and I tend to misplace small tools on occasion
I don't really like the T-handles....I think they look cool but just don't work for me and my small work space....if I had a garage shop...and a wall to hang them on.....but not now. My garage tools are the same as my race tool box tools.
That is why I have a folding set in my camelback, car and workshop. I also have a set of ball end T-handles and a loose set in my car and workshop. A set of regular T-Handles and allen sockets in the shop. I also have a few Park Y allens floating around the house. If you have disk brakes don't forget to have some of those fancy torx wrenches laying around, I keep a loose one in my camelback and a folding set in the shop.Originally posted by stosh
If you do loose your folding set, their all GONE at once.
Yep, I'm a tool whore.
My grandfather used to own a hardware store, it is in my blood.Originally posted by Westy
That is why I have a folding set in my camelback, car and workshop. I also have a set of ball end T-handles and a loose set in my car and workshop. A set of regular T-Handles and allen sockets in the shop. I also have a few Park Y allens floating around the house. If you have disk brakes don't forget to have some of those fancy torx wrenches laying around, I keep a loose one in my camelback and a folding set in the shop.
Yep, I'm a tool whore.
Yeah my dad used to own a hardware store that he got from my grandfater. Tell me about it being in your blood!! They all still talk about it like it was yesterday.
It went out of business years ago.
I have yet to lose a folding set...for very long atleast. The little black singles...........I swear grow legs and walk out of the shop all the time.Originally posted by stosh
If you do loose your folding set, their all GONE at once.
And I never know it is gone until I need it. :angry:
I think I spent $20 or $30 for a craftsman T handle metric allen key set. After you strip enough allen heads out you realize that the T handle is a smart tool.
I wish more things on a bike were torx bits as they don't seem to round off as easy in any instance as hex keys do but oh well.
Just find a good set for $20-30, just like any tool you get what you pay for. IF you wrench on your bike alot an expensive set will work wonders.
Chris
I wish more things on a bike were torx bits as they don't seem to round off as easy in any instance as hex keys do but oh well.
Just find a good set for $20-30, just like any tool you get what you pay for. IF you wrench on your bike alot an expensive set will work wonders.
Chris
Bondhous, Snap-On (made by Bondhous?) or Pedro's. I am a mechanic and have used all. The Craftsman's I do not like because the tool steel is definately not as hard as the others.
I just bought a pack of the craftsman. They'll do for now. I won't be working on my bike much till next spring probably so they'll do for now. I wanted a set that I can use for other applications. If they break I'll go get some new ones. For 20$'s I'm cool with it thanks for the info guys.
I have one of the sets that folds up like a penknife, it's main advantage is it's difficult to lose.
I also have a set of long ball ended ones that has the bigger sizes that the fold up one doesn't. The longer handles make it easyier to apply force as well.
It's a lot easyer to have seperate allen keys for some bolts where the bulk of the fold up tool gets in the way. The only problem is the individual allen keys tend to get lost.
I also have a set of long ball ended ones that has the bigger sizes that the fold up one doesn't. The longer handles make it easyier to apply force as well.
It's a lot easyer to have seperate allen keys for some bolts where the bulk of the fold up tool gets in the way. The only problem is the individual allen keys tend to get lost.