Chainring Bolt Spanners

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colinr

Well-Known Member
Location
Norwich
Is a chainring bolt spanner absolutely necessary, or can i bodge it with a screwdriver across the slot? How tight do they actually need to be? Don't really want to spend cash if I don't need to.
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
just try it, and if no joy, lbs should do it for peanuts (mine did it for nowt)
 

BigSteev

Senior Member
No. To be honest I've never had an issue either tightening or loosening them without one.
 
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colinr

colinr

Well-Known Member
Location
Norwich
Great, that's what I wanted to hear. My LBS would have definitely done it for nothing but has somewhat disappeared :smile:
 

02GF74

Über Member
I have used a slotted screwdriver to hold the hollow bolt in place whilst I turned the allen key.

Didn't realise there was a special tool .... but then I wuold have made my own. probably.
 

Will1985

Über Member
Location
South Norfolk
colinr said:
Great, that's what I wanted to hear. My LBS would have definitely done it for nothing but has somewhat disappeared :biggrin:
Eh? The LBS has disappeared? I've got a chainring bolt spanner which works well with Campag but not FSA. Used to make do with a screwdriver...
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Screwdrivers are ok if you can get one with a wide enough blade i.e. much wider than most domestic screwdrivers. If it's too narrow you just chew up the heads. OTOH if like mine the other part of the stackbolt is an Allen-slot, you can do all the work with an Allen key and just hold the slot with something like a table knife.

TBH I prefer to have the proper tool, if it's cheap enough. Just like it makes me shudder to see people using adjustables instead of having a proper set of spanners.
 

RecordAceFromNew

Swinging Member
Location
West London
I have one exactly like that. I bought it out of desperation with some really stuck bolts. It works, but not so well designed because as you can probably tell from the photo/scale it is very small and hence offers little leverage. Mind your knuckles if you end up using one!
 
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colinr

colinr

Well-Known Member
Location
Norwich
I splashed out £3.49 on that tool in the end. Leverage / reach was no problem with a single cog, job done.
 

longers

Legendary Member
*googles*

I'm a real cyclist! :laugh:

There's only one bike with bolts that need it, the others will nip up and tighten with just the allen key.
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
I've got a CNW-2, am I a real cyclist too? Just find it makes life easier. (N.B. you use the tool to hold the nut firm, the allen key to undo/tighten.)
 
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