Pick your brains?

[SunRod]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum & joined in the hope I could get a little help with the Open University design course that I'm currently doing. For my final assessment I've chosen to redesign a hand held tool.

As a commuter cyclist, I'd thought I could redesign the adjustable spanner which, although useful for roadside repairs etc, has always been flawed due to it's vague jaw settings. However, I quickly discovered that someone has beaten me to it!

The milli-grip: http://www.milli-grip.com/ fixes the issues I was hoping to address in my redesign...in fact it's pretty much what I'd had in mind (think I might get myself one).

Anyway, I'm now kind of stumped & need to come up with a new idea & was hoping some of you may be able to help by giving me some feedback about the tools you currently use.

In particular I'd like to know about any failings the tools you currently use have, multi-purpose tools use & tools that you wish were available but aren't.

Any feedback/input would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
Jason

 

[Mr Pig]

Allen keys are bulky. What about a metal bar with Allan keys that flip out along it's length, like a ladder design? Bigger ones at the end where more leverage is needed.

 

[Arch]

The one problem with multi tools, I find, is the lack of leverage - the handle has to be short to make the tool small, but that reduces leverage. Some sort of telescopic arrangement perhaps?

In fact increased leverage is the answer to a lot of problems, esp for those with less strength - I have small thin hands with limited power, and many girls, and older people find the same. Things like tin openers often have relatively small twisting handles etc. So looking at ways to increase leverage, while keeping stuff compact, might be worthwhile, if that helps?

 

[PaulB]

If you could stop them from going rusty an all.

 

[another_dave_b]

Anyway, I'm now kind of stumped & need to come up with a new idea & was hoping some of you may be able to help by giving me some feedback about the tools you currently use.

In particular I'd like to know about any failings the tools you currently use have, multi-purpose tools use & tools that you wish were available but aren't.

Any feedback/input would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
Jason

I've just ordered a penknife, just because it has a spectacles (v.small) screwdriver.

There's an internet forum dedicated to pocket tools, perhaps you should try posting there too?

 

[accountantpete]

A common problem area is bottom brackets. Some tools are splined in order to undo the shell but in many cases the tightness causes the tool to slip out under pressure.

What's needed is the same tool but attached to a clamping system in order to prevent this occuring.

 

[thomas]

My multi tools always fall apart...maybe stop that first

Mine are always cheap ones though.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I used to like those dumbell shaped spanners with the ten bolt sizes, but they weren't always easy to get around the bolt in question, especially when space was tight. Bikes tend to come with allen bolts these days, so they're not so useful anyway.

Those chain link devices for removing and inserting pins are often a bit crap. The chain won't stay put. There could be scope for improvement there.

Spoke trueing tools could be improved for the layman. For a start, I'm often not sure which way I should be turning it.

One tool I wish was available would be for detecting annoying creaks, squeaks, rattles, thuds and other noises. It's often very difficult to work out where they come from.

 

[Mr Pig]

My multi tools always fall apart...Mine are always cheap ones though.

Maybe a clue there? ;0)

I have to laugh at the fold-out Allan key tools. They take up more room than carrying normal Allan keys! Also, you rarely need them all. On my bike I think four keys cover everything so I just carry those four.

Rather than making swanky tools you could make a clever tool box that packs te tools you need into a small space. I have a little plastic box, was a puncture repair kit box, that I get a lot of stuff in by packing it carefully. I've got four Allan keys, a puncture repair kit, two tyre levers, a short length of chain, a power-link and a small flat-blade screwdriver in a box about the same size as a cigarette packet. You could do something like that. Figure out what tools everyone would want to carry and make a little kit that fits them all together. You could make some of the tools shaped to fit each other, like a puzzle.

 

[mickle]

In recent months this forum has had two or three industrial design students rack our brains and then disappear without so much as a ta very much.

If bikes all had identical fittings it might make sense to standardise the tool kit.

 

[Mr Pig]

If bikes all had identical fittings it might make sense to standardise the tool kit.

I was going to suggest that they fit one size of Allan bolt head but I think people would just overdo the smaller bolts. To be fair, most of the bolts on bikes are fairly standard. Four Allan keys cover most things.

 

[SunRod]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Certainly given me some ideas to get things rolling again.

J.

 

[661-Pete]

I don't know whether this is the sort of idea you're after, but I sure wish someone would design a cheap, compact tyre-putter-on (or whatever it ought to be called - the reverse of a tyre lever) that helps to snap that last bothersome bit of bead over the rim without puncturing the inner. I know there are tools around to meet this purpose, but they're either too expensive, too bulky, or - I'm told - ineffective. Anyway worth looking into. Something that would fit easily into the wedge bag is what's wanted...

 

[Fab Foodie]

I don't know whether this is the sort of idea you're after, but I sure wish someone would design a cheap, compact tyre-putter-on (or whatever it ought to be called - the reverse of a tyre lever) that helps to snap that last bothersome bit of bead over the rim without puncturing the inner. I know there are tools around to meet this purpose, but they're either too expensive, too bulky, or - I'm told - ineffective. Anyway worth looking into. Something that would fit easily into the wedge bag is what's wanted...

You mean one of these?

 

[Mr Pig]

I sure wish someone would design a tyre-putter-on that helps to snap that last bothersome bit of bead over the rim

Tip. Always start at the opposite side from the valve and work round so that the valve is the last bit you do. The tyre pushes the tube out of the way and drops into the centre of the wheel as you push it on, the valve stops it doing that making it much harder.