Pick your brains?

[661-Pete]

I think FF is has missed out a link - but it was possibly to that gadget on Wiggle and a few other places. I haven't got one myself.

I can still just about get an obstinate tyre on myself, thanks! I was thinking of those poor souls, perhaps less well-endowed in the finger-muscle department*, whom you see weeping by the roadside with that tyre not quite on...

*should explain that I play the piano and have done for many many years. That may have been a help for me.

 

[ufkacbln]

One of the first multi tools was an adaptation of the adjustable spanner...

.

Did almost everything - and I still use mine some eighteen years after I bought it!

 

[buddha]

One annoying thing about (my) adjustable wrenches is that they can slip a bit. A wrench with a mechanism that locks the jaws around the nut/bolt as you operate it would be good (as per a stillson wrench). Maybe one of the jaws could 'pivot' slightly to accept the bolt (under the tension of a spring) with ratchet/latch mechanism to lock it in place, if you see what I mean.
Though I have a feeling this may exist already?

 

[Cubist]

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.

Park tools came up with a solution to this which is simply a piece of stiff wire bent to hook through two links either die of the repair site on the chain and hold them in pace while you line up the pins. Works too!

 

[Cubist]

How abut a pedal spanner which is designed so you don't slice off your knuckles on the chainring?

 

[Over The Hill]

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...

Try putting a piece of string round the rim before you put the tyre on (bailing string sort of size). Then pull the string off and it pulls the tyre on.

Difficult to explain how to set it up but it is clear when you do it.

 

[Mr Pig]

Try putting a piece of string round the rim before you put the tyre on then pull the string off and it pulls the tyre on.

I've never heard of that. Can't figure how it works.

 

[Beardie]

I think a Sun Rod would be a brilliant invention!





















Uh, what would you use it for?

 

[SunRod]

<smile> couldn't agree more Beardie...as long as it was simply to attract nice sunny weather & not the actual sun!

BTW I've decide to have a go at redesigning the allen key to suit the needs of the cyclists.

Thanks again for all you suggestions, they've really helped.

Jason

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sorry 661-Pete!

Here
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-VAR-VAR-Tyre-Lever-903.htm

 

[Fab Foodie]

Try putting a piece of string round the rim before you put the tyre on (bailing string sort of size). Then pull the string off and it pulls the tyre on.

Difficult to explain how to set it up but it is clear when you do it.

Oh that's brilliant!

 

[SunRod]

As you've all been so forthcoming with your suggestions & help, I thought I might push my luck a bit & see if I could get a few takers to answer some questions about their cycling for me.

I've posted them here: http://www.aikido-reading.co.uk/cycling-ques/cycling-ques.htm

Feel free to totally ignore this (obviously) but if you do a have few moments to spare it'd be a big help & I'd be very grateful.

Thanks
Jason

 

[SunRod]

Thanks very much to those of you that answered my question.

Much appreciated
Jason

 

[SunRod]

Final Concept

Hi All,
thought you may be interested to see what I eventually came up with so I've scanned in a couple of sketches.

Thanks once again for all you help & suggestions.

Jason