Repeat after me: Cheap tools are a false economy

[roubaixtuesday]

£2 PlanetX multi tool, as found in saddle bag after latest ride. Came complete with cheese forged chain splitter and auto- self destruct mechanism.

Hoping the Park Tool replacement will fare much better.

 

[Cycleops]

No probs with the Park that's for sure. Wouldn't be without my Crank Bros multi;

 

[I like Skol]

Had a similar experience with a cheap bottle opener this weekend while camping. Tried to take the top off a beer bottle and it just snapped. God knows what would of happened if we had actually tried to remove the cork from a wine bottle. The body also split when I was throwing it in the bin, whole thing was made from cheap imitation monkey metal

 

[SpokeyDokey]

£2 PlanetX multi tool, as found in saddle bag after latest ride. Came complete with cheese forged chain splitter and auto- self destruct mechanism.

View attachment 470994

Those cheap metal puzzles are utter tosh - spend a £100 or so and get a decent one like this:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abO5HPo9l_c

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Repeat after me. Do not insert the chain between the skinny forks in the chain tool but use the fat far end instead.

 

[otek59]

Those cheap metal puzzles are utter tosh - spend a £100 or so and get a decent one like this:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abO5HPo9l_c

My dad told me a very long time ago, dont buy plasticine tools I’ve stuck by this piece of advice ever since

 

[DaveReading]

Having started my career in an aero-engineering environment, I learned that lesson a very long time ago and it's stuck with me ever since.

 

[silva]

Repeat after me. Do not insert the chain between the skinny forks in the chain tool but use the fat far end instead.

Yes, the chain tool on the picture clearly has been used like that.
And apparently, this occurs often enough since dealers put warnings for this next to their chain tool article for sale.
The skinny forks are solely ment to center the chain link / pin, not to support it on their own, they should just pass the applied force to the back side, not absorb it themselves.

 

[winjim]

Those cheap metal puzzles are utter tosh - spend a £100 or so and get a decent one like this:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abO5HPo9l_c

That's a beautiful thing.

 

[Gravity Aided]

£2 PlanetX multi tool, as found in saddle bag after latest ride. Came complete with cheese forged chain splitter and auto- self destruct mechanism.

Hoping the Park Tool replacement will fare much better. View attachment 470994 View attachment 470995

Put all the tools on a key ring.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Same thing happened to my cheapo wiggle version. A bit of threadlock would have sorted it out, but I lost a bunch of spacers and it went in the recycling bin. Very frustrating.

 

[I like Skol]

Same thing happened to my cheapo wiggle version. A bit of threadlock would have sorted it out, but I couldn't get it back together in the right order again and it went in the recycling bin. Very frustrating.

FTFY

I have a drawer full of them. Everytime they send you a bike they include a pedal spanner and multitool. It's not that I have bought that many bikes but having had to return one or two for warranty attention they always get reshipped with a fresh toolset..... Shame really because although I won't use them I cannot bring myself to throw them out.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Put all the tools on a key ring.

Wouldn't work - they need to be bolted in line to get purchase to apply torque.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I have a cheap multitool from the bargain bucket of some bike shop or other that often comes loose (I've never had it fall to bits). It's held together with an allen bolt, which gives me a little conundrum. How do I tighten this bolt? I know I'll use my mutitool. Ah ... hang on.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Check which allen keys and screwdrivers (if any) you you actually NEED for your bike, and carry only those. I'll bet most of us don't require all the tools on our multitool (me too )