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Old 05-16-09, 12:45 PM
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Spasticteapot
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Does anyone here have any familarity with Avenir, Raleigh's house-brand tools? They look to be reasonably well made, and most of them are quite cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Chain-W...2501488&sr=1-1

It would seem that some tools require especially high strength or low tolerances. This $14 Pedro's multipurpose crank puller appears to replace $35 worth of Park Tools crank-pullers I was eying at the LBS. Considering that the Pedro's product is far better rated and costs less than half the price, it would seem to be a perfect solution - but I figure I should double-check exactly what it does before I bought it. Could someone verify that these will do square, octalink, and ISIS cranks?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00..._luc_sbs_02_02

Originally Posted by knoregs
OP... I've been buying my tools as I need them from local shops. Buy local!! [/url]
Of the five bike shops in town, two have tried to upsell me while denying th existence of a cheaper alternative, I've had a terrible experience with a bike mechanic at a third, the fourth is for people who have more money than sense, and the fifth doesn't really sell them at all (they rent workbench space - but only to friends of friends.)

All the local stores tend to have two examples of a given product: The Park Tools version and the nasty generic brand. A Park Tools chainwhip, for example, is $22.50 plus tax at the cheapest local bike shop, and the nasty generic brand is $17. Amazon sells a pretty nice looking Raleigh-branded chainwhip for $10 - and shipping is free.

Originally Posted by knoregs
I think you mean that the other way around.
But I think I'll order my digital calipers from Harbor Freight Tools. Even with shipping they'll be about half the Park model.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47257
I've used 'em. The watch batteries go quickly, but aside from that they work pretty well.

Last edited by Spasticteapot; 05-16-09 at 01:20 PM.
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