Bicycle Mechanics - Most common cone wrench size?

Hi guys,

I'm looking to trade up from my noname, dirt cheap cone wrenches to something nicer, but is a bit undecided on which sizes to get. The ones that are most worn are the 14-15 mm ones, but I have a vague memory of taking a file to the 14 mm one and turning it into a 15 mm on one occasion.
I work mostly with various vintage Shimano stuff.

13-15?
13-14-15?
14-15?

Thanks for any recommendations.

Read below...

Make sure you get a set that gives you a pair of each size... 14 and 15mm are what you are going to run into 99% of the time and 13's do pop up from time to time on much older hubs.

wait what? 13/15 is more common than 14...? Is that a typo?

wait what? 13/15 is more common than 14...? Is that a typo?

Aren't nearly all Shimano fronts 13mm? My ultegras are 13mm (both lockring and cone) or at least according to shimano 12.8.

My vote is for 13/15 get two of each 2 SCW-13 and 2 SCW-15, don't get the double ended ones. That is, if you are working on Shimano hubs.

wait what? 13/15 is more common than 14...? Is that a typo?

Just an issue with reading comprehension... :)

i was thinking of double ended vs single cone wrenches.

If you get double ended wrenches you will need two 13-14 wrenches and two 15-16's

Or you can get single wrenches and buy those in pairs.

The Park DCW 1 and 2 are double ended with 13-14 and 15-16 mm ends and are okay... the shop grade SCW is much better but cost 8.00 each while the dcw is $11.00. The dcw option will be $22.00 vs $48.00 for the SCW but these are much better as they are shop grade tools.

I have some very nice Sugino cone wrenches that are extremely well made and of a much better quality than the Park wrenches... I don't know if they are still made. I also have Sturmey Archer, Mafac, and Imperial cone wrenches as I deal with a lot of old bikes.

Ack... must be tired here... and too many pk's.

13mm fronts (usually)...

Anyways... get em in pairs... Park wrenches are good and easily acquired.

on shimano road hubs, 13mm pair front, 14/15mm rear, although that's for the ones that truly require cone wrenches when the locknut is not a hex nut.

On my bench, I keep 3 cone wrenches handy....A double ended 13-15 park, a 13 and a 15 single ended cone wrench. I also have a 17mm open end regular wrench for the lock nuts. fits 99% of what I need in a day. I guess that I could get by with just two of the parks 13-15's, but I like the feel of the bigger single ended cone wrenches. Hope that helps.

I've needed 13, 14 and 15 mm cone wrenches and even two 14 mm for one hub since both the cones and locknuts needed a 14 mm cone wrench. A 17 mm is needed for many lock nuts but doesn't have to be a cone wrench.

I have two of each of these: 13, 14, 15mm Park Tool singles. And a full fleet of the others.

The most common wrenches I use at the shop are 13 and 15. I use a 17 open end wrench for the locknuts rather than a 17 cone wrench. But now a lot of hubs are using locknuts that you have to use a cone wrench for, so I would pick up at least one 17mm.

If you buy all the park dual sided cone wrenches, you get a pair of each size

Shimano wheels (eg WH-R540) use 17mm cone.

Shimano wheels (eg WH-R540) use 17mm cone.
Hmm, my WH-R560 wheel set uses very conventional 17 mm hex locknuts for the rear wheel and the locknuts for the front have two flats that look like they need a cone wrench but are fully acccessable to a 17 mm conventional open end.

The only locknuts I've come across that require a cone wrench are on 7700-series Dura Ace hubs. The rear uses two 14 mm cone wrenches and the front a 13 for the cone and a 14 for the locknuts.

I think we've had this conversation before...

On the WH-R540 rear, the lock is 17mm and the cone 15mm. On the front both lock and cone are 17mm. The only one that will accept a conventional wrench (unmounted) is the rear lock. I think WH-R550 is the same but can't be sure.

Unfortunately this means that I have two 17mm cone wrenches that I'll never need for anything else.



but they're such nice little wrenches. :love:

I think we've had this conversation before...

On the WH-R540 rear, the lock is 17mm and the cone 15mm. On the front both lock and cone are 17mm. The only one that will accept a conventional wrench (unmounted) is the rear lock. I think WH-R550 is the same but can't be sure.

Unfortunately this means that I have two 17mm cone wrenches that I'll never need for anything else.
Perhaps we have. And, it's likely we'll have it again. This forum is big on repetition. :rolleyes:

Anyway, your comments sent me back to the garage for another look at the WH-560's. As I mentioned, the front locknut accepts a conventional 17 mm open end but the cone does require a 17 mm cone wrench. First one of these I've ever seen.

Fortunately, I happen to have a Park cheap "CW series" 17 mm cone wrench I got as part of a bunch of tools from another rider and never used. It will come in handy some day.

I have 2x from 13mm-18mm, never know what I'll need:

By rank:

1. 15mm
2. 13mm
3. 14mm
4. 19mm Oversize BMX Cones
5. 18mm Oversize BMX Cones

If you are going to buy ONLY TWO SINGLES - you can't go wrong with 13mm and 15mm.

If you are going to buy ONLY TWO DOUBLES - you can't go wrong with 13mm / 15mm and 14mm / Other.

=8-)

17mm wouldn't be a bad choice on the other double.

=8-)

Personally, I buy the parks in pairs of 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19.

A plug (http://www.hozan.co.jp/cycle_e/catalog/hub/C-504.htm) for Hozan cone wrenches. I really like the "funnel" and the way they fit the hand. Also available singly from such as BikeToolsEtc.

The new Shimano XT hubs require a 17 cone as well.

Thanks all,

I'll start off with 13 and 15 mm pairs, single-ended shop tools. It seems to match the degree of wear. Reality will tell me which size to get next eventually, it usually does.