Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Portland Design Works 3 Wrencho Tire Lever + 15mm Wrench

Has anyone seen or used one of these? Looks pretty cool.

http://www.amazon.com/Portland-Design-Works-Wrencho-Lever/dp/B0046VFSHE

I think i'm going to pick one up tonight. I've been carrying a huge crescent wrench with me while I ride. This will eliminate that, and eliminate an extra tire lever.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/217j-8EQCiL._AA300_.jpg

I have one. It's great. Instead of carrying a 15mm wrench and a tire lever, I just carry that.

In the tiny seat bag that goes with me on my road bike and my fixed gear: 3wrencho, CO2 cartridge, CO2 inflator, tiny multitool, tube.

Have you actually used it yet? Hows the leverage when trying to get something on nice and tight?

How's the torque provided by this? Especially for a rear wheel.

get a trixie instead. i'm sure it could work as a tire lever, but you should be carrying around 2-3 steel core ones anyways
so many uses, lockring spanner, 15mm, box wrenches, hex key, chainwhip (if you have a little piece of chain it is), bottle opener, and it mounts on your frame
i personally have it, and its super strong

edit: also more torque

That thing looks massive. Looks like it could fall out of my pocket.

I have one. For hand leverage is not that great, but it is rated to so that you can get the tension down by standing on it.

mine is good.

The leverage is low, since it's so short. But it's stable on the axle nuts, so you can really get at it or stand on it. Never had wheel slippage.

If you need 2-3 steel core tire levers to get your tire off/on, you're doing it wrong. I've only ever carried a single tire lever (well, two when loaded touring in case I lose one or manage to break one).

Even the tightest tire/rim combos I've used, including some super-tight setups on my tubeless mtb wheels, I've been able to get off with a single lever, and back on with my fingers. You've got to make sure you get the bead pushed to the center of the rim, and work your way around to gather up all the slack so it pops back on.

the trixie looks very versatile but without enough hex keys you'd need a multi tool anyway, my younger brother bought me the surly jethro tool for christmas and while i've never used the bottle opener part(lighters ftw) i'm completely in love with the leverage you can get with the palm shaped part, also the weird head design really grips the nuts but angles your hand away that even with the short handle you never bang your knuckles(and i have big hands), i carry the jethro, a tire lever, a small multi, a tube and a pump, like i said it was a gift, i wouldn't have bought it on my own because it seems limited but it's really well designed for the task it does, small and powerful

also does that company really recommend that you "stand on the wrench" seems silly/dangerous like they might be having to replace people's bikes/faces when they fall over into traffic trying to "stand" their axle nuts tight

You've never used your foot to loosen/tighten a lug wrench when changing a car tire? There's a difference between "standing on" something and using your foot intelligently to tighten something. If people are "falling over into traffic" while using their 3 Wrenchos, they're idiots.

If you need 2-3 steel core tire levers to get your tire off/on, you're doing it wrong.

geez, no need to make it seem like a bad thing. Two levers is easier than one, and three is easier than two.

If people are "falling over into traffic" while using their 3 Wrenchos, they're idiots.
qft

looks like they're coating it in plastic now, which would be nice since mine is just bare metal and kinda scratches my rim (don't much care though, it's all on the brake track)

good simple tool, i've used it more than i thought i would. the tire lever is nice and thin so it can get under a tight tire easily. since mine is all metal is slides easily to pull the tire off. and the standing leverage works well.

ive got the coated jawn. theyve always had it.

You've never used your foot to loosen/tighten a lug wrench when changing a car tire? There's a difference between "standing on" something and using your foot intelligently to tighten something. If people are "falling over into traffic" while using their 3 Wrenchos, they're idiots.

have i used my foot while loosening lug nuts on a car wheel? it's nearly impossible not to, but you have the whole weight of a car balancing it, that being said i doubt(maybe i'm wrong) that most car service manuals would tell you to stand on the wrench. it's a poorly designed tool, someone pointed out to the manufacturer that it lacked leverage and rather than improve the design they said, "you get leverage by standing on it, duh" poor design,

i just checked out their website and there are lots of generic rebranded accessories and a few pretty things, sometimes when designing something, especially a tool, pretty isn't enough

Just carry an actual open/box 15... if that doesnt sound or look impressive, save up for the Campy peanut butter wrench. :)

The PDW is maybe an inch or more shorter than the Campy wrench, and when the 15mm section is on an axle nut the flat part of the PDW is in the horizontal plane while the flat part of the Campy in in the vertical plane. I haven't finished building my bike yet so I don't know what difference this would make in practice, but I think that the Campy would be more comfortable to grab since the narrow part can nestle into your knuckle; of course, the PDW would be easier to 'stand' on, if need be.

EDIT: The PDW is 5" long, Campy is 7". Also, I did use the PDW to loosen/tighten axle nuts a few times on my old bike; the flat section being horizontal did allow me to comfortably push down on it with an open palm, but I wasn't as comfortable pulling it up with a firm grip. However, I do have bony, delicate hands. :(

The tip of the PDW is curved like most tire levers and it's slightly narrower than the Campy. I haven't tried using the Campy as a tire lever, but it might work (it might also scratch your rim, like the uncoated PDW).

Also, if your bottom bracket uses hex head crank bolts instead of Allen head bolts, the Campy should work for those, too (that's what it was originally designed for, not axle nuts).

Both of these tools work with square-tapered crank extractors (the kind without the handle); on most extractors (or all, I don't know of any that don't), the 'bolt' part which pushes against the spindle has a 15mm hex section. The 'nut' part of the Park Tool extractor (the part that threads into the crank arm) isn't 15mm, and requires another wrench to install and remove it. If you don't have and don't want another wrench to remove this part, the old Campagnolo 770 (right-hand, as required by most crank arms) crank extractors and Ofmega copies (and the Pedros extractor, it seems) have 15mm hex sections on both 'nut' and 'bolt' parts, so you can use a single 15mm wrench (including pedal wrenches, which are generally longer but also much thinner than the PDW and Campy and probably the Trixie) to operate the extractor from start to finish.

Also, I don't really like the Trixie: yes, it has a 5mm Allen wrench, but that's not the only size a bike needs; yes, it has a lockring tool and can be made into a chain whip, but who really needs those things on the road; yes, it has a 15mm wrench, but you can't change a tire with it; yes, it has a bottle opener, but I don't drink :)

</tool rant>

I have one and use it quite frequently, but haven't needed to try out it the tire lever (knock on wood). Usually carry extra levers anyway. The tool is nice because it is small/easily packable, and yes you can stand on it without falling over if you are a halfway competent human being. I guess it is kind of expensive for what it is, but it seems well made and will last.

I carry a typical 15mm stubby wrench and have never had any amount of trouble tightening my axle nuts enough (even without using my foot and risking falling into traffic). I'd imagine results with the PDW tool would be similar if not identical.

Some of you folks just need to HTFU.

oh you're looking for it to fit in your pocket?
the trixie can bolt onto a water bottle mount, i just normally carry that and a multi tool in my bag
and i've snapped 1 or 2 normal levers so i go steel core. on my bike with old 27" tires they're pretty tough to get on

to cal gunder: lockring tool + chainwhip is definitely useful on the road if you're riding fixed imo

I've never in my life been in a situation where I've needed a chainwhip or lockring tool while on the road.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7ktpkVKwV1qcsadk.jpg

3wrencho looks ok. However, I just carry a Craftsman 15mm open/box wrench and eventually a couple Pedro's tire levers. The Craftsman makes pedal and wheel loosening a snap and is sturdy with just the right amount of leverage. Plus they can be had for cheap!

Just a quick update. My 3rencho came in the mail today and it works great. It has more than enough grip for torque and no way will I need to stand on this thing to get something tight. I nearly have as much leverage as the crescent wrench itself.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8090187/del/bikeforums/wrencho.jpg

The 3wrencho will now replace the tire lever and crescent wrench.

I'm perfectly happy with a peanut butter wrench or my paragon ti 15mm/bottle opener.

Just a quick update. My 3rencho came in the mail today and it works great. It has more than enough grip for torque and no way will I need to stand on this thing to get something tight. I nearly have as much leverage as the crescent wrench itself.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8090187/del/bikeforums/wrencho.jpg

The 3wrencho will now replace the tire lever and crescent wrench.

Flip the west-virginia-tool-set overand re-take the pic .
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what?

I have it, I like it. I've used it a few times as both a lever and as a wrench. the flat side can make it awkard sometimes to pack, but it is ace for leverage.

Well I don't have this exact one, mine is just metal, no black covering.

what?

Flip. The. Wrench. Over.

http://www.collectibles-articles.com/antique/collectible-image-large/new-eighthinch-15mm-wrench-fixed-gear-single-speed-tool_350227659602.jpg
http://cyclingcloseouts.com/ebaypics/ns/track_tool.jpg

I use this. It attaches to your frame so you don't have to worry about actually carrying it or putting in a pouch.
15mm wrench. No Tire lever though, but it does have a bottle opener. lol

But you gotta worry about somebody stealing it! I wouldn't leave my bike locked up with that on it.

That eightinch thing looks aweful. First, having a closed/open wrench is far more useful for tightening down axle nuts and pedals rather than just the fixed socket that that thing has. Second, a bottle-opener is a ridiculous addition because nobody is going to rummage through their pack or walk out to their bike for a big tool to crack open a cold one. You would grab anything else, a lighter, a knife, the big car key, whatever.

Most of these "fixie toolz" are just ridiculous. They cram bookoo form into very little function.

Predates the 'fixie craze', small, light :
http://entirely-adequate.com/bottlewrench.jpg

That EighthInch tool is dumb.

Crank Bros Speed Lever is the greatest thing since sliced bread. That and your 15mm wrench of choice. Best tools for the job. Multi-tool = good at nothing.

Crank Bros Speed Lever is the greatest thing since sliced bread. That and your 15mm wrench of choice. Best tools for the job. Multi-tool = good at nothing.

I disagree. Pedro's Trixie is amazing.

Crank Bros Speed Lever is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Meh