Bicycle Mechanics - best chain tool?

Seems like there are a lot of options. I had a cheap one from wally world that broke when i tried to use it (and the pin barely moved on a new chain). any suggestions?

It's hard to go wrong with a Park tool. But which every brand you buy, get one with a replaceable pin.

It's hard to go wrong with a Park tool. But which every brand you buy, get one with a replaceable pin.

Yep!

Ditto!

mm: Whichever kind you get make sure you grease the screw threads; it will be easier on the threads and your hands. Also recommend that you get a chain which has a master link so you will only need the chain tool once to cut the chain to length.

Park CT-3 as recommended above.

I'm fond of the Topeak chain tool for in the seatbag. Mine is closest to the Universal, but not as fancy.

Park CT-3 is great for home use. But, Park's CT-5C is pretty awful for travel use, IMO.

If your work on a lot of chains, a pliers tool is better than a screw type tool.

I was impressed with "giant" brand, good price, good tool. easy to tell when the pin is free but not popped.

Park CT-3 as recommended above.

That's what I use and recommend. I have used some of the cheaper, crappier chain tools in the past. That was a mistake. The three tools if you do a fair amount of wrenching that need to be high quality: chain tool, cable cutter, and work stand (OK, add to that list if you work on old vintage road bikes a good bb toolset, like the Sugino set). Everything else is up to you. For instance, I have quite a few Sette cone wrenches (Pricepoint.com), bought on sale for 99 cents to 1.99 each.

Now if you are just removing a rusty chain that you are going to toss, use bolt cutters instead.

I was impressed with "giant" brand, good price, good tool. easy to tell when the pin is free but not popped.
That's not an advantage unless you are working on a lot of vintage (6-speed and prior) chains. For all current chains, you want to completely remove the pin and replace it with a specific joining pin or a master link.

BTW, my early Park CT-3 came with a C-clip on the screw press that limited it's travel so it wouldn't completely remove a pin. It was the first thing I removed.

It's a great advantage when your crappy over-priced sram's masterlink flies apart and you can't find half of it and you need to join your chain in the middle of a mountain range.

Park CT-3 for use at home or shop (especially with Shimano chains, IME). CT-5 for trail -- the CT-3 is a heavy bugger.

Best , again, :rolleyes: ...
the others mentioned work OK, though Rohloff's puts an Impression
in the end of the pin
to re rivet it again.. to reduce the possibility of it coming apart.

It's a great advantage when your crappy over-priced sram's masterlink flies apart and you can't find half of it and you need to join your chain in the middle of a mountain range.
If that happens, you can take the time to slowly and carefully partially push out a pin about 1/4 turn at a time so you can rejoin the chain with it. I hope that's a rare occurance and not the routine use for your chain tool.

Hillrider have you even looked at the Giant brand tool or do you just like to argue? BTW I didn't start this thread and certainly don't need your chain advice, thanks anyway. I was answering ANOTHER person's question. But great advice on how to destroy your tools:thumb:

i use park ct 3. as stated above if the chain is headed to scrap then i attack with bolt cutters. quick and easy

In the US, Park Tool is well distributed, never seen the Giant brand.
they are not picked up, and inventoried,
by any distributors that supply bike shops around here.

Hillrider have you even looked at the Giant brand tool or do you just like to argue? BTW I didn't start this thread and certainly don't need your chain advice, thanks anyway. I was answering ANOTHER person's question. But great advice on how to destroy your tools:thumb:
As fietsbob noted Giant brand tools are not readily available here so I've never seen one. I wasn't agruing, just pointing out that what you describe as an advantage of the Giant isn't really one. And no, I didn't destroy my chain tool or my chain. Both continue to work well and have for many years. Buy and do what you want.

I've never seen Giant branded tools in the US either. Can you post a link to a site that sells them? I am always looking for better tools, and am not married to Park or any other specific brand. My three favorite tools are all from different companies: a Park chain tool, a Shimano cable tool, and a Sugino bb tool.

I've never seen Giant tools, either. The Giant shops are kinda out of my way so never venture there.

Here's the link for it on Giant's website, though.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/gear/product/chain.tool/556/38742/

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/_generated/_generated_us/parts/products/images/430/95031_100pc_72dpiWIDE.jpg

Forget buying an expensive chain tool and buy a chain with a bullseye pin. http://share.ovi.com/media/currentresident.bicycle/currentresident.10383 these are much easier to work with. Other types of pins deflect the chain tool to the side creating friction.

Forget buying an expensive chain tool and buy a chain with a bullseye pin. http://share.ovi.com/media/currentresident.bicycle/currentresident.10383 these are much easier to work with. Other types of pins deflect the chain tool to the side creating friction.
That's new to me but the web site has a comment that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement; "The hollow pin is lighter but will fail at the pin." Actually, I've never had any problems using my Park CT-3 or even the cheap Cyclo Rivoli chain tool I had when I first started working on bikes. I've worked on chains from Sedis, Regina, Shimano, Wippermann and SRAM so I don't see it as a problem.

I've never seen Giant branded tools in the US either. Can you post a link to a site that sells them? I am always looking for better tools, and am not married to Park or any other specific brand. My three favorite tools are all from different companies: a Park chain tool, a Shimano cable tool, and a Sugino bb tool.

The LBS that I go to has a Giant branded torque wrench. But that's about the only shop that I've seen with any Giant branded tools and that's the only tool that I've seen that's Giant branded.

I have been using a couple of CT5 tools for as long as I can remember and they have stood up to hundreds of chains and can't recall ever having to replace a pin (although I keep spares just in case).

I keep one of them hung on my shop apron all the time.

These are pretty old Park models so perhaps it is another one of those things they used to make better... we have these as well as a CT3 and CT7 at the co-op and because these are commonly used shop tools we replace a lot of pins due to user error.

I another person who is not tied to Park Tools and will use what I consider to be the best product at the best price and if you want my Sugino cone wrenches you will have to pry them from my cold dead hands.

Park cone wrenches are made of cheese.

My cable and housing cutter was made by Snap On... it is probably the best cable cutter I have ever used.

Thanks LesterfOmuppets For doing my work for me, It's cheaper than a park, the handle spins out for storage aaaaaaand IT"S EASY TO TELL WHEN THE PIN IS FREE BUT NOT POPPED. an important feature to those of us that make jewelry from the left over links from a new chain. Did I mention there's a Giant dealer in town?

But's let's face the only "real" option and the winning answer to Musicmaster's question is . . .http://www.excelsports.com/image/Campagnolo%20Chain%20Tool%2011%20Speed%20UT-CN300.jpg
and for the cost of a wal-mart bike this baby can be yours.:twitchy:

IT"S EASY TO TELL WHEN THE PIN IS FREE BUT NOT POPPED. an important feature to those of us that make jewelry from the left over links from a new chain...
Aha! so you do need that "feature". BTW, I have a Giant branded mini-pump bought at a small town Giant dealer when my older one died on the road. It's been very satisfactory but i wasn't looking for their other house branded tools at the time.

I have a VAR one and is pretty good, way better than the small park one. As bigger the tool the easier to work with, thats why park and other came up with those big models. Would love to have the campy one but im not going to pay zillions for it.

I have, and have used many different brands of chain tool.

For ease of use and a pin thatnever gets bent, the Shimano tool I was given at their Interbike seminar seems best.

Mine isn't the fancy one with wood handles, it's simply well made.

I doubly agree that it's important to keep the tool's threads well-lubed.

I wouldn't use any tool that was made to re-stake the pins of a modern chain. The staking seems to be a very critical process and unless the tool is designed and tested for a particular chain, I wouldn't trust the re-staked chain pin.

For ease of use and a pin thatnever gets bent, the Shimano tool I was given at their Interbike seminar seems best.

Mine isn't the fancy one with wood handles, it's simply well made.

I also have the plain Shimano chain tool (TL-CN21) and itis indeed well made and works a well as my Park CT-3. It seems to be a modernized version of the old Cyclo chain tool but much stronger and without the "loosening" shelf since it wasn't intended to push an existing pin back into place.


I wouldn't use any tool that was made to re-stake the pins of a modern chain. The staking seems to be a very critical process and unless the tool is designed and tested for a particular chain, I wouldn't trust the re-staked chain pin.
One exception is the current Campy chain tool for their 11-speed chains. This tool does stake the joining pins in place. Park makes a less expensive replacement pair of tools, one to press the pins in place (CT-4.2) and one to peen them (CT-11) although I understand there is a way to modify the CT-4.2 to also peen these Campy pins. The two Park tools together sell for about half of the cost of the Campy tool.

KMC or Rohloff

http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/nextbike/cabinet/parts/chaintool_kmc-rv.jpg?_ex=300x300&s=2&r=1

My cable and housing cutter was made by Snap On... it is probably the best cable cutter I have ever used.

...then you should try out a felco c7. best cable cutters ever.

I have a pedros chain tool and it has performed flawlessly over the 3-4 years I've owned it.