Portland Design Works 3 Wrencho Tire Lever + 15mm Wrench
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 236
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Portland Design Works 3 Wrencho Tire Lever + 15mm Wrench
Has anyone seen or used one of these? Looks pretty cool.
https://www.amazon.com/Portland-Desig.../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.
https://www.amazon.com/Portland-Desig.../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.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 531
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
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.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 378
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
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
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
#7
Still kicking.
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.
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 531
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
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.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: brooklyn
Posts: 939
Bikes: raleigh gran prix converted to fixed
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: brooklyn
Posts: 939
Bikes: raleigh gran prix converted to fixed
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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
#12
Your cog is slipping.
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.
Last edited by Scrodzilla; 04-13-11 at 08:43 AM.
#13
Fresh Garbage
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Davis/Lafayette, CA
Posts: 2,014
Bikes: too many
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
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.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: brooklyn
Posts: 939
Bikes: raleigh gran prix converted to fixed
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
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
Last edited by soyboy; 04-13-11 at 01:59 PM. Reason: added an r to manufacture
#19
My name is Mike, not Cal
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 474
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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>
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>
Last edited by cal_gundert05; 04-18-11 at 04:22 PM.
#20
sniffin' glue
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 3,177
Bikes: Surly crosscheck ssfg, Custom vintage french racing bike, Bruce Gordon Rock & Road
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
#21
Your cog is slipping.
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.
Some of you folks just need to HTFU.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 378
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
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
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
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 228
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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!
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 236
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
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.
The 3wrencho will now replace the tire lever and crescent wrench.
The 3wrencho will now replace the tire lever and crescent wrench.