John Valuk

I think that the 7" pliers wrench is a great all-arounder for a lot of general mechanical work - and a great starting point for someone who has never used one of these before. I don't use mine a lot on bikes, but my few current bikes don't have a lot of fasteners and fittings that have flats.

For me, the magic with these comes from:

• Jaws have smooth faces to engage what one is gripping with minimal damage to part surfaces.
• Jaws remain parallel.
• They have fairly high mechanical advantage when it comes to the motion of the jaw relative to the motion of the handle when closing. So, it's easy to apply significant force at the jaws (and so engage the part firmly, and not mangle the stuff on which one is working).

For fasteners and fittings, I often find myself using these in places where I would otherwise use an adjustable wrench or a regular open-end wrench.

I would recommend thinking about where you might use it (on the types of bikes on which you work, or wherever) and then pick one that is sized appropriately. These have fairly large jaw capacity relative to overall length, so for me, the choice is usually driven by the handle length required for leverage. Smaller sizes have slimmer and more compact jaws that can work in tighter spaces.

79pmooney

In my pocket? My early Leatherman, gift from my sis. On (fixed gear) bikes? The Pedros Trixie hub wrench and lockring spanner. (Doesn't slip on bell shaped lockrings for 12 tooth cogs and simply the best for the rest.) On the bike bench? Those brake cable pulling 3rd hands. Work bench? A tie - bench vise - most useful and drill press (Ryobi) along with a vise that can be clamped to the drill press table and located with worm drives. The two are so satisfying to use.

I have a newer Gerber. First time I used the pliers I destroyed them. My Leatherman has done hub nuts without blinking. (Well the nuts blink. They don't like it. Go into a funk and refuse to look anything but scruffy.)

aggiegrads

I generally agree. 7” is best for all-around bike work that includes kid’s bikes, because the 7” size is the most compact that will work on large lock rings on threaded headsets and one-piece cranks. For modern road and mountain bikes, the 10” are a better size, mainly because they work better than Crescent wrenches for holding spline tools. The 10” size also is more handy for spline tools that tend to have higher torque values, like bottom brackets, cassette tools, and Centerlock rotors.

If I could only have one pair, it would be the 7 inch, because they will work for spline tools and high torque items like pedals as long as you have sufficient hand strength.

smd4

Except for pulling derailleur cables taut, there is simply no application for a pliers in bike maintenance/repair, Knipex or otherwise. Use the correct tool.

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smd4

Specialized tools designed for specific applications excepted. I’m referring to what most people understand as gripping general use pliers that people use when they can’t find the correct tool. But you knew that.

79pmooney

But - there can be times when you not have the proper tool on hand and pliers work. That day I flatted and realized my Trixie was at home (because I'd used it for a lockring because it was better than the flat plate Park spanner for that job). So pliers, spend $25 on a ride or walk 8 miles in cycling shoes. Leading to the sulking and scruffy nuts I mentioned in my first post.

HillRider

In that case, a "Fourth Hand Tool", such as the Hozan, is the correct tool to use. Where needle nose pliers (or hemostats) are the correct tool is to add individual bearing balls to the races of cup-and-cone hubs or headsets. They are a lot more convenient and precise than fingers.

smd4

A fourth hand is complete overkill for derailleur cable tensioning. Ideal for brake adjustment, however.

aggiegrads

Sometimes, an adjustable is the right tool. I would love to only work on high-end bikes with tight tolerances, but most of my wrenching is on inexpensive kids bikes with one-piece cranks and cheap threaded headsets. There is no right tool for a stamped, one piece locknut that is off center and not exactly half way between 31 and 32mm.

Does a vise also have no place in bike maintenance?

sweeks

Great for holding a Stein Hub Axle Vise or a Park AV-5.

Andrew R Stewart 

A bench vise is the best way to hold a freewheel tool while turning the tire/rim to remove the FW. Max leverage (especially if one places their hip against the bench), max control and one can have a friend to grab two more points about the rim to better even out the twisting forces. Is a vise a needed maintenance tool? No but then solvent is also not needed, just use an excess of oil to do the same flushing out of stuff. No repair stand is needed either. No truing stand. No compressor.

While some of the above is with tongue in cheek when I started out at JC Pennys (1973) I had a 6' adjustable wrench and a flat blade screwdriver in my pant pocket pretty much all the time. But soon some bikes were coming with those new fangles hex wrench socket headed fasteners and I had to add a couple of these wrenches to my pockets. And the race to lots of tools began. Andy

smd4

I never mentioned adjustable wrenches. I was talking about pliers. Generally thought of as toothed tools that often do more harm than good to precision surfaces. And of course vises are useful tools.

jccaclimber

They’re almost passable at crimping on cable ferrules if you don’t have your dedicated Knipex crimper on hand.
Mind you, nearly all cable cutters have a built in crimping tool. Sadly cable cutters seem surprisingly uncommon among those just starting out.

Schweinhund

Got cable cutters that I never use, I cut cable with a pair of Ideal linesman pliers. Cuts cable & housing like buttar

Ideal linesman pliers

aggiegrads

This is why we are arguing. We were talking about pliers-wrenches and you entered the conversation to excoriate toothed pliers. I use the Knipex Pliers-wrench exclusively as an adjustable wrench. It has completely replaced crescent wrenches in all of my toolboxes - bike and general hand tools. They also make surprisingly good small vises for holding small parts that cannot be put in a bench vise.

I agree - toothed pliers do not belong near bicycles. What kind of animal does that?

My vise is probably my second favorite tool. On my bike bench is a “Reedsman” - a 1944 Craftsman branded Reed 203R. Tiny beast. My garage vise is a monster - ca. 1908-1911 Reed 405-1/2.

Andrew R Stewart 

Don't get me started about my vices, or my workbench vises. I have 7. 4 are mounted and in frequent use. I will say that for most of my using them the ability to lock the handle along its length is really nice. Note the "T" bolt acting as a set screw for this handle. (and the looming unicycle wheel in the background).



I also have a Wilton 3" Bullitt model that is coming home soon (had been loaned to the bike shop). It needs some serious refurbishing. If I can do that I'll post when done. Andy

John Valuk

This, 100%. Anyone who thinks that a Knipex pliers wrench is a toothy, parts-mangling tool doesn't know what it actually is.

So help me, I even took the time to detail in a post in this thread some of the functional characteristics of the Knipex pliers wrench. I, too, have run into some situations where the fit-up is so poor that a "proper" open end wrench produces terrible results - and a pliers wrench is just the ticket.

When it comes to "gotta have teeth to get the job done", well, the Knipex Cobra pliers are there!

Mad Honk 

So now that the plier dust-up has settled a bit, My favorite tool is/ are the battery powered drills and impact drivers on the workbench. I reach for them when removing nuts, bolts, and even freewheels. Small light weight and portable, and they get the job done faster with less chance for broken or damaged parts. JMHO, MH

alcjphil

My favourite tool is a small ball peen hammer that was given to me by my father who in turn received it from his father who was a master mechanic

drlogik 

My favorite tool is a very old VAR cable cutter. I've had it since I was a mechanic back in the day (early 1970's). After 47+ years it shows no sign of wearing out and still cuts a cable clean and square.



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Freerojo

A dental pic. Absolutely strong. Good at extricating dropped chain, at home anyway. I use this around the house as well. Invaluable.

RubeRad

This is the correct answer. Park PH-5 is by far the most used bike tool. PH-6 and PH-4 also get some play


Vintage sounds cool, I have an AWS-1, and I'd like for that to be my #1 favorite do-all tool, but the two arms you're not using too often hit stuff and can't spin freely (like trying to work the bolts that adjust seat angle)

Plus the ball- and straight-ends on the PH-x wrenches is immensely useful for low-torque spinning and high-torque tightening/loosening

RubeRad

For coolness though, my favorite tools are my vintage Campy wrenches:

"Peanut butter" 15mm tracknut wrench


Pedal/BB cup wrench

GamblerGORD53

Easy choice. 4/5/6 Allen key Y tool. This one is 10X more useful than the clumbsy thick Park tool.
amazon.ca/IceToolz-Allen-Wrench-4mm-Sockets/dp/B0028NANNQ
The rubber on mine wore out of course, so I put some PL glue there.

Most used tool by far for all my DIY, is my bench vise.
I've never used or wanted a bike stand in my life. I have no clue how I would hold a wheel up in the air and tighten the nuts.
I true spokes while mounted on the bike. Elec tape across the stays is 100% accurate for round. I can adjust it as close as my eyes can see.
The most neato idea I've seen, is the hole on an adjustable wrench is made to fit a nut. Too bad it's a size I never use. LOL.
Of course they patented the idea, so it didn't get far.
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Oh and as for that Knippex wrench?? LOL For almost anything on a BIKE.