bike tools quality?
 

i am looking at getting either the sette torx st-56 or the park tools ak-37. the big difference is how many tools and what. but i want to know if anyone has used torx before? and what the quality of them would be.

keep in mind that its for a bike club that will be using it.

Most experienced mechanics will advise you buy tools as needed - not in kits. This may seem more expensive, but you don't end up with tools you'll never use. Or for obsolete parts. Park Tools are good by and large. Never heard of the Torx one you mention above.

Ahh tools, love me tools. I prefer tools from Parks and Pedro. They both offer tool sets for the average joe and pro. I don't believe I own anything from Sette....yet:D Which ever you decide to go with, be sure they have a good customer history and warranty.

Cyclus Tools from Germany are top-notch. And less expensive than Park. I believe this is so as no one here has heard of them - yet. They are to Europe what Park is to here. BikeToolEtc has them:

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...main&m=top_ten

hmm ok, i was thinking of doing it separatly but i not sure what ill need yet. the tools i am looking at are on pricepoint, such as the setta torx

I wouldn't purchase a tool from a company I've never dealt with, or has good reviews from, in this instance, experienced bicycle-mechanics. Which I happen to be one of. And I've never seen, knowingly, a Sette Torx or whatever. There are quite a few outfits out there that make tools known to be good or better than the same tool made by another of the well-known outfit. Such as: Park Tool, Pedros, Campagnolo, Shimano, to name a few.

If I were you, I'd be searching for reviews on Sette Torx before I plunked my hard-earned cash to become a "beta-tester."


EDIT - Google pulled this up:

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/...00_152crx.aspx

I never heard of them either, and they have several different kits.

Wow, that first review is dreadful!

I found a bunch that are good. Look for yourself and size up the people giving them. Are they experienced? Axe to grind? So forth.

These are pro quality and we use them in our workshop. Good stuff.

I like VAR and Campagnolo tools. Both are expensive, but so well made that you can find perfectly serviceable used tools and save a few bucks.

Check out this article on the subject very useful.

http://steveukmtb.wordpress.com/basi...ing-and-using/

Buy the best tool you can afford as you need them.

Tools are a long term purchase so it's well worth paying a bit more for better quality and a known maker and to get a good warranty. Park Tools are very good and most bike shops use them as their major tool source. Be aware thet Park makes both "home mechanic" and "shop" grade tools for some uses. Their chrome plated cone wrenches are strictly for infrequent use. Their black, single size cone wrenches are far superior. Get the good ones.

Cyclus, Var and Felco also make good to outstanding bike tools but aren't as easy to find here. The ne plus ultra of bike tools are Campy's but they are eye-poppingly expensive. Browse www.biketoolsetc.com for a good idea of what's out there.

For standard hand tools like sockets, ratchets, combination wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, etc. Craftsman, SK, Proto and other makers supply fine tools at good prices where there is no need for bicycle specific stuff.

sette is www.pricepoint.com "house brand" which means who knows who is making them. I havnt used any torx brand tools but I love price point and I'm very happy with the few sette products I do own

Cyclus pisses me off. There is a huge discrepancy from their "good tools" and their ****ty ones. The ****ty ones you'd see being sold in a dollar store. For example, if you've ever seen there cassette tools:

http://www.cyclus-tools.eu/casetten.html?&L=3

They look like bargain bin cheap metal that would wear out in 2 uses. The finish and construction does not instill confidence for a tool that would handle shop use at all. They are cheaper than Park for a reason, which may be sufficient for some depending on the circumstance.

For example I would have no problem using their cutting/facing tools knowing that they are *much* cheaper than the park versions.

I'd expect that to be the case. They make* excellent tools, like Park. And crap tools, like Park. Caveat Emptor.

Can I buy a Park Digital-Caliper from you for $49.99US from you?

I think you get the meaning.


* Or slap a label on.

The specific "torx sette" kit the OP linked is rebranded and sold under about a billion different names. For example, the BBB cable cutters (shyte) are the EXACT same. Hard handle area, and slippery the second you get any sort of oil on it. Idiotic. I doubt cyclus ever uses their own goddamn tools in a shop environment.

Examine the company called "PricePoint." What you find is they find the cheapest stuff they can, tag it with a name that might entice sales, and write glowing ad copy. Then flood your email with come-ons.

Re: Cyclus. I have quite a few Cyclus Tools products that are excellent. Don't throw the 'baby out with the bathwater.' Tried their headset-press? Nice! And I also have the Park. I reach for the Cyclus.

I think you are mixing up two different companies; "Cyclus Tools" (the German company) only make quality tools and don't have a cheap line of tools, so you won't their products in dollar stores or on the display racks of low end LBS's. The other company, whose exact name escapes at the moment, but also contain "Cyclus" , "Cycle" or "Cyklus" or something similar, make very cheap discount tools. But they are unrelated to the German firm.

I own several "Cyclus Tools" tools and the quality is excellent; the metal is hardened, the edges are sharply defined, they can withstand high torque and have good ergonomics. They also have good finish (the pictures doesn't do their products justice at all). Their cable cutters and pliers are made by "Knipex" a semi-large German company that only make pliers in top notch quality. "Cyclus Tools", "Park Tools", "Campagnolo", "Unior" (a Czech firm) all make excellent high quality bike tools.

--
Regards

Another supplier of good quality tools at reasonable cost is Lifu, a Taiwanese company. Many of Performance's better house-brand "Spin Doctor" tools are supplied by Lifu and the few I have seem very good.

For a bike club, I'd err on getting tools you need and paying a little more for quality over quantity.

Those tools are going to in a lot of hands on a lot of bikes. But do realize tools wear out- cone wrenches and BB/Cassette tools especially- they should be replaced seasonally or annually.

Here's a short list for quick pre race adjustment and repair:
- philips and flathead screwdrivers - and + small and large of each, though I seem to always grab a #2 philips over the smaller sizes.
- A set of open and box ended wrenches from craftsman 7 or 8mm to 17 or 19mm.
- L or T handle hex wrenches from 2mm to 10mm, ball end and flat end. Bondhous, Park, Pedros. But even the cheapo ring of allens are good enough for a season. The branded ones last for 2 seasons or more.
- Park or Pedros cone wrenches. Everything else is consumer grade- you may get a couple weeks out of them, instead of a season.
- requisite BB and cassette removal tools for Shimano, Campag, SRAM
- workstand?
- FELCO housing cutters- cuts derailleur housing properly. cost brake housing and inner wires very well too.
- spoke wrenches- Park red, green, black is more than adequate, Pedros double ended wrenches are good too. DT, wheelsmith are better. you may need special wrenches for Mavic, Shimano, Campag wheels.

Duplicates of some tools will be necessary if more than one person is diving into the box.

For anything else, you are venturing into repair areas that should be done before you are at the race or ride.

After many years working on bikes I came to the conclusion that for the most part the basic bicycling repair tools available are just plain bad. Not just the quality of even the higher end company but also the basic design. How many of you have bashed your knuckles on a chain ring removing either the crank bolt or a bottom bracket or removing a rusted pedal? I for one have had enough and have gone on a search for better tools. Here thus far are the results.

Snap-on ratcheting screwdriver.
Wera screwdrivers.
Wera Zyklops 1/4 or 3/8 ratchet
Wiha allen L wrenches. Get the ones with the magic ring.
Toptul 1/4" torque wrench.

Torque is important especially if you're a shop mechanic. It's a basic liability issue.

And Sette- the house brand of Pricepoint, which is in turn owned by Performance- is a line of consumer and home mechanic level tools. The intent of use is not daily heavy duty journeyman type mechanic level. Probably made by Lifu, or one of 3 other bike tool mfgs in Taiwan. Good stuff for what it is, but it's not exactly a replacement for Campag.

I have no experience with the Cyclus freewheel or cassette tools without handles, but I will say that you won't find many race mechanic toolboxes without one of these inside:
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/3713/72005301.jpg
Campagnolo on one side, Shimano on the other. They hold up just fine.

+1

Good value for the money. There are a few I don't like, but then there are a few "high $" tools I don't like.