Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Allen Sizes

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Allen Sizes

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-20-09 | 06:31 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
From: Marin

Bikes: Bianchi Giro

Allen Sizes

I cant seem to find the correct size allen wrench for my Bianchi Giro Seat? I would like to move my seat up a little bit. The one I have is JUST to small? Are these european sizes?
BoodBianchi is offline  
Reply
Old 06-20-09 | 06:32 PM
  #2  
Grumpy McTrumpy's Avatar
gmt
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,509
Likes: 3
From: Binghamton, NY
bikes = metric.
Grumpy McTrumpy is offline  
Reply
Old 06-20-09 | 06:44 PM
  #3  
halfspeed's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,275
Likes: 6
From: SE Minnesota

Bikes: are better than yours.

Originally Posted by Grumpy McTrumpy
bikes = metric.
/thread
__________________
Telemachus has, indeed, sneezed.
halfspeed is offline  
Reply
Old 06-20-09 | 07:06 PM
  #4  
grahny's Avatar
hobo
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,784
Likes: 0
From: CO
If you're looking for wrench set, these are great:

https://www.rei.com/product/705922
grahny is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 03:10 AM
  #5  
Aluminium Crusader :-)
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,050
Likes: 11
From: Melbourne, Australia
Nine times out of ten, it's either gunna be 4mm or 5mm
531Aussie is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 05:17 AM
  #6  
umd's Avatar
umd
Banned
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,387
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara, CA

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT

Originally Posted by 531Aussie
Nine times out of ten, it's either gunna be 4mm or 5mm
6 is fairly common for seat clamps as well.
umd is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 08:24 AM
  #7  
Aluminium Crusader :-)
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,050
Likes: 11
From: Melbourne, Australia
^ eh...not so common these days
531Aussie is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 08:42 AM
  #8  
umd's Avatar
umd
Banned
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,387
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara, CA

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT

Originally Posted by 531Aussie
^ eh...not so common these days
I see it on cheaper posts.
umd is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 08:45 AM
  #9  
AngryScientist's Avatar
Lost
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,627
Likes: 164
From: nutley, nj
OP - go get yourself a few tools to go with your new bike, you're going to need them eventually. Virtually all bikes use metric sized tools. leave your english tools in the box, they will only damage the heads if the size is not correct.
AngryScientist is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 08:53 AM
  #10  
f4rrest's Avatar
Farmer tan
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,985
Likes: 30
From: Burbank, CA

Bikes: Allez, SuperSix Evo

Order some ikea furniture. Throw it away and keep the wrench.
f4rrest is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 10:13 AM
  #11  
Bianchigirll's Avatar
Bianchi Goddess
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 28,907
Likes: 4,152
From: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In

Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.

I agree it should be a 4 or 5. what year Giro? carbon? if you do not have a set make sure you buy the ones with the 'ball' on the end.
__________________
One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"

Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
Bianchigirll is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 11:30 AM
  #12  
Aluminium Crusader :-)
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,050
Likes: 11
From: Melbourne, Australia
Originally Posted by umd
I see it on cheaper posts.
I'm nort sure, I think he's talking about the collar
531Aussie is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 01:31 PM
  #13  
umd's Avatar
umd
Banned
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,387
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara, CA

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT

Ok, yeah collar would be 4 or 5, I was thinking the saddle clamp. You can cover most everything on a bike with a 4/5/6 allen wrench...
umd is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 01:33 PM
  #14  
DieselDan's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,521
Likes: 2
From: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.

Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger

Originally Posted by 531Aussie
I'm nort sure, I think he's talking about the collar
The saddle rail clamp is usually 6mm.
Seat post collar 4 or 5.
Stem bolts 5 or 6.
Rear derailleur mount 6.
Front derailleur mount 5.
Crank bolt 8.
Bottle cage 4.
Rack bolts 4.
Cable pinch bolts 5.
Brifter bolts 5.
Pedals 6 or 8.
DieselDan is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 01:40 PM
  #15  
Magnesium Dogmatic
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach, CA

Bikes: Look 585 Ultra, Pinarello Dogma, Pegoretti Duende, Orbea, Cannondale Capo

Some cage bolts and Keo cleat bolts are 3mm
haimtoeg is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 03:46 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 2

Bikes: Cervelo RS, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Pro, Schwinn Typhoon, Nashbar touring, custom steel MTB

Originally Posted by DieselDan
Stem bolts 5 or 6.
The top cap is usually 5mm, the bolts that tighten the stem to the steerer are usually 4mm, and the bolts that clamp the handlebar are usually 4mm.
sstorkel is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 06:03 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 811
Likes: 0
From: Madison, WI

Bikes: '08 Trek 7.3FX

Originally Posted by f4rrest
Order some ikea furniture. Throw it away and keep the wrench.
Since when does any given piece of Ikea furniture come with the proper hardware, let alone the tools to assemble it?

I work in hardware retail. Honestly, we should probably be feeding Ikea kickbacks for all the business they bring us.
shouldberiding is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 07:36 PM
  #18  
urbanknight's Avatar
Over the hill
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 24,602
Likes: 1,364
From: Los Angeles, CA

Bikes: Pinarello Nytro, Momentum Transend

Every Ikea item I've purchased has come with an allen wrench and/or open ended wrench. Granted, they're tiny pieces of crap and I prefer to bust out my own tools, but they almost always include those. It's the stupid dowels or odd connecting pieces that always seem to be short by one.

Oh, and don't throw the furniture in the trash. Ikea designs its melamine to be recyclable.
__________________
It's like riding a bicycle
urbanknight is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 08:35 PM
  #19  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
From: Marin

Bikes: Bianchi Giro

It's an 05 Giro, I cruised over to my friends. He had the right gear, no worries.
BoodBianchi is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 09:17 PM
  #20  
Machka's Avatar
In Real Life
Titanium Club Membership
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 52,159
Likes: 773
From: Down under down under

Bikes: Lots

Originally Posted by BoodBianchi
It's an 05 Giro, I cruised over to my friends. He had the right gear, no worries.
Doesn't matter what the bicycle is. Go to your local Canadian Tire, Mitre 10, or wherever and get a metric allen key set for $5, and you'll be set.
Machka is offline  
Reply
Old 06-21-09 | 09:33 PM
  #21  
grolby's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 9,873
Likes: 152
From: BOSTON BABY
Originally Posted by sstorkel
The top cap is usually 5mm, the bolts that tighten the stem to the steerer are usually 4mm, and the bolts that clamp the handlebar are usually 4mm.
Eh, there's a fair degree of variation, sometimes associated with price. E.g. I've only ever seen 6mm bolts for the handlebar and stem clamp on cheap OEM stems. 6mm top caps for expander plugs intended for carbon steer tubes are not uncommon; I didn't realize this when I first got my bike and used a 5mm to adjust the bolt I could see through the hole in the top cap, almost lost the expander plug down the steerer!

Anyway, point is, get a metric set of Allen wrenches. There are fairly standard ranges that certain fasteners tend to fall into. 4-5-6 are by far the most common of the "everyday" bolt head sizes found on a typical bike. If you need to make a minor adjustment during a ride, it'll be one of those sizes. Get a multi-tool with at least those three sizes. 3 and 8mm are also good ones to have handy, though small 8mm wrenches might be hard to find and/or use, and big ones aren't worth carrying with you.
grolby is offline  
Reply

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.