So, I just picked up my new wheelset from Yojimbo's and I'm all excited to throw 'em on & take 'em for a spin. Problem is, no cog. This wouldn't be a problem if I still had the proper tools to transfer old cog to new wheel, but I can't find it/them anywhere.

I used to have the 15mm wrench, lockring wrench, chainwhip combo from NYCBikes. Crappy, but got the job done.

In its absence, I was going to order the double-sided Hozan lockring wrench & a Wheels Mfg 1/8" chainwhip for ~$20 apiece.

However, I just saw this on Ebay for 40 bucks. Anyone have any experience with/ comments on this tool? Am I better off with the two separate tools above, or would you combine them?

i have the dura ace tool. i've learned to hate it. the lockring part ate up my phil LR's the first time i tried to use it. the chainwhip part dangerously skips off of 15 tooth cogs.

aside from those 2 specific caveats, it's ok on DA LR's and seems to be alright on 14, 16 and 17 tooth cogs.

I have tried to use those chainwhip/lockring tools and usually end up angry because they always slip. You be better off with two separate tools. I now use the hozan lockring wrench and have had great luck. I would highly recommend it. It makes changing cogs a super easy because you can actually grab a hold of it to loosen it.

Are you talking about the double-sided wrench or the pliers? Either way, it's looking like two tools may be the better route. I'm just inexplicably attracted to the idea of having one tool that does the job of two (or three, or four, etc) which has led to a string of sh*tty multi/combined tools.

Maybe I just answered my own question.

I have this
https://cgi.ebay.com/HOZAN-LOCKRING-P...QQcmdZViewItem

Sorry. I just realized I typed wrench when I meant pliers. I have used/bought some of the multi-tools and always come to the same conclusion that none of the tools on the multi work well and I would be better off buying each tool individually if I want the tools to work right for me. Kinda what you said

i have a similar tool from NYCbikes. $10 I think.

It's fine for most uses. The problem is that when you use the non-whip side, the chain flops around. Kind of a pain.

call up john at business cycles... or email him... hes got a dura ace tool thats a chainwhip/lockring tool for like 30 bucks.

when i bought mine he referred to it as a "cute little tool" and i agree.

the chains also on a spring so you dont have to worry about what was posted above me

I believe that is the same one I linked to in the original post. Just trying to gauge whether it does both tasks well or if I'd be better off buying two tools that do one task well. Regardless of what I end up getting, I was planning on calling Business Cycles. Never bought from them, but I've heard nothing but good.

Call Marcus up and ask him if he has a set of pliers, or a wrench for sale. When I was there in December he did not have any pliers, but he did have a wrench on sale. If not, I am sure you can stop by and get a quick swap in shop.

We don't sell the multi-tool anymore, it was a nice pocket tool, but since people expected it to be a bench tool we shelved it until we could produce a more solid model (though solid equals to heavy/too long to be a take along unless it's made from precious metals).

The slipping problems a lot of people encounter are caused a lot of times by mismatching chainwhip with cog. Most chainwhips are designed for multi-speed 3/32 chains, and won't fit over 1/8 cogs completely - conversely 1/8 whips are loose and provide a little too much play when used on a 3/32 cog. An inexpensive bar whip with the right chain will work a lot better than the most expensive whip with the wrong chain.

rgds
will@nycbikes.com

nope. the dura ace tool has a 1/8" chain. it slips because chainwhips are a pain in the a$$.

Try wrapping the chain completely around the cog.

Almost always the fault is not with the tool, but with user.

f that s...just get an old piece of chain and wrap it around the cog...then use a vice preferably a vice that's mounted to a table

or remove cog via the reverse-rota-fixa method... easy as pie.

i have that dura-ace chainwhip-lockring tool. i love it and use it as much as i possibly can. never failed or slipped once.