I have the litte dinky park pocket tool and removing links is a huge pain. Any recommendations for a good chain tool that can handle the bigger chains w/o killing my wallet?

park ct-3, $15.00 and worth every cent.

I have a park ct-5 that I like a lot. It's ultra small, and works on all chain sizes. It's worth the extra $10.

mine is unbranded and cost 4 bucks

awesome

I have a Park "mini brute" (we go by names in Canada)-great tool

If by bigger chains you mean a 3/16" freestyle bmx chain, then you'll need something like the Park CT-7 to get it apart. I think Pedros makes a similar chain tool as well, but neither one is particularly cheap. I have a nice-ish Shimano one that handles 1/8" and 3/32" chain well, but it won't do 3/16"... I found that out the hard way. I don't think there are any standard chain tools that will handle both the beefy freestyle chains and the smaller road/derailleur chains, plus as far as I know none of the ones designed for 3/16" chain will work with 3/32" chain. I could be totally wrong though.

If you're talking about a 1/8" bmx/track chain, then any decent quality, not pocket-sized chain tool should work a-ok.


m.

Actually there are pocket-sized that work just fine. I have a $20 Topeak multitool that includes a chain tool that works quite nicely. Sure a full-sized breaker is easier to use but then I'm of the opinion that if you need to break your chain often enough that it matters then you need to be getting a master link.

Well I guess the Shimano on I have is basically pocket sized... I was thinking more of the very wee, mini style ones. I had a pedros micro chain tool that was great at breaking 1/8" chains, but it couldn't put them back together. That was frustrating.

m.

I just use rocks I see on the roadside

yeah, but that's 'cause you're core. i'm wimpy.

wimp.

truly.