Gift certificates, tool selection, toy selection [2nd try]

Rick Onanian <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Yes, I'm going to get (or more likely make) a chain whip soon.

Hi Rick, how and using what, are you going to make a chain whip? I know that I'm going to need one
eventually.

I like the look of the Ascent and Nashbar[the same?] tool kits, that sell for around $45. See link:
nashbar.comprofile.cfmOpen ↗

They seem to have much of what I need. It's too bad, that they include general tools, like
screwdrivers and adjustable wrenchs. Most of us have those and would prefer another speciality tool.
Even if I buy a kit like that, it might be helpful to have a second chain whip and that would be
where the diy would come in. That's assuming that you are making your own for cost reasons, rather
than to build a higher quality one, where low price is secondary. Life is Good! Jeff

"Rick Onanian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Long story short:

Quoted message said:

Aerobars: How to decide betweeen two-piece straight and one piece with the triangle-ish end?

I've use the second kind (Profile brand, with flip-up pads). That style is heavier, and I'm way less
than impressed with the durability, so perhaps simple is better. On the plus side, their customer
support is good, and I've managed to get it pretty well debugged now so that it doesn't rattle and
loosen itself up/shed parts regularly. I have my computer mounted in a little cross tube that came
with it, which is handy. I also use the "triangle-ish" end to mount a little "4-AA" Cateye light.
Handlebar real estate can become a nasty problem once you set up a-bars.

"Jeff Starr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rick Onanian <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yes, I'm going to get (or more likely make) a chain whip soon.

Hi Rick, how and using what, are you going to make a chain whip? I know that I'm going to need one
eventually.

I like the look of the Ascent and Nashbar[the same?] tool kits, that sell for around $45.
See link:

nashbar.comprofile.cfmOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

They seem to have much of what I need. It's too bad, that they include general tools, like
screwdrivers and adjustable wrenchs. Most of us have those and would prefer another speciality
tool. Even if I buy a kit like that, it might be helpful to have a second chain whip and that
would be where the diy would come in. That's assuming that you are making your own for cost
reasons, rather than to build a higher quality one, where low price is secondary.

I've used a home made chain whip for several years now. I whipped (sorry) it up in 10 min one day
when I needed it, and since it has continued to work, I haven't bothered to buy a real one. I just
too a length of old chain and wrapped it over the top of a piece of 1x2 scrap, pinning it with a few
utility screws through the links - works for me.

The other DIY "tools" I have made include a bolt & washer collection to fasten the BB tool to the BB
spindle, and a similar set to remove BB cups (see Sheldon Brown's site). I would also make a headset
press, but so far I've been able to tap them in/out. The non-standard "tool" I probably use the most
is a good metal 12" ruler that checks chain wear quickly.

Jeff Starr said:

Hi Rick, how and using what, are you going to make a chain whip?

I plan to use a chain, and a piece of metal.

No, seriously, that's it. I may need a couple small bolts with nuts to fasten the chain to the piece
of metal. I think I have a flat piece of steel that would be perfect.

I've seen pictures of them and know how they work. I don't see a reason why a home-made one wouldn't
work, and plan to google (groups and web) to see what advice I can find from others who have no
doubt done it.

Quoted message said:

I like the look of the Ascent and Nashbar[the same?] tool kits, that

They are pretty. 🙂

Quoted message said:

They seem to have much of what I need. It's too bad, that they include general tools, like
screwdrivers and adjustable wrenchs. Most of us have those and would prefer another
speciality tool.

Yup, and if you've been riding awhile, you probably have many of the specialty tools found in bike
kits, like chain breakers and spoke wrenches.

Quoted message said:

Even if I buy a kit like that, it might be helpful to have a second chain whip and that would be
where the diy would come in. That's assuming that you are making your own for cost reasons, rather
than to build a higher quality one, where low price is secondary.

I'm not yet concerned with quality; I will be shortly after I use my homemade one, if my past record
is any prediction; I will quickly tire of my [censored]-rig and buy a good one in a fit of realism.

Quoted message said:

Life is Good! Jeff

--
Rick "Donkey Hotay" Onanian

Rick Onanian <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I also bought a BB socket, a pedal wrench, and a 15mm cone wrench (so I can attack wheel bearings
on my road bike 🙂.
--

if your bike is pretty standard, you might also consider a 13mm cone wrench for the front hubs. in
fact, two 15s and two 13s woudl be super, IMHO. park, and most likely other companies, make
combination cones that are great for hub adjustment when you arent really cranking on the cones. a
13 and a 13/15 combo would fit you out nicely.

Quoted message said:

--
At EP cycle, I think I'm going to buy aerobars. My problem is, how do I evaluate different bars to
decide which I'd like better? They won't let me return them once I've used them.

Quoted message said:

I'm leaning towards the straight, two-piece one, but I can see that my hands may possibly like the
one-piece better.

ive used the one piece version of the profile aerobars. the 'century' model where the pads do not
flip up. i am very glad that they do not flip up, as i do not have to futz with teh pads using my
forearms trying to wrestle them down. ive heard that the flip up feature is overrated from a few
who've used it, though in truth i havent myself. also, the basic century model has less bits to
break, and they're cheaper.

then again, i dont use the tops of my bars much (not on that bike, anyway), so i woudlnt really want
them to flip up anyway.

YMMV, anthony

[email hidden] (Jeff Starr) wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Hi Rick, how and using what, are you going to make a chain whip? I know that I'm going to need one
eventually.

chain whips are pretty friendly to make. take a bit of flat stock. i used something like 1/8" x 1" x
16" steel, nothing special. possibly a little thinner than 1/8", but i cant remember. cut an arc out
of the end so it seats better on the cog (optional, a la some of the more expensive chain whips).
then drill holes as appropriate, cut bits of chain to length, and used my campagnolo hammer (ok, ok,
so its not a campy hammer) to hammer the pins back in. very, uh, precise.

works great. need to be careful with it when putting serious pressure on not to twist it, but if
you're careful, those 16" give you a lot of power for stiff track cogs and the like. if you're just
using the whip for cassette removal, a shorter whip will be nicer as you dont need 16" of leverage
and a shorter tool is less likely to twist under pressure (i take it no ten minute chain whip will
actually be made out of high quality alloy.)

one word of advice- resist the temptation to use worn out chain for the chain whip. then the chain
wont seat well on teh cogs and it will pop off under pressure. i found a used chain that was still
in great shape. if i were to do it again, i would join little chain bits lying all over the place
into longer pieces and use those. LBS will have loads of them.

Quoted message said:

I like the look of the Ascent and Nashbar[the same?] tool kits, that sell for around $45.

if you dont already have those tools, and you arent pro- great value. kept me tinkering for a couple
years, and some of the tools i continue to use on a daily basis.

Quoted message said:

Rick Onanian <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yes, I'm going to get (or more likely make) a chain whip soon.

"Jeff Starr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi Rick, how and using what, are you going to make a chain whip? I know that I'm going to need one
eventually.

I like the look of the Ascent and Nashbar[the same?] tool kits, that sell for around $45.
See link:

nashbar.comprofile.cfmOpen ↗
521&storetype=&estoreid=

Quoted message said:

They seem to have much of what I need. It's too bad, that they include general tools, like
screwdrivers and adjustable wrenchs. Most of us have those and would prefer another speciality
tool. Even if I buy a kit like that, it might be helpful to have a second chain whip and that
would be where the diy would come in. That's assuming that you are making your own for cost
reasons, rather than to build a higher quality one, where low price is secondary.

They are easy to make well: yellowjersey.orgCHAINSTK.JPGOpen ↗ In Explorer
the photo shrinks and the detail is lost. In Netscape it's clear
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

"Peter Cole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

The other DIY "tools" I have made include a bolt & washer collection to fasten the BB tool to the
BB spindle, and a similar set to remove BB cups (see Sheldon Brown's site).

yes. super useful. especially for working on old bikes with seized ('winterized?'😉 bottom brackets.
the thread pitch is 8mm x 1.0mm (metric M8 fine thread) if youre looking for them. home depot type
places generally have these bolts as long as 40 or 50mm long. when that wont work, ive also found an
old stem wedge bolt with the same threading. no broken bb splines anymore, no matter how bad the
seize, or how weak the plastic. and i can crank just as hard as i want on the BB tool.

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

yellowjersey.orgCHAINSTK.JPGOpen ↗ In Explorer the photo shrinks and the
detail is lost. In Netscape it's clear

"Rick Onanian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In Opera, it's clear and I can zoom in and out with a single keystroke or ctrl+mouse_wheel.

Anyway, that's a pretty nice one. What kind of stock is it made from?

1/8" steel strip

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971