PSA: Lifeline T Handle Allen Keys 1/2 Price!

Bargain.... i have the Park Tools version of them and the Torx... lovely lovely things.

So, can anyone explain how these will make my life better than it is with my standard hex keys?

What I'd like to know is, are they a copy of the Park Tool ones, or are they the same thing made in the same place with a different name on? They look identical from studying them on my phone screen and checking a youtube video of the Park version.

Anyway, I ordered mine on Tuesday. They're currently in Evri limbo.

So, can anyone explain how these will make my life better than it is with my standard hex keys?

You can hold onto a nice smooth sleeve while speedily spinning a bolt at the bottom of a deep crevice.

So if you buy these on CRC you could spend £5 more to get it over £50 and the set up a new account for the £10 off £50 code.

Little tip is if you are on gmail you can create as many accounts as you like by putting + and a word after your email but before the @ - e.g. John.Smith+baragin@gmail.com. The only prblem with this is you get 10 emails for CRC every time they send a prom out haha.

They look identical from studying them on my phone screen and checking a youtube video of the Park version.

Given the design of the things and the function are both heavily co-dependent of would be hard for them to look different without them ceasing to work. There's only really the colour you can change.

Given the design of the things and the function are both heavily co-dependent of would be hard for them to look different without them ceasing to work. There’s only really the colour you can change.

That's not strictly true is it?

Well, having read a review of the Park versions, I suddenly developed a desperate need for these and will be getting them for Xmas.

🙂

That’s not strictly true is it?

So it looks like some have (function) spinney collars, some don't have that function.

Otherwise the colour is different.

What am I missing?

EDIT, ah, you mean the slightly longer/shorter junction heads I guess?

chakaping
Free Member
So, can anyone explain how these will make my life better than it is with my standard hex keys?

Because new tools make things better, fact. I bought a set the other day. Haven’t even used them yet and my life is already 7 better

my life is already 7 better

That's a big claim for some Allen keys. They're not even battery powered.

Because new tools make things better, fact. I bought a set the other day. Haven’t even used them yet and my life is already 7 better

My order is still processing at Wiggle and I can tell things are on the up as well.

🙂

What am I missing?

EDIT, ah, you mean the slightly longer/shorter junction heads I guess?

I just mean that the Park and Lifeline ones look identical down to the fine details. From the grooves on the collar to the way the shaft tapers into the head. They both have the ball bearing indent on the short bit to stop it sliding around uncontrollably. We know the Park version is Asian made. I wouldn't be surprised if they're the same item, but for £45 I'm not that bothered if they're not. I'm sure they'll be decent.

UPDATE: I've just received a picture of mine from Evri which have been delivered into a blue bin. There are 6 blue bins down the side of my house because we're the end of a terrace. I do not recognise the brand of milk cartons in the picture which I hope are not covered in smelly bin juice. I also hope they're still there at 5 o'clock.

I don't get this bit.

Each of the T Bars also comes with a twisted hex end that can be used for rounded and oversized hex bolts.

Or rather, I get it, but surely it should be pitched the other way. I want a twisted bit that helps me get slightly mashed bolts out, not torque them up in a way that make them impossible to remove with a normal hex bit!

It's for removing slightly knackered bolts, not putting them in. Get them out and bin them, then replace with freshies.

IT does work well on damaged bolts too.

I got a set of these for Xmas last year (GF knows a way to a man's heart) and the only thing I would say is I find them a little big and cumbersome for a lot of jobs on the bike and often find myself still reaching for the old set of Bahco hex keys to do the work. Maybe a personal thing?

Great PSA - eyed up the park tools ones myself (as i have the t25 park tools one and its a lovely thing to use especially on stuff like rotor bolts) - couldnt justify the £120+ for park tools set - but at £45 these are a steal! nice present off the parents for xmas! top psa

Great PSA. My order is in!

yet and my life is already 7 better

Thanks OP, great PSA, have ordered and can confirm that my mood has been raised by a factor of 4.

(Nothing to do with it being Friday, going for a spin tomorrow and putting in for 10 weeks off work in the summer 🙂 )

They delivered them to the correct blue bin. I feel so much better.

This just inspired a major garage overhaul. Once I got started I couldn't stop.

I wasn't quite prepared for the size of these, just didn't really consider it. The 10mm one is a foot long!

Not really a set for your travelling tool kit. 😁

Not really a set for your travelling tool kit. 😁

My colour coded Wera's have been moved to the portable kit 😉

I've been eyeing these up for a while. Couldn't quite justify the £90 so I've snapped them up.

Previously if I needed a longer reach I just grabbed a ¼" socket.

I'll see what improves in my life following this purchase

No ball end?

No ball end?

Thankfully not. Plenty of other options if you need one, not as many if you're trying to avoid them.

£45 for slightly fancy wiggle own brand hex keys?

On a totally unrelated subject would anyone care to try a new artisanal beer I'm selling?

Lifeline make some bloody great kit recently, Wiggle own brand or not. Hand tools that cost a lot of money are not necessarily expensive.

I won sets of the Park tool hex and torx versions. I sold the hex versions at a very cheap price, I’ve still got the torx version. However, they are very unwieldy, and awkward to use bicycle tools, make me an offer. Maybe good in other workplaces, it’s not the first time that Park tools have been unwieldy, the Philips (japan style) screwdriver and the 2mm hex driver are SO heavy that I they don’t get used.
Some tools are like the emperor’s clothes.
As for ball end - how rounded off do you like your Allen bolts?
Ah, ball ends and the rescue function on the tools… the perfect circle!

That set looks nice enough for £45 but no way was it ever worth £90. If it were my money I'd be spending it on Bahco or Bondhus, as they'll be far better tools than this.

I nearly hit buy on these but then saw a nice set of Beta 951 T Bars for £65.

Hopefully similar in use to the Park versions. I have Park 4mm, 5mm & T25 and find them nice to use but not worth buying a full set. This with handy rack for the shed and including a T25 has sucked me in for a purchase. Thanks OP 👍

Considering you can get wera hex plus keys, which are probably one of the best out there for half the price of these ones I'm struggling to see the value in these?

They are normal keys instead of T-bars but having used t bars on bikes before, I find them quite cumbersome, especially in tight places.

What if you already have the Wera set? What if you work on things other than fiddly little bikes?

I've already used the 10mm this morning to undo some slightly borked bolts in a rusty old van. Worked perfectly.

Having used the park ones at work they can be a right pain sometimes as the T piece gets in the way and it becomes tedious moving it to one side or the other to turn without hitting anything when using the long part. When the normal shaped set wasn't in use and there was a choice I always went for those.

you can get wera hex plus keys, which are probably one of the best out there for half the price

It’s good to have a variety of tools for different jobs and I like Wera stuff but my hex plus L keys aren’t a favourite. I’m not convinced their head shape is good for aluminium fasteners and on my set the smaller sizes aren’t a uniform thickness with the plastic sleeve especially making using them on recessed machine screws impossible.

Yeah, I've got some weras but I hardly use them now, I don't think they're great for bikes- they're picky about depth of insertion and they damage soft bolts easier than normal allen keys ime, and bikes tend to be a pretty mixed bag for quality and material of bolts. Same with my rc cars. The weras are retired to the 3d printer now since it's all pristine, reasonable sized steel and to be fair they're good for that. For bikes I'd pretty much always just choose a quality, standard hex.

I really like the extractor end on the parks, they work great in that middle ground between "it's fine" and "it's ****ed", sort of in the same place as "jam a torx into it" but better. But the tools are pretty enormous. I'd quite like a set of just the extractor ends on some L shaped keys.