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I went to get my trusty but well-used Icetoolz chain whip from the toolbox last night but it has gone walkabout. I have no idea where it could be as we have moved house (and country) twice in the past two years so could well have disappeared for good.
My philosophy for replacing old bike tools has always been to replace with their Park Tool equivalent but I know from experience that Park Tool stuff isn't generally the best choice any more. What would you lot recommend? Preferably needs to be 12 speed compatible for futureproofing as no doubt my next new bike will come with 12 speed.
Also, are those Decathlon "chainless" chain whips any good? We have a Decathlon nearby with them in stock.
I imagine any would do the job.
But I have a long wood handled lezyne one won by my wife some year ago. Works well. Prior to that I used to jam a screwdriver in an old chain. That was rubbish.
Feedback cassette pliers, no more broken knuckles
I just got the cheapest I could find - £6.49 from Wiggle. I’m usually a Park Tools fan boy but it’s a chain whip. It’s almost impossible to make one that doesn’t work 🙂
Pedro's VICE whip.
Brilliant, much better than a bit of chain on a stick, no slippage, no skinned knuckles, seems much better built than my Snap-On mole grips too.
Only downside is it wont do narrow-wide singlespeed sprockets
Another cassette pliers user here like the ones GolfChick pictured. Work great for me.
I’ve got the Park pliers type - fine, but I’d get one like this if I was buying again.
https://www.freewheel.co.uk/pro-cassette-wrench-10-11t-compatible-prstl0104
If your so inclinde you can make one with a bit of steel, old chain, drill and file. Will take about an hour.
The cost of new one is so low that you wont really be saving anything but using a tool you made.
sillyoldman's design is same concept as the Decathlon one, which I have, and which works fine.
I like the look of the plier types, but if you need it today the Decathlon one will do the job.
I went with the Pedros one after my very old one struggled with 12 speed and XD drivers.
Should have had one a long time ago. It clips back on its self so in theory can't slip
Tredz have them in and usually send a £5 off voucher for stuff
"Pedros Pro Chain Whip | Tredz Bikes" https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Pedros-Pro-Chain-Whip_227017.htm?sku=740941&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiAm-2BBhANEiwAe7eyFO7WpQsjaaJLg8HwO7YcgRpFZpm36342j-nGZKixNIYAd9gp8cn9fBoCxdoQAvD_BwE
Just bought the Decathlon one for a friend's birthday - general reviews are very good, but I've had no feedback from him yet (other than "thanks, very much")
I bought a Decathlon one and have found it really good.
I try to buy the best tools that I can afford as I really struggle with bad tools and am not terribly strong.
I think the saying about a bad workman blaming his tools to be absolute nonsense.
I used to do a bit of woodwork and found the difference between a good chisel and a poor one was night and day.
And I used to play squash and went from losing 9-0 to winning by the same margin when I changed from a wooden racquet to a modern one.
Anyhow, suffice to say the Decathlon one comes highly recommended.
Also, are those Decathlon “chainless” chain whips any good?
Yes. I lost mine (probably lent it out and forgot), so bought a second one. Never going back to whips.
Does the decathlon work on a 12 speed? Or is it just based on smallest cog size?
I was going to recommend the Pedros vice whip then I saw what they cost these days, I paid £25 for mine and that seemed expensive
Does the decathlon work on a 12 speed?
I have no idea. All my freehubs are HG. They say up to 11 speed… best to take them at their word.
Yes, there are 2 holes and 2 sides so 4 orientations and the pegs are positioned to cover the different sized small cog for 10-14 as smallest
Like bigdean says - I just made one from some flat bar and a bit of chain. It’s always done the job for me.
Not sure what your all.doing to skin your knuckles with a chain whip.
But its a park sr2.3 for me. Removes everything with minimal effort.
Can't see those vice whips removing either my wide ss cogs nor my.fixed wheel cogs for a gear change.
Real men (and women) just grip the cassette with their teeth.
Decathlon one here as well. It's great!
+1 for the Decathlon one. Had it a couple of years, would never go back to a normal chain whip. I could never get it into may head which way the chain whip needed to be on. With a solid one it doesn't matter.
Won't work on >14t as trail_rat says, but otherwise fine.
Some great (and pricey!) recommendations. Thanks all. Looks like the Decathlon one is the one to get.
I think the saying about a bad workman blaming his tools to be absolute nonsense
It has some basis in truth, but is really just a rule-of-thumb, rather than an absolute truism.
It's often used by a boss to justify giving their staff rubbish kit.
Next time somebody quotes it, consider asking them to trade their smartphone for a Nokia brick
Not sure what your all.doing to skin your knuckles with a chain whip.
At a guess. Rest tyre gagainst knees. Whip on the left horizontal to ground, wrench on right hoizontal to ground then giving it laldi.
The decathlon one is rubbish if you're a singspeeder.
I've the Decathlon one, works well, but if I'm being critical, it could do with being a touch longer.
Abbeytools: https://www.abbeybiketools.com/collections/tools/drive-train
Bit spendy but very nice to use.
I bought the decathlon one today for a cassette so worn that the chain whip just skidded over, the decathlon one is more one of my favourite tools, no hassle and cheap plus solid!
I used a chain oil filter removal tool for years before buying a lezyne whip. Works brilliantly on singlespeed and fixed gear cogs due to same size chain. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282622232197
Unior one looks nice, but it's £30
Both the Park Tool pliers and the Decathlon pin wrench work well. I’ve got both, I use whichever comes out of the tool box first.
Update: Finally got a chance to go to Decathlon this afternoon and pick up the tool. Very impressed. Solid bit of kit and does the job.
2 interesting things to point out. Firstly, the packaging clearly states that it is 12 speed compatible, even though the website only says compatible up to 11 speed.
Secondly, the style of the laser etching and general look of the metal reminds me of a lot of the (much more expensive) Unior tools that I own. The packaging says "Made in Slovenia". Unior is a Slovenian company. I'm pretty sure Unior make these for Decathlon.