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I passed a small group by bottom of Coombe Lane nr Shere, and as you always do called out 'everything ok?'. 'Chain's trapped' came the answer; they'd had a minor off but in doing so had the chain between the BB and a dog fang catcher and couldn't get it back up. And the powerlink was too tight for fingers.
I had my Granite tyre levers though which needed some heft but they sorted it, so we could feed chain through and then refit.
So, for something many of us already carry (tyre levers), a firm positive recommendation from me and the 8 or so folks whose ride got salvaged.
https://granite-design.com/products/talon
Nice one fella!
They look like one of those things that once you've seen them, you think 'why aren't all tyre levers like that?'. A little stroke of genius. I'll get a pair of those ordered. Cheers!
What's it like as a tyre lever, before I double up on tools I carry?
As it happens, I had a puncture later! They aren't the very best but they work fine, but for that I also carry a bead jack, and most tyres (certainly all of mine) I can reseat by hand anyway. Just for club rides where they look to the leader for help, I like to have bases covered and for 40g extra and I have space in my tool bottle anyway.
If it was just me and I had to choose one only, it'd be the Granite. Neither get used that often (ok, they do but only for getting tyres off) but the VAR's job could also be done by thumbs or the Granite, not v/v
Or, I could carry a bootlace
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/var-tyre-levers/
I've got a slightly different set of tyre levers that double up as quicklink pliers too.
Kudos on stopping to help and having the right tool!
If the chain will move so that you can fold the chain to stand the powerlink on end, pointing out radially from the chainring, you can then tap the exposed roller with a handy hammer [rock, stick, allen key] to break open the link.
Or thread your spare gear cable around both adacent rollers, cross the cable & pull. [less useful for those with battery operated gears ;0 ]
I have the KMC version. Work well.
https://www.merlincycles.com/kmc-missing-link-tyre-levers-189379.html
There is definitely something rather satisfying about saving somebody's ride - especislly if you're in your car and pull your spares kit from under the back seat, thus proving that it's not the chosen form of transport that you should judge somebody by, but whether they are a considerate human being.
The effort I had to put into the Granite levers to pop the link (it wasn't a terribly well maintained chain, TBF) I don't know if that wire one would work without bending. Depends what material it's made of / how stiff it is.
The gear cable; that's the same as shoelace, except likewise the effort needed to pop it means I'd have been in fear of cheesewiring my hands off 😉 Which would count only as a partial success.
I have heard of the chainring / rock but that's the last resort beyond tools, then laces. And the chain was jammed at this point anyway, although I suspect with some fiddling we could have threaded it round eventually.
My granite's are actually like those KMC ones, but I think the design I linked is an improvement.
I have the KMC version. Work well.
#MeToo
Last weekend I stopped to help a rider fiddling with his bike and asked whether he wanted help.
When he told me his dropper post wouldn't rise up, I should have backed out (that's not a euphemism!). My bit of help was to suggest he try to find a You Tube video for his specific seatpost {I'm a shite mechanic 😉 }
I have the KMC version. Work well.
#MeToo
Mine broke - somehow one of the prongs snapped.
Now have the Granite which is still alive, and has a handy quicklink store too.
In timely fashion, on the way home from click and collect grocery pick up at the supermarket, I stopped to ask if I could help a motorcyclist who was obviously trying to fix his motorbike.
"Have you got any Allen keys?", Came the hopeful question.
I did, indeed, have Allen keys (I'm a commuting cyclist, after all) but, unfortunately, the problem was something do with the fuel supply, and beyond the help of his/my knowledge.
He was, however, very grateful for my attempt at assistance - any intrigued by my Bob Yak trailer.
HE Had to call the AA 🙁
For anyone wondering about the bootlace method, this (very DIY) video actually explains it well.
Passed a dejected looking rider at the side of the road and offered help. He needed to borrow my pump as his Lezyne had unscrewed the valve core from the tube which was now stuck in the end of the hose, preventing him from using the pump to try and inflate his second tube 🙄
Had my valve core tool handy (fool me once Lezyne pumps etc. etc.) but also the old fashioned style Truflo pump with the thumb chuck which I had bought for precisely this reason.
Karma is now restored after I lent somebody a Lezyne pump years ago to top up their rear tyre but left them with an even flatter tyre with the valve core unscrewed instead 😂
I've got the Wolftooth version, I've helped 2-3 randoms with it and got them going again. They've all said they'd be buying one when they got home!