Cheap Chinese Tools (TEMU/Aliexpress)

[@thankmelater1254]

Always great content and today is really helpful for me. Thanks, both!

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Thanks, and you're very welcome! :)

[@paulbrimble8204]

I have the same blue racheting torque wrench shown here. It works in both directions, and I used it sucessfully on my bikes, and also to remove seized glow plugs from my diesel car, so as not to snap them. It's great value in my opinion.

[@korosensei4384]

From your perspective, aka perspective of a bike mechanic, I can understand the dislike for inner routed cables and the hassle it causes when building or repairing bikes. But from the perspective of a rider, I really love when the cables are tucked away in the frame, away from dirt, moisture, and my hands when I am carrying my bike. It also looks very clean and tidy.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

It's counter-intuitive, but the outer-cables with short housing (long sections of open cable) are the most resistant to dirt and moisture. Because the housing doesn't protect the water from entering, it just prevents quick drying. I ride in all kinds of weather all year long, and strongly prefer that kind of setup, as a rider. In terms of looks - yes, it does look neater so to speak. For bike handling - I haul bikes upstairs to my flat every day. Outer cabling doesn't really prevent that.

[@teddgram]

I've learned that the cheap tools have usually ruined a lot of my projects or fail at the wrong time. Now I just buy the quality stuff, but if I can't afford it now, I'll wait or find the same tool used on eBay. I have 2 drawers worth of Park Tool tools that are almost entirely used or they were from a bike shop/store where the customer returned the tool and now it's an open package. As far are torque wrenches, the beam style is easy, very accurate, and much cheaper than the ratchet style. It doesn't give you that "click" when you've reached the torque, but I don't have to worry about making sure I've unwound the torque setting or wondering if I need to re-calibrate it.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

I highly prefer good quality tools whenever possible. Regarding the click-type torque wrenches, I see them as a way to make the work faster and easier, but the non-click ones are a good choice if you’re on a budget and want a higher accuracy.

[@emilycs8823]

I built up a redundant travel tool kit thats about 1/3 Temu, and Ali express stuff. Also included some generic amazon stuff, and bike hand rebrands from jenson. Rest is spare or worn out professional stuff from my work tools I replaced or upgraded. Some highlights of the chineese stuff. Tool bag, Sliding T Handle hexes, valve core removers, rotor truing fork, sealant injector, hollowtech preload bolt tool, okish allen/torx keys, In my work toolbox. I have found some cool things on ali or temu like knockoff of the Abbey DUB crank lockring tool, internal cable routing tools fork aircap wrenches, digital calipers, freehub extractor, and DT hub ratchet tools. My coworker has a chinese bearing press thats great.

[@nickturner4150]

I love the steampunk mic stand.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

The mic stand we deserve! :)

[@korosensei4384]

For iFixit kit and the poorly visible markings on the holder, just take a white paint marker and leave a mark over every symbol and it will be visible.

[@a8f235]

If you know you're going to continue bicycling for as long as possible, my advice is just start to buy a tool here, and a tool there and before you know it you have a substantial amount of tools that you will be glad you purchased. It's not like you have to buy everything at once, and because you cannot afford that then and there that means you will never be able to. Just spread your expenses out and understand that tools are an investment, and it's great to have the most common tools you will need and then you only have to evaluate what to do for the few rare jobs here and there. It's hell to sit there with no tools, and personally I just did not want to be that person because working on bikes are so simple compared to a car, which means most people can easily do a lot of stuff themselves. Just start, or you never will.

[@emilycs8823]

I won’t roll the dice with a cheap torque wrench. At home on your own bike, YMMV. I won’t take the risk with a customer's $15,000 bike. I won’t risk a customer's safety if something gets under tightened. I had a generic amazon torque wrench that seemed fine the first few ranges I tested it on, until it didn’t work properly on another range. Imagine that happening on $2000 carbon bars

[@BikeGremlinUS]

That is perfectly valid and reasonable approach.

[@SimonHBS]

Since you're looking for a good vice: I can recommend smoking.

Great content, your English is fantastic Fully understandable. Thank you for the information.