Cheap cassette tool from china.

[davidphilips]

Bought a cheap cassette tool from china (not the first) any way, lasted great but got lost so about 6 months ago bought another and hence the reason for this post, avoid them the splines on the latest ones are far to thin and likely to damage your cassette lock ring.
Have tried to show the difference between cheap cassette tool splines and a reasonable one the difference is incredible, better to spend another few pounds than give yourself a problem.

 

[Cycleops]

Not advisable to buy very cheap tools. Nobody ever regretted buying quality.

 

[Chris S]

I bought two cheap identical crank pullers from ebay at the same time. One was used about a dozen times before the thread wore out. The thread on the other one stripped the very first time it was used, on the same bike. There's a random element in every thing.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Quality tools last a lifetime, I'm still using some I've had for over fifty years. The one area it isn't worth skimping on.

 

[davidphilips]

Agree with you all about good quality tools, still have the tools i bought when serving my apprenticeship, think most if not all will last longer than me.
Know now that my lively hood is not dependant on working with tools like to buy cheap but from now on no more cheap tools either a good new tool on sale or a used one from Ebay, lesson learnt.

 

[DRM]

Park Tools for me, no point buying old tat, it just makes the job harder, but being on the spanner’s at work I’ve learned it the hard way, buy cheap, buy twice

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

If buying just on lifespan/reliability, then top quality tools win hands down every time.
However, sometimes the risk of theft or loss is a factor, which dictates using cheaper stuff whilst avoiding the outright junk made from cheese.
I don't use any Park Tool bike stuff for example. It's great quality, and justifiable in a LBS workshop, but a lot of the tools would cost more than the bikes I am using them on. For me, they just need to be sufficiently good quality not to break in use, and not to cause any damage to a bike by failing - I'm thinking particularly crank extractors etc. I just source this sort of stuff from a reputable supplier who can be held accountable for any warranty issues - so not some random chinese vendor off eBay. I will only use that sort of vendor for tools that are not going to have a large amount of brute force applied to them.

 

[Mr Celine]

You could say the same about cameras. Cheap ones struggle to focus clearly...

 

[fossyant]

Park, lifeline, shimano, campag, BBB. I buy known makes. Avoid cheap hex keys.

I never buy cheap unknown tat. Not worth the damage it can cause.

 

[davidphilips]

Just as a matter of interest whats the worst experience with cheap tools any of us have had? Can not think of any real issues i have had but know there must be some real disaster problems like stripped threads, cheap electric tools going on fire, ladders failing etc?

 

[C R]

Just as a matter of interest whats the worst experience with cheap tools any of us have had? Can not think of any real issues i have had but know there must be some real disaster problems like stripped threads, cheap electric tools going on fire, ladders failing etc?

I've had cheap tools breaking because they were not up to the job, but luckily no damage resulting.

 

[fossyant]

Crap hex keys damaging hex bolts. Threads stripping on a crap crank extractor. I use park for them now

 

[accountantpete]

I usually end up buying cheap tools for one-off jobs and knowing that they are crap just apply a little more care and heat assistance.

Having said that the last Chinese crank extractor failed at the first attempt - but in trying to rescue the situation I found a proper steel extractor in a small online bike shop the UK for the same price.

 

[notmyrealnamebutclose]

Used a cheap one again today, maybe got lucky but that's 3rd time I have used it. If it feels a little
loose, place a thin piece of cloth over it then gently tap it in. But yeah pay a little more if you're gonna
use one regularly.