KNIPEX mini-pliers

[Ajax Bay]

Posting in the hope that @matticus' "Make Off-topic Answers Invisible? Toggle button has not started its onerous exclusion mission yet.

Anyway, for those of you trying to be helpful (ALL of you), thankyou x
I hope the rest of you never have the right tool when you need it,

I thought of you yesterday morning, having taken a train with 4 others to Penzance to start a DIY 200. One of the fairer members of the group almost immediately discovered a loose bolt securing her rack.
I thought: if only I had some Knipex 'Mini pliers wrench Pliers and a wrench in a single tool' as I reached in my small under-saddle bag (0.9 litres and too small to hold the aforesaid pliers since they're 125mm long).
I used this 85mm/12g 'spanner' with success (fits 11mm, 10mm and 9mm nuts). The nut was a nyloc one: why it had loosened was not clear.

We had an excellent ride back to East Devon, blown by a fresh, generous, showerless westerly.

 

[bromptonautie]

Whilst I’ve not used these myself, I’ve watched quite a few YT videos about mtb race mechanics toolkits (they seem to favour Peli 1510 or 1650 cases) and most of them use these Knipex pliers/wrenches instead of carrying multiple spanners. Implying that where time is of the essence, Knipex work better than fumbling for the correct spanner.

I’m currently building a toolkit to fit into a Peli 1550 case using layers of shadow foam, mostly Park Tool, but happy to add other brands where applicable (eg: Knipex, Wera) and I was looking at getting one of these Knipex pliers but haven’t decided yet as my bikes (Brompton & Kona) are mostly hex bolts. But I like their functionality and some multi tools feel rather flimsy in use, like they may twist apart into your hands when under pressure (of use). Amazon product ASIN B0001D9JEEView: https://www.amazon.co.uk/86-03-180-SB-plastic/dp/B0001D9JEE

 

[weareHKR]

I have two sizes of these & they are very good indeed used for the correct application, they are not mole grips!
They're not the first thing I pick tbh, I always use a spanner first choice!
I would say the medium size is worth having in your arsenal...

 

[Pedropete]

Use them regularly (125, 180 and 250) on all manner of bikes they're some of the most versatile tools I own. Smooth jaws and camming action mean very low risk of damage to fasteners when used correctly; they're directional so important not to try and use them backwards if rushing. Saved a lot of weight in my toolbox.

I've used them for all sorts of things, including flattening damaged edge profiles, truing rotors, cracking hydraulic nuts, bracing bladed spokes with knackered nipples (use a bit of inner tube to avoid marking the spoke), forming mudguard stays, adjusting hubs and headsets and even BB and lockring tools with the larger sizes when trying to stop the tool from pitching out of the work. And I keep finding new uses for them. Not cheap but worth every penny.