Life before allen keys

[Deleted member 1258]

Every day is a school day. I was convinced that they were formed from polystyrene, and then given an Aluminium foil coating.

I always thought they were made of cheese.

 

[TheDoctor]

I would love it if every single adjustment on a bike could be made with a 5mm Allen key.
It's real progress when you can tweak a headset in the pub garden with just a multitool.

 

[Blue Hills]

*shudders*

belled by colin
why shudder?

 

[Blue Hills]

@Blue Hills still does! I did a ride with him last year and he stopped halfway round to make coffee.

sure did - and I will be doing the next time I do that day ride - one other person doing it has taken up my offer of coffees if he brings his own cup.
Not unknown either for me on on a long day ride (may actually include overnight) to have a red 13 litre ortlieb bag on top of the rack stuffed full of food, small stove, coffee, italian espresso pot.
Self sufficiency

I am looking forward to this becoming an olympic event - 3 times round the circuit, then unpack the coffee gear, quick double espresso, another few laps - would make track cycling way more interesting, and understandable, to me.

Pic here - not of the ride Colin mentioned but I think on my way back south after that ride. Coffee pot is on the ground at the left of the rubble spread on the ground.

 

[Gunk]

That's the only reason I've still got one.

Trying to undo anything that was tight with them was a real pain in the arse palm

That’s why we always gave them a tap with a hammer first

 

[Kempstonian]

I have two of the dumbell ones and one of the flat ones. One dumbell has been quite rounded due to it being a softer metal than the nuts its supposed to tighten/loosen. The other one is still in pretty good condition because I haven't used it for years.

 

[Blue Hills]

I remember the ancient 10 speed I rode in those days, I had a lot of problems with the headset, quill type, we couldn't persuade it to stay tight and for a while I was doing the club rides with 2 large spanners in my saddle bag as often I'd need to tighten the headset at the afternoon tea stop. The LBS near where I worked managed to get it to stay tight, but a few weeks later I hit a dog and I was back to a headset that wouldn't stay tight, Then I had to have the LBS set it again

did a long ride the other day on one of my bikes with a quill with a large spanner and a small mini spanner for just that eventuality
It's actually all fine but am keeping an eye on that particular bike.

 

[simon.r]

I would love it if every single adjustment on a bike could be made with a 5mm Allen key.
It's real progress when you can tweak a headset in the pub garden with just a multitool.

We seemed to get very close to that a few years ago, but since then there’s been a proliferation of smaller Allen bolts (presumably to shave a few gramme) and torx bolts.

There must be a good engineering reason for torx, but it’s flippin’ annoying when you try to use an Allen key on them and end up knackering the bolt head I now keep a magnifying glass in the garage to inspect any small bolts that I’ve not yet undone!

 

[raleighnut]

Every day is a school day. I was convinced that they were formed from polystyrene, and then given an Aluminium foil coating.

Early form of torque wrench ?

 

[Blue Hills]

We seemed to get very close to that a few years ago, but since then there’s been a proliferation of smaller Allen bolts (presumably to shave a few gramme) and torx bolts.

There must be a good engineering reason for torx, but it’s flippin’ annoying when you try to use an Allen key on them and end up knackering the bolt head I now keep a magnifying glass in the garage to inspect any small bolts that I’ve not yet undone!

pretty sure none of my bikes have any torxs.
will avoid.
Are they lighter or is it just change for the hell of it?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I still have those in a box !

 

[Sterlo]

Torx is a much better drive head than a socket head, more positive fit and less likely to round off. Re the spanners, I've got a couple of each and agree on the pedals, much better now most of them have socket fittings.

 

[Blue Hills]

ve

Torx is a much better drive head than a socket head, more positive fit and less likely to round off. Re the spanners, I've got a couple of each and agree on the pedals, much better now most of them have socket fittings.

Have never rounded off any decent allen socket bolt.
Much prefer to use a big spanner on pedals - far easier.

Have never had to remove a pedal on the road - if I had to I'd find someone with a 15mm spanner.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Happy days, when the only tools you needed were a pair of pliers and a butter knife. Before those sneaky Allen keys and cross head screws meant you had to use tools that actually fit.

 

[EltonFrog]

I was hunting through my box of stuff and found these. Goodness knows when I last used them, but I'll keep them, "just in case".........

View attachment 508664

I can still remember (with a shudder) the weight of the toolkit I carried when I first started touring. It was of the "kitchen sink" variety.

I used my dumb bell spanner today, liberating a saddle from a dumped bike. I have one in the tool bag of my Kingpin.