lightweight chainwhip?

[blueridgecycle]

Last year on an 8-day loaded tour in the mountains, one of our group broke two spokes next to the cassette.  Another member had a chainwhip, cassette tool, and spokes, and installed the new spokes!  Since then I've considered carrying such tools, but the weight is an issue.  Has anyone ever seen a lightweight chainwhip or do you know of a simple substitute?

[DaveB]

There was a tool called a "Hypercracker" available years ago but I don't know if it's still made.

You removed the rear wheel to fit it over the Shimano cassette lockring and reinstalled the wheel.  The other end of the tool rested against the drive side chainstay and you pedaled forward to loosen the lockring.  Basically it was a lockring wrench and the "chainwhip" was the chain on your bike.    

[RussellSeaton]

I have the Pamir Hypercracker and travel with it.  But there is now a new version sold by Harris Cyclery.  Stein Hypercracker Mini Lockring Tool.

Top of this page.
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools/cassette.html

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/stein-mini-lock/index.html

[blueridgecycle]

Wow!  Thanks for the information on the clever tool for removing cassettes on the bike!  I will order one before my next trip!

[jimbeard]

   I use a Phil Wood hub it comes apart with 2 5mm alien wrenches. Although it is very expensive it is top quality .

Jim

[DaveB]

I use a Phil Wood hub it comes apart with 2 5mm alien wrenches. Although it is very expensive it is top quality.

That's all very interesting but the problem at hand is how to remove a cassette (or freewheel) so you can replace a broken drive side spoke. I don't think Phil Wood hubs let you remove the cassette with two 5 mm wrenches.

BTW, Campy hubs also disassemble with two 5 mm wrenches.

[jimbeard]

Yes it is interesting .With a Phil Wood hub- Again 2 5mm wrenches are all that is needed to remove cassette and free wheel to replace spokes on the drive side. ;p No chain whip needed.

Jim

This message was edited by jimbeard on 11-6-06 @ 7:38 AM

[BrianCM]

The Stein tool seems to be only a cassette cracker.  Park Tools has a reasonably light chain whip/15mm pedal wrench.  If you don't want that, then you can always make a chain whip yourself out of an aluminum bar, some bolts, and leftover chain.

[DaveB]

Yes it is interesting .With a Phil Wood hub- Again 2 5mm wrenches are all that is needed to remove cassette and free wheel to replace spokes on the drive side.   No chain whip needed.

I'm even more interested. How do they do that, particularly with a freewheel?

[RussellSeaton]

"The Stein tool seems to be only a cassette cracker.  Park Tools has a reasonably light chain whip/15mm pedal wrench.  If you don't want that, then you can always make a chain whip yourself out of an aluminum bar, some bolts, and leftover chain."

The Stein hyper cracker cassette breaker eliminates the need for both the chain whip AND the cassette lockring tool AND the big wrench you need to turn the lockring tool.  The Park chain whip pedal wrench is nice in that it combines the pedal wrench and chain whip in one tool.  And if you need a pedal wrench on the trip, instead of a 6mm Allen wrench to tighten your pedals, then it may be the tool for you.  Park also has a 32mm headset wrench and 15 mm pedal wrench combo.  But with the Park chain whip, pedal wrench tool, you still need the cassette lockring tool (looks like a socket) AND the big wrench to turn the lockring tool.

So your choice is Stein cassette cracker.  Or chain whip and lockring tool and big wrench to turn lockring tool.  Unless you are planning on breaking spokes every day, the Stein might be all you need for the possibility of a broken spoke.

[jimbeard]

With a Phil Wood hub- Again 2 5mm wrenches are all that is needed to remove cassette and free wheel to replace spokes on the drive side.   No chain whip needed.

I'm even more interested.   How do they do that, particularly with a freewheel?
 Sorry i meant to say only cassette  not freewheel go to philwood's site to see . If i can find something or someway to describe i will post.
 2 5mm allens whole axle and cassette come off.
Can someone refer us to a site that shows this.
Jim . New Description axle has cap on non drive side .

This message was edited by jimbeard on 11-8-06 @ 7:13 AM

[valygrl]

Another solution is the FiberFix temporary replacement spoke.  I haven't used mine yet, but I have read that they work great.

[RussellSeaton]

"With a Phil Wood hub- Again 2 5mm wrenches are all that is needed to remove cassette and free wheel to replace spokes on the drive side.   No chain whip needed."

Yep, two 5mm Allen wrenches AND $384 for the Phil Wood rear hub.  Compared to $50 for an XT rear hub and $26 for the Stein cassette cracker tool.  The spokes will not be more or less likely to break on a Phil Wood or Shimano rear hub.

The other convenience problem with the Phil Wood rear hub is that it takes a 5mm Allen wrench to loosen the rear "quick release".  So every time you have a flat, you have to dig out the 5mm Allen wrench to undo the rear wheel, instead of just flipping the quick release lever.  I don't undo my rear wheel too often, but I'd be awfully irritated if I had to dig out my 5mm Allen wrench every time I wanted to do it.

[jimbeard]

  My Phil Wood has a Normal Quick release just like any other hub . From the picture on his site it looks it still does.

Has anyone used a Fiber Fix spoke and if so do you recommend them?

Jim

[RussellSeaton]

And the Phil Wood rear hub on my friend's tandem DOES NOT have a quick release.  It requires 5mm Allen wrenches to undo it.  So when we are riding and he has a flat on the tandem, we have to wait for him to dig out the 5mm Allen wrench to undo the rear wheel to start changing the flat.  For the $384 a Phil Wood rear hub costs, one would think it would be more convenient to use, not less.