Show Us a Tool

[spokewrench]

My pump came with a chuck like that. Maybe I should have let well enough alone, but the chuck lost air, going on and off, so I spent $7.50 on similar chucks of a brand that had worked great. In this case, they didn't. In the past I'd used them on heavy stuff where I could shove and jerk to get the chuck on and off quick and clean. It didn't work on a bicycle, so I spent $9 on a locking ball chuck. It would have been great if the 8mm barbed end hadn't split the hose, which was too short, anyway.

So I spent $10.66 on a 60cm hose and, $10.50 on 1/4" barbed fittings, and $4.50 on a threaded locking ball chuck. My upgrades cost more than the pump and OE hose and chuck. What's more, sometimes the chuck didn't go down quite far enough to open the Schrader. A little rubbing of the washer on wet sandpaper fixed that.

There was one more problem. Where the hose screwed into the pump, it could loosen enough for air to seep. Blue thread locker fixed that.

The non-locking ball chuck is what I screwed onto my gauge. Very little cost and no trouble.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

These Presta-to-Shrader valve adapters are a handy thing to carry. With these you can use the compressor at most gas stations to air up.

https://www.rei.com/product/220432/slime-presta-to-schrader-valve-adapters-set-of-2?sku=2204320001&store=&CAWELAID=120217890015414020&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=101279515616&CATCI=aud-1396942688155:pla-2007034315606&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_2204320001%7C2007034315606%7CTOF%7C71700000066695741&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvbm7BhC5ARIsAFjwNHs1Pxl5tIL22fny2JzIlufOORppva1vXGraB4r5pouvBpaVCe_CTHgaAvfWEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[PedalUma]

Hi everyone. I started this thread 3&1/2 years ago on the off chance a couple of geeks like me might post a couple of photos before it faded into oblivion. Happy New Year 2025! I do not post much here anymore but I do follow along and am happy for all the contributions.

 

[gromike]

Happy New Year to you PedalUma. May the new year be our best, at least as far as getting people out of gassers.

 

[PedalUma]

I was one of the instigators that made the 500 strong holiday lighted bike ride happen. A confessed coconspirator. Watch for one minute; this starts at the end. We toured the best decorated homes and neighborhoods with music and lights. I gave away three bikes, tons of bells, and light kits. One bike was to a most lovely hospice nurse. It is a classic Dutch bike fully restored, red, and with a torque sensor mid-drive. It does not look electric. Her daughter got a new 24-speed Felt so they could do the ride together. Happy Holidays everyone.

I just might have an 18c tool with a 170ml displacement every time that nurse is within 20 meters. She knocks me out and I hear violins. It is disgusting.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I was one of the instigators that made the 500 strong holiday lighted bike ride happen. A confessed coconspirator. Watch for one minute; this starts at the end. We toured the best decorated homes and neighborhoods with music and lights. I gave away three bikes, tons of bells, and light kits. One bike was to a most lovely hospice nurse. It is a classic Dutch bike fully restored, red, and with a torque sensor mid-drive. It does not look electric. Her daughter got a new 24-speed Felt so they could do the ride together. Happy Holidays everyone.

I just might have an 18c tool with a 170ml displacement every time that nurse is within 20 meters. She knocks me out and I hear violins. It is disgusting.

Bravo, my friend — absolutely magical!

There's something very special about colored lights of any kind moving in the dark. Put those lights on a friendly, (mostly) quiet, low-key night ride like this, and WOW — what an experience that must've been!

Lots of people out on lighted bikes when we went to the Oceanside Harbor (boat) Parade of Lights 2 weeks ago. But way too many cars and pedestrians in the mix. Will be looking for a local ride like yours next year for sure.

 

[DaveMatthews]

These Presta-to-Shrader valve adapters are a handy thing to carry. With these you can use the compressor at most gas stations to air up.

https://www.rei.com/product/220432/slime-presta-to-schrader-valve-adapters-set-of-2?sku=2204320001&store=&CAWELAID=120217890015414020&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=101279515616&CATCI=aud-1396942688155:pla-2007034315606&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_2204320001%7C2007034315606%7CTOF%7C71700000066695741&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvbm7BhC5ARIsAFjwNHs1Pxl5tIL22fny2JzIlufOORppva1vXGraB4r5pouvBpaVCe_CTHgaAvfWEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I keep a couple of those in my trunk bag as well...

 

[spokewrench]

I just might have an 18c tool with a 170ml displacement every time that nurse is within 20 meters. She knocks me out and I hear violins. It is disgusting.

I've been using my tool 5 days a week on a nurse 4 doors up the street. When it's time for her to go to work, I watch for brake lights in her driveway. When she backs out, I pedal to the middle of the road and stop. When she's within 20 meters, I begin vigorously squeezing the 155ml bulb on the end of my tool. At first, I was afraid such a big tool would intimidate her. Instead, it seems to tickle her. She responds with an enthusiastic car-horn staccato, but no car horn can match the baritone sax sound of G3 at 98 db.

 

[PCeBiker]

I bought a fancy torque wrench,..

It's a totally tubular center drive torque wrench, so I don't have to worry about the handle getting in the way.

It was $80 for just the torque wrench, but for $65 more, I got the kit with a case, a T-handle, an assortment of bits, a ½" socket, and free shipping, so I got the kit,..

The wrench itself was only plugged into the case at one end and was free to bounce around inside, smacking into the slotted bit and the T-handle,..

I decided to fix it, so I removed all the bits that didn't fit my e-bike, and taped them to the backside of the plastic holder,..

Then I drilled a hole in the plastic and plugged the bit adapter into the wrench to support it on both ends so it isn't flopping around,..

It's a delicate instrument that's worth 60% of the cost of the kit, and they had it packaged up all stoopid.

I should have bought both sizes of torque wrench instead of the kit.
Now I wanna spend another $75 on the smaller torque wrench,..

It will fit nicely on the other side of the T-handle.

I like the little flashlight that came with it.
It's durable, waterproof, and uses a single AAA battery.
I like how it's simply ON or OFF, but it would be nice if it had a dimmer dial to adjust the brightness.

All my other flashlights make you hit the damn button half a dozen times to cycle through all the modes before they shut off.
It's a PITA.

 

[PedalUma]

@spokewrench, No tool major use for me. That Nurse is breaking up with me tomorrow. I purchased at Brooks Bros. today a very nice soft shirt and if need be for temps a super soft new sweater for the occasion. Stuff she can't resist to touch. This could be a test to see if I can accept and respect her boundaries and requests without blowing my cool. She had a proxy return with a truck the bikes that I gave her and her daughter, including a $2400 custom build just for her. She will be retuning the key and charger Sunday. At least it is in person. It will be while I am in a Chef's hat making popcorn with a giant theater popcorn maker, by the river, over looking the adorable town, at a kid's birthday party where I am giving him a new 24" gravel/mountain bike, and handing out free popcorn to 50 kids with their parents. Her main complaints are that I am too generous, too brave, and too honest. She is so hot, long legged in yoga pants, natural, and an outstanding community leader and public speaker. What ever she wants, she gets from me. Can I accept the rejection of my tool and maintain my cool? A farewell hug will show. Probably not. The main tool will be pressed to above her naval. No, no photos of that tool included.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I wanted a small pen to carry with me and I love the fisher space pens as they always write. I found a cool really small one with a keyring so got it on my clip-on ring and it took a month or so and it unscrewed and fell apart. I lucked out and found the parts and used some purple Loctite on it but nope unscrewed again and lost the parts. I guess riding makes so much movement it just unscrews no matter what. So I found this guy and it expands and contracts so no cap to take off and it is small so it fits in your pocket. well, it unscrewed too so I had to locate it too and it seems fine. but these are great tools they will write on wood even after months of no use it may take me years to use up on refill. Now my pants have a dedicated pencil pocket so it should be good.

I have this gerber impromptu tactical pen it can actually break glass but it would not stay in my pocket. Now it would but too late sucker.

​

 

[spokewrench]

I wanted a small pen to carry with me and I love the fisher space pens as they always write.

Wow....$36? I keep a pen and a "log pad" in a pouch on each bike. I pay about $1 a dozen. That way I won't cry if I discover that a cop stuck one in his pocket after borrowing it to write me a speeding ticket. Usually, they don't bother me no matter how fast I pedal past a radar car. It's as if they know my pens are nothing to write home about.

In cold weather I have to warm one in my hand to get it to write, but that's okay. I wear ski gloves to keep my hands warm, and I'm saving $35.92 per pen.

I always liked 0.7mm mechanical pencils with #2 lead. They don't break off easily and write boldly on almost everything. If I could find one that writes on wax paper, I wouldn't have to worry about keeping my logs dry.