As a cyclist, the search for newer and better gear is constant — there's always something else out there. Premes, Picks, Promos will highlight both the next big thing and the sleeper deal.
As my years in cycling go on, my garage workbench has transformed from a hammer/saw/screwdriver-type place to an allen wrench/chain whip/torx key kind of place. Or, in other words, it's a tiny little bike shop.
One my first tools was the chain whip, which was awesome because it enabled me to start taking things apart. Soon, I had multiple cassette options, so the chain whip was doubly important. And today, with a number of wheelsets and cassettes to match, it's a flat-out necessity.
Except I don't use a chain whip anymore. Access to better-functioning tools at the shop has made the chain whip seem downright prehistoric. Behold: the Vise Whip.
Made by Pedro's (but designed by Lennard Zinn), the Vise Whip ($70) mates the locking characteristics of Vise-Grip tools and an adjustable head that can clamp cogs from 11 teeth to 23 teeth. Once it's locked on, it stays on. (Cyclingnews.com review here.)
Another alternative to the chain whip is the Hyper Handle, made by J.A. Stein Co. Coming in at $25 (here), it's a much cheaper alternative to the Vise Whip, especially if you don't swap cassettes more than a few times a year.
The Hyper Handle is a two-sided tool, with pins that fit securely between the teeth of an 11- or 12-tooth sprocket. By applying leverage around the entire cassette, the Hyper Handle makes removal every bit as easy as the Vise Whip.
After addressing the chain whip situation, the lock ring tool is next. Using an adjustable wrench isn't the most stable, secure option. But for most home mechanics, it's the most available option. Pedro's has a solution for that, too — the Pro Socket Handle ($40).
The device is, essentially, a long handle with a hexagonal cutout at the end designed to securely hold a lock ring tool. (If you go here, you can buy the Handle and lock ring tool together for $36.) When using the Vise Whip or Hyper Handle in conjunction with the Pro Socket Handle, the chances of skinned knuckles or metal-on-metal scraping is greatly reduced.
And, like most good shop tools, they're a one-time purchase. A little bit of cash up front can make for quick, easy cassette changes the rest of the way.
In addition to being GamJams Tech Editor, Bryan Redemske manages the Trek Bicycle Store of Omaha, is a professional writer and a Cat 3 racer. He drinks a lot of coffee.
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