Testing the Cheapest Bike Tools on AliExpress - Part One 

"It's possible a child made these tools" 💀💀 never change seth

The affordable tools that you CAN recommend follow-up is a really good idea. I look forward to that.

You know what I love, a channel that goes backwards. Gets big, gets real sponsors, and then in like "Nope" I'm going back to Ali Express bike part reviews. Rock on.

I love that you kept that allen wrench launching into your face in there, safety glasses my friend. You never know when a tool will become a balistic missle heat seeking your eye😂

11:22 I bought the exact same tool probably 9 years ago as a broke 15 yo and I'm still using them. Yes 11 and 12 chains dont fit onto the 'fence' but you can still push the joint with the pin in there and it will work flawless. dont forget to wiggle out the old pin off the tool otherwise you cant push another one out of a chain.

Park Tool specialist bike tools are good but their 'normal' tools are insanely expensive. Best to buy brands like Vessel, Koken , Engineer, Facom or Teng for less money. Personally I think Wera are crap and Snap-On quality has taken a nose dive. 27 years diesel and 15 years bicycle mechanic.

The small bit of wire to hook on the chain is one of those insignificant tools that actually helps so much in a bike shop when you’re doing it dozens of times in a row. We made ours out of bits of broken spokes.

My recommendation is to buy cheap tools at first and then replace the ones that wear out or break/cause damage with something higher quality. There is no need for most people to have Park Tool everything. Having said that, if you can afford high quality tools it makes working on the bike much more enjoyable. That means you'll probably work on your bike more, which in turn might lead to less money spent on parts and/or shop repairs. I would always recommend getting the highest quality allen/hex wrenches you can afford though right out of the gate, as these will be by far your most used tool on any modern bike.

The "bike hand" tools on Amazon and AliExpress have worked great for myself so far.

11:20 this tool actually works. You need to put the chain in the middle opening and tight the end cap screw to hold it in place. I have one of this and it gets the job done.

Love the foreshadowing, ” Tighten the thing with no limit “ 10mm said: You sure about that? 🤣🤣

It's great to know you acknowledge that not everyone can afford a 1000$ tool set from the big blue, for home mechanics! It is a good idea to share what would be a good, affordable solution! Keep going!

Man, I know it has nothing to do with the content, but I wanna say your videos helped me A LOT with my depression and autistic crysis. Thank you very much, you seem to be a very nice person.

With cheap bb tools or really stuck bbs you can get a bolt and run it through the tool into the bb spindle. It will lock the tool in place while getting it free. Then you take the bolt out and finish getting the cup out.

I think grinding the end of the bottom bracket tool would create more contact surface and it would be more usable. Great video, thank you!

Use a bolt on the bb cup tool. Use it to attach it to the spindle. M8x1 I think. Then the tool wont slip out. Use an open end or adjustable wrench on the tool's wrench flats. This is how to get out really tight or stuck BBs. The best way to fix that tool: put the tool on a ratchet wrench: Use a bench grinder to grind the rounded end. Use the ratchet direction which allows the tool to spin while grinding it. This will get you an square end. Grind until its clean a sharp edge. You could also use a belt sander or an angle grinder. Ive done this with Park's bb tools also. The bigger one also used for center lock rotors, and it functions far more securely this way.

The crankpuller would work far better if you just grease all threads/moving parts. The chain tools might work fine up to a 8 or 9 speed chain, which is ok for a tuneup of an old bike. The bottom bracket tool should have come with a screw to fix it through the center. Please test some of the bike-multitools out there!

Here in the UK we have a store called Halfords that can be found in most towns/ cities. They do a 43pc bike tool kit for £60 ($74) that is pretty comprehensive and good quality. Only thing it doesn't come with is the pliers, but they sell those separately for not a lot of money. Be pretty easy to save that amount in repair shop visits by having the basic tools and giving it a go yourself!

When I bought my first "modern" (compared to what I had in the 90s) MTB 2 years ago, I had no idea of axle standards. So I ended up getting one with QR standard, without knowing what kind of a deadend this is - I only noticed when I looked for more sturdy wheels with QR and microspline hub during black friday, I found basically no BF deals and generally only a very limited (and quite pricey, in particular compared to the price of the bike) selection. In particular in the ~1000€ bike price segment, QR is still surprisingly common. I can only warn any beginner to not get distracted by high spec components (like XT derailleur and brakes in my case) and rather buy a more future proof frame and fork with boost standard.

The bane of my existence when I was 12 working on bmx bikes in my garage was cutting brake cables and housings, so amazed years later when I got a job at a shop and cut them like butter with park cutters

being a mechanic and having a ton of tools, i enjoy all sorts of tool videos. I own tools from all over the place, from cheap stuff from the jungle site to high dollar tool truck stuff, for me it boils down to how much i will use a tool and if a higher dollar more precise tool is needed. some stuff its worth spending the coin and getting a good quality tool, other things, the cheap stuff does just fine, especially for occasional use.

I spent 8 years as a community bike shop mechanic. I showed my husband how to rebuild his wheels when we started dating. If you have a good community bine shop near you, they can be awesome for knowledge and tool access. Also one of my best moments was smacking myself in the face with a pedal when I was checking for a squeak.

Its hilarious that every tool in the "$30" set of tools looks EXACTLY the same as mine

the hole in the back of the crank puller is actually a 14mm "socket", you can put a wrench on it and use it to remove the bolts that push the crank into the spindle, this is really useful because usually you cant get an adjustable wrench to fit there.

I bought a pair of park tools cable cutters, and they are the nicest tool I own. Yes, they are nicer than my air compressor.

Most older/cheap chain breakers have driving pins that are too big for 11 and now 12 speed chains. I figured this out when the 7 year old multitool in my bag was too big to fit my 11 speed XTR/Ultegra chain.

With a bunch of these cheap tools and your videos, I offered free bike repair on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait during my 2017-18 deployment. I fixed a lot of bikes, even completely building a few wheels. All they had was cheap Dynacraft stuff there or some other big box bikes, so I was kept busy.... but learned a lot and honed my skills. I still have and use the tools!!! Oh, but I found you can never go cheap on a chain breaker like that. They all break. Name brand or nothing. I've been a professional mechanic (auto/hvy truck) for 30 years, so I do know what you're talking about with good tools though.

I've been putting some of these tools in and out of my AliExpress cart over the last month and hesitated to buy any of these. I now know what to do, thank you very much, Seth!

Hey Seth, You're the realist Guy out there! Testing cheap stuff, but when it's succsesfull you say it! Every young Kid out there who's shredding, going trough some struggle while finding the right Tool for the right Part of the Rig! I Wish i had you're Vids Back in Time ❤ Much Love ! Keep up the good Work Greetz from Germany ❤

Thank you. These videos are important to any new cycling enthusiasts young or old. Love your channel👍

Thanks for this video, I hope this becomes a series!

I really like RISK cycleing parts and tools. They sell all kinds of things. [RISK , Professional Bicycle Part (Riding Is My Life)]. I got a tapered headset, titanium skewer through axle quick release, Headset removal tool, master link pliers, internal cable housing kit, titanium M6 bolts for rear disc break rotor, titanium valve caps. I think that's all I have from that company. I like RISK 👍. Need to get more to test out. Like there ceramic jockey wheels, sealed bearing in ceramic/ Titanium/ Steel. Good luck.❤

6::53 Just makes my day! And the squeaky sound makes it complete I'm in tears 😂

I upgraded the drivetrain on a Giant Talon 3, which was the only bike that I could find during the plague, from a 2x8 to a 1x12 using reasonably priced tools from Amazon. Even my repair stand came from there. They worked flawlessly and I did not have to spend Park Tool money. Oh, and the bike is now my favourite bike, after it got a new Rockshox fork. I ride it more often than my Trek Fuel EX8, which finally showed up after waiting 8 months and my Giant TCR road bike. It would have been easier to pay someone to do the work for me, but I learned a lot and am now totally proficient at looking after my own bikes and will tackle any job.

The $8 Oumers chain tool has worked really well for me, used it on everything from 9 speed to 12 speed chains.

The risk chain pliers is a life saver. Had mine for years and it works every time.

I have that exact Crank puller and bottom bracket tool. I used them to attach my aliexpress bottom bracket and cranks. Everything did their jobs just fine and held up years.

10:20 Seth suddenly with blood on his chin, bleeding being very realistic for an amateur working with the cheapest possible tools! He is here with us

It is worth mentioning that for the needle nose pliers you can probably get a very good quality set of non mtn bike specific pliers for less than the park tool one if your on a budget

Park has a basic chain tool that's very cheap and very functional. It's not NICE to use, but it works and doesn't destroy itself. Park has a few tools that are actually affordable and worth buying (including that BB tool and the cassette sockets). A lot of the basics like pliers and Allen keys can be bought MUCH cheaper though.

I have many budget tools for my tool kit and most work just ok. However, as I've gotten older and more experienced as a bike maintainer (mainly for my bikes and friend's bikes when they need assistance), I have selectively replaced certain tools. Love the content, it's all super entertaining and extremely helpful!! Can I suggest a future video (How to properly size a chain for MTB, Gravel, 1X, 2X, etc.)?

Flip bike has been a godsend for useful and detailed fixing tips! Also, possible to dramatically improve most of these tools with a needle file and some sandpaper. Not ideal but great on a budget.

As a user of that cheap chain tool for years, actually it would work better after the fences has broken. Yes, I had to align it manually but now there is no width restriction. To keep the chain from moving, I pinch it using the screw-with-a-hole from the opposite side of the pin pusher. The pin can then still slide through the hole. It is not perfect, but good enough for once in a while chain length adjustment. We can even unscrew the handle, align it with the main body to reduce its foot print, hold everything with rubber band, and voila, now I can take it with me on my EDC kit without taking up much space. As for the masterlink plier, there is actually an even cheaper one. It is basically thick metal wire bent in a particular way, kind of like the letter V with some curves in the middle of the arms. I got it for half a dollar. No moving parts (does flex count as moving?). Lightest and cheapest tool I ever have.

I have almost that same colorful hex wrench set packed into my on-bike tool kit that goes with me everywhere. I think having a few decent smaller cheap tools like this to carry on a ride is worth way more than the multi-tools in terms of usability. The multi tools are compact, but they suck to use if you really break something and need some more full size options. That's where the ali-express army of cheap and compact tools really shine. They aren't the greatest, but they do the job at a larger size and easier handling than a multi-tool will, which to me makes trailside repairs much easier and more enjoyable when you're not fighting with the tools.

I have those same masterlink pliers in the toolkit I take on rides. Super compact and they do exactly what they're supposed to. Nice to learn what that piece of wire is for, though - I've never realized its purpose previously. Great video as always, Seth!

This is a great overview - I can recommend using chain whip for car oil filter removal - they often much better quality than cheap one for bicycles. Also from the tools I'd recommend to buy more expensive are hex keys (I've destroyed many bolts with cheap ones), and nipple key (but that has already been mentioned - especially for aluminium nipples). At some point I've bought a Park Tool cutter for both wires and housings and my life got much better :) - they do make a difference.

Crankpullers used to all be like that before Park came along, we used to stick a penny in there to stop the spindle going into the threrads. So glad tool shave come along way since those days.

Grind that bottom bracket bearing tool down so the teeth at the end are not sloped anymore

Thanks for the great budget tools demo. Very helpful.

I definitely enjoyed this video. I really like the idea of testing tools and sharing that info.

I have most of these and I can recommend the bb/chain whip for removing centerlock rotors if you want to have bloody palms again and as a plus you'll have a thin threaded ring on your hub 👍👍

Check the wrenches for size!! If they are off they will round your bolts, especially the small ones

I love that he’s showing off that you can do this with cheap tools but something he needs to add with that as a PB blaster. I’ve taken a part a lot of old bikes and I’ve messed up a lot of bikes because they get rusty parts of been on there for 30 years, they don’t wanna come off.

First chain tool works but you need to backup the black screw to adjust the width.

If you're in the US, you might also want to pick up a Harbor Freight generic tool kit as well. I picked up a SAE/Metric allen t-handle set for around $20

my advice to anyone who would use the crank puller is to grease up the threads nicely and the end cap too so it won't be as hard to use

When i first started repairing and building my bike tools I used Bike Hand tools. A simple tool kit can cost between $40 and $70. Its good for using just to repair a bike but not good enough for continuos usage like in a repair shop where the tools would be used on multiple bikes daily.

Aside from the chain cutter and long nose pliers, I have the same set of tools... I've been using them years now... the crank puller will not damaged the thread as the metal stud (although not spinning) only presses on the head of the spindle and since most spindle are steel, it will have minimal or no damage at all. Also, the socket part (the stainless one) of the tools is for older bikes that still uses nuts, unlike the newer ones that uses hex bolts... The bottom bracket tool is a little finicky, I also hurt myself using it for I think 3 to 4 times now, what I did is I asked a friend to grind the head, grinding it until the "curved" end is removed. BTW that curved part are for very old bottom brackets, I was able to use it on a very old Shimano road bike frame (and yes Shimano make bike frames before)... The bottom bracket wrench (the one with chain whip), it will work but it will really scratch the notches, as for the handle, wrap a tire tube around its handle several times, I doesn't hurt any more, and if i need a little leverage, I have a steel pipe the I insert on the end and use it for leverage... The master link pliers, I only used the one similar to what KMC has, the one the can be used as tire levers... It's more cheaper that the one you showed, as for the wires, I have one made of big paper clips. As for the chain cutters, I didn't have any luck on cheaper dedicated chain tool, what I'm using is the one from my Multi Tool, the brand is "Super 8" and I have that multi tool for almost 10yrs now, and surprisingly it can cut 11speeds chains. Cassette Lock Ring Tool + Chain whip combo, works like a charm, however, I once damaged a 11s cassette by using that chain whip, so be careful as the pliers, I don't use anything that didn't come from a reputable brand, invest with your side cutters and pliers, good ones last for years... I have Stanley Side Cutter and Nicholson Long Nose pliers handed over to me by my father... If you're on a budget or if Park Tools is not available on your place (like here our place) and you're only option is Ali Express or Shopee, look for tools from Risk and ZTTO, they're the one i could really recommend...

I have had the Crank brothers multi tool for 3 years and 30,000 km. I can fix pretty much everything and lasted tons of abuse. Really great chain break also. I would say start there.

that's gotta hurt

Good on you Seth for leaving the slipping off the crank nut. Holy ! That park tools steel has flex and elastic ness 😂

I actually have the first chain tool mentioned where he had issues getting it to fit. It worked great on my 12 spd. Also it did not bend like the second one did.

My strategy across many different hobbies is to have a quality set of tools in the garage I use most of the time, but then prefer to have a "good enough' version in a travel kit, truck kit, etc. but such that I can keep those kits intact and where they belong vs. needing to remember to move a tool from one kit to another. I have a decent set of needle nose pliers (either standalone or part of a Leatherman style multitool) in my shop, on my ADV motorcycle, in my dirt bike pack, in my truck, in my bike pack, kitchen (😆), etc.

Love this type of content, Seth!

Hi Seth. on 10:58 for the chain breaker tool, you have to put the chain closer to the side of the moving handle that screws inward. It can break chains from 9 speed onwards. It would be difficult to break a 6-7-8 speed chain.

The affordable bike shack. Now that's a good idealfor a series. I bought a 40€ bike stand two years ago from Lidl. It's rough and a bit rackety, but holds up my trail and city bike just fine.

I have a set of the Risk link splitters. I keep them in my saddle bag. Perfect size for occasional use. Actually a lot of the Risk stuff is good. Their sealed bearing headsets are very good.

Seth can we get a nonsense guide to bike service! Just a brief overview of what you need to do to your bike to keep in ideal riding condition please and thanks :)

I feel very lucky to have picked up a fairly big tool box full of park tool and shimano bike tools at a yard sale for 20 bucks. One of them deals of a lifetime for me😅 That box had just about everything you could think of to fix all oldschool bikes and most of the stuff on newer bikes.

i used to have one of those aliexpress crank pullers. however i didnt use it for a crank that was just put back on, it was a 4 or so year old bike and it simpy destroyed itself while i was using it. after that i bought a little better quality with a spinning cap and it worked amazing.

In Europe we get for around 30$ a pretty decent tool set,which includes chain tool,crank puller,pedal wrench,set of hex,tools for shimano hollowtech,chain whip,cassette tool and probably more.I bought this set of "Lidl" and use it for years

That crank puller is exactly the same as one I bought about 5 years ago from Amazon. I've upgraded pretty much all my other tools, except for this one! Mostly because it does the job, and to be honest I've only ever removed a square taper setup to throw it out and replaced the BB and crankset with Hollowtech.

To stop the BB getting chewed up you can put a small metal disc in first. There is a risk of it getting caught or damaging the threads, but reasonably low. You also have to make sure it's thin enough that you're still getting lots of thread engagement on the crank arm. An undersized bolt where the head fits the hole reasonably well can work, particularly if you can get one with a thin head. This was a dodgy trick I used when Octalink first came out and I only had a square taper crank puller. It's entirely possibly a US nickel would work - I've got a vague memory of using an Australian 5 cent coin.

I usually put the cheap BB tool on a belt sander to grind off the excessive chamfer. also, I always wrap the hollowtech BB in reasonably thick plastic before I push the thin steel types of BB wrench into them.

Well the BB tool presented at min 4:20 can easily be hacked and be made just as goos as the expensive one. Just get to a grinder and shave off about 2 millimeters of it so you have the splines engage the nut better. 😁 😅 figured that is worth mentioning since i am here since the Seth’s bike hacks era😝.

The cheapest allen wrenches I could find were the ones on a lockring. My dad has a set of those that are probably over 20 years old and they're fine (they lack the ball end of the longer side though). I bought a dirt cheap set a year ago and these are too short to give enough leverage, they're much rougher on the surface and I think they're softer too. I think it's definitely worth it to buy allen wrenches as good as you can afford though for work on any semi modern to modern bike. I find that the older a bike is the more 8, 9 and 10mm hex head nuts it has, sometimes it's a nut on a screw that you have to hold with a second wrench too. A good quality multitool has allen keys that won't strip for a long time, but I imagine I would save a lot of time had I had the ball end single keys lol

I left similar comment on 2ndlife bikes.. I actually use an IKEA ratchet that takes only goes one way but is an open drive so you flip the handle.. used with expensive impact bits.. an IKEA 6mm allen with phillips on long side.. RD one and done tool.. hanger alignment tool. the BB square taper tool with threaded piece.. the crank tool that has the box wrench that is the same size as axle nuts.. I use the housing cutter to cut chains.. if you find the HG pin.. cut there.. old masterlinks same. Missing links are all I use.. I notice the all the same.. I never plan on replacing HG pins so no Shimano pin tool. bearing remover and installers.. bleed kit

Good video sir. Regarding the limk remover, I must say the one on the Blackburn multitool I have has worked great for over four years now, and numerous chain links removed.

5:23 use the half inch drive with a low powered impact. Much harder to misalign when you are not muscling it.

There is also a case when some manufacturers copy products of other ail express manufacturers. I have a chain cutter that looks absolutely the same as the one in the video, but I had no problems cutting 9, 10, and 12 gear chains. So looks like quality may vary even if the product looks the same.

Hey Seth, the little rotating cap on the end of the crank puller is not so that the tool doesn't mar the spindle, it's so that the tool doesn't bind and instead spins freely when you wind it in - reducing the force needed to remove the crank arm. ✌

Thanks for the video, as a kid I fixed up many bikes with simple 🛠!

Risk make some genuinely good, high quality tools, my favourites are the fork seal driver, and internal routing kit, they are amazing.

I have every single one of these and they work extremely well and they are priced for the south east asian market so for americans it is "cheap" but here in SEA the prices are more or less average for a bike tool

I would def love to see a similar video, but of actual mtb components, hubs, cranks, rims

I bough a Nashbar tool set years ago. I’ve seen the same set sold under other brands. It’s decent, not great, not terrible quality. It has the stuff like BB tools that I don’t need very often, but worth having something when needed. Then, the tools I use often, I’ve upgraded to Park or other better brands slowly over the years.

I still remember some of your first videos when you were using tools like this or just whatever you had around the house lol. You’ve come a long way, man.

2:23 always pull tools toward you, never push away

For those in europe, sometimes in LIDL they sell bike stands for 30€ and bike tool kits for 30€ too. The best bang for buck, absolutely recommend, and quality really surprised me at this price point

11:12 yes, you did that wrong. :D The chain must be on the other "fence". Then you tighten the side with the small black screw until the chain can no longer come out. Now you can push out the pin with the other side. My tool definitely works with 12s chains.

I have that exact chain whip bottom bracket thing. It came with the - you bet - Ozark trail ridge bicycle tool kit! I bought one discounted at Walmart for $20. I think usually it's about $30. I think cause it's missing a tool or two.

I've learned that what my Dad told me as a kid was accurate. Don't waste your money on cheap tools. So . . . I never have. I own good quality tools. My kids will inherit good quality tools. They may not know what they're for or how to use them, but . . .

My only bike specific tools are amazon special cassette lock socket, crank bolt socket and bb tool. Chain whip? I just use an length of old chain and vice grips.

I love these kind of videos can you please keep making more

These quick link pliers are nice, looks like a good idea to buy one. The smaller size is handy for the on the go repairs!

As daily tool user never ever ever ever use a tool in a way that if it slips or breaks ( or suddenly undoes ) you end up punching something, running your arm across the now sharp broken bit or potentially blinding yourself. You'll be amazed that your grip strength normally exceeds your arm strength when the tool is under 8-10" long so those final few degrees can be done with the allen close to the crank arm and simply grip your hands around the allen key and crank and squeeze together. Likewise with removal, place the tool close to the arm and squeeze. The same is true of knives, always cut away but a technique to learn is to use your thumb on the back of the knife to do the work, you don't really use the thumb. The thumb is plenty powerfull enough to cut through cable ties and such but if you slip or when you cut through you'll only move half an inch or so. For cable ties on objects like hoses or some sort of tube you don't even use your thumb, just squeeze your hand and the thumb will move about a cable tie width.

Those chain link pliers look perfect for that flex seal tool dip concept. They have holes that the rubber could sink into.

Decathlon have a set of tools in a toolbox, not a parktool quality, but i got these for 30$ a set, priced 50-60 now. Contains all metntioned (except a multitool of course) + pedal wrench and nice 8mm large hex to operate crank puller and chain breaker. Definitely worth it's money

I have a cheapo bottom bracket tool like in the video, but I got around the loose engagement by using a washer and bolt to secure the tool to the spindle. That way you don't need to hold it in place.

When we were kids me and my buddy had the chain tool and it worked amazing on our bmx chains