Abbey Bike Tools Announces 3 New Shop Quality Tools
If you've been spending evenings ogling the toolbox setups of World Cup mechanics there's a good chance you're familiar with Abbey Tools. Based in Bend, Oregon, the small company's reputation grew on the race circuit, and in the last decade they've developed a strong fan base of professional and amateur mechanics alike. They recently added three new tools to their lineup, and while a pedal wrench, a hammer, and a dishing tool may not set everyone's hearts aflutter, for the tool nerds out there these are well worth a look.
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• 18" (45.7cm) overall length
• 15mm open end
• 6/8 swivel hex
• $120 USD
• Available May 26th
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• 12" (30.5cm) overall length
• 20 ounces, 567 grams
• Heat treated stainless steel construction
• Replaceable tips
• $100 USD
• Shipping now
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• Stand off feet included
• Compatible with all axle and rim widths
• Now shipping
• $250 USD
More information: abbeybiketools.com
• 15mm open end
• 6/8 swivel hex
• $120 USD
• Available May 26th
 | The first tool is a new pedal wrench. We added an extra 2" of length to these for added leverage. The unique 6 and 8 hex bit on the end of the wrench carries over as do the classic wooden handles. These three tools make it perfect for the shop as they will work with all pedals for modern bikes. Made from a through hardened tool steel and are finished in black cerakote to provide a durable option in the shop. |
• 20 ounces, 567 grams
• Heat treated stainless steel construction
• Replaceable tips
• $100 USD
• Shipping now
| Next up is a new hammer. We have used these custom made hammers in our shop for a few years and decided to make these available to the public at the request of our ambassador crew. These hammers use a 1.5" replaceable tip available in a "tough" plastic or brass. These hammers maintain the compact length of our titanium hammer which makes it great for using around modern bikes. It packs enough weight to move stubborn parts though, like that press fit bottom bracket that really wants to keep creaking in your frame. The all metal construction is topped off with an ESI silicone grip. |
• Compatible with all axle and rim widths
• Now shipping
• $250 USD
| The final tool isn't brand new but is finally a reality. In March of 2019 we showed off the Harbor Gauge dishing tool. These tools feature a full billet aluminum construction and are compatible with wheels from 20 to 29 inches. They also come with stand off feet for checking dish with tires installed. Compatible with all hub fitments and rim widths. |
More information: abbeybiketools.com
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"This fine wrench with notes of hickory, crafted for a king's mechanics court will tantalize the palm"
"Every tap with this finely crafted hammer emits a faint but pleasing scent of lavender..."
"Upon inspection of its sinuous lines, the dishing tool will inspire awe and wonderment as the wheelbuilder ponders the sweet myriad symmetries of a 3-cross spoke pattern"
Even if they produced for twice the price of an asian manufacturer, it's still 5 times too expensive.
Just don’t try to make out to people it’s expensive because Murica. You can buy domestic product at sensible prices, here in the UK in the bike world we have Hope, Works comp, Superstar etc for example.
And who says that asian manufacturing means it's forged?
They have all the ressources nowadays to produce products of the same quality as americans.
And are still wayyy cheaper
Who gives a shit if it’s forged or not, most just mash things with one anyway.
I disagree with your statement
A soft or dead-blow hammer doesn't cost $120 cuz it's American made. Economy of scale works in the U.S. just like it does everywhere else. These guys say their tools are 'custom made', so maybe instead of sending 100's of wrenches to the cerakoter, they only send 10 at a time. Maybe one guy makes the wood handles out of a 4" block of wood using a chisel and sand paper. Maybe the same guy makes the whole tool, one at a time. Doesn't need to be done that way however. Certainly not because it's made in the US
High quality American made products are sold every day at reasonable pricing.look at Rokform phone mounts and cases for example. Heck, Snap-On hand tools are still predominantly made in Milwaukee.
Shit, BMW manufactures cars in South Carolina, and most of the Japanese auto manufacturers have plants here in the US-not to mention the 'Big Three(yes, I'm aware Chrysler is owned by Fix-It-Again-Tony)', who, despite Clinton's best efforts, STILL manufacture cars and trucks right here in the USA, at prices commensurate with other vehicles manufactured all over the rest of the world
Fact is you are exhibiting symptoms of country-of-origin effect
The crombie kicks ass and is definitely worth the money but you're on drugs if you think that hammer hammers any better than the $12 fiberglass handle mallet that's been wailing on shit in here for over a decade.
Most of us with $180 hammers still have a $9 option on the wall at home that does most of the dirty work
For the record: I have some very expensive tools that I swear by, including some from Abbey, but their hammer is not one of them.
best(non Ti) deadblow hammers around
Think the streamlined sex appeal of a 1935 Auburn Boattail, sipping morning coffee in weather you can see your breath in, castle-hunting on English moors, and being instantly more likable but not entirely approachable (they once called this mystique).
The classic Hammer is one of those few pieces of history whose splendid aesthetics were the result of practical ingenuity. Whether you were the gunner on a B-29 or the pilot of a P-38 Lightning, hitting hard was a very personal thing and a variety of hammers were tried, all in the hopes of striking the perfect balance between warmth and maneuverability. The Hammer was that balance, the Bentley of shearling-lined hammers—substantial, nimble, and not for the faint of heart.
Classic Hammer (No. 5870). Slightly weathered lambskin shell with contrasting goat leather trim on zipper placket, slash pockets, waist and collar belts (both adjustable). Lined from top to bottom in supple shearling with exposed shearling at sleeve, collar, and bottom opening. Substantial and striking stand collar. Zippers on the underside of your wrists. As warm as it is striking.
Imported.
If I need USA made tools I'll buy them on ebay, get that American made label, save money & recycle all in one purchase. Beat that hippies!
Not for everyone that’s for sure.
My father was a machinist and my grandfather a chief engine room artificer (ERA) in the navy. I have a lot of tools from my father and a few from my grandfather. High quality tools are often much nicer to use and often are more effective, not breaking and causing damage or not being precisely built enough and mangling bolts and such. They also last, not only might they last your lifetime, they might last your children's lifetime as well. Every time I use those tools I think of them. Yesterday I was using a brass hammer my father made while working on my old jeep. I think it is worthwhile buying good quality tools and when I can I do. Obviously you can't always buy the super high end tool, I don't have the money to do so, but I certainly see the reason why someone would want very high quality tools. I hope my daughter will want some of mine.
And their customer service is snobby.
This is also possibly the least substance I have ever seen in a PB article. Hope they paid well, no judgment I guess given the current state of the economy.
But a damn hammer? No. A pedal wrench? No.
No one needs a handcrafted pedal wrench or hammer.
A bike mechanic.
No one needs a ----handcrafted---- pedal wrench or hammer.
You forgot that part.
Nobody ‘needs’ hand crafted anything, yet you spent $100 on a set of f*cking Allen keys in a fancy wooden box. I’m not going to judge you for that, even though that’s even sillier and harder to justify than these tools from Abbey.
You must be trolling or seriously thick, not to recognize the irony of your ‘opinion’.
I did not say 'Nobody ‘needs’ hand crafted anything'. Stop misconstruing what I'm saying. Sorry but allen keys get a lot more use than a hammer and pedal wrench even with professional bike mechanics. Makes sense to have a very nice set of allen keys. If you're using a f*cking hammer on a bike or bikes everyday, I seriously question your mechanical aptitude.
Some tools make sense to splurge on. And some do not.
You do realize there are a few delicate and brute force jobs around a bike that involve a hammer, at a professional level? It’s pretty clear you’ve never worked in a bike shop, but you’re gonna have to trust me.
Lower leg removal on most suspension forks, tapping out headset cups, installing crown races, tough press fit BBs, stuck seat posts and quill stems, so on and so forth..
Individual, naked L-shaped ‘Allen’ keys like the ones you own don’t actually get used that much in a professional setting. Maybe once a day. A tri-wrench with 4/5/6 mm is way handier, and gets used constantly on every bike. Even getting into individual L-shaped hex wrenches, most mechanics prefer the ones with a plastic handle so you can get comfort and leverage while using the long tip.
Beyond that, hex bits in a torque wrench are really the way if you’re trying to be professional, working with lightweight and carbon parts. And on the low end, you’re more likely to be tuning a derailleur with a Philips screw driver, and using the 4/5/6 wrench for everything else.
A pedal wrench gets used on EVERY built bike. It’s easily one of the most commonly used tools in a bike shop, and even the good ones from Park, etc get worn out with abuse. They aren’t cheap either, so round a few of those out, and you’re easily up to the cost of this Abbey. If the Abbey has a better hardened steel, it could pay for itself. Never mind the unique hex on the other side, so you can use it for clip-less, and not carry a big L wrench around, that often barely has the leverage for a stuck pedal.
Pedal wrenches are also a tool that frequently gets used in front of customers, who often ask you to install a set of pedals as they’re paying for the bike they just bought. When you’re installing parts or doing a fit on a 10,000+ bike, the customers kind of expect everything you use to be of a similar quality.
Beyond that, I don’t know what to tell you. You think your Allen keys are worth it, they make you happy. I personally wouldn’t buy them, but I think that’s rad that you like them, so rock on. How are you to decide which luxury item is legitimate or not? If these Abbey tools last, and make a mechanic happy every time they use them, that’s just as legitimate.
The Abbey is for some who loves exquisite well made tools, I think. It's as simple as that. It won't make you a better wheel compared to the Unior, but it sure is prettier.