By Lars Hundley
In the past, I used a cassette lockring tool with a big adjustable wrench and an old chain whip to change cassettes. But I didn’t like dealing with the potential of the adjustable wrench slipping. And as I moved to SRAM 12 speed, the whip no longer gripped the much narrower cogs on my SRAM 12 speed cassettes very well, as it was made a long time ago for the wider spacing of 9 and 10 speed cassettes. Combining these two issues made me worry about busting my knuckles on the sharp cassette cogs if either of the tools slipped. It also made it difficult for me to put enough torque on the tools to break the cassette loose.
Fortunately, I discovered and purchased two tools that have completely solved this problem for me. The first is the Park Tool FR-5.2H – Cassette Lockring Tool with Handle. Combining the tool with a handle means that your wrench never slips loose from the tool, which was always a risk with my relatively low quality adjustable wrench that I used previously. The second is the Pedro’s Vise Whip II, a super cool tool that is a combination chain whip and vice grip. You simply adjust it, clamp down, and you have a chain whip that won’t come off until you release it.
I’m a mediocre mechanic, so I struggle if a tool requires a lot of finesse or skill to use properly. Using the combination of these two tools makes me feel like a pro when I’m working on my wheels now.
And the Park Tool FR-5.2H lockring tool also works to put on disc brake rotors for most wheels. (A few wheels require a tool that grabs the outside of the rotor lockring because of the hub design, but many of them work with the Park Tool.)
Before I had a chain whip I would use a length of old chain and a vise grips to hold the cassette.
I took a 24mm closed end wrench and a Shimano cassette tool and used JB Weld the hold it in place. Have used this wrench since 2006. And I use a Pedros Cog Wrench with 11T/12T to hold the cassette. I also have cassette tool from Europe that mimics the FR-5.2H Park tool but with a flat handle instead of a round handle.
I place a Shimano cassette tool in a vice and use the Pedros Cog Wrench easy on easy off.
for about 25 years, my “chain whip” was an old oil filter wrench! wasn’t by any means recommended but did the job quite well. i finally gave in about 10 years ago and obtained a standard chain whip. works a little better than my trusty oil filter wrench!
Love you comments….keep them coming!
Having several cassette lockring and freewheel removal tools, I use a 1/2″ drive torque wrench and the approprate socket. Also I can then reinstall lockrings to the proper torque. Made a chain whip using a 2′ long piece of 1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ angle iron, chain pinned on one end and a block of wood glued into the onter end to form a handle.
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Nice to know about these new tools. My old chain whip dates to the 8 speed era and barely works on the 11 and 12 speed gear. FYI for those breaking down Shimano 12 speed cassettes be aware that there are thin and slightly thicker spacers. Shimano’s factory manual for the cassette is on-line and diagrams the correct placements.
My chain whip, a Park Tool SR-1, is similarly “vintage.” Years ago I replaced the original two pieces of 8-speed chain with narrower 10-speed chain, which has worked well for everything from 9-speed to 11-speed. I have not yet tried it with a 12-speed cassette.