Hobson-Zingo tools tried and liked?

[Peter Fray]

Looking for recommendations for any HZ tools that you have tried and would recommend...

Thank you

peter

[Adam Moss]

Their floor pump is awesome!

Best,

Adam 

[Peter Fray]

I dont see a HZ floor pump on the website though...

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[Bill Lindsay]

Most people consider the Mike Plumpatire floor pump to be a part of the Hobson Zingo program.  If you require explicit HZ branding on each item, the MP pump doesn't qualify.

https://www.rivbike.com/products/mike-plumpatire-floor-pump

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Eric Daume]

I bought the MP pump. I like it, but it’s not a clear winner:

+ great for quickly filling up high volume/ low pressure tires

- difficult to get above 45 psi or so 

- the base is too small and makes it feel unstable.

Because of the high pressure limitations, I ended up keeping my old floor pump around as well. 

Eric

Who also has two work stands…

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[Peter Fray]

Not at all fixated on the branding, just looking for tools in general. I like when there is limited choice and the shop sells only what they trust (analog, riv..) so I wanted to get some feedback on the tools. 

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[Drew Fitchette]

I've got the chain quicklink pliers and the Cable Cutters and both are great. 

Would buy again if I needed to, and will likely replace more stuff with their tools as needed.

[Luke Hendrickson]

The HZ tools are functional and really minimal/austere/basic while being well-made and well-priced. I work for the company (Merry Sales) that sells whatever RBW doesn’t.

[Russell Duncan]

I bought the HZ wire rope cutters and master link pliers, both of which work quite well. Really can’t be beat for the price. My brother gifted me these Knipex rope cutters. These are hands down the best cutters and ergonomically superior to the HZ cutters, and they have built in crimpers too. Are they worth the price? Not really, but I own other Knipex tools for electrical work. Their tools are excellent. Their small Cobra pliers and pliers wrenches are amazing, and their wire strippers are a wonder when striping wire all day. Go to the KC Tool candy store, where their tools are not just eye candy, but be careful to mind your bank account. 

Russell Duncan

Western Massachusetts 

[Peter Fray]

Thanks all for your replies. From the number of responses, it seems not many have tried them...but they seem to be worth it for a home mechanic.

@Russell - I once went to the KC store and now my mobile is riddled with ads of these fancier tools 🫠

BTW Soma has a 30% sale going on if anyone is else looking to pick up some of these tools or anything else from them. Thanks, Luke for the message, I did see Soma has more/different HZ tools than Riv!

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[Dorothy C]

I like all the ones I have, which are the  pin spanner, adjustable cup wrench, master link pliers, the valve core tool and the bottom bracket tool. I bought the valve core tool to tighten down some Schwalbe valve cores on inner tubes with slow leaks, and it works very well for that. The bottom bracket tool is much more cleanly forged than the Park tool equivalent which I already owned. My particular Park one had some badly formed teeth that were preventing it from making good contact with the BB, which I had to file smooth. I just need to buy an adjustable wrench with wider jaws so I can use the Hobson one to tighten completely down, as unlike the Park Tool version, it doesn’t take a 3/8 inch rachet handle, but between the pair I got an IRD BB installed on my Platy recently. The valve core tool fits nicely in a cussin patch tin, so that is where I store mine, along with the Torx wrenches that came with my Busch and Muller IQX light, which I occasionally need to snug up the light hardware. 

I have the Tange cup and cone BBs on my Cheviot, Appa and my 50cm Roadini, which is why I bought the pin spanner and adjustable cup wrench, but I haven’t needed to use those yet. 

[Berkeleyan]

This past week, I used the H-Z freewheel tool on my 28-year-old Sachs rear 6-sp freewheel, and a NOS Sachs 7-sp unit (thanks, pastor Bob). It wouldn't fit very deep at all, so I centered it on the lathe and removed a very small amount from the outer surface of the splines, less than a thousandth of an inch from the diameter, and then it slipped right in, fully- and wholly-engaged.

- Andrew, Berkeley

On Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 9:12:56 PM UTC-7 peter...@gmail.com wrote:

[Steve]

I recently purchased the HZ hinged hook wrench and a pin wrench to rebuild a circa 1990 cup and cone bottom bracket. I found the wrench to be inadequate to the task and cannot recommend it. The pin tool was "okay", but nowhere near the quality of a Park tool.    As an aside, I threw in a Park hook wrench and pin tool with the sale of a Santana tandem about 10 tears ago, foolishly thinking I'd never install another cup & cone BB.  There's a lesson for ya!

Steve in AVL

[Eric Daume]

It's not labeled as a HZ, but I'll recommend the Mike Plumpatire floor pump here. It puts out enough volume that I used it for my motorcycle tires rather than dragging the compressor out :)

Eric

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[Eric Marth]

Peter — Regarding your statement that you like shops with limited tools on offer, I'd recommend any of the HZ tools Riv sells. If you need a particular tool under the HZ label, pick it up. I doubt you'll be disappointed. 

I have the cable cutters, chain link pliers and chain breaker. Recommend them all. 

Yes, I prefer my Park chain link pliers because the handles are more comfortable, plastic grips are helpful in high leverage situations. Yes, I understand one of the driving design principles behind HZ is no plastic! 

Chain breaker is awesome for the price. Cable cutters are good!

As Russell mentions, Knipex makes some absolutely great stuff, recommended by electricians I work with.  I have a set of their diagonal cutters and used them to cut cables before I had a proper cable cutter. They worked but proper cable cutters leave you with a cleaner cut, if that's important to you. Jobst Brandt said diagonal cutters did the job just fine ;0)  

I don't need them but I wouldn't mind having a pair of Felco cable cutters made in Switzerland because I like the brand and their designs. They offer replacement parts to keep their tools in service. My friend is a professional gardener and uses Felco No. 7 shears. I enjoy tearing them down, cleaning, greasing and sharpening them for her a few times a year. I believe I've seen Mark Abele at Riv photographed using the Felco cable cutters in the past and maybe they're even shown in one of the Riv catalogs 

[Collin B.]

I have to second all who have recommended the cable cutters and chain breaker. They're both well made tools that give off an all work, no play kinda vibe and are sure to last my lifetime. 

[Shannon Menkveld]

There may be a Rivendellian and non-plastified solution to the grip issue:

Bar tape, wool felt, twine, shellac, that kinda thing.

--Shannon