Switched from metric to standard hex keys and it messed me up bad

I’ve been using metric Allen keys for years on my road bikes-Shimano stuff mostly. Then last month a buddy handed me a vintage Raleigh from like 1978 that needed a full overhaul. Every bolt on that thing was standard sizes, 3/16 inch, 1/4 inch, you name it. I kept grabbing the wrong key and rounding stuff off until I stopped and dug out a proper set of SAE hex wrenches from the bottom of my toolbox. The difference was night and day-everything fit perfect, no slipping, no cursing. I guess I never realized how much easier a job goes when you match the tool to the bike’s era. Anyone else run into this mix-up with older bikes?

2 comments

2 Comments

wrenwilson1mo ago

Wait, isn't it actually a 1978 Raleigh? I thought they used British Standard Cycle (BSC) threads and proprietary bolt sizes back then, not standard SAE. I've seen a few old Raleighs that needed Whitworth wrenches or a mix of weird sizes that don't match modern standard hex keys at all. Might be worth double checking those bolts with a thread gauge before you strip something important.

jesseb2028d ago

Wait, is my thread gauge just a bunch of mismatched bits from a yard sale like me, @wrenwilson?