Keith Larson
On Training Wheels
(Part 1 of a series)
There are many posted online bicycle blogs and forum discussions about the almost legendary peanut butter wrench. The identification by cyclists of what constitutes this specially designed crank tool has become fluid over time, distance and the internet. In the interest of enhancing the body of knowledge for all classic steel cyclists, I completed this review of the searchable internet of bicycle catalogs and tools by starting with this classic widely-accepted definition.
"A single-ended socket wrench with a flat handle, particularly the Campagnolo 15 mm wrench made for tightening crank fixing bolts and track nuts. The name derives from the fact that racers on a tight budget would often have to make-due with peanut-butter sandwiches while on the road, and in the absence of kitchen facilities, they would use the handle of this wrench to spread the peanut butter on their bread." Sheldon Brown’s Bicycle Glossary, 2008
This special purpose single-ended open socket wrench as defined has been produced for almost 70 years in three standard size. The commonly shared design was used to tighten or loosen the securing nuts on track wheels, or the bolt which holds the crank to a square-taper or custom shaped bottom bracket spindle of the various brand name crank sets. Here are example bicycle wheel hub and bottom bracket brands from the classic steel bike era:
14mm bolts: Apex, Atom, Brampton, Dura Ace, Nervar, Maxy, Royal Custom, Shimano, SR Sakae, Stronglight, Sugino, Takagi
15mm bolts: Avocet, Campagnolo, Gipiemme, Mighty Comp., Miche, Ofmega, René Herse, Savoretti, Stronglight, Sugino, SunTour, TA, Zeus
16mm bolts: Maillard, Stronglight, Zeus
My collection is arranged with 14mm wrenches on top, 15mm wrenches in the middle and 16mm wrenches on the bottom.
I intend to share additional posts on the topic of peanut butter wrenches, to include a list and description of all 22 brands that I have discovered in my research, associated tools, tool sets, and a list of the other wrenches frequently confused or called peanut butter wrenches.
If you have wrenches you would like to discuss, please share a note and photo.
There are many posted online bicycle blogs and forum discussions about the almost legendary peanut butter wrench. The identification by cyclists of what constitutes this specially designed crank tool has become fluid over time, distance and the internet. In the interest of enhancing the body of knowledge for all classic steel cyclists, I completed this review of the searchable internet of bicycle catalogs and tools by starting with this classic widely-accepted definition.
"A single-ended socket wrench with a flat handle, particularly the Campagnolo 15 mm wrench made for tightening crank fixing bolts and track nuts. The name derives from the fact that racers on a tight budget would often have to make-due with peanut-butter sandwiches while on the road, and in the absence of kitchen facilities, they would use the handle of this wrench to spread the peanut butter on their bread." Sheldon Brown’s Bicycle Glossary, 2008
This special purpose single-ended open socket wrench as defined has been produced for almost 70 years in three standard size. The commonly shared design was used to tighten or loosen the securing nuts on track wheels, or the bolt which holds the crank to a square-taper or custom shaped bottom bracket spindle of the various brand name crank sets. Here are example bicycle wheel hub and bottom bracket brands from the classic steel bike era:
14mm bolts: Apex, Atom, Brampton, Dura Ace, Nervar, Maxy, Royal Custom, Shimano, SR Sakae, Stronglight, Sugino, Takagi
15mm bolts: Avocet, Campagnolo, Gipiemme, Mighty Comp., Miche, Ofmega, René Herse, Savoretti, Stronglight, Sugino, SunTour, TA, Zeus
16mm bolts: Maillard, Stronglight, Zeus
My collection is arranged with 14mm wrenches on top, 15mm wrenches in the middle and 16mm wrenches on the bottom.
I intend to share additional posts on the topic of peanut butter wrenches, to include a list and description of all 22 brands that I have discovered in my research, associated tools, tool sets, and a list of the other wrenches frequently confused or called peanut butter wrenches.
If you have wrenches you would like to discuss, please share a note and photo.
