I have a number of bikes and each bike's toolbag is outfitted with a pair of these levers.
HINT: Buy two packs of these levers and you'll have enough for three bikes!
They have worked almost without exception to enable flat fixes and tire change outs while in the garage or on the road. (The one exception was when trying to install 700x27, yes 27, Panaracer wire beads onto a Shimano 540 wheelset for cyclocross then I had to resort to the big boys the beefy man-sized metal Park TL-5s)
HINT: These levers, unlike the TL-4s, have a very useful feature. See those hooks on the end? Nope, they're not for gutting fish on the pier or for cleaning out field fowl after shot-gunning in the cornfield use them to hook onto a nearby spoke after levering a portion of the tire off your wheel's rim very, very handy as a third hand!
These levers are a rare bargain and a standout example of quality and utility in today's corncucopia of cheap import tools get a pair for your kit or bag!
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Context: I ride about 120 miles a week and spend much of my free time repairing/refurbishing/building bicycles.
I love these tire levers because they are plenty sturdy enough, and most importantly, small and lightweight. I have a set of the CrankBros steel ones(which are AWESOME), but I don't ride with them because they're obnoxiously big and heavy. These lil guys fit into a tiny top bar-mounted pack meant for gelpacks --along with a multi tool, a patch kit, and a squirt gun :)
As someone noted above, they may break or bend on high-tension wheels -he mentioned 23x700s, and I've found the same to be true on my Contis as well. I've done tons of work on kids' bikes, and that is usually the only other situation when one of these levers bends or breaks. (Stripping little kids' bike tires is a PITA!!!)
But for general usage, these can not be beat. I am just now replacing a set I've had for several months (and as you might tell, I use them a LOT) and that's because I handed them off to a friend who had a blowout near my neighborhood. I'm doubling up on my order, actually.
Best Deals for Park Tool TL-1 Tire Lever (Pack of 3)
I bought these due to the Park Tools reputation.
They worked well on wider tires (MTB). Unfortunately they don't work on the Continental Ultra Gatorskin 23 x 700C tires on my road bike.
The spoke hooks on two of the levers broke off after a few uses; the end used for prying the tires off have bent backwards, making them completely useless. Granted, these tires are incredibly difficult to install and remove. However, I expected a Park Tools product to be up to the challenge.
The only tool that works on my Continental tires is the Crank Brothers speed lever.
Honest reviews on Park Tool TL-1 Tire Lever (Pack of 3)
Works fine, and the handy-dandy spoke hook does help to hold the tire off the rim while working with a second tool to continue dismounting the tire. A little care and technique will avoid breaking the tool, it's not made of titanium, and with 3 in a pack, there is at least one spare. Delivered as expected, inexpensive and light weight, easy to carry with you, the extra tire, tube, and patch-kit might slow you down a bit.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Park Tool TL-1 Tire Lever (Pack of 3)
Great little set. I had never changed a bike tire before but with these tools and a little instruction I had done both wheels in no time. Having three is great, you can pop the first one in and use the hook to attack to a spoke, slide a second down a little and hook it, slide a third down and the middle practically falls off. Zipping all the way around with just the second one seemed a bit scary to my and was hard with my tired, but moving down a little at a time with two worked great. All the pieces are identical and snap together nicely. Light weight plastic, not crazy high quality, I could see them wear out eventually, but for the price they're great tools to have around.
