Liddle Accessories - Cheap rubbish or a real bargain?

deadsetgav

Hey folks

I'm pretty new to Mountain Bikes (bought my first one last Sunday)

Anyways, I've noticed that Liddle are knocking out a bunch of cheap cycling accessories (on their website, under 'specials')

I wondered if the toolkit, repair kit and pump were worth picking up at this price - or is it a case of you get what you pay for, and better off buying branded stuff from a dedicated cycle shop?

The cycle computer looks like it is wired so I'm guessing its probably worth paying extra for a wireless one?

I wasn't sure if I should post a link (I'm not spamming!)

dave_hill

With tools of any kind, you get what you pay for. In general, cheap tools = crap tools.

That said, if they're cheap enough and they break you haven't lost much. But again, you also risk damaging components or even injuring yourself if a tool snaps or rounds off while you're using it.

BTW, if you aren't sure if you should be posting or not, try searching for the topic you're posting about and see if anyone else has asked similar questions. If they haven't, post away! You might get a gentle prod in the right direction if you've posted wrongly, but that's about it!

Read the forum rules and posting guidelines in any case.

deadsetgav

Yeah - I didn't really want to post a direct link in one of my first posts, cause its gonna just look like spam.

Take your point about cheap tools

I guess I need to be asking 'do i really want to lock up a £500 bike with a £2 bike lock?'

dave_hill

Answer = no!! :

dav1

I bought that tool kit last year and am still very happy that I did being on a budget.

The tools are of variable quality. The allen keys have been good so far, the pedal spanner, chain whip, BB and cassette tools have all worked perfectly (with a decent large adjustable wrench I already had in the toolbox). Tyre levers are also OK, get tyres off without any issues.

the cone spanners are a tad flimsy but perfectly usable if you don't overly brute force everything (which you shouldn't do with cones anyway)

I don't know about the crank puller, it looked OK but i sold it as i already had a better one in my box.

The only thing that has been pants so far was the chain tool which broke on the second use and ended up in the bin.

overall I would give it 9/10 (i know many will come on here saying all the tools are inferior to other brands, but for £25 it is epic value for money)

IMO its an utter bargain as a starter tool set to replace as needed. 2 full services, a new drive train and various other repairs later it has more then paid for itself even after buying a replacement chain tool and I am perfectly happy with it still. No intentions of getting rid of it what so ever. Just take a bit of care to make sure you don't bust anything if the tool is going to fail in the process.

Banned!

not a huge fan of big name toolkits. Im not a mechanic so i dont need the full range of Parktool or Topeak bits, a B and Q allen key sey and unbranded BB tool do perfectly well and have paid for themselves many times over.

the only thing i dont skimp on is a chain tool. I know I bought one for 49p from tesco (and it does work) but that was just too see if it would work and its only for emergengies in any case.

in fact, i bought a spanner set from the £1 shop and have been using it for about a year without a single issue. same as the rubber mallet i bought from there to fit DC forks.

BoardinBob

I've been using the Lidl tools for over a year now and with the exception of the chain tool, they've been brilliant. I've used them to strip bikes down to bare frames and then rebuild them and they've worked perfectly.

stubs

I cant comment on Lidl tools but I bought a set of Allen keys from Aldi in Buxton last year in an emergency thinking they would be junk but would do for adjusting the headset (didnt have a 6mm key on my multi tool) To my surprise they have been excellent not as good as my proper Bondhus set which stay in the workshop but they get quite a lot of use in my site toolbox.

Where are my stabilisers?

I bought the tool kit and haven't had any issues with it. It's got virtually everything you need for tinkering with your bike. Ok, so it's not professional and I do have some other tools too, but it's excellent value for money and I wouldn't have been able to fix my bike and updrade parts without it - I'd say it was one of my best bike related purchases

antfly

Re. computers, wired ones are always better,they never lose the signal or suffer interference and use far less power,as long as you don`t mind having a wire there.

BorisSpencer

+2 for the toolkit, excellent value for the home workshop, and in the boot on trail centre visits. I've changed a few things, like replaced one of the screw driver bits with a torx for disc bolts.

I also use their sports glasses, because if I buy expesive ones I either sit on them, or leave them somewhere.

dav1

Are the glasses any good? I have been thinking about some eye protection and cant justify paying a lot as I know i will break then=m in no time...

BorisSpencer

They're not as stylish as a pair of Oakleys, and they're not as well vented as a more expensive pair, but they stop twigs taking your eyes out.
I consider eye protection as important as a helmet when riding offroad, and at £7 there's no excuse not to.

antfly

You shouldn`t skimp on your eyes,you only get two.If there is one thing worth splashing out for it`s good glasses.

Banned!

i just bought a pair of Oakeys. theyre a cheap ass oakley copy and they only cost me a fiver at the flea market. the look exactly the same as oakleys and you have to look quite closely before you realise theyre not.

anybody who rides without some sort of eye protection is asking for trouble.

antfly

The main difference is the lenses. Cheap glasses give me eye-strain.

wilfus

I bought the glasses last time Lidl were selling them and lost them recently while out on a ride after taking tem off briefly.

As they didn't cost a great deal I wasn't really bothered about losing them, knowing that I could pick up another pair when they were on sale again. I'll definitely be going to buy some more next week.

I thought they were well worth the money, coming with the three sets of lenses, a cleaning cloth, a strap to hang them round your neck (never used it but it was there if I wanted to) and all in a neat little case. As previously said they stop twigs/stones/mud/flies getting in your eyes and the big thing for me was that they stopped my eyes watering all the time.

I also bought the track pump last time and its still going strong. The guage on it is a bit tempremental but it does the job. The new one looks like a different design so may be a better one.

I reckon I'll buy the computer aswell, as my wireless one packed up the other day after a 35 mile ride in bad winds, rain and sleet showers. Some water must have got into it as the screen steamed up then it stopped working.

At £2.99 the Lidl one will keep me going until I can get a better one.

cee

i had a lidl track pump. it exploded after 3 uses.

megacityman

the computer i got from lidl is wireless, its been doing fine so far, and most of my tools are no-name brand that i have collected over the years that have done well, i did buy a good crank puller though.
my glasses i get from work (safety glasses i use when im cutting steel with a torch) so they are no expence

supersonic

It is a generic toolkit, often seen under many different names. I have one, and it is great. Has the best crank extractor I have ever used, chain tool is very good, as are most other tools. As above the cone spanners are flimsy, but for the money, well worth it.

AndyManc

Oh yea, I bought these ....



heavy as hell but quite comfy , .

More for the Mtb'er .



.

BorisSpencer

I use a pair as winter shoes. Look out for the Aldi bike sale, as their shoes are much lighter.

realnumber 1

Some of its good some bad. I have the tool kit and its been fine although never used the chain tool from it. I also have 2 track pumps. One from Lidl the other Aldi but not sure which is which, one blew but the other has been working fine for a year now.

I've never had a problem with any of the cloths I've bought apart from the fact they sell out way to quickly .

globalfish

AndyManc wrote:

Oh yea, I bought these ....



heavy as hell but quite comfy ,

So did I - they split in half in TWO days riding :-(
But what was funny was that when I took 'em back, they still had the cleats on - the store manager said he wasn't surprised they broke because they weren't designed to have bits of metal screwed into the bottom! I had to explain the basics of SPD shoes & he swapped 'em for another pair which are going fine :-)
I have another pair which have been going strong for over a year now.

butcher of bakersfield

Lidl is a gold mine. Some of the stuff is cheap crap, but if you simply don't have the money for the expensive crap then it's to your benefit. I'm not expecting my flimsy track pump to last forever but while it's there it does its job and I get my tyres pumped up in seconds. It makes me smile every time, thinking about all the red faced, aching arm experiences of the past.

I've seen a few people buy the computers and they've worked perfectly whereas others have bought expensive kit and it's bust after just a few weeks. You can't go wrong for £2.99!

If you sign up for the newsletters you can find out what's coming in every week and determine whether it's worth a trip into town or not.

nby

I just bought the pump and it seems a good bit of kit, very similar to the "bell" pump in argos for £9

not a great saving but a saving none the less

cat_with_no_tail

Oh, it sux so bad that we don't have anything like Aldi or Lidl over here on the Isle of Man
For that kind of money, I would certainly be going and getting the toolkit and glasses. I had a really expensive pair of Oakley glasses that I foolishly wore last year and smashed to pieces so I am in the market for something nice and cheap this year.

grumsta

Toolkit is great imo, v useful - the saddle bag with multi tool is good for the money too.

tlw1

b0ll0xs - missed it. Was going to get the cheap computer for the singlespeed (as my attempt at a price match for the garman didn't work)

Mark_K

I use ther spd shoes for comuting and as a back up pair to my shimanos they have stood upto a year of abuse and still going strong ! Very happy with em for the price