Another Wera Joker set is probably even more innovative, useful adaptable and versatile: the self-setting (of the jaw-gap) variety: Though these aren't cheap, they are very well designed and made, and offer some really useful features that most rivals don't. For that reason – and because of how nice they are to use – I'd say the value was still good, but only if you really want to treat yourself (and your bike). Otherwise, there are very good alternatives you can get for less. Verdict Again, you could probably get away with just one or two at most for the nuts and bolts found on bicycles. Their great virtues are: their self-setting on nuts of any size within their self-adjusting range: their ability to act as ratcheting spanners with no need to take the spanner off the nut to get it into position for the next turn. Making tools that are both durable and premium-quality is a priority for Wera. With an emphasis on user-friendliness and lightweight design, Wera believes in designing only the most innovative products. As the installation space becomes increasingly tight during screwdriving, it remains necessary that tools enable users to work successfully. Narrow spaces require additional placement points of the tool, to allow screws to be accessed. A repeated 180° turn of the wrench around the longitudinal axis during screwdriving provides four placement possibilities, and bolts or screw heads can be taken every 15°.

Despite appearances, even I yam just another bog-standard human: flawed to the core. However, even rotters like me can learn through experience, which does unfortunately have to include the "making mistakes" variety. Meanwhile, the 6003 series has an even smaller (15-degree) return angle for use in very tight spaces, but no plate in the jaw, and a slim, angled ring with no ratchet. Wera actually does a bike-specific set of these that includes 8, 9, 10 and 13mm sizes plus a 15mm Joker pedal spanner. It's just that pretty much most other contributions from Cugel here regarding products, services or technologies that don't align with their own opinions and experience are run down and described (not without a small degree of pomposity) as some part of a global conspiracy by the advertising industry to fool everyone into parting with cash for stuff they don't need. State of the art facilities specialising in both small batch prototyping and large scale manufacture.With a wide range of options that fit any trade, this industry-leading brand understands that there's always room for improvement. It is constantly refining its products to provide only perfected tools that transform the way you work.

This ratcheting combination Joker Spanner features a return angle of just 30°, making the need to flip the tool over redundant. However, some folk learn from experience and others .... don't. My own theory as to why this strange cleft comes about is that some folk remain able to recognise and live in what's left of reality whilst others are now entirely constructed by the mass media so inhabit a pretend world where whatever they read in some glossy brochure is true because of the gloss, no matter how many pieces of gloss-dross they've bought then thrown into the landfill. By the way, if by "the blue route" you mean Park Tools then .... you've been conned! Cheaply made and barely adequate stuff available for 1/3rd of the price elsewhere for the exact same thing without the blue coating. Of course, if that GCN use them ...... High precision, bespoke manufacture of Wera Joker 6000 Combination Ratchet Spanners to customer specification. Suitable for driving Hex Head Screws , Hexagon Bolts and Hex Nuts , the Joker Combination Ratchet Spanner boasts an integrated limit stop to prevent slipping and allow for higher torque to be safely applied to the fastener.The similar looking 6000-series Joker has the ratchet inline instead of angled, and it has no switch – you flip the spanner over to reverse direction. How to make this differentiation, though? It's no easy matter and, in the end, you have to buy & try. In a lifetime of tool-buying (hundreds of woodworking and various other tools for DIY plumbing, electrics, carpentry, tiling, painting et al) I discovered that there is some value in the aphorism that "you get what you pay for". The only difficulty is then making sure that what you're getting is not just a glamour-label but rather a truly high-functioning and long-lasting thing. Many poor tools have conned me out of my hard-earned quids. These experiences increase one's sensitivity to spivery.