What is the Best Rivet Tool?

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Busted bike chain? You can fix it with a riveting tool. But which riveting tool should you invest your hard-earned cash in? Follow these simple guidelines to find the best rivet tool you can find.

1. Check out online reviews. Spec sheets are nice and provide important information. But the most valuable information looks like this:

Keep in mind, that every product will have at least on one-star review. In fact, most people won’t buy a product that has nothing but five-star reviews. Why? Because they suspect that all those glowing reviews are fake. A bad review here and there is proof that those other reviews are real. If most of the reviews are 3-star and above, it’s probably a good product. Aside from fake reviews written by Filipinos who get paid 5 cents a word, reviews are honest. Because who would take the time to write a dishonest review? If someone hates the product they’ll be honest. Same goes if they love it. Don’t ignore reviews!

2. Ask around. What tool do your friends use? What tool do your local bike shops use? Hint: if you visit your local bike mechanic, they’re likely using a more professional rivet nut tool. You may or may not be ready to invest in something like that. But even if the professional-grade tools are too expensive, the advice of your local bike mechanic can serve as an excellent jumping-off point in your search for the perfect tool.

3. Buy a used tool. To start, find a tool that’s used, in good condition, and available at a low price. Use it, test it out and decide if it’s the right tool for you. That way, when you’re ready for a new tool, you’ll know that you’ve found the one that’s right for you.

Installing Rivet Nuts

In case you missed it, a few months back I wrote a post about how to install rivet nuts (or “rivnuts” as they are often called on the interwebs) on a bike.