Adjustable Pin Spanner Wrench

An adjustable pin spanner is the tool that lets one wrench cover what would otherwise need five. Cup-and-cone bottom bracket lockrings, certain Mavic hub adjusters, vintage threaded headsets, some older suspension fork crown adjusters; they all share a common interface (two holes drilled or milled into the part) but they don't share spacing. A fixed pin spanner only fits one of them.

The Adjustable Pin Spanner 253/2DP-US has two interchangeable pins (2.3 mm and 2.8 mm to match the two pin diameters you'll actually encounter on bicycle work) and a sliding adjustment that takes the pin spacing from 10 mm to 50 mm. That covers cup-and-cone BB lockrings (typically 24–30 mm), Mavic FTS-L hub adjusters (typically 30–40 mm), and the various lockring patterns on older or service-stand-specific parts.

The handle is long enough for the leverage cup-and-cone lockrings actually need. A short handle on a cup-and-cone lockring slips off the pins as you put weight into the swing; the 253 has enough handle to keep the pins seated against the part while you torque the lockring.

What it isn't

It isn't a substitute for a proper Hollowtech II 16-notch wrench or a cassette lockring tool. Those are spline-engaged, not pin-engaged, and the engagement geometry doesn't transfer. The adjustable pin spanner is specifically for pin-style lockrings and adjusters, which is a smaller (but still ongoing) part of the workshop.

It also isn't an impact tool. Hand-torque only; the pins will deform under impact loading.

Specs

• Pin diameters: 2.3 mm and 2.8 mm (interchangeable)
• Pin spacing range: 10 mm to 50 mm
• Hardened chrome-vanadium body
• Article number: 253/2DP-US

Built in Zreče, Slovenia

Unior has been forging hand tools in Zreče since 1919, and is the official technical partner of multiple World Tour and downhill teams. The 253 pin spanner is one of those workshop tools where the adjustable design covers a category that's slowly contracting (most modern hubs and BBs have moved away from pin lockrings) but still shows up every week on older bikes and certain premium hubs. We keep it stocked because the alternative is owning five fixed spanners.

Pro tip from our mechanics

The pins are interchangeable for a reason: the wrong pin size in the right hole strips out the hole's edge on the first hard turn. Match the pin to the hole, snug the spanner into the part before you put weight on it, and the cup-and-cone lockring drives smoothly. Our workshop hand tools guide covers the rest of the wrench-and-spanner layer of the workshop: Workshop hand tools every bike shop needs →