Bike tools

[Lhorn]

I'd like to do simple maintenance on my road bike. Other than allen wrenches which everyone has, does this require many specialized tools? I'd like to be able to regrease bearings/hubs etc.

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive tool kit that would allow someone to do most maintenance and repairs. I want the kind of tools that'll get the job done (cheap and functional since they will be used only infrequently) and I'd rather not but an ultra complete kit that includes items no one ever uses.

I'm thinking something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00165P5GM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Thanks.

 

[UncleJoe]

I have a road bike and do everything myself from changing tires to brakes, electrical and even repainting it. I would recommend a good jack. I have the craftsman motorcycle jack and it has served me well. As for the other tools I recommend finding an internet forum specific to your bike. Those guys will know how to fix everything on your model. Most have step by step diagrams and videos all for free and they can tell you exactly what tools you will need to fix your model bike right down to the size of metric wrenches you need and don't need.

The best thing about model specific forums is they know the idiosyncrasies of your specific bike. For example on my model bike if you add an additional ground at the rectifier you will get a half volt more charging power back to the battery. Little things like that aren't in the manual.

 

[Cummins_Powered]

I think he means bicycle...


My mountain bike is pretty much allens and phillips screws. The only special tools i have acquired is a chain breaking tool and tire levers. I think there are special tools for bottom brackets but everything else seems pretty standard.

 

[sjt78]

Usually what people recommend is to stay away from the tool kits and just buy the tools needed for specific jobs on your bike. The kits will try to have tools that cover bikes from the 70's-today and there might be tools you will never use if your bike was made in the past few years. I would skip Avenir and get Park bike tools. Park is what most professionals use and they are not that expensive for the quality. I'd recommend you check out their website as they have tutorials on how to fix everything on a bike.

 

[mikevango]

Agreed get park tools.

 

[boybacon]

Park tools for the bike specific tools. You can get a really nice set of metric allen keys made by Craftsman on eBay for cheap. Or, a set of the Bondhus drivers on Amazon can be had for cheap as well. It depends on how much "service" you wan to do to your bike. A #2 and a #1 Phillips screwdriver for sure, plus a pair of cable cutters specifically for wound/braided cables. You can use a dremel tool to cut the cable housing (if you ever go that far and replace the cable housing). I'm a bicycle mechanic with 10 years of experience and I have ALMOST every tool that Park makes sitting in my home shop. The most frequently used tools are the 4mm, 5mm, 6mm allen keys, the #1 phillips, the cable cutters and the breaker tool. Don't skimp on those! Also, the torque wrench. I use a "beam" type torque wrench and it's a must if you have high end carbon fiber, titanium or light aluminum components.

 

[cglasgow]

A bike stand helps a lot. Also, check out the Park Tool website for their repair guides: http://www.parktool.com/repair/

From those you can get an idea of what sorts of things you might need. Apart from normal hand tools, the only things that I can think of that I use are as mentioned: chain tool, cable cutters, cone wrenches, maybe bottom bracket & freewheel tools (depending on what you work on -- maybe the new stuff doesn't need those. My bikes are ca. 1960s & '70s)....

 

[kc-steve]

I'd like to do simple maintenance . . . I'd like to be able to regrease bearings/hubs etc. . .

I'm not sure I would call bearings and hubs maintenance "simple." A year ago I decided to do bike refurbs as a hobby, considered the tool kit options and found the best thing is to piece a kit together based upon what kind of work you plan to do as well as the year-models of bike you work on.

No kit encompassed what I needed for less than $700, and I have a much better assortment of tools now for around the same money.

I have even made my own tools like the tire seating tool and headset tool below I made for $5 where Park sells them for $45 and $14 (respectively) or so.

If you ever need any help I highly recommend Bicycle tutor forum for assistance in bike repairs, http://forums.bicycletutor.com/

Good luck,
Steve

 

[lilredex]

A bike stand helps a lot. Also, check out the Park Tool website for their repair guides: http://www.parktool.com/repair/

From those you can get an idea of what sorts of things you might need. Apart from normal hand tools, the only things that I can think of that I use are as mentioned: chain tool, cable cutters, cone wrenches, maybe bottom bracket & freewheel tools (depending on what you work on -- maybe the new stuff doesn't need those. My bikes are ca. 1960s & '70s)....

Agree with this. My old bikes are 70-80's and I mainly use a 10mm, 15mm wrenches, FR-1 freewheel tool, spoke wrench, chain breaker, and some thinned down open ends to get at those cones. Made a couple of bottom bkt wrenches to suit.

My bike stand consists of a maple 1 X 4 sticking out of my end mounted W/W vise into the bike frame. And I did go overboard on the wheel truing stand.......that was made from some telescoping junk square tubing that was around.

If you have tools now you probably have what you need. just accumulate others as needed. For those cone wrenches, I ground down some junk wrenches I already had.

 

[kc-steve]

. . .My bike stand consists of a maple 1 X 4 sticking out of my end mounted W/W vise into the bike frame. . . .

Yes a bike stand is essential. I made one of those too using black steel pipe. Saved a "pant-load".

Steve

 

[Mike83]

You can buy cheap tools, and then plan on not finishing your project because the cheap tools **** and you need to go buy Park or Pedros. A great book I have is "Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance." There are other versions for road bikes and such. Good descriptions and illustrations for every type of repair and maintenance you could do. Even has a huge index of torque values for specific components (down to the manufacturer and years of production).

I highly recommend a work stand as well.

 

[Handyman163]

Check out the tools on these websites below. They have some affordable brands that are perfect for occasional use (I have a lot of the Nashbar tools for the cassette (rear gears) (spline tool and chain whip)). The Sette brand at Pricepoint.com is a good one too. You will need some thin wrenches (less than 1/8" for wheel bearing work). Common wrenches don't seem to fit on pedals or generally anyplace on a modern bike, so specialty tools will help. I've managed to get by without a work-stand although it would help.

I would recommend a chain checker tool if you ride a lot of miles, and change your change religiously (like changing the oil in your car). It's the expendable piece that will save your expensive drive-train components from wearing out. If a chain stretches, it will increase the separation between drive teeth to the point where a new chain will just slip over the teeth. THEN, you'll have to replace everything in the drive-train ($$$).

I have this one
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/11924-325_PARC28-2-Accessories-42-Tools/Park-CC-2-Chain-Checker.htm
But this one is a newer design I haven't used, and cheaper
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/15...ls/Sette-Torx-ST-503-Chain-Wear-Indicator.htm

These sites also have dang near anything you'd want for your bike or gear, and at cheaper than bike shop prices.

www.jensonusa.com
www.pricepoint.com
www.bikenashbar.com

 

[cglasgow]

I would recommend a chain checker tool if you ride a lot of miles, and change your change religiously (like changing the oil in your car). It's the expendable piece that will save your expensive drive-train components from wearing out. If a chain stretches, it will increase the separation between drive teeth to the point where a new chain will just slip over the teeth. THEN, you'll have to replace everything in the drive-train ($$$).

You don't really need a chain checker -- a tape measure will work just was well.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html :

Measuring Chain Wear

The standard way to measure chain wear is with a ruler or steel tape measure. This can be done without removing the chain from the bicycle. The normal technique is to measure a one-foot length, placing an inch mark of the ruler exactly in the middle of one rivet, then looking at the corresponding rivet 12 complete links away. On a new, unworn chain, this rivet will also line up exactly with an inch mark. With a worn chain, the rivet will be past the inch mark.

This gives a direct measurement of the wear to the chain, and an indirect measurement of the wear to the sprockets:

* If the rivet is less than 1/16" past the mark, all is well.

* If the rivet is 1/16" past the mark, you should replace the chain, but the sprockets are probably undamaged.

* If the rivet is 1/8" past the mark, you have left it too long, and the sprockets (at least the favorite ones) will be too badly worn. If you replace a chain at the 1/8" point, without replacing the sprockets, it may run OK and not skip, but the worn sprockets will cause the new chain to wear much faster than it should, until it catches up with the wear state of the sprockets.

* If the rivet is past the 1/8" mark, a new chain will almost certainly skip on the worn sprockets, especially the smaller ones.

Sheldon knew more about bicycles than probably anyone else alive. It's definitely worth spending some time on his website!

 

[I_AM]

Check out Unior, they make tools that compete with park and there have been some great deals on eBay recently.

http://www.uniororodje.si/sub-subcategories/tools-for-bicycle-servicing

 

[lilredex]

Check out Unior, they make tools that compete with park and there have been some great deals on eBay recently.

http://www.uniororodje.si/sub-subcategories/tools-for-bicycle-servicing

Still way too rich for me.......will keep on makin' (where practical) and buyin' from MEC Co-op ($5) to join.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_trkpar...&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=15&_sc=1

http://www.mec.ca/Main/home.jsp

 

[Monte]

SKS bicycle tools from germany:
http://www.sks-germany.com/sks.php?l=en&a=range&r=tools

Gedore bicycle tools:
http://www.gedore.de/en/products/group_overview.html?pm_id=83979&oe_opt[list_set]=28362,98359,83979

 

[SMKS]

I bought this cheap set of cone wrenches on ebay and I've been pretty happy with them. You need cone wrenches to service your hubs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CyclePro-Pro-Cone-Wrench-Set-13-19mm-/270591414386?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0


I also got this crank puller:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Lifu-Bike-T...k-Remover-/360258315731?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

I bought a cheap chain breaker and tire levers locally. I think Wal Mart has both.

Also, this small grease gun is really nice for lubing things on a bike. I got it at my local HF.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-oz-mini-grease-gun-93486.html

 

[JSBriggs]

The Zinn book mentioned above is a good source. From there I would get the Park tools you needed over time. The are good quality, infact I use the 32mm and 36mm headset wrenches for fan/waterpump wrenches on my BMW and Land Rovers.

On a side note, there used to be a line of bike tools that was 'made by snap-on' about 10 yrs or so ago. anyone remember what brand they were labeled as/sold under?

-Jeff

 

[ricleh]

The Zinn book mentioned above is a good source. From there I would get the Park tools you needed over time. The are good quality, infact I use the 32mm and 36mm headset wrenches for fan/waterpump wrenches on my BMW and Land Rovers.

On a side note, there used to be a line of bike tools that was 'made by snap-on' about 10 yrs or so ago. anyone remember what brand they were labeled as/sold under?

-Jeff

I believe they were called WrenchForce.

 

[makgreens]

park tools are awesome and pedros are better in my opinion
when i worked at a bike shop the usual set up at our bench was a set on sae and metric wrenches, ball-ended allen wrenches, second hand tool(for cables), wire cutters, metric and sae socket sets, truing stand, variety of screwdrivers, bottom bracket tools...about 6 i think, a torque wrench, chain wrench, freewheel tool, vise, hacksaw, thin park tools wrenches (metric), various hub removers, chain tool

damn i cant believe i remember all that stuff

 

[Mike83]

I believe they were called WrenchForce.

Yes. I have a crank puller by them. Was super on sale NOS at a bike shop I stopped at once.

 

[reptilezs]

some wrench force stuff is really good. park is good overall and you cant really go wrong with them. avoid the off shore import tools(sette, spin doctor, etc.), they have a short service life. pedros is decent but they cost as much as park if not more. they are also imported, which i dont get. the pedros import tools should be less expansive than park but they are not

 

[mixxmstrmike]

I believe they were called WrenchForce.

It was indeed Wrench Force and they were VERY good tools. They were another option to Park Tools when they were first introduced, but Park had such a strong presence that WF didn't do as well as they thought they would.

I picked up NOS of anything Wrench Force when they were on Close Out at my local bike shop.

-Mike

 

[bonneyman]

A schrader core tool can be a big asset. Removing the valve core, internal and external thread chaser, and a broken valve remover all in one. I repair bicycles as a hobby, and have several of these little tools laying around.
If you'd like, PM me and I can get one to you.

 

[ricleh]

There are many bicycle specific tool manufacturers. I have tools made by Park, VAR, Hozan, Shimano, Campagnolo, Bicycle Research, Cyclo, Felco, Rohloff, Phil Wood and Stein. Probably some others too, but I can't remember them all.

 

[makgreens]

There are many bicycle specific tool manufacturers. I have tools made by Park, VAR, Hozan, Shimano, Campagnolo, Bicycle Research, Cyclo, Felco, Rohloff, Phil Wood and Stein. Probably some others too, but I can't remember them all.

yeah on my stand i had a number of phil wood,shimano,and campy tools...mainly all fixed gears tools...and a couple custom made tools we put together in the shop to air up presta valve tires

and if you have mavic wheels i suggest a nice truing stand and their "repair kit"

also if your just doing simple fixes invest in a few tools and lots of chemicals...youd be surprised what can be fixed with some tri-flow and grease

 

[boybacon]

It was indeed Wrench Force and they were VERY good tools. They were another option to Park Tools when they were first introduced, but Park had such a strong presence that WF didn't do as well as they thought they would.

-Mike

Wrench Force were branded Snap On, and indeed some were made in the Williams Factory (according to the forging stamps), others by Ecklind (the hex keys), and others. I think that Snap On farmed out production. I have a complete set of the wrenches, sockets, hex bits, cone wrenches, etc. etc.

 

[Stuey]

imho, you may be better off buying your tools on a need to need basis. Otherwise you may get a lot of extra stuff you have no use for.

To start, all you need is a 3-4-5 Y wrench, 5mm L key and/or socket, P2 driver, & tire levers.

 

[Lhorn]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm pretty hand on cars, but pretty green about bike repair. Also thanks for all the links.

I picked up the Zinn guide to road bike repair from the library today. I'm gonna figure out what I need and get quality individual tools rather than a set.

 

[IDASHO]

Im an avid cyclist, and do all of my own work.

I wouldnt even touch a bike to go through it until I have a set of cone wrenches. Repacking the wheel bearings on bikes is half the battle when bringing them back, assuming the wheels dont need to be re-laced.

Ive done it all though. The only bike specific tools you will need are freewheel/cassette, bottom bracket, cone wrenches, and spoke wrenches. The rest will be a handful of open end wrenches, allens, a screw drivers.

 

[Ser50]

ill just jump right in, skipped most of the thread sorry...


i bought a Filzer starter kit because i needed alot of tools and i needed them fast. i dont bike crazy, but i own 3 or 4 (you know) and so far the entry level stuff has been great,

park tire levers, for sure though.

the cone wrenches have been good enough, the pullers work, cassette/freewheel stuff works, allen keys are just that,
i will collect and replace with quality just like i have with my professional tools

best thing ever though was the craiglist TS-2 i got, split it with my bud for 40 bucks each, never bought a built wheel, do all my own, its great, and awesome for maintenance.

 

[Ser50]

honest question, does anyone make an adjustable head set wrench?

yes, i still have a threaded headset or two in the fleet.

 

[JSBriggs]

honest question, does anyone make an adjustable head set wrench?

yes, i still have a threaded headset or two in the fleet.

I have seen a thin jawed adjustable for some random plumbing application, but they aren't thin enough for a headset.

I use a regular adjustable on the locknut (top) and the appropriately sized headset wrench on the adjuster.

-Jeff

 

[makgreens]

honest question, does anyone make an adjustable head set wrench?

yes, i still have a threaded headset or two in the fleet.

i dont think ive seen any but that doesnt mean their not out there
a good set of headset wrenches is always helpful...but a large adjustable will work in a pinch

 

[Lhorn]

[QUOTEIve done it all though. The only bike specific tools you will need are freewheel/cassette, bottom bracket, cone wrenches, and spoke wrenches. The rest will be a handful of open end wrenches, allens, a screw drivers.][/QUOTE]

Thanks. that's what I need of essential bike specific tools.

 

[fireguy]

I also have a set of repair manuals. If I remember, I will post the supplier when I am back home next week.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

Just as with any tool buy nice or your going to buy twice. I had one of those cary around bike tool sets when I first started riding bikes but I lost most of the stuff and truly most of it is made poorly. Personaly I think there are a few tools you really have to have. First off Craftsman will work here. Possibly for your hex bits get snappy or something slightly nicer because there are complaints that craftsman hex and torx bits are poorly made.
Get yourself a nice torque wrench. or a nice calibrated elbo lol funny joke no? Some 3/8 drive hex bits to go along with the TW. a nice 1/4 and 3/8 drive ratchet. compleate set of metric sockets for both ratchets (shallow is probably all you will need.) a chain breaker, nice set of t handle hex drivers, a nice set of screwdivers in various sizes (philips and bladed) a freehub tool. and here is the best advice i can give you. A nice bike work stand. My work stand is one made by ultimate stands, its the forgive me because im to lazy to look i think pro transportable. I bought it used at a local bike shop. So just keep your eyes open I have a 300 dollar stand that i bought for less than 120 bucks.
A service cart or toolbox would be nice to have to keep all your stuff nice and neat. There are other odds and ends that you will aquire as time goes on. also a chain scrubber. (lots of simple green to go with it) and your choice of chain lube is nice to have too (I like ams oil heavy duty metal protectant it doesent shed off, it goes on thin and dries into a nice thick wax, ive never persoanaly liked white lighting but my local bike shop and other cyclists swear by it) But for right now just enjoy. it doesent all need to be purchessed NOW! you can build it up bit by bit. hex bits are what your going to be using the most. But a quick stick (tire spoons) and a well thought out travel pack will be your best friend on a long solo ride.

oh and a NICE! pair of dikes. probably craftsman pro or better here. and use a small hobby torch or lighter to make bike cable red hot before you cut it. This makes it easyer to cut idk why but i picked up this tip in mountain bike and it works great and makes your cutters last much longer. just make sure the flame doesent torch your bike and have a good hold on the tag end of the cut cable so it doesent burn you.

BEST OF LUCK
Sean Scott

GOOD LUCK

 

[Lhorn]

Thanks for the advice. I've been looking into making a bikes stand. I want to make it because I like making stuff and want to save a few bucks. It's also important that when I put it up for storage that it takes up almost no space or can hang from the wall. I don't like most of the rudimentary plans that I see on the internet when the bike basically rests on two arms. Seems like it would wobble/move around a long when you turn the cranks etc. I've seen some where the bike frame clamps tightly between two blocks of wood (with a channel in the blocks that the bike frame fits into).

 

[Bhae]

http://www.uniortools.com/sub-subcategories-spa?doc=12348&cat=2499

 

[boybacon]

Nice...fake Park tools made in Eastern Europe, just what everyone needs...not.