Help me build a bike toolset list

[Calvin27]

Buying individual quality tools is a false economy unfortunately and it doesn't exactly help you get the broad range of tool you might need. I bought an xtools (well not exactly but lets face it they come out of the same factory) one years ago and use that as my starter kit. It all works and despite some of the stuff not being up to scratch, it has always worked, just wore out fast or whatever. When this happens I replace the tool with a decent branded one. The benefit of buying a huge cheap kit is you will likely only use the specific tools a few times which doesn't warrant a high quality one. The tools you do use a lot of the time, you simply replace.

So far in addition to my chinese cheap kit I've added:

• Good quality cable cutters
• Master link breaker
• High quality allen key set (also run wera stuff)
• Verniers for chain checking (even my park tools one is not machined to crrect tolerances)
• Pedal tool (like the most burly one I could find)
• Epic bleed kit
• 8mm ratchet wrench for bleeding
• multi-purpose bearing press
• piece of pvc pipe (to smash in crown race)
• Heavy duty tyre levers
• Cone spanner (proper harden steel ones)

Surprisingly the took kit basics are not bad. Stuff from the kit I am still using:

• Chain whip and cassette tool
• Chain breaker
• Crank puller
• chainring bolt tool (saved me a few times, not something you'd consider a tool you need lol).

 

[PJO]

So those Lifeline kits are crap?

I bought this Lifeline kit about 10 years ago. It was very cheap (probably <$60 on sale) I was poor at the time so couldn't afford decent tools.

Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle

Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!

www.wiggle.co.uk

I have broken the chain breaker (after 6yrs), the cassette tool splines are pretty rooted (8yrs), and the crank puller is a bit munted but still works. I used the Allen/hex keys for a little while but bought decent hardened steel ones within 6 months. The rest of the tools are still ok, and I have used them all including the cone spanners (even bought some 17/18mm ones for Shimano through axle hubs).

The things that get used the most in the workshop (in rough order of most used to least):
Allen keys - used every time all the time get some good ones
box cutter/retractable knife - a must for neat cable-tie cutting and hydraulic hose cutting
screwdrivers
rubber mallet
chain link pliers
chain whip and cassette tool
parrot beak cutters - life savers for neat cable cuts
basic long-nose pliers
BB tool
chain breaker
Pedal wrench
Cones spanners - for kids bikes and my commuter which still has Shimano hubs

If I had my time over again I would probably not bother with the kit and get some decent tools since the only things that are still going strong from this kit are the cone spanners, parrot beak cutters, chain whip, BB tool, and pedal wrench. At the time I didn't know what would be commonly used and so the kit was convenient as a starting point, but as you can see most of the tools I use I had to buy additionally anyway. Especially the Allen keys, buy some decent ones.

 

[yuley95]

So those Lifeline kits are crap?

My wife bought me one years ago and it got me started with some handy things but as others have said, the quality is not great and as you progress and spend more time own the tools you will probably replace a lot of it with better gear. So you could look at it 2 ways: it's either a good affordable way to get started or a waste of money as you will duplicate most things over time.

You could look at the cost of individually buying the most useful parts and see how it compares. From my experience, I would get:

• bb tool
• tyre levers
• cassette tool
• chainwhip
• chain breaker
• Allen keys
• Torx keys
• screwdrivers
• mallet
• Relevant spoke keys
• cable cutters
• brake bleed kit (and oil or dot fluid)
• work stand
• all the fluids and greases (for cleaning and lubing)
• rags
• a box of decent gloves

As time goes by, you might want a crank puller and various tools specific to the bikes you are servicing but that will become apparent.

 

[HamboCairns]

My wife bought me one years ago and it got me started with some handy things but as others have said, the quality is not great and as you progress and spend more time own the tools you will probably replace a lot of it with better gear. So you could look at it 2 ways: it's either a good affordable way to get started or a waste of money as you will duplicate most things over time.

You could look at the cost of individually buying the most useful parts and see how it compares. From my experience, I would get:

• bb tool
• tyre levers
• cassette tool
• chainwhip
• chain breaker
• Allen keys
• Torx keys
• screwdrivers
• mallet
• Relevant spoke keys
• cable cutters
• brake bleed kit (and oil or dot fluid)
• work stand
• all the fluids and greases (for cleaning and lubing)
• rags
• a box of decent gloves

As time goes by, you might want a crank puller and various tools specific to the bikes you are servicing but that will become apparent.

I'd imagine that that would cost hundreds to buy individually!

 

[HamboCairns]

Ok so I think I'll go with this -

Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle

Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!

www.wiggle.com.au

LifeLine Folding Bike Workstand | Wiggle

Buy your LifeLine Folding Bike Workstand from our Bike Repair Stands range at Wiggle. £39.99. Free delivery available.

www.wiggle.com.au

LifeLine Pro Chain Cleaner | Wiggle

Buy your LifeLine Pro Chain Cleaner from our Cleaning Equipment range at Wiggle. £14.99. Free delivery available.

www.wiggle.com.au

Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle

Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!

www.wiggle.com.au

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Ok so I think I'll go with this -

Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle

Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!

www.wiggle.com.au

LifeLine Folding Bike Workstand | Wiggle

Buy your LifeLine Folding Bike Workstand from our Bike Repair Stands range at Wiggle. £39.99. Free delivery available.

www.wiggle.com.au

LifeLine Pro Chain Cleaner | Wiggle

Buy your LifeLine Pro Chain Cleaner from our Cleaning Equipment range at Wiggle. £14.99. Free delivery available.

www.wiggle.com.au

Get Your Wiggle On | Cycle, Run & Outdoor Shop | Wiggle

Prepare to get your Wiggle on. We have the awesome gear you need to cycle, run, hike & swim from the world's leading sports brands. No excuses, LET'S GO!

www.wiggle.com.au

Don't bother with the chain cleaner. I've got a park Tool one you can have for postage. I haven't used it in years and it didn't do much good anyway...

 

[HamboCairns]

Don't bother with the chain cleaner. I've got a park Tool one you can have for postage. I haven't used it in years and it didn't do much good anyway...

How do you clean your chain then?

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I started with down hand me down tools (notably a Nitto crank puller) then I won a cheap set as a giveaway at a race. I tended to throw freewheel tools into online orders for a while to bulk up for free shipping but I did invest in a decent chain breaker, a decent pedal spanner, another chain whip, a decent cassette lock ring tool, Shimano pedal wrench and Hollowtech preload socket and a torque wrench. There's a few other more esoteric things like a hub vice and blind bearing puller but they don't get a lot of use.

Getting the best hex keys (with a ball end) that you can afford (to go with your cheap set) and a pair each of 14-17mm open end spanners is recommended.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

How do you clean your chain then?

Rock and Roll lube and a rag.

If I wanted it totally degreased...2 litre milk container with the lid, degreaser and water. Feed in the chain. Shake.

 

[Scotty T]

end crimps (@Scotty T will sort you out, no I don’t get a commission)

The market has crashed, between single speeders, 1x, gearboxes and electronics I don't even get a commission!

Agree with what's been said on the tools, no need for Park every time but decent ones are worthwhile and really cheap ones suck.

Ok so I think I'll go with this -

The workstand looks bodge and I would never skimp on one, too many horror stories so I got a Feedback one, for the money I like it more than the Park PCS which a mate has and I've used a fair bit.

Feedback Sports Classic Work Stand

Feedback Sports Classic Work Stand

www.catch.com.au

Like @silentbutdeadly I've found chain cleaners are stupid, buy a pair of these and some quicklinks and a bottle of kero (first soak and use an old toothbrosuh to scrub in the kero), and a bottle of metho (next couple of soaks) and isopropyl (final spray and wipe, blast with air compressor if you have it or allow to dry properly) instead when you want to do serious chain cleaning, and in between keep it cleaned and lubed often.

Edit: lubed and cleaned often with Rock n Roll and rag works well, I'm experimenting with Graphenwax atm and will write something up on that soon after some more miles.

 

[rextheute]

Anaconda ( occasionally ) have okay stuff - same as wiggle branded stuff

Ps - i have over 30 yr old tools and they still work fine - and some new ones too !

 

[Art Vanderlay]

• Big Hammer
• Bandage (you will get a finger in spinning brake rotor at some stage)
• Swear Jar (gets most use setting up tubeless)

 

[rextheute]

This is what keeps me honest - basic tools - a couple are e-mtb specific
- I also keep cassettes ,chains ,brake pads Bosch motor parts and fork/shock rebuild kits in hand

When all else fails I go to the wall and find something .....

 

[leitch]

@HamboCairns you can always buy a cheapo toolkit but the reality is you only need the tools you need for the job you're doing at the time. Sounds silly but resist the temptation to buy "everything" and you can avoid the situation of having a bunch of useless tools. Like square taper crank extractors or internal BB tools.

The trick is to buy the base things that will allow you to do 85% of jobs, and build it up as you get more confident wrenching on your bike and want to try new things. There's no point buying a bleed kit and fluids (for example) that you'll use infrequently at the best of times if you're not confident enough to do the job anyway.

If I was you I would start with:

• One of these. Yes there are better work stands out there, but I bought one of these (different branding but same stand) back in ~2009 and I still haven't had to replace it. It's creaky and a bit shit, but it's fine.
• A set of good allen keys
• BB tool appropriate to your current setup
• Chain whip and cassette lockring tool
• Chain breaker
• Lubes/greases/tyre levers/zip ties/consumables assuming you don't already have them
• Assorted non-bike tools from your local Mitre 10/Bunnings/garage sale/father-in-law/whatever (side cutters, cable cutters, needle-nose pliers, mallet, couple of screwdrivers). They don't all have to be Knipex but they shouldn't be shite either.
• A tool box big enough that you can keep adding to it over time.

With the above ^ you've got all you need to strip and rebuild your bike, tune your gears etc etc. Again, you can always start working on your bike on Saturday afternoon and go "oh shit I need a small screwdriver" and pop down to the shop and buy one for $12. Don't feel like you have to pre-empt every possible tool requirement right from the word go.

 

[Haakon]

Hammer, cassette tool, hammer, chain whip, hammer, decent Allan keys, hammer, bottom bracket tool x lots (think I have 4 I use regularly), hammer, 2mm Allan key screwdriver (so much easier for adjusting gears), hammer, comfy seat for watching you tube, hammer oh did I mention hammer

Get a bigger hammer.

 

[Haakon]

Things like headset press tools etc can be bought as needed. The cost of a decent tool tends to be about what a bike shop would charge to do the job, so it works out.

Plus its always nice to have an excuse to buy a new toy i mean tool.

 

[hellmansam]

Things not to skimp on quality :
Cone spanners (those black ones are shit) some contemporary MTB's have end cap thingys that require cone type spanners to undo (I worked on a Specialized recently that needed 23mm cone spanner for the front hub)
Chain breaker
Spoke key (cheap ones don't fit well and round nipples off when things get a bit crusty)
Allen keys - ball driver type for speed/convenience, and some T handles for overtightening shit
A decent torque wrench if you're going to do suspension bearings or tend to be a heavy handed mofo.
Other stuff that has been mentioned by folks who have learned from experience

You can go cheap on simple stuff like pedal spanners, but keep in mind when you ask extreme things of such tools that's when some will fail. Buy the specialist stuff as you need it, or if you are concerned about being caught short.

If you have some mechanical nous you can improvise stuff like a headset press with bits from the hardware shop. You just need to be smart about weighing up the risk of what will get damaged/wrecked if a ghetto tool or method doesn't go smoothly.

 

[ozzybmx]

DERAILLEUR HANGER ALIGNMENT TOOL !

Not a mention from anyone else. I use it once or twice a week on other peoples bikes, kids to be precise. Never on my own bike.
I'm wearing it shiny in places.

Yes, probably a expensive item when you are trying to do it on a budget but you are going to need one eventually.

Just keep an eye out for a good deal, the park tool one does work very well.

 

[Minlak]

DERAILLEUR HANGER ALIGNMENT TOOL !

Not a mention from anyone else. I use it once or twice a week on other peoples bikes, kids to be precise. Never on my own bike.
I'm wearing it shiny in places.

Yes, probably a expensive item when you are trying to do it on a budget but you are going to need one eventually.

Just keep an eye out for a good deal, the park tool one does work very well.

Because he is on a budget!!!! Would not be the first tool I would buy if I had no others

 

[ForkinGreat]

@HamboCairns get Pedros Cassette pliers. I used to use chain whips and they were the fucking anti-christ.
cassette pliers are the way. no more hand injuries because the chain whip slipped or some BS like that.
you clamp on to the cassette with the pliers, and pop the cassette removal tool in, a bit of appropriate force, and off comes the cassette lockring.

Vise Whip - Tools - Pedro's NA

pedros.com