Home Mechanic Setup

smacl wrote: »

master link pliers

Yeah missing that, but I don't have any quick links yet - that's about to change though.

Piece of string is also usefull when you remove your internally routed cable - it took me a lot of fun to try to feed the break cable eventually with the use of hoover I managed to get the string throught the top tube and out

Also good thing is a "chain keeper" tool which you can make out of a spoke to hold the ends of chain when you say fit new one and try to link it with the pin. Or use the chain checker tool with a bit of a fiddling it will do the trick too.

Park Tools do make some good tools, but I’ve found that the standard of them is not consistent across their entire range. I’ve read some bad reviews of some of their generic tools, their adjustable wrench for example, some of them seem to just be rebadged versions of (poor quality) tool from some other manufacturer. For that reason, I’d buy a lot of the generic tools (adjustable wrench, spanners, screwdrivers, …) in some other brand(s) that I considered good as they’d likely be cheaper and might actually be better quality too.

Having said that, allen keys are a fairly generic tool these days and I’ve always found Park Tools allen keys to be very good quality - they are a snug fit, so don’t slip easily, and are robust. On the other hand, chain splitters are anything but generic tools, and I’ve not been impressed by my Park Tool CT-4.2 as the pin is made of cheese.

Other brands that I’ve tried, and found good, include Pedros, Lezyne, and Campagnolo, but some of the Campagnolo tools in particular are more expensive than Park Tools.

As for what tools to buy, base that on your bike(s). Decide what work you want to able to carry out yourself and buy tools according. Some areas (for a conventional road bike):

* Headset - There is little to “maintain” with modern headsets really, allen keys are usually enough to gain access to bearings to replace them (a torque wrench is useful if you have a carbon steerer). If you want to install a new fork you’ll need something to seat the star nut in the steerer and a tool to seat the crown race on the fork, if you want to install/remove bearing races in the head tube you’ll need appropriate tools there too.

* Forks - If you expect to have to cut a steerer to length, then a cutting guide is useful but by no means essential. A good hacksaw with decent blades will save you a lot of grief, and some blood too.

* Bottom bracket - tools to remove/install the crankset, remove/install the cartridge or cups. The tools you’d need will vary a lot depending on your chainset and b/b.

* Chain - A decent chain splitter is vital at times, go for one that works with 11-speed too, ideally (and bear in mind that Campag chains need a tool to peen them too, some chain tools have this function built in, I’m not sure whether 11-speed Shimano chains need this). I’ve found the Park Tools CT-3 good, but it has its issues. Pedros do one called the “Tutti” which I recall looking very good on paper but I’ve never tried it. Split-links eliminate the need to re-join chains and peen them, but you’ll still want a good chain tool to break chains and to size new chains.

* Hubs - Depends entirely on your hubs, but cone spanners are very useful to have and in a variety of sizes. You’ll need a tool to tighten/open the cassette lockring, plus a chainwhip (I much prefer the Pedros chain vice, I find it better than a chainwhip), plus either a large socket wrench or an adjustable wrench to turn the cassette lockring tool. For the freehub you may need a large allen key (10mm+).

* Pedals - Get yourself a decent pedal spanner, usually 15mm. I’ve snapped a decent quality regular 15mm spanner when removing a stuck pedal, I bought a (very hefty) Park Tool PW-3 after that but it’s a pain to use, the PW-4 is much better. Some pedals are installed/removed via an allen key only, but I’ll never be without a big and ignorantly robust pedal spanner personally, sometimes nothing but a big lump of pig iron will do for the job at hand.

* Spoke keys - Get good ones, even if you intend to never do anything more than remove a really bad buckle should the need arise. The Park Tool ones I like, their multi-headed one isn’t bad but is rougher on your fingers. You may need a variety depending on the size and shape of your spoke nipples.


And more generally you’ll need/want:

* Allen keys - either loose or in a multitool, or both versions. I like the Park Tool multitools, and their individual P-handled allen keys too. Usual sizes are 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm. You’ll also need a 10mm allen key for some things, I’ve also had need to use an 11mm (obscure!) and a 12mm at times.
* Torx keys - again either loose or in a multitool
* Screwdrivers - Philips-head 0, 1, and 2 mostly (I don’t think I’ve encountered Pozidrive on a bike yet), small flat head sometimes.
* Hammer(s) - a nylon-faced hammer is very useful, but sometimes you also need the grunt of a regular hammer.
* Socket set - not essential, usually, but very useful to have a set with lots of different sizes of socket. Sockets make useful drifts for installing bearings too, if you have one of the right size. I have a Halfords Professional socket set, which is not brilliant but is okay for the money when they are on sale (which they usually are).
* Spanners, regular ones - Mine rarely get used these days but I still need one from time to time. Most often used sizes are 8, 10, 12, 15, 17mm, but sometimes it’s useful to have a 6, 11, 13mm too. Any decent set should provide most or all of those.
* Adjustable wrenches - A big one (to handle cassette lockring tools, etc.), and a smaller one for those odd occasions where you need an odd small size or just another wrench of the same size as a spanner.
* Valve removal tool - For removing/installing removable cores from the valves of tubes. I’ve never (intentionally!) removed a valve core, I just have this little tool to tighten cores to prevent them unthreading themselves when I’m unthreading my pump from the valve. Without this tool I’d be tempted to employ a hammer more often, and not in a delicate fixey-fixey way!
* Torque wrenches - Probably one for lower torque ranges, one for higher torque ranges. I typically only use them when dealing with carbon parts.
* Files, picks, vice grips, needle nose pliers, circlips pliers, sharp knife, …
* A work stand is useful but not essential, a crap one would be worse than none at all.


And other stuff:

* Tape
* Measuring tape
* Bearings (many types)
* Grease (many types)
* A good repair book, the Park Tools one is pretty good


Those are not definitive lists by any means, just the stuff that springs most immediately to mind. I’m almost certainly forgetting stuff that I use regularly.

There are significant areas within those above that need more specialised tools, tools like bearing pullers, bearing “hammers” (can’t remember the proper name but they are really just fancy hammers), etc. Either you can bite the bullet and buy those tools or you can rely on the local bike shop for those tasks, but at the very least it’s very useful to familiarise yourself with the various parts of the your bike ahead of time so that you’ll know beforehand whether a repair job is one that you have all the necessary tools for.

I have CT-5 chain tool from PT and it works with all speeds of chains. Its not the most comfortable to use because of the small size but for the amount of use it gets its good and portable.

Some of my tools are indeed generic bought from hardware store. And these work well.

PT has some basic mechanic sets in a toolbox that seem not the best quality and are rather expensive.

seamus wrote: »

Believe it or not, this set contains almost everything you would need to put together a vanilla bike:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/x-tools-bike-tool-kit-18-piece/rp-prod40997

X tools are good stuff. Probably a small step below Park in overall quality, but I've never had issues with them warping/rounding/bending.

Really you tend to build up your collection of tools as repairs crop up. The key is to never try and bodge a solution together; find out what tools you need to fit the parts and then go and buy a reputable branded one. Ultimately spending €50 once on a good tool will save you time and ass pain when you inevitably destroy a good part because you didn't have the right tool(s) to fit it.

I've got that X-tools tool kit. It hasn't dissapointed yet, have built up/down about 5 bikes so far with it, and as long as you take care, and use the tools properly, they will last you.

Only thing that that tool kit is missing is a cable cutter and 17/18mm cone wrenches.

Considering the same tools would easily cost you 5-8x as much bought individually it's awesome value.

Same one here cheaper - http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJWTK/jobsworth-tool-kit

doozerie wrote: »

I believe the CT-5 doesn't work with 11-speed chains. Lezyne do a portable one that works with 11-speed, it's the only portable 11-speed compatible chain splitter that I've come across. Not sure whether it'll work with 7/8/9/10 -speed chains though.

It worked with mine.. (however it might be the case that it should not be used with 11s.)