Home Bike Maintenance [Tool List]

As I alluded to earlier, I probably shouldn’t be commenting in this thread as I’m not a ‘home’ mechanic…

On average, I probably replace and cut about 12 inners and 5 or 6 outers a day so my tools get a good amount of use.

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Dude. Spot on. Love that kit BTW. Great organization.

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Great recommendations for building a kit.

I would encourage that while multi-tools often look attractive for the price/usability they tend to end up doing neither purpose that well (there are some exceptions).

I acquire a new tool if, (a) buying the tool is cheaper than paying a shop, and (b) I’ll use it at least once every few years. I’m not trying to stiff my LBS, I just enjoy working on my bike.

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There was a reference to bike tool that you could use to adjust seat angles using a tool that also went into the centre of the bottom bracket of the crankshaft on the pod cast. Still cant find a reference to it. Any advice would be appreciated

Some tools I like:

Abbey Crombie, chain whip, and BB tool

Wera Hex Plus allen keys

Bonhaus T-handle allens

15mm Campy PB Wrench

CDI preset torque wrenches (4 and 5 nM)

Dremel tool with cutoff wheel (cutting housing square)

Small pick for opening cable liners and removing bearing seals

Pin point lubricant bottles (something like 50 cents each on Amazon)

Knipex pliers

Wheels Manufacturing bearing press kit

Old grease guard grease gun

Be careful - it’s a slippery slope!

I’m only two tools short of a full bike shop imo - I can’t do crown race setting or headset press properly, I’ve bodged it on my road bikes. I’m a Campag guy so everything is expensive, but I’d say that over two years I’ve probably broke even if I’d used a bike shop instead…not counting the hundreds of hours of fun/frustration.

It is good to know how everything on your bike works, because you built it, but you could save yourself a lot of brain ache by just paying up for bike maintenance.

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I am trying to put together a tool list that contains everything needed for someone who kind of knows his way around a bike to do all servicing. Basically, I don’t ever want to have to go to a bike shop for servicing. I have done basic things such as gear indexing and re-cabling, but I want to be able to do more. (I am talking replacing bottom bracket, wheel truing, etc.) Currently, I am limited by my equipment. I believe this is an endeavor that will interest others in the community.

Can you guys help me put this together? Specific brand/model recommendations are welcome.

List So Far

  • bicycle work stand :white_check_mark:

  • set of Allen keys :white_check_mark:

  • screwdrivers :white_check_mark:

  • pedal spanner :white_check_mark:

  • cable cutters :white_check_mark:

  • chain tool :white_check_mark:

  • master link pliers :white_check_mark:

  • bottom bracket tools :x:

    • What do I need here?
  • chain whip :x:

    • Any other cassette tools?
  • spoke nipple :x:

  • wheel truing stand :x:

  • tire leavers :white_check_mark:

  • track pump :white_check_mark:

  • torque wrench :x:

    • What sizes are really necessary?

:white_check_mark: = in possesion
:x: = missing

Thanks for your time. Feel free to recommend any additions or subtractions.

If you guys want to know what specific tools I have, I can share those as well.

I hate chain whips. This device whips the llamas ass: https://www.amazon.com/Pedros-142722-Vise-Whip/dp/B001Q270CC

Love it. Love it. Love it.

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@tkent, I moved your post under an existing one that had lots of posts and suggestions. Check them out along with any new stuff that people share. :smiley:

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Bottom bracket will depend on just what BB you have, just about every 'standard" needs a different tool.

For cassette removal a chain whip and a cassette removal tool plus an adjustable spanner to hold it.

Spoke nipple: not really needed plus a lot of multi-tools have the appropriate slots somewhere in their arsenal.

Wheel truing stand - for simple jobs turn the bike upside down and use a pencil held against the forks or stays.

Torque wrench: very much a nice to have but if you’ve a carbon frame it might be a bit more essential. You need to get one that has a small range around the usual values you are likely to need, so 2nm - 20nm rather than 2nm - 200nm.

If you have disk brakes then a set of Torx keys.

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Some good info from other sources:

Not that you need those specific kits, but it is a comprehensive list of the tools that you should at least consider, if you build your own kit.

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Possibly the most under-rated tool in the box:

Bent or misaligned derailleur hangers are one of the most commonly overlooked issues that cause poor shifting. It’s less of a problem now with through axles and machined derailleur hangers, but it’s still not unusual for brand new bikes with brand new hangers to be poorly aligned. Many shops are too lazy to do a 2 minute check. There is just no way to eye-ball the alignment on a RD hanger, you’ve got to have a tool.

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I’ve looked at some of these but the problem is that I already have a number of tools. I don’t want to double up, as it seems like a waste.

Thanks for the suggestion.

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Didn’t realize this thread existed. Thanks.

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Great idea.

A torque wrench is pretty high up on my list. I have this adjustable t-handled one that goes up to 8 Nm, so it will cover all but a few bolts (crankarms, certain seat clamps, and perhaps a RD fixing bolt are the ones that come to mind).

A small-ish adjustable wrench and some channel locks are handy general purpose tools too. As is denatured alcohol (particularly if you’re going to use the aforementioned wrench to true a disc brake rotor).

Oh, and a little grease gun, like so.

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I use an old syringe. It’s perfect to do the grease replacement in Speedplay pedals.

I have 3 toolboxes - a generic fix-everything-in-my-daughters’-apartments one, a bike one, and a ski tuning one. Everything I need fits in the second one, except the torque wrench and a box wrench set.

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  • Right, and that’s exactly why I included this comment…
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I’ve assembled my toolkit over several years as I’ve needed tools for specific jobs. No need to buy something before you need it. And when you buy it at point of need, you’re more likely to get the right thing - vs buy a tool, have it sit on the shelf for 2 years, and then when you first go to use it, you find it’s the wrong tool.

There are some basic tools that you need pretty much right away - torque wrench, hex bits, torx bits. Some of the more specialized stuff you won’t need for a while Eg bottom bracket tool.

Also, a little creativity allows you to use a tool you already have vs buying a new one. Eg I don’t have a master link pliers, I use a needle nose pliers and it works fine.

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Different BB standards require different tools. Your next bike will likely require a different tool. On this basis, if your BB requires replacement, that may be one of the very few tasks you leave to your LBS rather than buying a tool that may only ever be used once.

Unless perhaps you are talking about tools for BSA threaded BB’s. That standard seems pretty durable, and one that several manufacturers are actually reverting to.

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