Need help on which tools to get?



JustBikeNow

New Member
Aug 22, 2005
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My local store has a tool sale and I plan on cleaning and maintaning my bike on my own by learning/trial and error. For those who are mechanics or simply know how to tune/ maintain your own bikes, can you suggest me which tools are necessary so I can look into purchasing them.

any suggestions would help, whether its a link to a product or picture. Thanks in advance
 
JustBikeNow said:
My local store has a tool sale and I plan on cleaning and maintaning my bike on my own by learning/trial and error. For those who are mechanics or simply know how to tune/ maintain your own bikes, can you suggest me which tools are necessary so I can look into purchasing them.

any suggestions would help, whether its a link to a product or picture. Thanks in advance
What you need depends on what equipment your bike/bikes have. You Dont need HS wrenches if you have threadless HS. also no need for cone wrenchs for cup and Ball hubs. No need for cup and ball BB tools if you have cartridge BB. You need shimano specific BB and cassette lockring tools if you are running shimano,Diferent BB cassette tools for campy. Different tools for removing freewheels........I'd also suggest a zinn maintenance book rather than trial and error...... Alot of basic maintenance can be done with allen wrenches,small screwdriver, chain too, spoke nipple wrenches and a cassette lockring tool, and chainwhip.
 
I'd suggest a wheel truing stand along with the nipple wrenches if you KNOW how to true a wheel.
 
boudreaux. Thanks for your write up on the tool setups. That makes a lot of sense on which bike I have. I don't have anything seriously professional, but you mainly pointed out what the others said to me regarding necessary general tools.

So Far I compiled this with a lot of other people's response

A chain Splitter
A Crank remover
An IS Bottom Bracket tool
A Spoke Key
A Cassette lock-ring tool
A Hex wrench set in metric

Let me know what you think.




Bad Karma.. The wheel tuning machines are on sale right now and that seems a little far on the high end of tuning for me. Is it really necessary. I mean when you take you bike in for standard maintainence do they use a wheel tuning device to adjust accordingly?

Are the nipple wrenches the same thing as the spoke key?


Thanks again guys for your help. Anyone that has anything else to add please do so.
 
JustBikeNow said:
boudreaux. Thanks for your write up on the tool setups. That makes a lot of sense on which bike I have. I don't have anything seriously professional, but you mainly pointed out what the others said to me regarding necessary general tools.

So Far I compiled this with a lot of other people's response

A chain Splitter
A Crank remover
An IS Bottom Bracket tool
A Spoke Key
A Cassette lock-ring tool
A Hex wrench set in metric

Let me know what you think.




Bad Karma.. The wheel tuning machines are on sale right now and that seems a little far on the high end of tuning for me. Is it really necessary. I mean when you take you bike in for standard maintainence do they use a wheel tuning device to adjust accordingly?

Are the nipple wrenches the same thing as the spoke key?


Thanks again guys for your help. Anyone that has anything else to add please do so.
Nipple wrench, spoke key, spoke wrench same thing. Touch-up wheel truing is not that difficult and can be done on the bike, but is easier and more accurate with a truing stand.

You do need a chainwhip to remove the cassette along with the cassette lockring tool.

A good cable cutter is also a very helpful tool when installing new cables, which you will do over the course of the years.

I also second boudreaux's recommendation of a good manual such as Zinn's.

Good luck.
 
JustBikeNow said:
My local store has a tool sale and I plan on cleaning and maintaning my bike on my own by learning/trial and error. For those who are mechanics or simply know how to tune/ maintain your own bikes, can you suggest me which tools are necessary so I can look into purchasing them.

any suggestions would help, whether its a link to a product or picture. Thanks in advance
Supergo has 60% off on their brand of tools...

http://www.supergo.com/specialty_shops_itemlist.cfm?viewall=y&lstore_id=167&WT.ac=167

I have the kit. Seems to do well for yearly maint.
 
John M.. Thanks for your response. I'll take boudreaux and your word to get the Zinn Manual. I am guessing I can get this at the local bookstore(borders, barnes and noble).

I'll read up on truing wheels with the spoke key, but I haven't gotten to that part yet. Does the electronic truing machine make it easier to do so?

Regarding the cassette removal, I'll need the lockring tool AND the chainwhip? I can't just get the chainwhip by itself right?

I am also considering a cable tightner and cutter as well.




gclark8... The PRO website is very professional. Yes I do have my floor pump and tire levers. They work great. Cleaning brushes I do not have. For now I just use Tooth brushes, it works ok.

I am going to look into the ball ends hex wrench sets as I heard it can work at angles, am I correct?




Doctor Morbius... Yes I was at SuperGo last week and Today as today was their last day for 25% off current market down prices sale. I didn't get anything though. Their employee even told me not to get their own kits or spin doctor which is part with Performance Bike. He said Park Tools or Pedro's are much better quality because the mechanics have tried the house brands and they break. But if it's a tire or frame brush then I wouldn't mind house brand, but for T-handle hex wrenchs etc.. I am thinking to stay with Pedro's or Park Tools. But how is the kit going for you? Did you get the standard kit or the T-2 big kit?


Thanks again guys for your help. It is good to hear from end users which products are good to use.
 
JustBikeNow said:
Doctor Morbius... Yes I was at SuperGo last week and Today as today was their last day for 25% off current market down prices sale. I didn't get anything though. Their employee even told me not to get their own kits or spin doctor which is part with Performance Bike. He said Park Tools or Pedro's are much better quality because the mechanics have tried the house brands and they break. But if it's a tire or frame brush then I wouldn't mind house brand, but for T-handle hex wrenchs etc.. I am thinking to stay with Pedro's or Park Tools. But how is the kit going for you? Did you get the standard kit or the T-2 big kit?
I did have problem with the bottom bracket tool but that is the only one and it was related to operator error. Nothing else has broken on me yet. I service 3 road bikes and a mountain bike with the kit. If I worked in a bike shop I would use something better but for most of the jobs I do and for annual maintenance they're fine.
 
JustBikeNow said:
John M.. Thanks for your response. I'll take boudreaux and your word to get the Zinn Manual. I am guessing I can get this at the local bookstore(borders, barnes and noble).

I'll read up on truing wheels with the spoke key, but I haven't gotten to that part yet. Does the electronic truing machine make it easier to do so?

Regarding the cassette removal, I'll need the lockring tool AND the chainwhip? I can't just get the chainwhip by itself right?

I am also considering a cable tightner and cutter as well.




gclark8... The PRO website is very professional. Yes I do have my floor pump and tire levers. They work great. Cleaning brushes I do not have. For now I just use Tooth brushes, it works ok.

I am going to look into the ball ends hex wrench sets as I heard it can work at angles, am I correct?




Doctor Morbius... Yes I was at SuperGo last week and Today as today was their last day for 25% off current market down prices sale. I didn't get anything though. Their employee even told me not to get their own kits or spin doctor which is part with Performance Bike. He said Park Tools or Pedro's are much better quality because the mechanics have tried the house brands and they break. But if it's a tire or frame brush then I wouldn't mind house brand, but for T-handle hex wrenchs etc.. I am thinking to stay with Pedro's or Park Tools. But how is the kit going for you? Did you get the standard kit or the T-2 big kit?


Thanks again guys for your help. It is good to hear from end users which products are good to use.

The electronic spoke tension meter is NOT necessary for routine wheel truing. I was referring to a truing stand, which holds the wheel. Some truing stands come with a gauge, but most experienced mechanics do it by eye/feel.

Yes, you do need both the chainwhip and cassette lock ring tool to remove the cassette. Installation only required the lockring tool.

Good luck.

JM
 
Thanks Doctor and John for the follow-up. I'm reading up on a lot of manuals and tutorials and going to try this out on myself soon.