Tools list

Leedsblue

I am thinking of starting a project to build a fixed from scratch. This will give me bike maintenance experience, a mid-term length hobby, allow me to use some old bike parts and I can always get the bike shop to finish it off if I need to.

I was going to start building up a decent toolset and make a board on the garage wall to hang them from.

Any suggestions on the essentials please.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

I have the same ambitious objective! I think I will aquire the tools as I go along, and may end up using the local bike station where you can rent an workstand and tools for £3 an hour. I discovered a sand blasting/painting workshop along the road from me so I am going to ask for a quote on the frame I have currently.

I have a MTB frame I want to change into a slick ss and I hope to aquire a racer frame from the tip down the road! I think I'll start a thread to track progress!

andy83

I done this last year to turn a cheap halfords mountain bike into a good deent commuter. although it took time was the best thing i ever done cos maintenance side of things i know most the basics now to fix minor things on bike and also can usually catch potential problems

A basic kit will do for now as some tools you will only use once but are exxential

summin like this has done me fine http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/LifeL ... 360031531/

i actually use the one from aldi and its been a godsend

el_presidente

In rough order of importance I would say:

Decent Allen keys (most used tool so worth getting good ones)
Decent chain tool
Pedal spanner
BB tool (dependent on what BB you have)
Cassette tool
Chain whip (though can use an old chain)
Adjustable spanner
Decent cable cutters
workstand
Spoke key
headset press
wheel truing stand

& decent grease, lube & carbon compound (if appropriate)

ride_whenever

if you-re going fixed:

decent allen keys
an exceptionally strong chain tool (for fat fixie chains!)
spoke key (because your wheels will go out to true and they're cheap, get a spokey)
bottom bracket tools
Truing stand (for building your wheels)
fixed lockring tool
chainring bolt tool
pedal spanner if your pedals need one (some use an 8mm allen key instead which is generally a better system)
cable cutters/crimpers (one tool)
grease
anti-sieze compound
threadlock

that will be enough to build a fixie, although you'll want your lbs to ream and face the headtube and face the BB, then press in the headset cups for you, it really isn't worth getting our own!

for disassembly/maintanence you'll also want

crank extractor (not necessary for external cranks)
chainwhip
chain wear indicator
a few adjustable spanners (2 6" ones and a couple of larger ones)
cone spanners (if cup and cone)

cjcp

One rubber mallet. For stubborn BBs.

robbarker

I'm probably not the one to ask - i view all of this as essential!

gtvlusso

Hiya, for my builds (see pics below - Ambrosio and Merlin):-

Spanners - metric and imperial
Screwdrivers - pozi and flat
Hammer + mallet
BB tools (several types)
chain whip
Cassette tool
large and small torque wrench
Massive socket set
Allen set (fits with the sockets and torque wrenches and convertersfor 1/4 and 3/4 inch)
Small mig welder (yes, it gets used - new BB shell fitted with it!)
Angle grinder (see above)
Large hyperdermic needle (adding fluid to hydralic brakes)
Coppaslip (copper anti-seize grease) ESSENTIAL!!!!! DON'T BUILD WITHOUT IT!!!!! COVER EVERY BOLT THREAD, BB THREADS, SEAT POST and so on!
Lithium grease for headset
oil for chain
oil for hydraulic disks (not car brake fluid with a "dot" mark - it is corrosive)
Bloody sharp knife for handlebar tape!
I even have tools for re-threading BB's and bolts + a stud extractor.....not really required though! Square taper crank extractor is useful though......

Useful to have a stand too - but I just have hooks from my workshop ceiling and hang bikes up - cover the hooks in foam!!!!!

Recommend plenty of old towels on the floor when rebuilding suspension forks....fluid gets everywhere!

Most of my tools are Snap-on - Expensive, but they come with a lifetime guarentee and I use this kit to rebuild motorbikes...so, its worth the initial expense. Draper stuff is good too for the standard DIY'er. Torque wrenches are expensive, you can get away with one if it has a good range of torque settings.

Enjoy the delights of pottering in your shed/garage ligitimately......

gtvlusso

Oh and some bits of wood + a big G clamp to use as a headset press!

dennisn

robbarker wrote:

I'm probably not the one to ask - i view all of this as essential!

I'm with you. Nothing like having the tools to do it yourself. Although I do have a few
that don't get a lot of use and look brand new, but I have the stuff to do 99% or so
of what needs to be done. The only time my bike was in the shop was when it was new
and it needed the bottom bracket threads cleaned out. That's 200 or 300 dollars worth
of tool that I haven't convinced myself I need.

Oh ya, get a GOOD, repeat GOOD chain breaker. Nothing worse than a small, little,
funky one that barely works.

Dennis Noward

cjcp

robbarker wrote:

I'm probably not the one to ask - i view all of this as essential!

This is a fair shout for "Best Shed in the World".

nicklouse

robbarker wrote:

I'm probably not the one to ask - i view all of this as essential!

your roll cab is a bit small

Leedsblue

Great list and what a setup from robbarker

wgwarburton

Hi,
It's very hard to strike a balance when buying tools- good ones are expensive, you don't know what you need until you need it (and you can usually borrow the obscure ones, or farm the work out to your LBS).

You could do worse than buying a serviceable basic kit and then building on it according to your needs. Have a look at:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 148c003525

(must be a better URL for this- might be easier to go to <http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/&gt; and search for "Revolution Tune Up Tool Kit"

This has a sensible collection of tools, will wall-mount as-is, if you want it to and the quality is probably OK, if not up to Park standards.

The price strikes me as extremely good value.

If you manage to use/abuse one enough to bend or break it, buy the Park equivalent!

Cheers,
W.

singlespeedexplosif

This is a fair shout for "Best Shed in the World".

only if that's a mini-fridge on top of the washing machine? Otherwise -50 points for not having cold beer within reach of your workbench.

cjcp

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

This is a fair shout for "Best Shed in the World".

only if that's a mini-fridge on top of the washing machine? Otherwise -50 points for not having cold beer within reach of your workbench.

I stand corrected. Well spotted.

robbarker

It is, indeed, a dedicated beer fridge....

And the washing machine's a tumble drier, my one concession to Mrs B, although it is good for drying damp cycling kit!

itboffin

robbarker wrote:

I'm probably not the one to ask - i view all of this as essential!

If only my garage wasn't so full of bikes

andy83

that workshop has made me so jealous, roll on when we get own house and garage is for bikes not cars lol

Specialized Needs

andy83 wrote:

roll on when we get own house and garage is for bikes not cars lol

Can't fit a car (and barely our bikes) into ours. It's full of garden furniture, pots, storage freezer, lawn mower, garden shredder, barbeque (x2), tools (not neatly arranged), spare provisions for the washing machine and dishwasher, ...

It's like your wages. No matter how much more you seem to get, you always seem to find ways to use it up

Stuart

dennisn

andy83 wrote:

that workshop has made me so jealous, roll on when we get own house and garage is for bikes not cars lol

If you're married you will need a very understanding wife if you think for a minute that
women will put up with parkiing the car outside while your bikes take up space inside
an area where she could park. Luckily I don't have lots of bikes and we have a basement. Which is, of course, the only area where bikes are allowed.

Dennis Noward

singlespeedexplosif

people use their garage for cars? :shock:

andy83

well she can have all the garden for her plants and rabbits to use, ill have the garage, good compraise i think lol.

bikes a lot more important than a car

robbarker

itboffin wrote:

If only my garage wasn't so full of bikes

The bikes have their own area the other side of the gararge, to the right out of shot. You could create enough space for a home shop in there if you hung the bikes by their front wheels from wall hooks one side or the other...

Northwind

Tools wise, the Ice Toolz starter kit got a better mark in the last big test than the other ones in its price range, and it can be had for less as well. Seems like a good basic kit.

http://www.bikegoo.co.uk/product.php/17 ... ve_toolkit

Personally if I get a bike-specific toolkit, I want a kit that doesn't come with all the routine tools- I already have a nice set of t-handled allens, some lovely teng tools screwdrivers, etc etc, I don't need more cheap tat ones. But then they make the tool chest look more full, cost pennies to include and means they can put a sticker on the front saying "80 piece tool kit!" :? Like in the Ice Toolz kit, the allen keys, screwdriver and Inevitable Horrible Adjustable Wrench are all the same terrible monkey metal rubbish that appears in every cheap tool kit everywhere, from B&Q to Argos and all terrible points inbetween. And yet they're the tools you'll use most of.

PS, T-handled allen keys ftw. And if you have a 3/8 ratchet, allen key sockets and a long wobble bar. Lovely. And really good screwdrivers, damaging screw heads is a complete pain in the screwhead.

itboffin

robbarker wrote:

itboffin wrote:

If only my garage wasn't so full of bikes

The bikes have their own area the other side of the gararge, to the right out of shot. You could create enough space for a home shop in there if you hung the bikes by their front wheels from wall hooks one side or the other...

Yep i'm now inspired anyway most of that stuff in boxes hasn't been used for years it's time for a massive car boot sale, my workshop beckons, I'll post the revised version when it's finished.

PS. how long did yours take to build and for that matter cost?

nicklouse

the workshop.

a few years back.

most of the tools



needs a tidy up as it is a bit of a mess at the moment.

robbarker

The worst job was painitng breezeblock walls white - they soak up the paint! Well worth it though as lighting and brightnes are very important. I ran an eletricity supply in there too and have two long flourescent strips above rthe work area and lots of power sockets too. Well, can't do without a good sound system and the beer fridge in a workshop, now can we!

The pegboard was hard to get hold of but I sourced some from a board suppliers called Avon Plywood in Keynsham near Bristol.

I built the tool collection up over time starting years ago - if you buy them as you need them its suprising how quickly they mount up. I got quite a bit off ebay too, for example the air compressor was a 40 quid ebay used bargain, and a suprising proportion of the park stuff is secondhand too. I wouldn't like to buy all the tools in one go now, but if you need to Park do a starter kit with most of what you need, at a price:

http://www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/Park- ... kpk63.aspx

Add a decent workstand and bob's your uncle, buy anything else as you need it. My Park PRS-3OS is also a secondhand ebay buy - they are eyewateringly expensive new but come up from time to time, as do Kestrels - their model B is an awesome stand that you would just squeeze in there.

itboffin

I've just spent the last two days cleaning out my garage its starting to look more like a workshop.

robbarker

That's looking a lot bigger already! And I see you have a workstand already - it was lost in the background in the earlier pics!