Best tool kit to cover truvativ gxp b/b work

Big dave 3

I have got sick off the lack off independant bike techs near me, so I am going to attempt repairs/bike work myself, now I have the Haynes manual.

I have a Cube team ltd with Truvativ Firex crank with GXP bearing. I understand that these require special tools to take off the crank arm & then remove the bearing?

I am after a basic tool kit that would have the tools required to do this. I do not have most of the other items in the kit, i.e. cassette tool, cone spanners etc, so I'm guessing it makes more sense to buy the tools in 1 kit?

My girlfriend also has a GT Agressor/Avalanche with a standard bottom bracket so ideally the kit would be able to work on her bottom bracket & crank as well.

The kits that I am looking at seem to range from £27-50:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_210152

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=T0046

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=31

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=31

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360031531/

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=T0045

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=T0053

The last one seems to my favourite-but it would, as it's the most expensive.

Can anyone enlighten me on which one of these kits would be best for doing the jobs on both bikes? Or are there any other recommended kits?

ANy advice gratefully received. Sorry Im a newbie on bottom brackets/cranks & tools required :?

Dirtydog11

My girlfriend also has a GT Agressor/Avalanche with a standard bottom bracket so ideally the kit would be able to work on her bottom bracket & crank as well.

Standard bottom bracket?

Isis/octalink/square taper. What crank does your girlfriend have fitted to her Aggressor/Avalanche?

Big dave 3

Dirtydog11 wrote:

My girlfriend also has a GT Agressor/Avalanche with a standard bottom bracket so ideally the kit would be able to work on her bottom bracket & crank as well.

Standard bottom bracket?

Isis/octalink/square taper. What crank does your girlfriend have fitted to her Aggressor/Avalanche?

Excuse my ignorance, but how would I know which one of these the bracket is, without removing the crank & the bracket? :oops:

Dirtydog11

Sorry Dave you can ignore the question as the last five of the seven toolkits you've listed come with 2 in 1 pullers that will work with both splined and square taper cranks.

The first kit you've listed doesn't come with a hollowtech tool. Forget that.
The second doesn't come with 2 in 1 pullers (at least it doesnt specify that it does).So forget that.

The two from Merlin are £40.00 quid but dont come with cable cutters unlike the Lifeline kit also 40.00 from Wiggle which does.

However for an extra £8.00 the last one on your list (proper hex wrenches, chaincleaner, and full set of cone spanners) appears to be the most comprehensive and offers the best value for money.

In fact there's a remarkable resemelence to this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeLine_Professional_Tool_Kit/5360031530/
and this
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/tools/cycling-tools/tool-kits/product/professional-tool-kit-30298

which I suspect will make the decision a whole lot easier.

Big dave 3

Dirtydog11 wrote:

Sorry Dave you can ignore the question as the last five of the seven toolkits you've listed come with 2 in 1 pullers that will work with both splined and square taper cranks.

The first kit you've listed doesn't come with a hollowtech tool. Forget that.
The second doesn't come with 2 in 1 pullers (at least it doesnt specify that it does).So forget that.

The two from Merlin are £40.00 quid but dont come with cable cutters unlike the Lifeline kit also 40.00 from Wiggle which does.

However for an extra £8.00 the last one on your list (proper hex wrenches, chaincleaner, and full set of cone spanners) appears to be the most comprehensive and offers the best value for money.

In fact there's a remarkable resemelence to this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeLine_Professional_Tool_Kit/5360031530/
and this
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/tools/cycling-tools/tool-kits/product/professional-tool-kit-30298

which I suspect will make the decision a whole lot easier.

The lifeline prefessional tool kit at £90 is more than what I want to spend really. The last tool kit (the PBK pro) does seem very similar but for £54 ish with postage.

So would this enable me to pull both all types of cranks & work on a variety of bottom brackets?

Big dave 3

OK, Ive had a good look at the girlfriend's GT. It is a FSA Alpha Drive crank.

It seems that this uses an ISIS bottom bracket.

WHat bottom bracket tool would be required to extract this?

WOuld this tool kit cover that?

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=T0053

nicklouse

it should do but it depends on what the BB is.

Big dave 3

FRom what shops on the internet are saying, the crank fits with a ISIS bottom bracket

Dirtydog11

However for an extra £8.00 the last one on your list (proper hex wrenches, chaincleaner, and full set of cone spanners) appears to be the most comprehensive and offers the best value for money.

In fact there's a remarkable resemelence to this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360031530/
and this
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -kit-30298

which I suspect will make the decision a whole lot easier

They're the same as the Pro Toolkit!!

The Lifelines £90 and gets a 4.5 star review whilst the Pro kit is £50.00.

I was trying to point out that the Prokit is a bit of a bargain but you seemed to have missed the point.

The Kit has a 2 in 1puller so it works with splined (octalink/isis BB's) and square taper BB's so it will work with both bikes.

Big dave 3

cheers dirty dog for the advice.

I got that tool kit in the end.

Mmm . . . not eactly the most solid feeling of tools. BUt with all those tools for £50, I suppose it's not going to be.

Looking back, I wish I'd extended my own basic tool kit I already had & supplemeted with the crank, bottom bracket tools & the thin bike spanners etc which I needed. I already had more solid versions of the other tools i.e. screwdrivers & Pedros allen key bars in my existing tool kit.

Never mind, the kit would be good for someone with no tools at all though