Tool Kit

benneally

looking for some advice on tool kits, I think its about time I got mechanically sound on my bike considering i do engineering at uni...

I dont want to spend an arm's worth on a park tool set, but something cheap ~£40? I have seen some on ebay but just wondering if anyone has any advice/recommend a cheap kit?

I dont want a massive kit, wheel building is next week , this week i just want something intermediate

supersonic

Was a recent thread on this - also check out issue 99 of WMB as it reviews a load of them.

delcol

you get what you pay for..

buy cheap buy twice..

not only that cheap tools are false economy not only do have to buy twice when they fail but you end up killing your bike parts to..
rounded off allen bolts and trip to the shop to get them removed..

my advice would be go for something decent that usually means paying the price....

supersonic

I have to disagree with you there in some respects - these 40 quid toolsets are great for the home mechanic. I have used a variety of tools over the years when working as a full time mechanic, including snap on, parktools and pedros, and these cheap kits have some tools that are just as good. In fact I prefer some of them.

If anything it is the cone spanners that let them down.

I currently use a Lifeline toolkit.

delcol

i looked at the lifeline toolkit before plunging for the park one i was put off by the price,

i never worked in a bikeshop but tinker with my own bikes and friends bikes.

i had cheap allen keys ie £5-8 sets fail and round off on me i killed cheap chain tools too, i never really used cone spaners may once or twice.
i have parks tool kit. some bondhaus allenkeys and even some pedros tools..
i also have some brittool spanners and teng. and teng hacksaws..

now to totally contradict myself i gotwell my brother got them cheap off the net and from a local shop... :oops:

Dazzza

Some bits you can get away with buying cheap like allen keys or spanners, the trick is to buy decent quality and not fork out for it.

Personally id buy individually bit by bit, start with the basics like...

Pedal spanners
bb tool
Chain tool
Allen keys
Spoke key
Torx keys
Tyre levers

Those tools above will cover nearly all you'll require.

Pedros and park both make quality gear.

drumon

Cheap allen keys and spanners will fail, they round or bend and will ruin the parts on your bike. Remember they are the tools you use most, even if you dont do much tool work, and it only takes one use of a cheap tool to start doing the damage.

Northwind

Yup. Good allen keys are an investment, no doubt at all. That's why I don't rate the bigger (toolbox)Lifeline kit, it has very little that the small one (briefcase) doesn't have, and the bits that it adds- allen keys etc- aren't great.

I highly recommend the smaller Lifeline kit myself, I'm used to nice tools and they don't reach the standards of my Teng kit bit they've proved more than good enough. It has a couple of omissions- no T25 torq, no old-school BB thing, no chain checker- so I got those seperately. What I mainly like about it is that it's mainly bike specific tools, so for people who already have a toolkit for general stuff there's little duplication.

So, I reckon small Lifeline kit (£50) and then fill the gaps, and buy the best set of T-handle allen keys you can afford. And possibly cable cutters, the Lifeline ones work well but it seems they won't last all that long. But the BB tool, chainbreaker, chainwhip, cassette tool etc are all as good as they need to be.

supersonic

I got the big Lifeline kit - allen keys seem fine.

Though i got it for 40 quid ;-)

Thread8

Northwind wrote:

Yup. Good allen keys are an investment, no doubt at all. That's why I don't rate the bigger (toolbox)Lifeline kit, it has very little that the small one (briefcase) doesn't have, and the bits that it adds- allen keys etc- aren't great.

I highly recommend the smaller Lifeline kit myself, I'm used to nice tools and they don't reach the standards of my Teng kit bit they've proved more than good enough. It has a couple of omissions- no T25 torq, no old-school BB thing, no chain checker- so I got those seperately. What I mainly like about it is that it's mainly bike specific tools, so for people who already have a toolkit for general stuff there's little duplication.

So, I reckon small Lifeline kit (£50) and then fill the gaps, and buy the best set of T-handle allen keys you can afford. And possibly cable cutters, the Lifeline ones work well but it seems they won't last all that long. But the BB tool, chainbreaker, chainwhip, cassette tool etc are all as good as they need to be.

i totally agree, lifeline tools are fine for the money and you definatly need the best allen keys you can afford. the ones on your multitool are really only good for emergencies, ive had multitool keys snap on me in loads of workshop situations

tjwood

I've just bought the smaller Lifeline toolkit and though I've not used it yet I must say the tools seem decent quality for the price. The larger one only seemed to add a bunch of non-bike-specific tools which you can get better elsewhere.

I also have one of these and it's ace:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/62735/Van ... t-1-4-46Pc

Much better being able to use hex and torx head sockets on a ratchet tool or screwdriver handle than fiddling around with allen keys. (I also have a Screwfix £30 torque wrench which will use the same socket heads).

nicklouse

list of tools in the FAQs and lot and lot of topic like this in the buying advice fora.

drummondjhn

just got this have stripped one bike with is ok so far ok for price i think

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... oh_product

supersonic

This months MBUK has a free allen key set (seperate keys). Seem absoulutely fine, not made of monkey metal, and good defined edges.

delcol

i have some bondhaus allen keys, they are amazing quality,

i'm pretty sure they have a life time guarntee with them...

they not that expensive either when compaired to some bike specific brands park pedros,,,

around £18 for a set....

largephil

The keys in MBUK this month are good, better than the set I had! So I have chucked my old keys out

supersonic

I'd want them gold plated at £18 ;-)