Tools for a build

lewishamilton

Looking to build a summer bike this winter (to give myself plenty of time), so will be buying the various parts over the next couple of months...

First ever build and I'm aiming to do all of it myself.
I have an idea of some tools that will be needed but was hoping someone could school me very quickly and list the tools that are essential to build this puppy...

Cheers

anto164

Workstand. (A good quality one)

Torque Wrench (ok ones start at about £50)

Good set of allen keys. It's worth spending money on these, as the more expensive/branded ones really are better.

Good set of cable snips.

15mm pedal spanner (Normal spanners don't normally fit the small slot of shimano pedals, dont know about CBros/Look/other brands).

Hacksaw (Steerers/Seatposts). it's also handy to have a D shaped file too for smoothing freshly cut edges.

Depending on what frame, and what BB you're putting in there, then you'll need either a BB press, or a BB tool (Depends on what you buy).

Grease, some decent lithium grease for places like headset, and graphite grease for seatpost. If it's carbon you're putting in there, or if the frame is carbon, i think you'll need specific carbon grease.

Then the normal tyre levers/trackpump/scissors/patience/tea making assistant.

I think that's it.

SteK

What kind of chain do you plan to use?? Some require a specific tool, at least you'll probably need a traditional chain splitter to knock a few links out of a new chain and get it on the bike - if you plan to use Campag and their permalink/ultralink thingies you either need their expensive tool or you need to take it along to a bike shop that'll do it for you... There's probably a whole thread on which chain is best to use...

I've always found a headset press to be essential too. (When I was young and rode BMX and MTB we used to hammer the cups in using bits of wood and whatever we could find to whack it with!! It makes me cringe to even think about this now!! - If you do this the cycling gods will hit you with a bolt of lightning and you'd never get to ride your new bike. Be warned!)

Stephen

lewishamilton

Cheers for the replies fella's. Really appreciated.

So it's going to be a carbon jobby with Sram groupset (10 speed). I was just reading a thread about Sram chains and having to use a powerlink/lock and the general consensus was to get a KMC chain...so I'll probably do that.

With regards to the BB, I was looking at GXP. To be honest, this is where my head goes into meltdown, as I've been reading threads about BB's (BB30 / GXP / Square Tapered) and it's all kind of a mess now. I was wondering whether it would be more cost effective to get the LBS to install it, as I would need to chase and face the frame. As opposed to buying the tools (which are likely to rarely be used again) and potentially making a right hash of the job.

SteK

I'm a fan of getting LBS to do the specialist stuff. Squeezing the headset cups in and bottom bracket stuff is always a good shout IMO. Errors could be costly, plus there's no harm in watching if it's something you plan to do in the future.

I'm a definite +1 for KMC chains. Between my house and my Dad's place there are bikes equipped with 9spd Ultegra, 10spd Dura-Ace and 10spd Record - they've all got KMC chains wrapped around them...

Also, this might be a bit odd, but I like to photo-diary as I build a bike! Gives me a nice sense of job well done when I look back over them!

Stephen

desweller

I'd get the LBS to chase and face the BB shell. I'd probably have a go at the freezer technique of headset cup installation - if it didn't work I'd get the old homemade press out (it's not very easy to get the logos in the right place with a length of studding and some big washers!).

Other than that:

Ball-ended allen keys
Bike-specific cable shears (you'll struggle with conventional sidecutters)
Bottom bracket wrench
Chain whip
Cassette lockring tool
10" adjustable wrench for whaling on the cassette lockring tool
Chain breaker
Junior hacksaw + blades
Tub of copaslip (much better VFM in a big tub than those little tubes, use on all threads and mating surfaces)
Tub of moly grease (for brake and derailleur pivot points)
Tin of WD40 for applying a light oil to the shifter internals
Stanley knife + blades (for bar tape)
Electrical tape for tying back your cables to the handlebars and taping up the ends of your bar tape
Miniature spanners (for derailleur cable clamps) EDIT: Bikes don't need these any more, d'oh!
Pedal spanner
If the wheels are cup-and-cone, cone spanners
Philips-head screwdriver for adjusting limit screws on mechs
Tyre levers
Pump

Phew. I think that's about it!

markshaw77

All the above sounds about right

The list of what I used on a recent build is here:
Bike Build Tools