Advice: Starter Workshop

yenkee

Hi All,

This is my first post so sorry if I have the wrong forum or if this has already been discussed elsewhere.

I've recently got back into cycling from not riding a bike since college days and am now commuting to work everyday on a C2W purchased Apollo Vortice. The bike has served me well since July last year but I'm beginning to hear some worrying noises from my bottom bracket :? .

Some WD40 seems to help but I'm thinking i should seek a longer term solution, I'm considering taking my bottom bracket apart. To do this i would like to set up a mini/starter workshop in my garage, i've got a budget of £100 to do so.

My searchs have so far pulled up the following options:
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop/Workshop++Tools/Workshop/Workstands/Bike+Tools+Workstand_BIKE-TOOLS-WORKSTAND-MASTER.htm

or a combo of:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Tools-Bike-Tool-Tool-Box-19-Piece/BIKETOOL250000000000
and http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/showPart.asp?part=BIKEWORK200000000000&bike=

These are the same stands but kits look to be different tool kits.

Anyone have any experience with the kits or can you recommend anything different? The vortice uses Shinamo parts so I'm guessing these tool would be suitable??

Berk Bonebonce

No. 1: Tool kits are a false economy, in as much as you get a load of tools you might never probably use. So, only buy the tools you need.

No.2: Get good quality tools from people like Park and Cyclus. Ison Distribution are a good supplier of bike tools, and they do retail through billys.co.uk

No.3: Dunna waste money on a workstand. People only buy them because they want something fancy in their garage so they can show their mates. 15 minutes bending down to replace a BB ain't going to do you no harm.

keef66

If your BB is making a racket, squirting it with WD40 will only accelerate it's demise. You need to whip it out and replace it.

Agree with 1 and 2 above, but if you're going to do any amount of work on a bike, a workstand is a godsend.

Having said that, I'd probably have the bike on the floor to remove a stubborn BB.

Dan_K

I would just buy the tools you need for this particular job.

Park tools online or a decent google will bring up loads of "how to" videos.

I'm a complete novice and changed my BB myself buying just the essential tools I needed.

A workstand in my opinion is essential. You'll either lean the bike up against something and then knock it over while you're working on it of flip it upside down and scrape the bars and seat.

It also helps when it comes to cleaning the bike.

benpinnick

Dan_K wrote:

I would just buy the tools you need for this particular job.

Park tools online or a decent google will bring up loads of "how to" videos.

I'm a complete novice and changed my BB myself buying just the essential tools I needed.

A workstand in my opinion is essential. You'll either lean the bike up against something and then knock it over while you're working on it of flip it upside down and scrape the bars and seat.

It also helps when it comes to cleaning the bike.

+ 1 for a workstand. Wouldn't give mine up.

Monty Dog

Most workstands are pretty useless for BB jobs - the amount of force/leverage you exert will simply topple them over. Putting the bike on the ground is far more stable IME

Agree on getting the right tools for each job rather than buying a toolkit which often contains tools of mediocre quality, plus ones you don't need.

www.parktool.com is an ideal resource and help you understand what you need for your bike. For a BB job suggested starter toolkit would be:

12" adjustable spanner - you'll need one for leverage (toolshop or DIY store)
Decent set of allen keys - 2.5 - 10mm covers most of the bases - tee-handle with hardened ball-ends are best.
BB tool - depends on model/type of bottom bracket
You may also need some sort of crank-puller (depends on model/style) of chainset
Likewise, 15mm hex socket to remove crank retainer bolts
Grease / antiseize to aid refitting

benpinnick

Only a stuck BB will trouble a decent workstand. Assuming you own one, maintenance is sooo much easier, that you'll be able to remove said BB often enough that it wont get stuck! Depending on the BB type (i.e. if its a hollowtech II style one you only need the one hollowtech II tool) I would recommend a good BB removal tool (Park/Shimano) with a socket end, and then a breaker bar from Halfords or similar. Much easier than spanners.

Top tip - to avoid the tool slipping out of the cup as the amount you can insert it is so shallow, try zip tying the BB tool to the bike frame before starting to remove the BB. You won't be able to wind it out far with it zippied on, but enough to break the stiction.

gareth273

I would say, for the money the offering from Merlin is pretty good. I have the same stand and tool kit and use most of it from time to time. Not had any quality issue with it.

The tools seem to be good quality for the price and the workstand although not great is up to most jobs (apart from the odd stubborn BB ive had to do).

I have used by stand to build up two bikes (one MTB and one road) plus every time i need to carry out maintenance work on one of the many bikes in the family + friends too.

Replacing the BB is fairly straight forward. Enjoy.

yenkee

Thanks for all replies, I'm amazed with the number of responses especially after only 1 day.

I think I will go with what Monty Dog said and spend my budget a little more selectively, I don't know what most of the tools in the kit are for anyway so they would probably never be used. I will investigate your list which means a lot more shopping around!

I'm still undecided about a work stand, I think that may have to wait. I'll see how my first bit of tinkering goes before i decide :?

ride_whenever

Just echoing what everyone else said, although you can get workstands suitable for bb extraction:



Brilliant piece of kit and the only brand i'd consider for home use.

darren H

You will be really pleased when you have tackled your first bottom bracket my friend. A lot of cyclists panic at the thought of even taking the chainring, cranks and then the bb out. But to be fair the last 10 years have seen this area of a bike become a lot easier to maintain.
Years ago it was a saga, cartridge brackets became simple and then now , well they are so easy to take apart.
You just need the special tools.

Good luck mate

silverpigeon

^^^ Very true^^^ and +1 for buying tools as you need them. I started out with a pair of cable cutters and set of allen keys given to me buy my LBS years ago.

Over the years it has grown to this lot

davis

silverpigeon wrote:

^^^ Very true^^^ and +1 for buying tools as you need them. I started out with a pair of cable cutters and set of allen keys given to me buy my LBS years ago.

Over the years it has grown to this lot

*Tools*!

Mmmmm tool envy (fnar, gnurk).... Though what are the two things to the right of the two chain tools (assuming they're both chain tools)?

keef66

the first one looks like a chainring bolt tool; goes in the slots in the back of the chainring bolt while you stick an allen or torx key in the front.

Can't make out what the blue handled thing next to it is though

davis

keef66 wrote:

the first one looks like a chainring bolt tool; goes in the slots in the back of the chainring bolt while you stick an allen or torx key in the front.

Oh yeah, one of them. I just use a 50p piece or a flathead screwdriver.

Nigel Bennett

I got a cheap workstand years ago; it's excellent for setting-up gears, as you can turn the pedals and adjust away to your heart's content. Having it upside-down to set gears isn't the way to do it IMHO. It only cost me about thirty quid, and it was an excellent investment.

Not much good for extracting BBs, though, as folk have already pointed out.

silverpigeon

keef66 wrote:

the first one looks like a chainring bolt tool; goes in the slots in the back of the chainring bolt while you stick an allen or torx key in the front.

Can't make out what the blue handled thing next to it is though

Yes, chainring bolt spanner. The other tool is used for separating disc brake pistons......... I also ride a MTB :oops:

yenkee

Impressive artillery silverpigeon! Probably take me a few a few years to get anywhere near that..