Special tools, what do I need and where do I buy?

Jody400

The crank on my Carrera fury 2011 has got clonky again. The last time I took it to the shop where the guy stripped it, greased it and put it back together and all was well.


Well I'm ok with the spanners and have a huge tool collection but I'm led to believe I need some specialist tools for things like crank nuts etc.

So in order to do maintenance that is a bit more indepth than just the tyre pressure what do I need and where do I buy it ?

cooldad

Depends what cranks/bottom bracket you have.
But useful tools are a BB tool (need to know what's on the bike), a cassette tool and chain whip, and a chain tool for breaking chains.
Pretty much everything else can be done with some allen keys and maybe a few torx keys.
A decent multitool will cover most.

nicklouse

read the info on parktools.

I will help youID what you have and show what tools are needed.

Giraffoto

In addition to CoolDad's list above, one or more torque wrenches (big and small), plus hex key bits that will go on it in 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8mm and a torx bit for disk rotor bolts

cooldad

A torque wrench is a nice to have but by no means necessary. I've never used one on a bike, and I am really old.

Giraffoto

I'm 43 and use mine loads

EH_Rob

Ah yes, the old 'state your age followed by experience with a torque wrench' game.

classic.

mintedox

A spoke key comes in handy too, mine stays in my bag now.

cooldad

EH_Rob wrote:

Ah yes, the old 'state your age followed by experience with a torque wrench' game.

classic.

Well apert from being old and wise, so you are partially correct, what I meant was I have never used one, and never noticed any obviously detrimental consequences.

Giraffoto

I shall show maturity befitting my years and say, it were 'im what started it.

In fact, it illustrates the reasonably useful point that a torque wrench is a nice to have: some people need to measure torque to get it right, some people just know what it feels like.

nicklouse

Giraffoto wrote:

some people need to measure torque to get it right, some people just know what it feels like.

and there is the nub of the issue without having used a torque wrench how do you know what it feels like?

do you know why the original Allen keys are shaped the way they are? and why the new handled ones are not that clever?

cooldad

Nope but I do know I have one, two or three fingered levels of tightness, depending on the bolt.
And for spanners, fingers, hand. arm, shoulder and stomp on the farker levels.

Giraffoto

nicklouse wrote:

do you know why the original Allen keys are shaped the way they are? and why the new handled ones are not that clever?

Ooh! Ooh! I know! It's to limit the amount of torque you can apply to what's available in just the few fingers you can grip it with. A torque wrench is still better for me, I haven't even developed that kind of feel for it

oxocube1

http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p41164/Bike-H ... imano.aspx

Pretty much everything you need in that tool set to get you started at a really decent price. I have the same set and it does me fine for on-the-go maintenance and in the workshop.

paul.skibum

cooldad wrote:

Nope but I do know I have one, two or three fingered levels of tightness, depending on the bolt.
And for spanners, fingers, hand. arm, shoulder and stomp on the farker levels.

+1

Same reason tyre pressure is either too squishy, too not squishy or just right.