Now I'm doing some decent mileage I'd like to get some tools to help with maintenance. I want to be able to remove rear cassettes so I can grease bearings etc. 

 

Does this seem seem like a good kit to buy? http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJW33PC/jobsworth-super-pro-all-u-need-workshop-toolkit

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJWTK/jobsworth-shimano-specific-18-piece-cycle-tool-kit

 

thinking this might be better value 

Or this?

 

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJW41PCTK/jobsworth-pro-41pc-swap-shop

Depends what you have already I guess. If you have spanners/allen keys/torx drivers etc then you'd be buying duplicates with that last kit. 

 

Also look at what your bike needs, e.g. is it a shimano cassette or a Sram one, have you got normal cotter less cranks and need a puller  or different ones that dont need a puller, have you got cone and cup wheel bearings or sealed  rollers?

 

If it were me I'd look at each bit of the bike and list what you'd need to remove the parts youd like to get off and work out what tools you need.

 

Things I have and like:

 

Good quality track pump - almost essential to be honest - Topeak Joe-Blow is a good one.

Good quality cone spannners.

Good quality cable cutters and end cap crimps.

Set of t-handle ball-end allen keys (Bondhus are lovely but pricey)

Shimano cassette tool

2-20Nm torque wrench (prob only important for carbon frames)

Decent bike stand - I have a wall fixing one

Park chain cleaner

Good chain tool - if you have 11 speed make sure it works.

Quick-link pliers if you have a QL

 

 

 

I have track pump and general tools. My roadie is SRAM and my MTB is shimano, would I need two sets of tools to remove rear cassettes? I want to be able to grease bearings as routine maintenance. My front wheel on roadbike has roller bearings with a cover you can remove to grease. 

I have a few jobsworth tools and I found them cheap.  Not to say they won't do the job but I am very conscious about how a tool feels in my hand.  I really like Wera tools as they feel good and do a great job.  

 

Park tools are also good and there are many of them so it is sometimes better to buy and build them up when need rather than buy a set. You can see the difference here:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/park-tool-advanced-mechanic-tool-kit-ak2/rp-prod149855?gs=1&gclid=CjwKEAiAn7HEBRDHwNqitoWqsQcSJAADWmI2ygEEZnATXPTkV1SDDi4jp8G5fAhtTd-PZw4hzlcP_hoCAWzw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Certainly the Park cable cutters are excellent, if you buy cheap then you will likely get problems.  Also if you're going to take the cassette off you will also need a chain whip.  

If you look up the Park on youtube or maybe watch:

 

 

That might help.

The triple allen key is really useful.

Edited 28 January, 20179 yr by Bud
Additional comment

I've never removed  Sram cassette but I believe the same tool works for both them and shimano. Will also need a chain whip.

 

Shimano hubs are normally cup and cone and on some you can use a grease gun to purge out the old grease. I use the Weldtite grease guns that fit to the tubes of grease as they work really well. If you need to take the axles apart buy good cone spanners like the Park ones as the cheap pressed metal ones are utter garbage and will bend like a pretzel.

 

Was thinking of other tools. A good spoke key is good to have. Not a crappy round multi-size one but one like spokey or Park one. Make sure it fits well or it will marr the nipples.

 

Oh, and a decent multi-tool to take on rides with you - I like the topeak ones. Top tip for kit to take on rides is to take a pair of disposable gloves so as to keep your hands clean while changing tubes etc.

4 hours ago, edwards said:

Depends what you have already I guess. If you have spanners/allen keys/torx drivers etc then you'd be buying duplicates with that last kit. 

 

Also look at what your bike needs, e.g. is it a shimano cassette or a Sram one, have you got normal cotter less cranks and need a puller  or different ones that dont need a puller, have you got cone and cup wheel bearings or sealed  rollers?

 

If it were me I'd look at each bit of the bike and list what you'd need to remove the parts youd like to get off and work out what tools you need.

 

Things I have and like:

 

Good quality track pump - almost essential to be honest - Topeak Joe-Blow is a good one.

Good quality cone spannners.

Good quality cable cutters and end cap crimps.

Set of t-handle ball-end allen keys (Bondhus are lovely but pricey)

Shimano cassette tool

2-20Nm torque wrench (prob only important for carbon frames)

Decent bike stand - I have a wall fixing one

Park chain cleaner

Good chain tool - if you have 11 speed make sure it works.

Quick-link pliers if you have a QL

 

 

 

+1 for the list above plus Park pedal spanner (thin enough to get between the pedal and the crank, and provide enough leverage).

A couple of torx drivers for disc brakes, if fitted.T10 seems to fit most.

A lot of the kits available tend to have things you may never use.

Thanks for the advice guys, given me some stuff to think about. 

Agreed with the above guys..........Good advice.

 

Although I think the first kit 'linked' is a bit (lot) overkill, it does have one tool included that is a 'must have',

 

A Dust cap wrench...................................................wtf.

The most important tool is the bottle opener, cannot fettle your bike unless you have the right lubrication at hand

Thought i could do with yet another 'Free Complimentary Multi Tool & pedal spanner',

so waiting in anticipation of my new bike arriving, Wednesday if lucky maybe Thursday

& in good time to have it as i want for a long weekend away.

 

I decided that 1 more keeper was in order to make it 3, a fat bike, carbon 27.5 & a short travel full sus,

so tidied up my store, parted up a couple of bikes, boxed some tools etc and decided i had space.

I think i really need to donate some tools to a charity though but they are all good memories when i handle them.

So a 2016 GT Sensor AL Expert is hopefully on its way with Yodel later today.

(Not highly rated but i like them, & it is all i need for my riding, and it was looking like 'Much Cheapness')

Edited 30 January, 20179 yr by Offski

1 hour ago, Offski said:

Thought i could do with yet another 'Free Complimentary Tool & pedal spanner',

so waiting in anticipation of my new bike arriving, Wednesday if lucky maybe Thursday

& in good time to have it as i want for a long weekend away.

 

I decided that 1 more keeper was in order to make it 3, a fat bike, carbon 27.5 & a short travel full sus,

so tidied up my store, parted up a couple of bikes, boxed some tools etc and decided i had space.

I think i really need to donate some tools to a charity though but they are all good memories when i handle them.

So a 2016 GT Sensor AL Expert is hopefully on its way with Yodel later today.

(Not highly rated but i like them it is all i need for my riding, and it was looking like 'Much Cheapness')

 

I've been looking at full sus bikes, Wiggle have some great deals on, but my mrs won't be happy with me getting three bikes since September, will probably have to wit till next year unless I get a big work bonus

N+1 strikes again......

 

I've managed a cyclocross bike and a road bike in 14 months, and still have my balls intact. One more and the wife would change that for me in a heartbeat :-)

 

On the tool front, just had to buy a new BB tool for my new bike as it has a hollow-tech crank and that is different to the others in the collection. And a headset removal tool  as the mountain bike needs a new headset. Yay tools!

19 hours ago, Bud said:

the right lubrication at hand

 

Would that be a Bud wise rrr?..........Lol.

went for this one in the end http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJW41PCTK/jobsworth-pro-41pc-swap-shop 

 

I needed to order a road helmet, some extra water bottles, a garmin mount and a few other little bits, hopefully it should enable me to carry out some additional routine maintenance without breaking the bank!

 

Next on my radar is a Garmin 520! 

When you get one bike, get the majority of tools you're short of for the jobs you're capable of and then when you get a new one you may need a couple of other tools to do jobs. For example, at first you may have a threaded bottom bracket so will need a bottom bracket spanner, then when you change bike it may be push fit. Way back when, I started with a kit very similar to the one you chose and still have it now and use it just for cassette jobs and removing threaded bottom brackets, if I ever go away somewhere without tools I'll chuck it in the car and know I can fix the most basic of jobs. 

 

That aside some of the tools I have that I love......

Wera allen key set

Wera torx set

Park cable cutters

Cyclus headset press (sourced the larger 1.5 inch adapters and this doubles up as bottom bracket press too)

Headset remover

 

Love a good tool shot too!

Is that inside the house? I'd never get away with that, although beer fridge and carpet in the garage makes it acceptable to work there.

 

Some of those bits I would only occasionally use certainly the press and the head tube guide I can do without, others are go to items especially my Wera allen keys.  I do need to get a Chris King grease guide though.  Show me your other drawers.

My OH has his Honda CRX in the garage plus a quite small tool chest so there's no room for mine. When I moved in, it was his idea to put the tool chest in the hallway. He does complain when i strip hope hubs on the chopping board though.... I could really do with room from a decent work bench inside but hey beggers can't be choosers! Need to trim down my carbon steerer at the weekend and with no work bench and vice it'll be an interesting experience!

Try the sort of charity shop that does furniture; I got a 4'x3' formica-topped table with detachable legs for £10 as a work bench.

Wera all the way for screwdrivers, allen/torx drivers and keys. Bondhus are my fav t-handles due to the heavy handle and 'spinability'.

 

I made my own headset/bb press tool but having a lathe makes that much easier. 

 

Tools are a whole illness in themselves. No idea why I need them, but I appear to have 5 torque wrenches for a start. The local Knipex dealer is also my best mate - you just can't beat their Cobra grips - but why I have 4 pairs is anyone's guess!

Must have shiny things

Personally I just buy the best bike tools I can as I need them, Amazon, CRC etc will have them to you next day anyway. Golfchick has some nice tools but I couldn't justify the spend on them without the usage, a stronger, lighter wheelset would make more sense to my wallet. 

 

For basic maintenance which is about 98% of what you'll be doing you would only need:

 

Allen Keys (Bondhus as already mentioned)

Pedal spanner, longer the better.

Tools for your crank and bottom bracket. Different variations make sure you have the right one. (ones that will fit on your existing socket wrench

Philips screwedrivers you probably already have.

Grease gun and some Mobil XHP222 grease. The lovely blue thick stuff that Hope use.

Chain whip

Cassette tool (one that will fit on your existing socket wrench)

Cable cutters - Pedro or Shimano.

Quick link pliers and spare links

Bike stand - Park Tools are expensive but worth it.

Gloves, why has no one else mentioned gloves. Knuckle protection too, who hasn't taken the skin off their hands on the chainset or cassette.

Spoke key, I prefer the disc ones

Tyre levers. Lots of tyres you will get on and off by hand but try fitting something like a Marathon Plus without good levers and you'll end up screaming the place down. 

 

Torque wrenches are good for bottom brackets and cassettes but everything else you need to learn use the long side of allen key and push down at the end with one digit. If you can't push any further without bending your finger back or the Allen key flexing then you've reached the right amount of torque. If you don't belief me try it.

 

 

I suppose there are some jobs where I do go the LBS to get them done.  Headsets/Steerer Tube/BB etc as they have the kit, reaming, facing/pressing/vice to do the job and if you have a good relationship with them they will always help you out and give advice where necessary.

 

I built a titanium frame up, got the frame builder to fit Chris King BB and headset, then built up from there.  Fit the forks with full length steerer tube and play about with spacers to get the stack height correct probably took a few months to ensure that I was happy.  Then took it into the LBS and paid them a few quid to chop the steerer and remove the excess on the seat post, did it while I waited and had a coffee.  Everybody happy.

 

Yep gloves are something I wear more regularly now.

 

Wheelsets: strong, light, cheap; select 2 of the 3. Anyway as a chunky bloke I probably wouldn't worry about those too much and just see how they go.  

 

Now cleaning is another thing entirely, should we start a push bike detailing thread? I've always spent more time and effort fettling my treaders than I have cars.

 

Edited 2 February, 20179 yr by Bud