Best bicycle specific tool kit for someone on a budget?
Would I be better off just piecing together a set of my own, or going with a standard set? Like I said I'm in the middle of my second build, and I know things would be much easier for me with certain tools. I plan on building more bicycles, and my ultimate goal is to build a complete road bike from the ground up some day. I'm looking to spend no more than about $100 or so.
I'm fine with building a kit slowly, but thought I'd ask some fellow chain linkers for advice before purchasing things I may never use.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on
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You are not going to get a kit that is even close to complete/useful for around a $100 bucks. UBT has a kit that would probably end up being closer to $150-200 depending on the shops mark up. In the long run it will cost more but if you go piece by piece for the tasks you need is the most affordable way to go.
That or utilize West Town Bikes and use the expensive tools you need for a small donation at open shop.
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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on
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Air tools on a bike. Sounds fun! I've bought tools bit by bit and gone to the Recyclery for bigger things like headset replacements.
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Permalink Reply by Duppie on
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You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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I looked at that one, but the reviews aren't great. They mention tool rounding, and poor fit. The next step up looks good at $109.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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Permalink Reply by David P. on
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There's nothing wrong with buying tools piece-by-piece if you don't have the money to buy things all at once, but if the budget allows it, tools are virtually always cheaper if you are able to buy them in sets. I've always done my own car maintenance, so I already had a good collection of tools, but still had to collect the bikey stuff.
Among not-specifically-bikey tools, the ones I find useful for bike work are ratcheting box-end wrenches. I use 8mm and 10mm wrenches for small hardware with hex bolts (e.g. fender strut hardware, brackets, nuts in fork crown bolts) and a 15mm wrench for the axle nuts on my SS. Also a torque wrench and suitable socket (1 1/4", typically) for torquing down cartridge bottom brackets; not worth buying just for this, but your boyfriend must already have one (tip: use a long QR skewer to hold the BB tool on for cartridge BBs so that it doesn't slip off when you're putting the cups in.) Cup and cone BBs will require their own tools, so that.
You'll want a set of allen wrenches, either long L-shaped ones or the ones with plastic handles and short and long ends. A ball end is very useful for getting fasteners in where clearances are tight. If your BF has a set of allen-head sockets for a ratchet, these will serve you just fine except for the tight-clearance spaces. You may need several cassette/freewheel tools (e.g. Shimano, 2-prong, 4-prong) depending on what brands of parts you work on. I'd get a Shimano tool first and others only if you need them.
Fine-tip needle-nose pliers are useful (I use them to get retaining pins in and out of cartridge brake pads.) Get a right-sized piece of pipe or steel tubing or whatever fits to use as a cheater bar over the handles of things like pedal wrenches when you have something that's tough to break loose or that you don't have enough hand or arm strength to break loose with a 6" handle.
You absolutely should have a really good cable & housing cutter. In general, I think that if you're going to buy a specialized specific-function tool, you shouldn't skimp; if there's a choice between consumer-grade and pro-grade options, the pro-grade is usually worth the extra money for tools like this. Also rattail and flat files for finishing cable housing ends.
You might find a third-hand tool handy for brake setup, but I wouldn't call it necessary.
Headset installation and removal tools are somewhat necessary (particularly for removing and installing crown races) but also very expensive. Worth going to West Town, etc. for stuff like that.
Don't forget anti-seize for threaded fasteners and seatposts.Sorry if this is a little broader than you really asked for...
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That 49 dollar kit looks really cheap; most of it would end up replaced in the long run.
I am the sort who feels it is best to spend the money up front, and only once, when it comes to tools.
Amanda said:I looked at that one, but the reviews aren't great. They mention tool rounding, and poor fit. The next step up looks good at $109.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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I still have most tools and they work well. Some I have replaced, most notably the pedal wrench.
How many bikes do you plan to build? They are by no means bike-shop quality, but if you maintain a few bikes that you use daily, this kit will serve you well.
Amanda said:I looked at that one, but the reviews aren't great. They mention tool rounding, and poor fit. The next step up looks good at $109.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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You are right. They are not heirloom quality. But if I remember correctly I paid $34.99 on a deep sale for that set six years ago.
How much did you end up paying for a similar, but higher quality set? 3 to 5 times as much?
Which one is the better choice largely depends on how many bikes OP wants to build and maintain.
notoriousDUG said:That 49 dollar kit looks really cheap; most of it would end up replaced in the long run.
I am the sort who feels it is best to spend the money up front, and only once, when it comes to tools.
Amanda said:I looked at that one, but the reviews aren't great. They mention tool rounding, and poor fit. The next step up looks good at $109.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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I have actually spent nothing on bicycle tools; I work in a bike shop so that covers most of my need and I use West Town Bikes for the rest.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You are right. They are not heirloom quality. But if I remember correctly I paid $34.99 on a deep sale for that set six years ago.
How much did you end up paying for a similar, but higher quality set? 3 to 5 times as much?
Which one is the better choice largely depends on how many bikes OP wants to build and maintain.
notoriousDUG said:That 49 dollar kit looks really cheap; most of it would end up replaced in the long run.
I am the sort who feels it is best to spend the money up front, and only once, when it comes to tools.
Amanda said:I looked at that one, but the reviews aren't great. They mention tool rounding, and poor fit. The next step up looks good at $109.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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I don't necessarily have a solid number. It's usually determined by me coming across a frame. I'm a teacher and have my summers free so building has become a hobby. I currently have three bicycles, and I maintain each. I am considering a nashbar set at the moment.
Duppie 13.5185km said:I still have most tools and they work well. Some I have replaced, most notably the pedal wrench.
How many bikes do you plan to build? They are by no means bike-shop quality, but if you maintain a few bikes that you use daily, this kit will serve you well.
Amanda said:I looked at that one, but the reviews aren't great. They mention tool rounding, and poor fit. The next step up looks good at $109.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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In that case, you probably should get a better set than the one I suggested.
Amanda said:I don't necessarily have a solid number. It's usually determined by me coming across a frame. I'm a teacher and have my summers free so building has become a hobby. I currently have three bicycles, and I maintain each. I am considering a nashbar set at the moment.
Duppie 13.5185km said:I still have most tools and they work well. Some I have replaced, most notably the pedal wrench.
How many bikes do you plan to build? They are by no means bike-shop quality, but if you maintain a few bikes that you use daily, this kit will serve you well.
Amanda said:I looked at that one, but the reviews aren't great. They mention tool rounding, and poor fit. The next step up looks good at $109.
Duppie 13.5185km said:You may even find it for cheaper. It is not a super high quality set, but it is what I started out with. Served me very well when i first started maintaining my own bikes. From there on I added more specific tools
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Permalink Reply by TehDoak on
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Honestly, if its something you are going to do alot, better to invest and get good tools. I started an amazon wishlist of all the tools I want/need and give that to people when they ask for birthday/Christmas ideas. My fiancee got me a park chainbreaker for Valentines day this year. Go talk with your local bike shop. If they are worth their salt they will let you use their tools/show you how to use them. Also, as Dug mentioned, West Town Bike's open shop is a great resource. Spend $30-$40 there to work on your bike with a professional mechanic and have access to all the tools is a great resource.
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