damme

What are all the needed torque wrench bits and other tools so I can tighten/open everything on my bike? I'm planning to build a new bike from a scratch (buying frame, components etc separately).

HillRider

Required allen keys for a bike are typically 3,4,5,6 and 8 mm but vary with the make and model of components you choose. Also there are a number of bike specific tools for working on bottom brackets, headsets, hubs , etc.

Be specific as to what you are getting and we can be more specific as to what you will need.

Actually the first "tool" you need is a good bike repair book and a tour through Park Tool's web site tutorials.

kinkicycle.com

Basically what HillRider just said. You will need some very specific tools for facing the headtube, bottom bracket etc, these will be quite expensive, you may even end up spending more on tools than you do on the frame and components. On the plus side you will have a pretty nice workshop set up if you want to build more bikes!

damme

I'm not sure yet what components or even what frame I'm choosing so I guess I have to bump this again after I know what I will get.

Kinkicycle, yes I want my own tools so I can fix and update my bike(s) by myself. One tool costs about as much as taking the bike to the shop and pay them to open something. Also I want to learn to do it myself since I enjoy it

I'm looking to buy another bike too which is fitness type flat bar bike (pre built). One thing that I might want to change to it is different cranks so I get larger Q factor. The bike has Truvativ Stylo crankset. Is there way to know what tools I need to change the crankset? I guess I have to change the BB too so I need tools for that too? Link to bike: Click.

cyclist2000

The cost of some of the tools specifically the facing tools cost many times the cost of having the LBS do the work and headset press is another example. These facing and thread cutting tools will probably only be used once on a bike. I have only removed the headset once on one of my bikes and that was to strip it down to be painted. Some tools just cost too much, it is cheaper to have the LBS do the work due to the infrequency of the work.

damme

Yes some tools might cost too much, but for example removing BB and crankset costed 25$ last time, tools for removing those can be bought for same price I think?

Continuity

Yeah - a crank puller and a BB tool can be had for around $15-20 each.

thegreatbelow

I don't think he will need facing tools if he is buying the frame and components from new.

HillRider

There are pedal extenders that space the pedals further away from the crank arms and give the effect of a larger Q-factor. They are a lot less expensive than changing the crank and bottom bracket.

Here is one source but there are a lot of others:

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_1hmy5zygsa_e

cyclist2000

If this is a new frame that hasn't been built up yet then it is the ideal time to have the bottom bracket and headset faced. Also there may be paint in the bottom bracket threads so the bottom bracket may need to be chased.

But my point is that the OP wanted to purchase his own tools but some tools are very expensive and infrequently used, and the home mechanic is better off going to the LBS or Co-op for certain work.

cny-bikeman

Let's see:

• You don't know what tools are used for what parts.
• You apparently are unable able to find that easily obtainable information on the Internet.
• You either don't know or don't care about using clear terminology, so refer to tools to "open" or "tighten," in spite of the fact that pretty much every site that discusse repair procedures uses the term removal and installation.
• You did not understand that it's impossible for anyone to answer your question when you don't know what frame or components you will have.
• Yet you have decided to build a bike from scratch (with no specified reason or goal) and you are worried about Q factor, two things that over 99% of cyclists never deal with or worry about.

You need to even out and broaden your knowledge, and consider exactly what you will gain from a scratch build vs. what it will cost in time and money, because what you believe on either count is likely not accurate.

As for tools, all you have to do is go to parktool.com/blog or Sheldonbrown.com or just use Google to search for install, replace or adjust and the name or brand/model for a given component. Waiting for answers regarding the tool for each part is a colossal waste of time and resources. Besides, all you will know at that point is the name of the tool - not how to use it, nor how to select the correct part to install for your usage or compatibility with the rest of the bike, nor how to adjust once you've installed it.

jolly_ross

Are you aiming at the end point, or the journey.

It's often cheaper to make use of LBSs economies of scale and just buy a complete bike - especially when you factor in the tools.

But if you're intent on building a bike for the pleasure of it then buy the tools as you go along.

You may screw a few things up and have to buy parts again - this is a good way to learn. Have fun

Park tools website, Sheldon Brown and innumerable youtube videos are good things to refer to at each step. Look at more than one source each time though.

cny-bikeman

It's always cheaper to buy a complete bike and make the changes you want/need.

Screwing up and spending even more time and money as a result is not a good way to learn, and certainly no fun. Mistakes will occur, but learning by trial and error is silly when there are plenty of resources available to help avoid mistakes.

fietsbob

Torque wrenches have a useful range so those You Need 3_ 1/4, 3/8, 1/2" .. example:
3/8" beam wrench range for external BB installation , pegs out of range , then you need the 1/2" one.

Yo Spiff

Some general tools are easy to suggest.
Allen wrenches
Cable cutter
screwdrivers
tire levers
Spoke wrenches
Workstand
Pedal wrench

Some are optional but very convenient to have:
Fourth hand tool (cable puller for brake adjustments)
Three way Allen wrench (my most often used tool)
Digital calipers to measure part diameters

Other tools are specific to the make and model of parts you are using:
Bottom bracket wrenches, for example.


I buy the special tools as I have need for them.

bhchdh 

The Park Tool web site https://www.parktool.com/ is an excellant resource for tools and their use.

damme

Let's see:

• Duh, that's why I made this thread.
• Maybe we should close this forum because most information people ask can be found on the internet?
• English is my third language.
• You didn't understand that I understood it.
• Maybe you should read my posts few more times before replying.

damme

Yeah I know about those, but better crankset with proper width looks and works better

Journey is as important as the destination!

damme

There are some nice aluminium road bikes at 1200€+ but I can build better bike with a little more money using chinese carbon frame set so that the bike has components I want and looks the way I want the main requirement for example is that the color of the bike is matte black without any logos. I don't feel like I would like start painting the new aluminium frame from a new complete bike.

What I'm missing from your post is "fourth hand tool" which I haven't missed so far when setting up brakes and a workstand which I do need and plan to buy one soon.

HillRider

A "fourth hand" tool can be a convenience but is by no means necessary and probably not worth spending money on.

cny-bikeman's post may have seemed a bit dismissive but he made some very good points. Your OP made it sound like you had absolutely no knowledge of bike mechanics or what components you were going to build or buy or what to do with them once you had them. If you are more experienced than you made it seem, fine, but you gave us very little to go on.

cny-bikeman

My point was it does not make sense for someone with so little knowledge or abilty to gather it to be doing a scratch build, and that matching tools to parts is a very small part of the task of building a bike.

cny-bikeman

You do not state a reason for a wider Q factor but wider Q factor is in general less efficient.

cny-bikeman

...as I said - "a little more money" is still more, and the final cost has yet to be determined.

RubeRad

Again cny, "spending" more time writing an angry non-response than the amount of time wasted by reading the thread up to this point... why do you bother? You should keep a RTFM.txt on your desktop to paste from for threads like this. It'll save you a lot of time I'm sure...

RubeRad

As long as your bike is not a carbon frame, and your components will not be campagnolo, you can probably get a long ways with the Nashbar/SpinDoctor Essential Tool Kit. That, and a homebrew headset press, and maybe a few standard tools like wire cutter/hacksaw/dremel for housing&cables, will probably enable you to assemble an entire bike.

Plus, as mentioned above, youtube, park.com, sheldonbrown.com etc are your friend (in reverse order, actually). TONS of invaluable advice there.

EDIT: I see the word "carbon" up there now, you will probably need two reliable torque wrenches (for different torque ranges, socket drive sizes), carbon assembly paste, and if there's anything else special for carbon, probably somebody else can say.