Bradleykd

I may be beating a dead horse here, but I have a sort of specialized tool question. I've seen a lot of "What all tools do I need?" threads, but they all include basic stuff. I am an industrial machine mechanic/fabricator by trade, so I have a lot of tools. Anything basic such as wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, allen-keys, torque wrenches, pry-bars and the like, I'm good on. I already built my own repair stand and will build my own truing stand when I need it too. I'm looking for the specialty tools I'll need to do my own bike repairs. I am usually the type of guy that will buy it as I need it, but my parents want to know what I want for Cristmas and I want to give them some ideas. I dont know of anything else I want so i figure this is a good time to build a few tools up.

I plan on doing all regular maintenance/adjustments, as well as building my own wheelset, upgrading components, and that sort of fun/custom stuff on my road bike, and maybe turning an old cheapie frame into a fixie...

Any good bicycle specific tools you can think of I'll need? The only bike specific tool I own right now is a spoke wrench... lol

mconlonx

Bottom bracket tools -- cartridge and external bearing

Good set of cable cutters

Cassette lockring and freewheel sockets(?), chain whip, fixed cog lockring spanner or pliers

Chain tool 9 and 10 sp for sure, maybe 11 depending on what you're working on.

Cone wrenches, 13, 14, 15, 17mm are handy if you don't already own a set of thin crescent wrenches.

Tensionmeter for spokes if you think you'll do a bunch of wheelbuilding; others will say this is very optional.

neurocop

Well, there are certainly a few "bike specific" tools that even a master machinist is not likely to have on hand (though he/she would likely be able to fabricate the necessary bike tool or get the job done with the "conventional" machine tools on hand). Even so, the "bike specific" tools make the job easier. Examples are: crank extractors and BB wrenches; chain tools; spoke wrenches; pedal and hubnut wrenches; chain whips; helicomatic hub wrenches; wheel truing stands; bike stands; brake cable tensioning wrenches; etc.

jolly_ross

It's perfectly possible to true wheels without the following, but sooo much easier and quicker with them: Wheel truing stand, tensiometer and some really good spoke keys (the ones that grip all 4 sides of the nipple)

If you're repairing ordinary Joes bikes you'll need spokes, just stock straight guage as long as poss. Maybe both silver and black. The tool you need here is a spoke thread roller so you can cut to length.

Of all my humble set of tools - the one I find the most useful for magical fixes is a Dropout Alignment Guide. Mine happens to be a Park DAG2, there may be others available without the Park pricing.

sooprvylyn

Bike specific Tools in my kit:

bottom bracket tool-shimano style
crank puller
chain tool
lockring tool
spoke wrench
home made headset press(washers and threaded bar with nuts)

i pick up other tools as i need em

dont get cone wrenches unless you are working on older bikes, most modern hubs use sealed bearings now and a normal wrench does the trick. dont bother with a tensiometer either, or a truing stand unless you are gonna be a serious wheelbuilder. An upside down bike works well as a truing stand.

dsbrantjr

Quality pedal wrench
Felco cable cutter
Square taper crank puller
Dropout alignment tool
Third Hand tool
Cassette lockring tool
Chain whip
Master link pliers

gyozadude

In addition to the lists above, I'll add I had want and need of frame alignment tools and chase/face cutting tools for headtube/bb and luckily had a friend with the right ones.

Bradleykd

Awesome. This is exactly what I was looking for. Im not going to be working on bikes as a full time gig and ill probably only build a wheelset for my own bike or maybe other bikes in the future.

Im not necessarily a tool snob, but I do try to use the best tools for any particular job and American made when the option is available. Am I right that Park Tool would be the number one bike tool company that fits this bill??

Jed19

Yes! There are more expensive tools for sure, but Park Tool USA has been absolutely reliable as a tool maker for me. And also exceptional customer service too.

catonec 

I am not an expert on this but..... it all depends on how many different era's of bikes you will be working on. French bikes from the 60s may require different specialty tools than italian bikes of the same time period based upon the manufacturer and what standard they decided to use. modern bikes will definitely use a different standard. Different freewheel / hubs and bottom brackets need proprietary tools. as will some cranksets and headsets (?).

If you only foresee needing a specialty tool once to remove clean and reinstall a component it may be easier to have your LBS loan you a tool or do it for you.

davidad

Some of the tools will be bike specific, because there are few standards and they change often. If you have an older bike with a square taper bottom bracket there is a tool to remove the cranks and one or more for the BB itself.
A good set of flat spanners for hub service and a good spoke wrench if you are going to build and true your wheels.
If you plan to build wheels there is no substitute for a tensiometer.

Bradleykd

Right now I have a 2012 Felt Z85 road bike with Shimano 105 and FSA Crank. That will be where my maintenance/upgrades is/are, and I also have a cheap aluminum frame I'm going to build up into a fixie, just for fun. I'll buy tools based on the Felt though and work out if I need anything else when the time comes. As far as building a wheelset, that will be a little ways off, right now, I'll just keep mine true.

Bradleykd

Maybe an okay list??

bottom bracket tool-shimano style - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Shim...ds=park+bbt-22

crank puller - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Comp...t+crank+puller

chain whip - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Spro...ark+chain+whip

cassette lockring tool (pin or no??) - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Cass...ords=park+fr-5

Dropout alignment tool - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Dera...rds=park+dag-2

Third Hand tool - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-BT-2...ords=park+bt-2

cable cutters - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Prof...rds=park+cn-10

chain tool - https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-CT-5...ark+chain+tool

Anything I should change?

wrk101

While I have a lot of Park tools, I much prefer my Shimano cable tool. I also prefer my Sugino bottom bracket tools and Hozan lock ring tool. Most everything else is Parks.

The quality and type of tools you should buy depend on budget, the kind of bikes you want to work on, and how often you will use them. I mainly work on vintage bikes, where standardization is the exception, so I have a pile of tools. A good cable cutter and a good chain tool are the first two tools I recommend.

FWIW: most of my tools were bought used, including my Shimano cable tools. So if is possible to get top notch tools for about the same $$ or less than the lower end new stuff.

catonec 

the drop out alignment tool is probably overkill, Ive never needed one.
same thing for the fancy cutters, nice but any cutters will work. (get some cable-end caps or a soldering iron)

I like the lockring tool W/PIN

the third hand is cool, I should get one.

Bradleykd

IMO all of the tools I've looked at are pretty cheap, so im not worried about searching for used. I wasn't sure on the dropout alignment tool but a couple of people here recommended it and the reviews on amazon were top notch. For the purposes of my Christmas list for my parents, i'll probably leave it off, but pick one up when I need it.

rogerstg

I'd skip the third hand tool before the dropout alignment tool. There is nothing on the bike that needs the third hand tool. It's just a minor convenience when doing production work.

OTOH, you can't realign a dropout without a tool. And with 10 and 11 speed stuff, it's needed more often, sometimes right out of the box.

Sandiegodan

With this list, consider the kit https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-AK-3...3085997&sr=1-1
For what you've selected, you are investing $200 or so. The kit plus what is not included will come to $360 but you'll get the cone wrenches, spoke wrenches, tire tools, pedal wrench, and several other handy tools you will likely pick up later anyway.
I have number of mechanics and other tools on hand as well. I find putting all my bicycle tools in one kit makes for a handy arrangement, even if there are some duplicates in my shop.
I also find the Park Book to be a handy read. https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-BBB-...3086859&sr=8-1
It's more money for sure, but I've used just about every tool in that kit plus what I've had to run around and pick up.

Good Luck,
Dan

HillRider

I have a Park cable cutter (CN-4) and it's been very satisfactory for the use I've given it on my own and a few family bikes. However, if it were OPM (other people's money) I was spending, I'd have gone for the Felco or Shimano cutter. Otherwise Park's tools are extremely good and servicable.

Bradleykd

Thats a nice set, but I don't see myself choosing a cheap little wrench or screwdriver when I'm used to a nice Snap-On..... And I don't need the box you pay for in that either. I was planning on the book though!

alcjphil

I have very seldom needed a third hand tool, but I use cable cutters all the time. Ordinary cutters do NOT cut brake or derailleur cables properly. They also do a poor job of cutting derailleur cable housing. A good set of cable cutters is essential for working on a bike. You can buy a reasonable pair for not all that much

mconlonx

+1 Much better than the equivalent Park spanner.

Sandiegodan

I understand what you are saying. For the record, I ditched the box immediately. The screwdrivers are very well made and are good enough to keep with and use with the rest of the bike tools. Typically, the mechanics wrenches will not be thin enough for bike work and you'll be wanting a set of these thin ones unless you already have something suitable in your collection. Everything on a bike is likely to be more delicate than what you are used to. Either way you go, you'll be fine. Have fun with it.

Dan

Bradleykd

https://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

muahahaha! I work on some delicate stuff... A bicycle is not a that precision in my world.

dscheidt

No one seems to have mentioned a work stand. That's first on my list, pretty much.