daven1986

Hi guys,

I did a quick search but couldn't find much.

Can anyone give me / point me to a list of what tools are needed to build a bike from scratch.

So far I have come up with:

chain tool
set of allen keys
torque wrench
hacksaw to cut steerer tube - is there a tool that makes sure you cut it straight?
pedal spanner
cable cutters

is there anything I am missing?

Thanks

Daven

noglider 

pliers
adjustable wrench
spoke wrench
screwdrivers
hammer
maybe a socket wrench with metric sockets

wmodavis

Welder for joining titanium, steel, aluminum etc.
Milling machine and metal lathe.
Foundry

JonathanGennick 

Cassette lockring tool to get your rear cogs on correctly.

You might need something for your bottom-bracket. For example, I have a special tool that fits external, Shimano bottom-bracket cups. I also have that little, plastic tool that you use to tension Shimano cranks.

Some tools are nice-to-have. A star-nut setter is a good example.

operator

Yeah, useful information so that we can actually help you. Otherwise you end up with a list of tools that's as long as your arm.

noglider 

operator, did someone spit in your beer tonight?

jchabalk 

hey there daven - can you tell us what type of bike you're building? And if you know what components you're going to use it would help.

There are different bottom bracket tools for different bottom brackets etc...

you're off to a good start though.. i built a tool kit out over a year of building and tuning. I was going to buy one of the kits to get me going but i'm glad i didn't as i would have ended up with a bunch of unused tools.

If you're using a square taper bottom bracket/crank you should definitely get a crank puller!

EDIT: Also - don't forget a good file for cleaning up those housing ends, it's pretty much a necessity!

Chris_W

The headset is always a problem without the right tools. There are plenty of threads on this forum discussing how to improvise tools to set the crown race onto the fork and press the cups into the head tube. However, they can all be quite difficult, frustrating, and take a bit of skill and/or luck - you might want to take it to a shop and have them install the headset for you for your first build, while still doing everything else yourself.

Be warned - even if you buy a frameset that comes with a frame, fork, and headset, this does not necessarily mean that the headset has been installed for you, although it occasionally is.

daven1986

thanks for all the replies. I am planning on a road / cross bike with shimano road components, including bottom bracket. The fork comes uncut. I am thinking if it is worth the £100 for a shop to build the bike, if I am going to spend that much on seldom used tools then it is probably worth it.

I am quite a n00b at bike maintenance, I have changed my hybrid to drop bars and replaced some brake pads but that is it so far, would building up a bike be a step too far too soon?

Thanks all

noglider 

It depends. If you're new to it, you could run into complications which would delay the completion of the bike. On the other hand, if the journey is part of the destination, it could be very rewarding.

If there's a remote chance that you'll be working on or building bikes in the future, the tools are definitely worth the money.

daven1986

well I will definitely be doing (or attempting to do) all maintenance work on my bikes in the future.

noglider 

In that case, buy the basic tools first because you'll definitely need them. You can decide on the specialized tools later. I own a whole lot of bike mechanic specialized tools, because bike repair is my hobby, but I still don't own the tools to install or remove a headset or the tool to put in a bottom bracket fixed cup. I might buy them soon, though.

Black Shuck

A threaded rod a few inches longer than the headtube, appropriate nuts and a few large spacers make a decent headset press. Of course you can also beat them in with a block of wood and a mallet if you really feel like improvising...Removing a headset can be done with hammer and screwdriver but might ruin the cups, a brass rod is better for this. The crown race can be installed with an old stem or a tube with a diameter slightly larger than the steerer tube and a mallet or a tube with a diameter slightly larger than the steerer tube, if you have a fork with a steel or (thick) aluminium steerer tube, then use a brass rod and hammer to do the last little bit.

Definitely get the right bottom bracket tool, that's harder to improvise.

noglider 

Wow, instructables to the rescue.

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-...stall-a-heads/

MadMabel

I should have thought about Instructables before building my bike, noglider.

The homemade press I used was simply a piece of all-thread (threaded rod), washers and nuts. Adding a piece of PVC pipe the way the Instructable shows would have been a good idea. Its an idea I'll adopt next time.

Thanks for the link.

Panthers007

You can take a look at headset-presses here:

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...&tc=Press-Sets

The top one, from Cyclus, is well worth the money. Cyclus is from Germany and makes excellent tools that are rather rare across the Atlantic. As such, their prices are low considering the quality of their tools.

daven1986

the frame I want can be supplied with a headset for £15 fitted, so I may go with that and get the LBS to install the BB. This way I can stick to the tools that I'll probably end up using in the future.

edit: that park tools press in the link above says it can do BBs and headsets... that MAY be worth it. How common are one piece BBs?

dwr1961

I'm a mechanical klutz / idiot (there, I said it). I find that having the proper tool for a job keeps me from doing inadvertent harm to my bikes. Thus I've accumulated a lot of bike specific tools over the years. You are probably a lot more skilled than I am, but here are some tools I've found invaluable in keeping frustration and damage to a minimum:

For headsets and forks: Star nut setter; steerer-tube cutting guide; crown race setter (you can make one) and a headset press (you can make one of these, too.) If you need to remove an old headset you'll want a tool for that if your a klutz like me - or be very, very careful with a screwdriver and hammer.

Regular folks can get by with adjustable wrenches for some things; Klutzes will need TWO cone wrenches in each size required for servicing hubs...

Klutzes will need a 3/8 click-type torque wrench to tighten bottom bracket cups. They'll need a 1/4" one, too if they love carbon-fiber goodies. Experienced and skilled folks can feel when something is tight enough (or too tight). We k/i's can't trust ourselves...

You'll probably need a BB tool for your specific application - Klutz or not... Oh, and a chain tool to get the proper length (even if you are using a master link type chain).

Without going down to my shop, I'm running dry on other special tools.

Whatever you do, get a good manual (I've got Zinn's, Bicycling Magazine's, Park's Big Blue, etc.), visit Sheldon Brown and Park Tools' websites (among others) and ask the folks here at BF before you start a specific step (the guys on here are amazing, by the way - yours truly NOT included).

Klutzy me has built a bike from the ground up (except for the wheels). I didn't break or damage anything in the process and I learned a lot. The bike is my favorite for that reason.

It is an adventure to build your first bike. I hope you end up doing it

Good luck.

DWR

merckx_rider

maybe start out with what you have and then get specialized tools as you need them

Panthers007

Building one's own bicycle up from the frame truly makes the bike your own. After this servicing/maintaining the bike is easy. You know every inch of it. Intimately. So I, for one, hope you do proceed with this. I wasn't suggesting getting a headset-press, unless you'll be doing this often down the road. It's perfectly okay to farm out the jobs that require expensive tools. At least that's what I convinced myself of many years ago. LOL.

As for buying tools, I recommend approaching this on a "as-needed" basis. Buy top-quality as the idea is you don't want to have to buy the same tool twice because they break. And steer clear of ready-made Tool-Sets from may places. You inevitably wind up with tools they are trying to get rid of as they no longer have a use. Buying as-needed assures that you get the tools you need as you need them. You'll be amazed at how quickly your tool-collection grows.

daven1986

@dwr1961: don't be so hard on yourself! tbh I am not the most mechanically gifted person, however bike stuff doesn't seem TOO hard, it makes sense!

I think I will definitely go for the build as it would be very satisfying. I will see how it goes with respect to finding tools for the right price, I don't think I will be building enough bikes to warrant the very specialized tool costs so the LBS will get some business!

thanks for all the help

Spasticteapot

One thing you must consider about cyclists is that many of them are either poseurs or insane. They upgrade compulsively, flooding the market with high quality used parts. A pair of Shimano 105 shifters costs half as much used as new, and the depreciation on frames is even worse.

I'm building my 1st bike at the moment as well. After a rather complicated 3-way parts swap, I'm looking at a $400 bike with Tiagra shifters, 105 cranks, 105 FD and RD, Ultrega cassette, good quality carbon fork, aluminum frame, and Formula XR-4 wheels - not bad, considering that when I bought it the drivetrain was essentially brand new.

daven1986

that is a good plan actually. I will search the 2nd hand market for some parts

Cyclist01012

Beer, if youre assembleing a bike in your basement or living room the first thing you need is beer. Then you play the game of which other tool you can use to open your beer. My personal favorite is a 15 mm cone wrench.

jchabalk 

after building my tool kit i can say that there's one necessary set of tools (allen wrenches) that i wish i hadn't bought. I got the set of park tools "p-handle" hex wrenches - it was around $60 or so i think. I'm not really pleased with the quality of these things, they just don't feel like they'll last. I would have been better off saving $35 and buying and equivalent set of Craftsman hex wrenches. They're studier and more comfortable in the hand, cost a bunch less and have a lifetime warranty at any shop.

Some of the park tools have been great and some just aren't built very well.. ymmv