Essential Bike Tools

[ratcycle]

u forgot chain lube and grease. A parts washer, vice, grinder help out alot

 

[deorman]

 

[GuzziRod]

Most essential?

The ones that actually fit the bike!

Hex head, torx head, SAE, Metric, . . . . .

My best tool is a book,

Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair

 

[deorman]

Must not be any burrito builders here. No-one said Sawzall.

 

[deorman]

I believe that is what RPJ meant by "sader saw". It took me a minute to figure it out because I originally thought it was a Jewish thing that I've heard about but never fully understood.....

 

[Dale Alan]

The one I wish I bought 30 years ago,a good quality chain tool. Been through a bunch of junk through the years,you get what you pay for I guess. I like my Park and as a breaker SmithTool works great for me.

 

[Nagant]

There are always alternative ways to do things, but you will definitely appreciate having a good chain breaker over what you described. One quick and easy to use tool and no extra parts needed. They are inexpensive also. Just don't cheap out with a Bell from WallyWorld.

Even the small Park Chain Breaker will let you (with some amount of experience) push the pin just inside the outer plate. You can then clean the chain, and reinstall the chain, pressing the pin back into the same link. I was taught this at an LBS. The link will usually be tight, but is easily freed up.

One of the "cheapies" runs $8-$12. Breaking and reinstalling a chain takes a couple minutes and the tool makes it incredibly easy. The ease of the job and the time saved makes even the more expensive ones worth every penny.

After reading up on them and watching videos I agree with you guys. A quality chain breaker with some experience using one is better but I'm cheap, poor, and weird. Therefore I was sort of wondering if anyone else used my unorthodox method or something similar. Apparently not. It's sort of lonely being odd and therefore I will buy a good chain breaker sometime. I have one of the junky Bell units and it has held up well for me only because when I use it I cut the pin head off with the rotary tool first. Only reason I bought the Bell was because I needed a quick link in a bad way one day and that was the only way I could buy one locally because those breakers come with two different links.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Just got a 1"-24TPI fork die. Finally, I can remedy those pesky girls length forks once and for all!

Edit:
You can buy these on feePay for $14.99 shipped!
CLICK HERE

 

[blwnmny]

Now! Now! It could be worse Clint, it could be a pipe wrench holding it. All kidding aside, I could use one of those myself.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

That makes me cringe seeing that expensive die in a vice instead of a proper die handle!

You would have really cringed when I ground two sides flat on the die to fit the vice.

 

[blwnmny]

 

[blwnmny]

After all, it is Rat Rod Bikes. Right?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Yes, I am careful not to tighten it more than just enough to hold it in place.

 

[Jamie825]

Just got a 1"-24TPI fork die. Finally, I can remedy those pesky girls length forks once and for all!

Where did you find your die at a machine shop/parts store or somewhere online and about how much are they?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I found it on feePay.

Just found this one on feePay for $14.99 shipped!
CLICK HERE

*It's also very important to buy cutting fluid like Tap Magic when you use it.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I found it on feePay.

Just found this one on feePay for $12.66 shipped!
CLICK HERE

*It's also very important to buy cutting fluid like Tap Magic when you use it.

Thank you! I ran a search myself and the cheapest I could find was $30...

Luke.

 

[The Black Monark]

...but I'm cheap, poor, and weird.

We must be related

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Well, Jim, once again you have influenced the world in how to make a women's frame (and now forks) cool...
The 1"-24 dies are now out of stock. I'm sure those guys in China have no clue why demand for them exploded at approximately 11:00 CST.

Luckily I bought up a pile of stock options earlier this morning. Tap Magic is way up in the Nasdaq also.

 

[Gizmo]

Must not be any burrito builders here. No-one said Sawzall.

Sawzall nice - hacksaw in a pinch

 

[clamdigger]

magnet, magnetized screwdriver ( DIY ) , and Kingfish- if that butterknife has enough Fe it could be magnetized to find lost ball bearings that rolled under the workbench.