Tool kit: to build, or to buy?

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attorneydad

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Hi there.

I'm ready to upgrade from my pocket-sized multi-tool. Should I buy a full kit of tools, like the Nashbar deluxe kit (for $120-150)? It has decent reviews, and a cheaper price tag than the Park Tools "Advanced" mechanic kit.

Or should I buy single-packaged bike tools?

I have a full set of "regular" tools like screwdrivers, allen wrenches, sockets, combo wrenches, so it seems silly to pay for more of those. But when I try to price individual pieces, I quickly add up to $100 or more. these individual tools may be higher quality than the Nashbar set. What say you?

Thanks,

Matthew
 
If you have some good tools already, I would buy as you need the tool. I purchased a $50 combo kit from Nashbar years ago. The tools that I use most have since been replaced with Park. If you are working just on older cruisers, you may not need too much. Whatever you do though is buy a Park Chain tool (CT5).
 
I was doing the one piece at a time (all Park Tools of course) and had the AK-37 Park Tool kit in my Amazon Wish List, well I got it last Christmas and that thing has been amazing! I couldn't have pieced a set together cheaper than the AK-37, but there are some things in the set that I didn't need and may never use, but they are cool to look at.
 
A couple of Park cone wrenches. I have the set, but only use about 2 of them.
 
I've struggled with this for a while. Seems like every time I go in to buy a tool, I look at the kits but they either don't have the tool I need in them, or they have too many other tools I already have. But now I'm toying with the idea of having a duplicate set of tools in the house for the winter months, but it may be easier to just get a toolbox to carry one set around. I would still have to go out to the shop for the various freewheel and bottom bracket tools, so maybe I'll just put them all in a toolbox to make them portable.
 
Toeslider said:
I've struggled with this for a while. Seems like every time I go in to buy a tool, I look at the kits but they either don't have the tool I need in them, or they have too many other tools I already have. But now I'm toying with the idea of having a duplicate set of tools in the house for the winter months, but it may be easier to just get a toolbox to carry one set around. I would still have to go out to the shop for the various freewheel and bottom bracket tools, so maybe I'll just put them all in a toolbox to make them portable.
Click to expand...

That's the cool thing about the AK-37, it came with the tool box and that has been really convenient in taking everywhere. For a while I thought about making a set to carry around and one to keep in the shop but I work out of the box just fine, but I'm now to the point of needing a bigger box, which is no big deal.

I have 2 complete Park Tool cone wrench sets, and sometimes I need 2 of the same and it comes in handy. 2 chain whips, 2 pedal wrenches, etc... I'm just getting a bigger box.
 
I bought a small adjustable "cresent" wrench from Harbor Freight and ground it down thin, so it covers the very occasional time that I need two cone wrenches of the same size.
But I agree with Yooth, sometimes you need 2 of 'em.
There is no substitute for good tools, or more to the point, the Right tool.
 
cman said:
..... I would buy as you need the tool. .... If you are working just on older cruisers, you may not need too much. Whatever you do though is buy a Park Chain tool (CT5).
Click to expand...

this X2 Start with a good chain tool, and at the risk of sounding like a tool-snob buy good quality tools. It is false economy if you have to replace broken tools. I'm not saying every tool has to be Snap-On or Mac.
 
Thanks for all the responses, guys. IF ONLY Snap-on or Craftsman made bike tools.

I'm definitely going to get chain tool, cone wrenches, ability to remove freewheels, and headset wrenches. Because I've needed all those things and gone without,so far. I'd also like to get a nice set of cable cutters - - unless you guys think diagonal cutters or linesman pliers would be just as good? I don't thikn I'm going to shell out for the Shimano set just yet. But Pedro's is $22.

I have three bikes right now that need new cables, pads, tubes, tires, and tape - - and then they will be awesome. Well, that and a good cleaning. . . and . . .

Never finished.

-Matthew
 
get a cable cutter. The pliers will crush the cable housing, and won't cleanly shear off the cable.
Plus my park tool has the ability to squeeze on the cable ends to make a professional job that won't unravel.

hint, take an old broken screwdriver that you just could not throw away, and grind the end to a dull point.
use it to stick into the cable housing that you sheared, to make the end round inside again.
 
jerrykr said:
get a cable cutter. The pliers will crush the cable housing, and won't cleanly shear off the cable.
Plus my park tool has the ability to squeeze on the cable ends to make a professional job that won't unravel.

hint, take an old broken screwdriver that you just could not throw away, and grind the end to a dull point.
use it to stick into the cable housing that you sheared, to make the end round inside again.
Click to expand...

Jerry is spot on if your messing with cables, there is nothing more annoying than screwing up a cable because of a bad cut, or worse getting the cut right and then botching the wire in a crushed cable housing, some of the bike specific cable cutters will have an awl on the handle to round out the cable housing, I just use some heavy duty cable cutters from menards and a cheap pick set I got from WM to jam in the housing and pry everything out round again.
 
attorneydad said:
Thanks for all the responses, guys. IF ONLY Snap-on or Craftsman made bike tools.
Click to expand...

I would put Park Tools on the same level of quality with Snap On and on a higher level of warranty ease than Craftsman.

My Park wrenches and drivers are nicer than my Craftsman tools, but I did manage to break a phillips head screwdriver (shaft slipped in handle) and I sent them an e-mail and they sent me a new screwdriver ASAP.
 

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