I am speaking of tools that you routinely use for bicycle service and building. If possible, list size ranges for wrenches and sockets (by drive size), screwdrivers and anything else you may use. I am looking to amass the necessary tools needed that I don't already own.
what is in your toolbox?
- Thread starter drew03cmc
- Start date
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I assemble/adjust bikes for Target and work on neighborhood kids bikes and my own. This what I have found to be essential.
Park 3-way hex wrench
metric and standard hex sets
(2) 13 mm shop cone wrenches (the Park ones don't hurt your hands)
8,9,10, mm nut drivers
crank puller
crank and bottom bracket wrench (2 kinds)
pin spanner(s)
headset wrench
spoke wrenches
chain tool
master link pliers
channel locks
pliers
GOOD wire nippers
GOOD quality grease
rubber mallet
small screwdriver set: Phillips and standard
set of metric combination wrenches (open and closed end): 10-17 mm
set of standard combination wrenches : 3/8 - 11/16
things I would like:
bearing cup press
head cup remover
truing stand
a nice tap and die set (mine is a worn out garage sale find)
adjustable spanner
a "third hand" brake tool
a nice bike stand (I'd like to steal the one from work ;-) )
anyway, that's what I have (and what I wish I had)
jeff
Park 3-way hex wrench
metric and standard hex sets
(2) 13 mm shop cone wrenches (the Park ones don't hurt your hands)
8,9,10, mm nut drivers
crank puller
crank and bottom bracket wrench (2 kinds)
pin spanner(s)
headset wrench
spoke wrenches
chain tool
master link pliers
channel locks
pliers
GOOD wire nippers
GOOD quality grease
rubber mallet
small screwdriver set: Phillips and standard
set of metric combination wrenches (open and closed end): 10-17 mm
set of standard combination wrenches : 3/8 - 11/16
things I would like:
bearing cup press
head cup remover
truing stand
a nice tap and die set (mine is a worn out garage sale find)
adjustable spanner
a "third hand" brake tool
a nice bike stand (I'd like to steal the one from work ;-) )
anyway, that's what I have (and what I wish I had)
jeff
Thanks Jeff. It seems I have all of the normal tools, but none of the bike specific tools. May I ask, what a cone wrench, headset wrench, crank and bottom wrenches all are. I haven't used them, but I am sure Performance Bike carries them.
Cone wrenches are to access flats on axles where very little of the axle is exposed. It is similar to an open-ended wrench but much thinner: typically about 2 mm thick, compared to approximately 7 mm for a standard open-ended wrench. The "cones" are your bearing races for your axles.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ConeWrenches.jpg
Headset wrenches are oversized (32 – 36 mm) flat open-end wrenches for tightening headset cups and lock nuts on threaded steering tubes. May be designed to contact 7 sides of an 8 sided (8-point) lock nut. You can sometimes use them on bottom brackets as well. I have a 4-in-1 wrench like this:
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/38 ... -in-1.html
Bottom bracket wrenches are special because on one-piece cranks, sometimes there is a big threaded washer that tightens up the bottom bracket bearing race (left side) and this particular wrench is waaaaay easier than using a screwdriver and a hammer.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eoorider/5300948164/
A pin spanner allows you to tighten/loosen the bearing race much easier as well.
http://www.bikepartsplace.com/discount/ ... pa-1c-grn/
the bike specific wrenches are thinner than standard wrenches and make the job much easier. You can use regular size wrenches on most jobs, but not all of them. I have found as I have bought more bike specific tools, it just makes it easier and faster, and when doing the Target thing, the quicker I get them assembles and correctly adjusted, the better.
Performance does carry most of the tools individually, and it can cost a bit to get them piece by piece. But if you get the repair sets, they have a lot of what you don't need. We're doing cruisers (for the most part) and we don't need all the multi-gear specific tools...at least I don't. The Park cone wrenches with the blue handles are easier on your hands than the cheaper Pedro's tools they sell. Pedro's also has Park quality (i.e. bike shop quality) tools as well, but they are a little pricier and harder to find.
glad to help,
jeff
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ConeWrenches.jpg
Headset wrenches are oversized (32 – 36 mm) flat open-end wrenches for tightening headset cups and lock nuts on threaded steering tubes. May be designed to contact 7 sides of an 8 sided (8-point) lock nut. You can sometimes use them on bottom brackets as well. I have a 4-in-1 wrench like this:
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/38 ... -in-1.html
Bottom bracket wrenches are special because on one-piece cranks, sometimes there is a big threaded washer that tightens up the bottom bracket bearing race (left side) and this particular wrench is waaaaay easier than using a screwdriver and a hammer.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eoorider/5300948164/
A pin spanner allows you to tighten/loosen the bearing race much easier as well.
http://www.bikepartsplace.com/discount/ ... pa-1c-grn/
the bike specific wrenches are thinner than standard wrenches and make the job much easier. You can use regular size wrenches on most jobs, but not all of them. I have found as I have bought more bike specific tools, it just makes it easier and faster, and when doing the Target thing, the quicker I get them assembles and correctly adjusted, the better.
Performance does carry most of the tools individually, and it can cost a bit to get them piece by piece. But if you get the repair sets, they have a lot of what you don't need. We're doing cruisers (for the most part) and we don't need all the multi-gear specific tools...at least I don't. The Park cone wrenches with the blue handles are easier on your hands than the cheaper Pedro's tools they sell. Pedro's also has Park quality (i.e. bike shop quality) tools as well, but they are a little pricier and harder to find.
glad to help,
jeff
I got a tool set from performancebike.com that contains the bike specific stuff like a crank puller, BB tool, chain whip, cassette tool, etc. Ironically, it did not have a cable cutter, so I bought it separate.
