General Cycling Discussion - what do you carry in your tool box?

I've been out in the shop taking apart one bike, to steal parts for another bike, and save even more parts for yet another bike. We've been riding alot lately too, so some of my tools are in my gear bag, some are in the shop drawers, some are who knows where. It's time for me to make one bike tool box for bikes only. I want a smallish box that I can throw in the Heep, then when we get home I can have a special place on the bench for it to sit. So far I've come up with this list:

-Needle nose pliers
-Channel locks
-Crescent wrenches
-Metric allens
-Those sexy 3 way allens
-Assorted screwdrivers
-Chain tool
-Assorted spanner wrenches
-Spoke wrenches
-Now that I will have discs, I need torx wrenches
-Tire tools
-Cassette tool
-Freewheel tool

That's about all I can think of now, please add to my list if you can think of anything. Also, I have several scuzzy little BMX'ers who frequent my shop so I also need to come up with some kind of rule for anybody who doesn't put a tool back... Like sweep the shop, turn the page on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit calendar, take a couple lumps on the head... I will take suggestions for this one too...

I've got everything I can stuff in there in there. Wrenches, chain tools, chain whip, chain cleaner, chain lube, cone wrenches, allen wrenches, spare chain, spoke wrench, torx, screw drivers, sockets.............My tool box weighs alot.

chain whip?

cone wrenches?

headset wrenches?

crank yanker?

RegularGuy- I have a couple questions, but please don't think I'm an idiot.

What is:
1. A chain whip?
2. A crank yanker- man that just sounds rude ;)

Originally posted by MikeOK
RegularGuy- I have a couple questions, but please don't think I'm an idiot.

What is:
1. A chain whip?
2. A crank yanker- man that just sounds rude ;) Chain whip w/ useage (http://www.parktool.com/tools/SR_1BIG.shtml)
Crank puller w/ useage (http://www.parktool.com/tools/CCP_2BIG.shtml) There ya go

A crank puller (not yanker) removes crankarms. I used mine today. It also removed a patch of skin from one of my knuckles. :rolleyes:

A chain whip immobilizes a cassette so that you can remove it with your lockring remover. Pedro's sells a wrench that does the same thing.

Originally posted by RegularGuy
A crank puller (not yanker) removes crankarms. I used mine today. It also removed a patch of skin from one of my knuckles. :rolleyes:

A chain whip immobilizes a cassette so that you can remove it with your lockring remover. Pedro's sells a wrench that does the same thing.

LOL! I think I have both of those, just didn't know what to call them. Obviously you didn't either, until now. So now you can see the wealth of knowledge you can get here at BF.

Picture this- I am out in the shop working on bikes. I got all the festive shop decor lights shining, the stereo jammin. Now I ask my 14 year old son- "hey give me the crank yanker!". When he grins and asks what I mean, I will blame it all on RegularGuy.

he he heh

Bottom bracket lockring wrenches
cable cutters
vicegrips
32mm headset wrench
antiseize
loctite
elastic bands
cable ties
tooth brush

I think you guy have said it all, except maybe for a can of WD40, Campagnolo Chain oil, and some bio degradable orange cleaner...

No one has mentioned latex gloves - they really come in handy if you have a flat on the rear tire.

Items I didn't see:

Pedal wrench!
Black Duct tape.
Black Electrical tape.
Grease Gun (small one specifically for bike needs)
Torque Wrench
Patch Kit
Flat file
Round file (these two have saved me a bunch of times)


Spare Parts:
Chainring bolts
Spare shifter cable!
a couple feet of shifter housing.
(I have hydraulic brakes, so don't carry spare cable/housing)
Several housing ferrels.
A bunch of cable ends (cable condomns)
Seat post binder
Seat post.
Cleats.


Special Items in my tool box:
3/4" SAE box wrench. Needed for my rear wheel
SAE allen wrenches, if I take my BMX bike



I have a lot of my tools set up in my garage over my workstand. Although not as efficient while working on my bike, I seperate my tool wall into two sections. One consists of the tools that stay, and the other side are the ones I have to add to my toolbox while traveling.

I gotta buncha tools. I take them to work with my. I also use them for my stand at home. I really dont like shop tools as the other 2 mechanics have never heard of putting a tool back where it can easily be found.

I have the following:

Bottom Bracket Tools
Spoke Wrenches
Chain Whip
Crank Puller
Tire Levers
Freewheel Tool
Cassette Tool
Cable Cutters
Needle Nose Pliers
Pedal Wrench
Headset Wrench
3 way allen key
Allen Key Multitool
Cone Wrenches
Chain Remover
Torx Wrenches
Sockets
Screw Drivers
Knife
Wrenches

Thats all I can fit in it. It ways a ton. Its gotta lot of seperate compartments though so its very organized. I keep my lube at home though. I use the shop stuff for the shop bikes. I also have a lock on it as the other mechanics are tempted to get in there.

Thanks all, you came up with some good ones I hadn't thought about. Now how am I gonna get this 265 lb tool box in and outta my Heep?

Lets see...this is what I've got in mine...or around it anyway...

extra cleats, cleat screws, seatpost binder bolt, screwdrivers, allen keys, wrenches, chainring bolts, chain lube, inner tubes, chain keeper, pedal wrench, chain whip, chainrings, cogs, toestraps (now not everybody's got some of these!), cassette, hub, chain brush, bike cleaner, valve extenders, degreaser, and electrical tape. I think that's it. I'm not sure though...

Copied and pasted. When this thread dies I'll come up with one big list and make a post for future searches.

Thanks again.

Originally posted by MikeOK

Now I ask my 14 year old son- "hey give me the crank yanker!". When he grins and asks what I mean, I will blame it all on RegularGuy.

he he heh

:thumbup:

:roflmao:

in the wedge pack, i carry...

2 spare tubes
co2 inflater with three catridges
tire levers
park allen key set
a small phillips head screw driver
shraeder/presta valve adapter

and that's it. i ride campy 10-speed, so a chain toool would help me not at all.

I'm on the road so I only carry the minimum;

1 spare tube
co2 inflater with 2 cartridges
2 tire levers
1 Park patch kit
Clif Bar wrapper for booting tire

That's it.

I just read this thread in its entirety (sp) and it's amazing what some people carry (i.e. crack yanker, chain whips). :confused:

Bobsled- actually the original intent was to ask what you would carry in a tool box, as in something to leave on your bench and throw in the SUV, Yugo, VW, or whatever you drive to the trails. Thanks for the input anyway...

Originally posted by MikeOK
Bobsled- actually the original intent was to ask what you would carry in a tool box, as in something to leave on your bench and throw in the SUV, Yugo, VW, or whatever you drive to the trails. Thanks for the input anyway...

Well that makes more sense, doesn't it?

for on the road

tire levers
spoke wrench
co2 pump w/spare cartridge
spare tube
patch kit
homemade tire patch(not tube) made from old tube wrapped with filament tape
leatherman
topeak multi tool
wrenches
the all important zip ties (won't leave home with out them)
and last but not least my handy bottle/can opener made from a chain ring and a piece of bike chain (never know when you are going to run into a flock of :beer:

:D

well... for my tool box... i have just about everything to build a shimano or campy-equipped bike except for a headset press and 10sp chain tool... some of the bigger and smaller items...

work stand
truing stand
dish tool
two chain whips
bb tools
torque wrench
cassette tools
crank puller
sti cable cutter
two full sets of allen keys up to 15 mm
full set of metric wrenches
shimano chain tools
phillips and straight screwdrivers
other stuff...

that's different...

Okay, here be the grand total:

Tools:
-32mm headset wrench
-Allens American
-Allens metric
-Antiseize
-Assorted screwdrivers
-Assorted spanner wrenches
-Bottom bracket lockring wrenches
-Cable ties
-Cassette tool
-Chain whip
-Chain tool
-Chain lube
-Channel locks
-Cone wrenches
-Crank puller (a.k.a. crank "yanker" coutesy of RegularGuy)
-Crescent wrenches
-Diagonal pliers
-Duct tape
-Electrical tape
-Files: round and flat
-Freewheel tool
-Headset wrenches
-Knife
-Latex gloves ( a good idea from jimlady- keeps her hands purty)
-Loctite
-Needle nose pliers
-Patch kit
-Pedal wrench! (5/8" works too)
-Spoke wrenches
-Tire tools
-Tooth brush
-Torx wrenches
-Zip ties (in case you missed "cable ties" above)

Spare parts:
-Cable- shifter, brake, + housing and ends
-Chainring bolts
-Crank bolts
-Spokes
-Seat post
-Seat post binder
-Tubes