Bicycle Mechanics - Building your tool kit - rating top 10 items

I really want to build a beginner/ intermediate tool kit. I was thinking maybe everyone could list 10 of their most used tools starting from 1 being most important to 10 being least important. Hex wrenches could probably be left out considering most people have them. Well have at it.

1) Hands
2) Brains
3) Experience
4) Text Resources
5) Slave labor
6) Lube
7) Guessing
8) Kinetic energy
9) Anger
10) Hex wrenches

no real order.
chain whip
cassette tool
12" crescent wrench
chain tool
knife
pedal wrench
tape measure
electrical tape
grease and lube
hammer

also (most of the time in the car for races)
repair stand
pump

in the shop/basement
park ts2 truing stand
frame jig
Oxy-Acetylene rig
TIG welder

The aforementioned crescent wrench should be as long as possible to get some stuck things off.

i'm a relative newbie doing not so complicated stuff generally, so with that in mind, here's my most oft used:

- Y allen wrench
- 3rd hand
- cable cutters
- pedal wrench
- allen wrench set ( for the larger sizes )
- needlenose pliers
- chain tool ( see discussion, my fave is the park ct-3, although the handled compressor one is good for quick stuff )
- cassette adaptor thing
- grease, lube, hand cleaner
- screwdriver ( standard head, most screws i've come across so far are machined for both, flat is better i think )
- bottle opener

I really want to build a beginner/ intermediate tool kit. I was thinking maybe everyone could list 10 of their most used tools starting from 1 being most important to 10 being least important. Hex wrenches could probably be left out considering most people have them. Well have at it.

The other suggestions have been very good, but frankly I would suggest buying a kit as-is rather than assembling one piecemeal. I have been very pleased with the Spin Doctor Team and Essential tool kits. You'll save money even if you end up with a couple tools you never use.

And you can add more obscure tools like lockring wrench or headset press as the need arises.

While my tool-snobbish ways make me hate to suggest it...Moxfyre is correct: All-in-one starter kits do offer the best value for your buck, and give you a good complement of tools to start with. As you add better quality tools, you can always relegate one of these to the trunk of the car for long trips away from your well-equipped shop. I'm personally thinking of buying one for this purpose, even though I have a full shop at my disposal.

While my tool-snobbish ways make me hate to suggest it...Moxfyre is correct: All-in-one starter kits do offer the best value for your buck, and give you a good complement of tools to start with. As you add better quality tools, you can always relegate one of these to the trunk of the car for long trips away from your well-equipped shop. I'm personally thinking of buying one for this purpose, even though I have a full shop at my disposal.

Yeah, I've relegated the Performance chain tool to my parents' house, for example, and replaced it in the kit with a beefier one.

I have a full shop at my disposal.
Same here.
Here are 10 of my favorites (excluding all the pricey Campy tools that I have, but rarely use)

A) OK, this one IS Campy...a rear deraileur hanger alignment tool.

B) Metric thread file

C) Stein fixed cup wrench clamp (less expensive than D)

D) VAR fixed cup tool

E) Hozan tapered reemer

F) 3rd hand tool. (also great for zipping zip-ties with)

G) Schwinn kickstand tool

H) VAR 4th hand tool. The best kind to have, IMHO.

I) Park Tool cotter press. Haven't found a cotter pin strong enough to resist THIS tool!

J) Park CT2 chain tool. Haven't found a chain pin strong enough to resist THIS tool either!

So, that's my 10. All are regulars around here,..except maybe G & I. But Schwinn kikstands and cotters DO show up here from time to time. Good to have the right tool for the job! ;)

my question for you on the CT-2, is have you gotten it adjusted to pop pins all the way out on newer chains? i love it when you just want to take an older chain off for cleaning, but even dialed all the way down it still doesn't seem push the pins all the way through on a new SRAM 8 spd chain for me. hence my choice of CT-3 as main tool for removing links, and/or extending chains for Xtracycle conversion.

11) Attitude adjustment juice.

Same here.
Here are 10 of my favorites (excluding all the pricey Campy tools that I have, but rarely use)

A) OK, this one IS Campy...a rear deraileur hanger alignment tool.

B) Metric thread file

C) Stein fixed cup wrench clamp (less expensive than D)

D) VAR fixed cup tool

E) Hozan tapered reemer

F) 3rd hand tool. (also great for zipping zip-ties with)

G) Schwinn kickstand tool

H) VAR 4th hand tool. The best kind to have, IMHO.

I) Park Tool cotter press. Haven't found a cotter pin strong enough to resist THIS tool!

J) Park CT2 chain tool. Haven't found a chain pin strong enough to resist THIS tool either!

So, that's my 10. All are regulars around here,..except maybe G & I. But Schwinn kikstands and cotters DO show up here from time to time. Good to have the right tool for the job! ;)


WOW! Some of those tools are OLD my friend! I wonder how many here have ever used some of those tools let alone SEEN some of those!

7) Guessing
9) Anger


I've perfected these - I guess I need to start working on the other 8. :o

... Brad

my question for you on the CT-2, is have you gotten it adjusted to pop pins all the way out on newer chains? i love it when you just want to take an older chain off for cleaning, but even dialed all the way down it still doesn't seem push the pins all the way through on a new SRAM 8 spd chain for me. hence my choice of CT-3 as main tool for removing links, and/or extending chains for Xtracycle conversion.

Why do you want to push the pin all the way out? If you're going to put the chain back together, it is 1000 times easier if a short end of the pin is inside the plates to put it back together with.

11) Attitude adjustment juice.

You typo'ed and extra 1 there.

If you're working on loose ball hubs you'll need cone wrenches in the 13-15mm sizes, too.

Plus beer

Why do you want to push the pin all the way out? If you're going to put the chain back together, it is 1000 times easier if a short end of the pin is inside the plates to put it back together with.

absolutely which is why i got thing in the first place. but if you're removing links in a new chain, or adding a master link, or in the case of the xtracycle adding a big length of chain, the pins gots to go. i was just wondering if there was something i was missing with that particular tool, or if park had just successfully engineered 2 chain tool purchases out of me. :)

If you're working on loose ball hubs you'll need cone wrenches in the 13-15mm sizes, too.

Plus beer

I keep telling that to my boss but he says loose ball hubs can be adjusted without beer.

In order of most used to least used:

1) Allen wrenches (or at least a 3 way star with 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm)
2) Screwdrivers
3) Cassette tool
4) Crescent wrench
5) Chain whip
6) Chain tool
7) Pedal wrench
8) Cable cutters
9) Scissors
10) Rags

You typo'ed and extra 1 there.

Why, yes. Yes I did. But I don't care. http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/party0015.gif

1. BFH (big f@cking hammer)
2. BFAW (big f@cking adjustable wrench)

1. BFH (big f@cking hammer)
2. BFAW (big f@cking adjustable wrench)

Heck, I got plenty of them from years of working on Harleys. :eek: Never thought I'd need them to work on the Roubaix. ;)

CWP-6 Park Tool crank puller tool - with additional tip for octalink/ISIS (the latter not too often used).
SW-42 Park Tool red four-sided ("box") spoke wrench. This is MUCH better than the normal (non-4sided)!
HCW-6 Park Tool pedal wrench + headset wrench. Does a decent job for both, but if you want the best pedal wrench, get the PW-4 (which I don't yet have, but will, as soon as I can justify it).
Rohloff Revolver 2 chain tool. The best on the market, pricey but very much worth every cent.
BBBparts BTL-20 BB tool (lots of Bs there :D ) Great value for the money!
Rohloff HG-IG check - I am proud to say that I know of no LBS in the area to use this sprocket/cog checker tool - but it's their damn loss.
FR-5 Park Tool cassette lockring tool.
Cyclo chainwhip
CN-10 Park Tool cable and housing cutter.
Hozan lockring tool


Funny thing is, these are the ones I use most often and would recommend - and they are exactly 10!

EDIT: I'd have to put the TACX wheel truing stand, but for the longest time I just used a bike fork or rear as a stand. And it would have gotten to over 10, and you said 10....

EDIT2: and the floor pump! Probably the most often used tool, together with the Pedro big tire levers.

Same here.
Here are 10 of my favorites (excluding all the pricey Campy tools that I have, but rarely use)

A) OK, this one IS Campy...a rear deraileur hanger alignment tool.

B) Metric thread file

C) Stein fixed cup wrench clamp (less expensive than D)

D) VAR fixed cup tool

E) Hozan tapered reemer

F) 3rd hand tool. (also great for zipping zip-ties with)

G) Schwinn kickstand tool

H) VAR 4th hand tool. The best kind to have, IMHO.

I) Park Tool cotter press. Haven't found a cotter pin strong enough to resist THIS tool!

J) Park CT2 chain tool. Haven't found a chain pin strong enough to resist THIS tool either!

So, that's my 10. All are regulars around here,..except maybe G & I. But Schwinn kikstands and cotters DO show up here from time to time. Good to have the right tool for the job! ;)


I like your lineup very much! And there's no overlap with mine, eccept for the CT-2 - but here I think the CT-2 and the Revolver 2 can coexist, as the one is a plier-type, and mine is a screw-type chaintool. And if I had to chose between the two, I'd take the Revolver 2 any day of the week.

If you're working on loose ball hubs you'll need cone wrenches in the 13-15mm sizes, too.

Yeah, cone wrenches are indispensible. I've got some SuperB cone wrenches.


And I forgot to mention: self-built headset cup setter tool. Extremely well-made, if I may say so myself.
I also built a tool for setting and removing hub-gear cog snaprings. I don't use it often, but when I need it, it's irreplaceable. And you can't buy this **** (or so I think).

Stein hub vice (for adjust QR hubs)

Air Bob (with compressor)