what tools are necessary for a home shop?

[jonathan_matos5]

nothing has happened yet, knock on wood, but i think i need to get some tools together to make repairs to my bicycle should the need arise.

thanks

JM

[misterE0]

I don't do a whole lot of wrenching, though I try to handle the simple stuff myself. I picked this up last year:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=600099&subcategory=60001232&brand=&sku=19154&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Kits
I waited for a 20% sale and I think I paid about $40 for it. So far it's been enough, though the chain tool already broke. The only thing I've needed besides this kit so far is a multitool for when I'm on the road (don't leave home without it), a pair of pliers, and a couple adjustable wrenches. I'd love to have more, but I have no room for any more than that right now.

[sstorkel]

I've built two complete bikes from the ground up over the last 8 or 10 months. For about 80% of the stuff, you can get by with: screw drivers (#1 Philips, #2 Philips), a pair of tire levers (I like the big, wide ones made by Pedro's), a set of metric hex keys (a.k.a. Allen wrenches; I use Bondus), a wrench that will fit your pedals, and maybe a chain tool (I have a Park CT-5; it sucks so I usually end up using my Motion Pro motorcycle chain tool).

Buy those tools to start, then add more as the need arises. I've added: a repair stand, a Park FR-5 cassette lockring remover, a Park SR-1 chain whip, a Park BBT-22 bottom bracket tool, and a Park BBT-9 bottom bracket tool. I use a pair of Vise Grip pliers for stretching cables, a pair of diagonal cutting pliers for cutting cables, and use by Dremel rotary tool for cutting cable housing.

[wayne pattee]

I have a box full of regular tools that I've had for years and I bought a set simular to the one MisterEO linked.
I've added a couple freewheel removing sockets and a pin spanner set and a C spanner wrench. Rebult 3 bikes in the last year and had a blast doing it.
The old 3 piece bottom brackets spin a lot smother with fresh new greese.

[Wogsterca]

nothing has happened yet, knock on wood, but i think i need to get some tools together to make repairs to my bicycle should the need arise.

thanks

JM

There are two schools of thought, the first is to buy one of the bicycle tool kits, that has just about any tool you can imagine, most of the tools will be of low quality (if the kits are cheap), but it doesn't matter if for tools you don't use every day. Some of the tools you may never use. The other school says, you collect tools over time, on an as needed basis. You start off with the basics, tire levers, Allen keys, maybe a pair of needle nose pliers, and some screwdrivers then add on to that, as you need. You tend to buy higher quality tools, and as you build knowledge, you will decide some tools just are not worth buying, because they are used so rarely that it's cheaper to just take the bike to the LBS to get the work done. I'm thinking tools like a headset press, where the tool can cost more then getting the shop to do it, the 3-4 times in a 40 year riding career you would actually need to replace a headset, Then again there are tools you might use on a regular basis, like a chain tool, or a cone wrench, that are fairly cheap.

[Jim-in-Kirkland]

Depends on what you want to do... +1 for allen wrenchs used to replace brake pads on standard caliper road brakes and tighten most parts, to change out your chain and rear cassette - you need a chain tool to adjust new chain length to match old, a chain wip & cassette lockring tool to remove cassette.

The list goes on but replacing brake pads as needed, chain & cassette every 3,000+ miles - covers most of my repairs/maintenance.

Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance (or mountain bike) is a good reference in addition to web info at Park Tool and others.

Good luck.

[wrk101]

Necessary? None. Desirable, a whole lot of them. Myself, I have four rollaways full of tools, and not all of my tools fit......

Start by collecting the basics: spoke wrench, good cable cutter, crank puller, work stand, cone adjustment wrench set, bottom bracket socket, tire levers, cassette wrench, chain whip, chain breaker..

[rm -rf]

You need some kind of repair stand. It'll make derailleur and brake adjustments much easier.

Tools: Allen wrench set and one of those "Y" wrenches, screwdrivers, chain tool, a tube of bike grease, a tube of loktite blue.

A dremel tool with grinding wheels and cutoff wheels comes in handy.

If you have carbon components, a torque wrench is a good idea.

Buy the specialty tools as you need them. A cassette lockring tool and chainwhip will allow you to change your cassette.

[ericy]

You need some kind of repair stand. It'll make derailleur and brake adjustments much easier.

Our garage space is kind of tight, so we don't really have room for a stand. Normally the bike is hanging from the ceiling, so I just unhook the rear tire and leave the top hanging. That brings the derailleur at a convenient height for me to work on.