I took the mechanics course because i wanted to get back into riding again after a lot layoff. I didn't want to pay the high prices for repairs. I didn't plan on working on a lot of bikes, but my wife got a bone spure on her spine that was pinching a nerve. Took a special operation to get that done at the tune of $25 K. the insurance covered 80% so I still had to pay the extra bill. I started picking up bikes and repairing them and before I knew it I sold over 70 bikes in one year. Paid off the doctors bill and went on vacation to boot.
About the tools. Here is all I have. Bike Stand - Feedback Sport from REI. capable of rotationg a bike in any position you want. has wide base tripod. Allen wrench set for mm. Park Pedal tool for removing
Park hand wrenches 12mm 13mm 14mm 15mm 17mm all thin bike wrenches. The rest of my wrenches are just simple auto wrenches like the 6mm 7mm 8mm 10mm 11mm. Keep a larger Cresent wrench . Park bottom bracket square taper tool. tin snipes will cut bike cable just fine. two different free wheel removers, plus the chain tool that holds the rear cluster when removing. Park truiing stand, Dishing tool. Nice to have a small stool to sit on for working on bike. Have three different spoke wrenches. Park chain break tool. regular pliers, needle nose pliers, hammer. Can't think of anything else, but I'm sure I missed something. the bike stand was $169 and highly recommend it. Truiing Stand was about the same. The wrenches I got lucky and picked them up thru craiglist. all the bike wrenches shouldn't cost you more then $35 -$40 and get them in combinations. a lot of the other tools I already had. I don't think I have more then $400 into my tools tops, not counting the regular tools I already had. You have to have that bike stand first. I worked on bikes upside down for awhile and it will wreck your back. You need the thin bike wrenches to do the bearings in the wheels. Those are the main tools to get started. The rest for bottom bracket and wheel truiing can be added as needed. It took me a couple years to aquire what I have now. If you fix a couple bikes it will pay for all your tools easily. The next tool I need is a thin wrench for going on that nut on the bottom bracket. Even if you just working on your bike most of the tools i told you about will help you keep your own bike up. I have seen the prices at the bike shop, plus you have the pride of doing improvements on your own bike. I really enjoy working on bikes, it really relaxes me and get a kick out of reviving a bike that was let go and putting it back into service again.