Originally Posted by
catonec
If you are going to be working on "modern" bikes only (last 20 years) you will not need to spend as much as more things are standardized. If you are a c/v guy then you will find more and more specialty tools are needed. I agree w/rekmeyata that you will get better quality tools if you buy them separately however you will spend more, but if you keep them forever and dont need to replace it....
I have not bought a trueing stand or spoke wrenches because, well, I dont build wheels. once every year I bring my wheels in and have them re-tensioned and trued// $15 a wheel, much easier. I do not have a headset race remover/setter as I would only need it once every few years. I bring this job to my lbs as well.
I do have a few different bb/cassette removers, a chain whip, crank puller, chain tool that rarely get used
Hold on there. Actually bikes made prior to the advent of briftors were much more standardized then todays junk. Granted maybe your saying that because today's crap can't be fixed thus the only tool you need is to get the thing off and replace it with a new component then I hear you, but the cost of a tool to be used to fix and older component style system is cheaper then replacing the component of today's stuff. I would rather buy a tool to be used to fix a component then have to go buy a new component because it was designed not to be fixed.
I'm another one who after 40 years of riding and even 10 years of racing never bought a truing stand or a bike stand! My truing stand is built into every bike...I use the calipers as a guide, doesn't work real good if the dish goes out but that may only happen once every 10 years if that so taking a bike into a bike shop every 10 years and have them go over it for $15 is cheaper then buying a truing stand! I've been doing truing for so long I can feel the proper tension...or at least darn close, close enough I don't have wheels or spokes failing. And bike stand, I know their convenient but for some reason I never found the need for one, I've been able to all my repairs without one.
The cool thing about older bikes like most that I have are, they rarely break, I have a 1984 Trek 660, which a poster here on this forum says I don't have...anyways, it has over 160,000 miles on the original Suntour Superbe components. The only non original from the 1983 group (I got a 84 frame and fork and headset which was a black Stronglite which after racing ended I replaced that headset with the Superbe I got in the group package); the LBS gave me a great deal on a one year old brand new Superbe group and all I ever replaced since was the freewheel and chain rings of course, and the front derailleur's band snapped and I had to use a exact same model backup I bought to replace it with; but other then that it's been all good. At the time I bought the bike I also bought a second set of Superbe pedals, rear derailleur and front derailleur in case of failure, and never used any of it till about 12 years ago when the front derailleur snapped, and then I use the pedals on my 84 Fuji Club because I didn't like the factory stock pedals, but the rear derailleur sits unused in it's box.