Inpd

Hi,

Just starting to get into stuff more seriously. I'll need a:

crank remover
cassette tool
bottom bracket remover
pedal wrench
etc.

What would be ideal would be a tool box of common bike tools. Ribble has something but it only contains a few items on my list and many I don't need.

AnkleWork

Welcome to the Personal Shopping Service forum. Unfortunately the internet is broken so I will not be able to process your request at this time.

andr0id

Canned kits are usually crap as you have found.

Just get the few things you need. Park, Spin Doctor or Pedro's.

I've still use bike tools I bought 30 years ago. Don't pinch pennies.

SkyDog75

And that's the common problem with tool kits. There are lots of different parts out there that require different specialty tools. Any kit that contains most of the ones you need is bound to tools you won't as well, unless you buy a really comprehensive set ($$$) and you're wrenching on lots of different bikes. This is why many of us choose to buy the individual tools that fit our specific bikes instead of a pre-packaged kit.

With that said, Park Tool offers a lot of quality bike-specific tools at reasonable prices. They're not the only game in town, but they're a safe bet for good value when it comes to bike tools. You can look up the crank puller, cassette lockring tool, or whatever you need for your specific bike on their site, then Google it to shop around.

tjkoko

A Park Tool Cable Stretcher BT-2 for installing cables and holding them in their place while you tighten the fastener. You'll also find it useful for tightening zip ties!!!!!!!!!!!

cny-bikeman

You already compiled a list. Add to it tools you find you need. You need to do the search yourself. If you find "cheap" tool look at the reviews to evaluate if it's "good."

KLiNCK

You can never go wrong with a Park Tools CN-10 Cable and Housing Cutter.
Having the proper tools make routine maintenance so much easier.
I agree with the above suggestions. Don't buy "a kit", buy the tools as you need them.
The CN-10 (or similar) is a regularly used tool and you should get a good one.

Inpd

Hi Guys,

I wasn't so much asking what to buy but where to buy it from. Is your LBS the best route? Or Amazon?

On the matter of what to buy there are lots of cheap combo sets like this: https://www.amazon.com/Tinksky-Mounta...t+removal+tool

Its a BB extractor and Crank puller for $12. Is it worth buying this type of thing or just stick with the known names.


Thanks again.

fietsbob

if you care about keeping a little money circulating in your community.. buy locally.

KonaRider125

I bought a Nashbar bike tool set that has all those tools and more, price is less than Park and quality is good enough to get the job done.

Nashbar Essential Tool Kit

RoadGuy

I'd say Park Tools from a Performance Bicycle Retail Store if you are near one.

Why? Performance has a lifetime satisfaction guarantee/warranty on everything they sell. Sure, Park Tools lifetime warranty, but you have to send the tool back to Park for repair or replacement. Performance will exchange or credit you for any Park Tool you get from them. There's no waiting and no paying for shipping to return the tool/s to Park. And frequently, Performance has a sale, or discount and/or free shipping on any order with Park Tool/s.

Performance also has there own line of less expensive tools, with the same lifetime warranty, but they aren't much cheaper, and they are not as well made.

randomgear

For a cheap but good pedal wrench, the Eldi/Union is hard to beat with both 9/16" and 15mm sides.

If you only have 15mm pedal flats, the Park HCW-6 combo headset and pedal wrench is decent and the headset wrench comes in handy if you don't have threadless stems.

Like others have said, if you buy locally you keep your dollars local and avoid shipping costs.

plumberroy

I found a tool kit at Aldis's with all the tools you mention plus some for $19.99 they are good enough for the week end bike tinkerer . When I caught them on 1/2 price I bought a second one . The folding allen wrenches went in a on bike kit along with the 8mm/10mm wrench and patch kit The other stuff I keep for extras
I believe it is bike hand brand . I did break a chain whip but the lbs bent their park chain whips trying to loosen the lock ring I broke it on .
Roy

wrk101

Neither of these choices. On new tools, I have found the sales at Nashbar to be attractive. On used tools, I have bought them occasionally on eBay, also from LBS going out of business. Sadly around here at least, a bike shop goes out of business every six months or so.

Some of the Nashbar branded tools (relabeled Spin Doctor) are pretty decent for home owner use. Cable cutter is OK. For something better, I prefer the Shimano branded cable cutter over the Park Tool cutter.

Chris Chicago

Whatever you do stay away from the bell chain tool at Walmart. Unless you only expect to use it a couple times

RoadLight

Hi Inpd,

I buy tools individually as needed. Like others have already explained, kits are seldom a good choice unless you plan to spend a lot of $$$. Finding a good toolbox is a problem and I still don't have a good solution. I purchased a steel/plastic box big enough to hold some of my longer tools (chain whip, pedal wrench, torque wrenches, etc.) but I've already outgrown it. I think I'll go with a modular approach and, instead of getting one bigger toolbox, I'll probably get a second smaller one and divide my tools. It will be easier on the back, too.

Here's how I buy my bike tools: I determine what model Park Tool is needed. Then I search for that tool on Amazon and check its price, availability and shipping cost. I've got an Amazon Prime account so, if it's being sold by or shipped by Amazon, the shipping will be free. The Amazon search will usually also pull up equivalent tools from other tool makers and and I'll check them as well. I'm not stuck on Park Tool---but many of my tools are Park Tools---it just worked out that way. I read lots of Amazon reviews if I'm looking for a tool that I'm not familiar with. I'll also read forums to get people's opinions on a specific tool or disassembly/assembly approach---sometimes there's more than one way (and more than one tool) to accomplish a job.

Then I go to eBay and search for the tool there. There are a number of bike shops selling mail-order via eBay so it can actually be a good place to shop. Once you've done it awhile, you'll begin to see which sellers are good and, if they have a storefront on eBay, you'll find out quickly if they are an authentic bike shop.

I compare the price with shipping at eBay to the price with shipping at Amazon and choose the seller that looks the most favorable. I've spent many hundreds of dollars on bike tools over the past several years---I do almost all of the service for my road bikes and my family's bikes. And I bought most of my tools this way.

I do not recommend going to your LBS unless they are above average and offer true value. One of the reasons that I do my own mechanical work is because the local shop has done poor work for me in the past and I've decided not to support them because of it. Plus I put a lot of miles on my two road bikes. I just passed the 3,000 mile mark on my carbon-frame road bike this year. In addition, I ride near Lake Michigan and, even though I ride smooth paved highway, I pick up a lot of sand in my drivetrain because of our wind and super-sandy soil. So my maintenance schedule is pretty high. I'll have to lube a chain every 200-300 miles and clean a full drivetrain every 700-900 miles. And I'll have to clean and repack my hubs at least once per year---sometimes twice.

This year, I had a quad-butted steel road frame repaired (it had a micro fracture in a seat stay and a shift cable guide was separating from the frame). I disassembled the bike completely, myself. But I sent it to a professional frame builder for the repair (Assenmachers in Michigan). They did an excellent job of repairing the frame, making a few mods for me and refinishing it. I reassembled the bike completely, myself.

I had to buy headset removal/installation tools for the job and saved about 75% by buying on eBay.

I recommend the same two-step approach: Check Amazon. Then check eBay. Compare and buy.

Kind regards, RoadLight