white_feather

Over the past weekend I was bored so I took apart a 1964 Monark Holiday bicycle someone gave me. I used to crescent wrenches and a Leatherman Core as a screwdriver. I cleaned everything and put it back together and it still works! I have never taken apart a bike before. I have paid other people to do it. I truly enjoyed doing this. I would like to have a more modern (if you will) bicycle to be able to commute to work that I can take apart and repair when needed with common tools. Either that or learn how to repair my Treks and buy the expensive specialty tools to do it. Any suggestions? My goal is to get another Trek by years end so I will have a pair of them again. I have a 1996 Trek 730 right now along with a Kona Eighty-Eight, a 1955 Schwinn Deluxe Racer and the Monark. I want my collection to evolve into a nice variety to include some kind of track bike, possibly a Felt, a nice commuter, possibly a Trek and a cruiser like the Eighty-Eight but with a three speed hub. I may get a folder also so it would be four bikes total. I don't think they all share the same components so i would have to add certain tools as I go along. I'm cheap and easily intimidated and frustrated when it comes to working on machinery of any kind which will then lead to me smashing things. That is never good. What should I do?

bikemeister

Ahhhh - the good ole days when all one needed to fix a bike was barbed wire and duct tape! And I can relate to you on the frustration angle - I lose my temper and break or bend things all the time.
The best bike to build today with the leats amount of tools and specialized parts is a fixie. Simply because there is less on the bike, so there's less to go wrong.
Since that might not be practical for most people, a single speed hub would be my next bet. Hubs are pretty much bulletproof, and the brake calipers and levers wont require any rocket science to install/maintain. An MTB frame made of steel alloy would be the most economical approach that would stand the rigors of daily riding. All in all, such a setup would not cost a mint and would be relatively easy to repair with a minimum of tools.

DMF 

You need tools. More frustration is caused by inadequate tools than by Murphy. I get the impression you have almost none. In that case a cheap $25 tool kit from Performance or Harbor Freight would be a giant step in the right direction for you. Some of the tools won't apply to your bikes, but in balance the ones that do will be well worth the few $$ invested.

These kits don't include cable tools, which you will invariably need, but do some research before buying those. Also get some marine grease at the auto parts store and some chain lube (no, not chicken fat or WD-40).