Do this, I have seen a few on-line sites with sales on basic tool sets, Nashbar had their in house set on sale last week. You could watch for separate pieces on sale, cassette whip, cassette socket, spoke wrench(es), assortment of hex keys (maybe a preset torque key here,) cable/housing cutter, and a chain breaker tool, use your judgement as to what you need. Depending on your skill level, you seem to know what you are talking about, maybe Zinn's Road Bike Maintenance Manual, or say Park Tool's Big Blue Book.

It will pay off in the long run, not only in money saved, but also in personal satisfaction from doing your own maintenance and repairs.

Bill

Turned out to be a nice day after a cool start. Got in 37 miles with 1138 feet @ 16.1 mph. Got a late start and with the weather finally warming up I've got to remember to get out early on the weekend because everyone and their brother was out there noodling about in a blissful state of oblivion. :twitchy:
Not the best pix but you get the idea



http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=517955http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=517956

Great Spring morning for a ride with the wife: 20.6 miles

Did 22 miles yesterday (solo), and felt really good. Had one car try to sideswipe me because I guess he had to wait an extra 5 seconds. Ugh.

Im now at 230 miles for the year. Trying to get to 1,000 before RAGBRAI but I don't know if I will make it.

If I time my rural route rides just right i get headwinds both ways. Usually in late afternoon the wind is from the west or SW, in my face, plus hills. And if I ride long enough for the return trip just before sunset, the wind shifts to blow from the east by SE. Yay! Headwinds all the time!

Good workout, though. Makes the other more sheltered routes seem like gravy.

Kinda sorta rode Monday afternoon, if test riding a new-to-me bike counts. My bike needs a new rear wheel, so I test rode a nice used Trek 7.5something while pondering whether to go with cheap piecemeal repairs every month, or just spring for the new wheel now and get the pain over with.

Rode the Trek 7.5whatever a couple of miles. Wow, much lighter than my 35 lb sofa-pillow bike. Not sure I can handle the lower handlebar and longer reach position, but I'm tempted to find a way to make it work with my creaky neck. Much easier climbing hills, even slight upward grades against the wind. Also much twitchier feeling, between the lighter weight, quicker handling and skinnier tires.

I like twitchy in a bike. Definitely twitchy.

20 miles today in pleasant 50-ish temperatures. This brings me to a grand total of 35 miles for the year!
Noticed that my r.d would not shift to my lowest gear on the way back. Thought I might have to break out the allen wrench. I got lucky: My chain was on my large chainwheel, so I dropped it and it was fine.
I met a cow that I never would have met had I not had this mishap. Now, is that serendipity for ya'?

19 miles today as a Bike Commuter.

I rode my Masi on today's commute. Very much fun. What going to work should be for everyone.

Hey C-Cat, you and I have similar issues - back and neck problems that make riding in the Hunchback Speed-Monkey position quite unpleasant.

You can change the handlebar and stem and completely transform the ride. Heck, on this bike, maybe just the handlebar. For instance - here is a Trek 7.5 image I got off a Google search:

http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/...pswhshgbl6.png

It has sort of hybrid geometry, with a flat bar and sloping top tube. Kind of like my Scott Sub 10 when I bought it:

http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/...pswzzmjdif.png

After switching to a pullback handlebar, more comfortable saddle and grips, I was sitting upright on a proper modern roadster, and suddenly I could see much more of the world around me:

http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/...pscp40njso.png

I can ride this bike all day long, or until my legs turn into wet noodles anyway. Is there any way you could try before you buy?

Hey, that might work too. The dealer suggested an adjustable stem, which might work with the existing flat bar. There are days when I can handle a lower bar, and days when I like it a bit higher. I may give that bike a longer test ride this week when I pick up my bike after the new wheel is finished. I liked the lighter weight (hey, 23 lbs feels very light to me, coming from a bike pushing 40 lbs loaded) and quicker response.

But the Trek 7.5 also felt twitchy. And I worried over every minor rut and crack in the pavement with those skinny tires. Maybe that sort of bike just doesn't suit me anymore. There's another local shop that specializes in used bikes so I may visit them and see if there's anything in stock that suits me as-is.

Did a very nicely paced, 40 mile, post recovery, solo ride this morning. It's really starting to get hot and humid in the mornings here. May have to start my rides a bit earlier in the mornings if I can get out of bed in time.

Wind and snow yesterday. Sunshine and cold today (sweatshirt & mittens). 18.0 @1:24 on the Allez. I'm ready for warmer weather.

2016: 1,244 Miles ♂ Total Miles: 10,841
Allez 480/2912 · Roubaix 499/3031 · Sirrus 131/2166 · Trike 134/1717


God must love stupid people. He made SO many.

66 miles in warming up weather with the winds keeping me company. Continued to maintain my arbitrarily chosen 10%+ of total miles pedaling into the wind in the 53/12 while standing and holding 16/17mph to help prepare for Six Gap in September. Very tiring today since I have yet to recover from the walking I did in our local Relay For Life event at Venice Airport this past Friday 7PM to Saturday 7AM.

Rode my mtb fifteen miles in blowing wet snow and then (on the way home) sleet. I had to go to the gardening center for fertilizer. My baseball hat saved me. Carried over 50 lbs home. Man, my shoulders hurt, even with pads on the shoulder straps on my backpack.

Some quick miles as the storm rolled in.

https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net...-2048x1152.jpg

https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net...-2048x1152.jpg

You carried over 50lbs of fertilizer in your baseball cap? Go Sea Dogs! :D

Tough about the snow though.

No.., I stuffed a lot of it in my pockets, and, like, inside my boots. Go Sea Dogs.

17.9 @1:24 on the Allez. Cut the ride short because Weather Underground sez RAIN (go home Bicycle Boy) and they've been very accurate.

2016: 1,261 Miles ♂ Total Miles: 10,859
Allez 498/2930 · Roubaix 499/3031 · Sirrus 131/2166 · Trike 134/1717


Ben & Jerry learned how to make ice cream by taking a $5 correspondence course offered by Penn State. (They decided to split one course.)

Nice 47 mile ride with the guys this morning.

My group(4) was small last night because of some rain but we finished the 20 mile loop on the Suncoast trail in Land O Lakes,fl from SR54 to SR52 at an avg speed 0f 20.7 MPH!

Commuting to L.A. everyday, from the OC. Most of it by train. 14-20 miles via my bike. Nice riding in Irvine/Lake Forest, Ca, BAD riding in L.A. grrrrrrrrrrrr

A slow 56 mile ride today with my buddy Frankie D whom I don't think was at his peak today. Temperature was in the high 80's and I think that played a part. I'm a little whipped, as well, because it was too slow a ride for this temperature. :(

Nice ten miles after work this afternoon. Too much rain this week.