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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

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Old 03-18-15 | 06:16 PM
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Yeah I feel 80 is way to much when I am mechanically inclined enough to put it together. I have worked on cars and motorcycles, I can work through getting it right. I picked up a new 15mm wrench, floor pump, and folding hex key set from Amazon. Patch kit, levers, and small c02 pump are next on the list.

My wheels do not have to be perfect, just close.
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Old 03-18-15 | 08:39 PM
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Buy a decent set of lockring pliers (not a stamped steel tool). Hozan type are what you want. If you have an angle grinder or bench grinder etc they are extremely easy to make out of an old pair of channel locks.

Makes it much easier to tighten a lock ring.

Also, depending on how anal you are about your frame, you can use the roto lock technique is to install/remove a cog (eliminating the need for a chain whip).

Check your pedals before buying a pedal wrench. Many have allen sockets on the rear or have wide enough flats for a regular open end 15mm.

You do not need much to work on a fixed gear bike.

You will eventually need bottom bracket specific tools. You will eventually need a chain tool.

Spend the money on a good spoke wrench (not the multi size dealys).

Generally speaking, kits will come with stuff you don't need and will contain lesser quality of ools than buying individual items.

All you likely need to get started is a decent set of allen wrenches (not folding, they are a pain to use) and a good spoke wrench. Buy the rest as needed.
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Old 03-19-15 | 03:26 AM
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
Maybe you misunderstand what I'm trying to say. By "centered" I mean the rim being centered relative to the axle locknuts at the inside of the dropouts. The rim may have zero lateral runout and still be off center on the hub. In this case, the wheel needs to be redished by tightening all the spokes on one side and then retrued. The easiest way to determine centering is with a dishing tool.
Just a note on this. FB taught me a trick when building wheels on the cheap: Set the wheel on three soup cans and stack coins from the table to the axle. Flip the wheel to check centering. Works a treat.

Edit: Had to come back to say to make sure the axle is centered in the hub before doing the above. Might not have been necessary to say, but a variety of folk read this stuff.

Last edited by North Coast Joe; 03-19-15 at 04:01 AM.
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Old 03-19-15 | 05:07 AM
  #29  
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OP,
Check the head on the inset nut that centers your dual pivot calipers. It may be 2.5mm, so you'll need that size, too. I'd recommend buying a good, complete set of metric long L allen wrenches. The Park Tool master chain link removal pliers are terrific, too.

As you attempt more complicated service, you may want to pick up the specific tool needed. That's the way most of us have done it over many years. Just be thankful that you're not servicing old Campagnolo stuff...
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Old 03-19-15 | 07:45 AM
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For the lockring pliers is this the one? https://www.amazon.com/HOZAN-YD-1015-.../dp/B003LBSLUG

Also is this needed right off the bat or can wait?

I bought a regular 15mm stubby wrench and have a snap on 15mm at home. I know I have wiha hex sockets besides the folder but may buy another long set to be safe.

I will plan on a chain tool and bottom bracket tools when I get around to buying a new crank (aka all city 165)
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Old 03-19-15 | 07:51 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by Chappys4life
For the lockring pliers is this the one? Amazon.com : Hozan Head Race Pliers : Bike Hand Tools : Sports & Outdoors

Also is this needed right off the bat or can wait?
Yes, those are precisely the lockring pliers you want to get and they are definitely worth the higher price over a conventional hook style tool. Also, that Amazon price is very good for those Hozan pliers.
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Old 03-19-15 | 08:53 AM
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Do I need them for initial assembly? Or when would they be needed? Just planning on prority of parts.

Also is the a collection of how to's that relate to assembly and maintance?
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Old 03-19-15 | 09:05 AM
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It is hard to say whether the wheel will come with the cog in place or not. Since you may very well want to change your gearing lockring pliers or a lockring tool are good to have. You can also do this if you've got an old channel lock wrench:
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Old 03-19-15 | 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Chappys4life
Do I need them for initial assembly? Or when would they be needed?
Probably. Although the cog and lockring will probably be installed on the hub, they will not be tight enough to prevent the lockring from loosening as soon as you ride the bike and the cog tightens up. As the cog tightens, it pulls away from the lockring, causing it to become loose. Then as you back pedal or skid, the cog unscrews until it contacts the lockring, and eventually through several cycles of forward and backward pedalling you will end up stripping out the hub threads and will need to replace it. So, IMO, a lockring tool is essential from the git go, although you don't necessarily need a chain whip to tighten the cog.
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Old 03-19-15 | 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
Well, $80 seems excessive, so i can see why you wouldn't want to use that shop. To true up a wheel properly you need a truing stand and of course a spoke wrench.
Well, if you're so concerned with a wheel being centered you're not going to figure out that by using just a truing stand and a spoke wrench. You'll need a dishing gauge, too, or something to confirm your truing stand is perfectly calibrated. I think Park Tools makes some overpriced piece of aluminum that is suppose to act as a perfectly centered wheel in order to calibrate their truing stands. For what it's worth, I have a Park TS-2.2, a Park dishing gauge, and a that silly Park centering gauge. The centering gauge is useless.
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Old 03-19-15 | 11:28 AM
  #36  
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I picked up the lower end park wheel truing stand (TS8) for around $50 bucks off of CL -- already had the spoke wrench. I cant tell you how much I've actually needed to use it over the past few months due to having a number of bikes and SF roads are generally poor. Get a stand -- it'll last a lifetime and save you $80 a pop at the LBS.. Just my $.02
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Old 03-19-15 | 11:42 AM
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I called the local bike shop and they charge 25 per wheel to true them if they are bad. Thinking I will take the wheels in to have them checked and while they are they have them check the cog and lockring. The tool is not super expensive but for 35 and I really only need it when I change cogs I cant see abig use for it off the bat.
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Old 03-19-15 | 12:25 PM
  #38  
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Best tool I ever bought was this:

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Old 03-19-15 | 01:28 PM
  #39  
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I actually don't like the lockring pliers and much prefer the hook type. I use Amazon.com : Pedros Trixie-Fixie Tool : Bike Repair Tools : Sports & Outdoors

I highly recommend a stand too. Makes working on a bike so much easier Feedback Sports Pro-Ultralight Bicycle Repair Stand - Modern Bike
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Old 03-19-15 | 01:32 PM
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Thats next on my tool list. Working on bikes upside down sucks

Originally Posted by T13
Best tool I ever bought was this:

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Old 03-19-15 | 01:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Unkle Rico
Thats next on my tool list. Working on bikes upside down sucks
Yeah it does, for sure.
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Old 03-19-15 | 02:14 PM
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How well does that trixie tool work? I would pick that up for the lock ring.
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Old 03-19-15 | 02:25 PM
  #43  
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Not very well.
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Old 03-19-15 | 02:27 PM
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I'm not a huge fan of most of the Pedro's tools, personally. They feel really cheap, like a toy. Try not to buy cheap stuff. Cheap tools reeealllyyy suck, and will usually, eventually destroy whatever you are working on, by either failing, or driving you crazy, I'm talking, "chimpanzee beating on everything in sight", crazy. Cheap tools, small spaces(like an apartment) and the middle of summer will drive you mad.

Last edited by T13; 03-19-15 at 02:32 PM.
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Old 03-19-15 | 02:32 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by Chappys4life
How well does that trixie tool work? I would pick that up for the lock ring.
It's the axle wrench that I ride with. The lockring tool works well enough but I do not use it if I have the Hozan around. I have never used the little allen wrench that pokes out the side because I also carry a folding set. I thought I would never use that multi-sized-nut-wrench-thing that is cut out of the middle but I did the other day - to tighten a nut on a fender stay.
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Old 03-19-15 | 02:53 PM
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Originally Posted by T13
Best tool I ever bought was this:

I have one of those, too, and I love it!
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Old 03-19-15 | 03:11 PM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by Chappys4life
How well does that trixie tool work? I would pick that up for the lock ring.
It's my only lockring tool. Again, I prefer that style to the wrench kind. Plus it's great to keep in your saddlebag with all the other extras it has.
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