Ben Reeve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, UK
Hi everyone,
Just finished putting together a guide on the basic tools I use for bike maintenance which is availiable as a PDF on my site.
I'm planning to put another guide together with more advanced tools.
What do you reckon? Do you thing I've got it about right?
Also, what would you put on an the more advanced list?
So far I've got:
- Chain whip
- Chain break
- Torx wrench
- Spoke tool
- Repair stand
- Individual hex keys
- Lock ring tool.
Thanks for your advice as always.
Ben
Here I list the tools and equipment I found myself using all the time when I first bought a bike. These are basic tools that you will find you need as a beginner, but will hang on to no matter how good your skills get.
1 - Track Pump
A track pump, also called a floor pump is one of the most important tools you can own for your garage. It is designed for one purpose, to get your tyres up to a high pressure quickly.
Road bikes generally need high tyre pressures usually around 100 PSI. It makes such a difference to both the puncture resistance and rolling speed to have your tyres at the recommended pressure and a track pump will get you there fast.
My personal preference is the Beto Alloy Barrel Track Pump, which I have used for years now. It accepts both Schrader and Presta valves, and has a clear to read gauge for getting you to exactly the right pressure.
2 – Microfibre Cloths
Microfibre cloths are probably the most used tool in my garage.
There is simply no way of escaping the fact that maintaining a bike is dirty work.
I find microfibre cloths the best for the job as they are absorbent, but also get you a streak free frame.
They also last a lot longer than your average rag. I find I can put mine through the wash, and bring them back to life (just don’t tell my wife!)
I get mine from Amazon, which at 10 for just under £7 is great value considering they can be used more than once.
3 – Tyre Levers
You will not regret buying a decent set of tyre levers.
If there is one thing you will be doing a lot of as a cyclist it is changing tyres. So why not get yourself a set of levers that are going to make this most laborious of tasks a little easier?
Schwalbe ones are a favourite of mine. Unlike most sets that contain two levers, these have three, which means you can wedge two under the tyre, whilst running the third one around the edge to free it from the rim.
The shape is also really helpful in preventing you causing further punctures by pinching the inner tube.
4 - Lubricant
There are a lot of moving parts on a bike, and all of these need to be kept well oiled for them to work properly.
Whilst your dad may disagree, WD40 is not the answer. It is a very light lubricant, and simply not strong enough to stick to rapidly moving parts that are regularly exposed to bad weather.
Step in Weldtite TF2. The Teflon in it resists the weather, so it is perfect for keeping your bike on the road. It also comes with one of those handy thin red rubes for directing the spray into those hard to reach areas.
5 – Rubber Gloves
Looking after a bike is dirty work, and if you want to avoid hours of scrubbing up, these are the answer.
I’ve experimented with cleaning products such as Swarfega, but much prefer just putting on a pair of gloves.
Some people claim to not be able to work in them, but if they’re good enough for a heart surgeon they’re surely good enough for a bike mechanic!
At around £6.50 for 100 (hint: you can get more garish colours cheaper) I think they are the perfect solution.
6 – Hex Keys
There are lots of different Hex key sets out there, and as you progress to more complicated jobs you will find your needs change, however I always find myself coming back to a solid set such as these.
So many of the mechanisms on a bike require a hex key, so getting a decent set early on is a sound investment.
My first purchase was the Stanley Fat Max Locking Hex Key Set.
These are really sturdy, and never feel like they will buckle no matter how much pressure you put on them.
I like the fact they lock out at 45, 90 and 190 degrees via the red button on the side. This also stops the other keys from moving whilst in use.
7 - Degreaser
How do get all of that oil and muck off?
Simple. Degreaser.
Bike lubricants are designed to be water resistant, which makes getting them off incredibly difficult.
Degreaser is one of those must own products if you’re a cyclist, and will help you keep your bike/house/tools/cat (only joking!) clean.
My favourite is Muc Off Bio Degreaser, which cuts through the worst of it in no time.
8 - Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers are never going to be the most exciting of investments, but a quality set will be worth their weight in gold over the years.
Bike manufacturers have a nasty habit of putting multiple different shapes and sizes of screw around the bike.
This set by Draper are a smart investment that you will never need to upgrade, and also come with a cross angle screwdriver to help removing those over tightened screws.
9 – Cleaning Set
I took a bike maintenance course a couple of years ago and was blown away by how much of it starts with keeping a bike clean.
Before my teacher did anything he started by cleaning up and then oiling the area before moving onto more complicated assessments.
If you want to prolong the life of your bike and give yourself a smoother ride then start here. Every time you head out on a mucky ride, then take ten minutes after to clean your bike down so it’s ready for your next ride.
I started off with the Muc Off Bicycle Essentials Kit, and have never needed anything else. I buy more cleaning spray once a year or so, plus have added in some paint brushes in to get to the places this brush doesn’t.
10 – Wire Cutters
It may not seem like it to start off, but changing over cables is one of the simplest maintenance jobs you can learn for your bike early on. It will save you money, and time off the road where you bike would have been in the local workshop.
You quickly come to realize that a decent set of wire cutters makes a massive difference when dealing with bike cables. They can be quite thick, and the last thing you need having painstakingly threaded your cables through the housing is to fray the end when you cut it.
Whilst Draper Wire Cutters aren’t a specialist bike tool, they are well made, and do the job as well as any of the more specific tools. Another investment that you will never need to upgrade, and you will find yourself using again and again.
11 – Puncture Repair Kit
Fixing punctures is a reality of every cyclist’s life so having decent puncture repair kit in the garage as well as out on the road is critical. Whilst putting in a new tube tends to be the best solution, repair old tubes as a money saver makes sense.
The Weldite Repair Kit will have everything you need to bring those old tubes back to life.
12 – Spanner Set
A spanner set is vital for maintaining a bike. You will find bolts of various types across the bike, especially on the wheels.
As a starter set you can’t go too far wrong with this set by Silverline. For more sophisticated work such as adjusting wheels and removing pedals you will need specialist wrenches, but for everyday work this set will do perfectly.
13 – Cable Puller
This may well be the only item on this list you’ve never heard of.
Changing brake and gear cables is a relatively easy job, however it can be really difficult to get the tension right, especially when working by yourself.
Cable pullers will hold the cable in place for you allowing you to perfectly adjust your brakes and gears.
The Pedros Cable Puller strikes the balance between price and quality. You can get cheaper, but risk fraying cables, or for double the price you can go for the Park Tools version which from reading the reviews do not seem to achieve any more than these.
In Summary
These tools will become the very basis of your home maintenance kit and you will find them in your hand time and time again.
Much of sustaining the life of a bike involves many small simple steps, and these tools will help you to achieve that with ease.
I have always bought slightly more expensive tools that deliver high quality, as over their lifetime they will deliver you more value for money than cheaper tools that need replacing.
Just finished putting together a guide on the basic tools I use for bike maintenance which is availiable as a PDF on my site.
I'm planning to put another guide together with more advanced tools.
What do you reckon? Do you thing I've got it about right?
Also, what would you put on an the more advanced list?
So far I've got:
- Chain whip
- Chain break
- Torx wrench
- Spoke tool
- Repair stand
- Individual hex keys
- Lock ring tool.
Thanks for your advice as always.
Ben
Here I list the tools and equipment I found myself using all the time when I first bought a bike. These are basic tools that you will find you need as a beginner, but will hang on to no matter how good your skills get.
1 - Track Pump
A track pump, also called a floor pump is one of the most important tools you can own for your garage. It is designed for one purpose, to get your tyres up to a high pressure quickly.
Road bikes generally need high tyre pressures usually around 100 PSI. It makes such a difference to both the puncture resistance and rolling speed to have your tyres at the recommended pressure and a track pump will get you there fast.
My personal preference is the Beto Alloy Barrel Track Pump, which I have used for years now. It accepts both Schrader and Presta valves, and has a clear to read gauge for getting you to exactly the right pressure.
2 – Microfibre Cloths
Microfibre cloths are probably the most used tool in my garage.
There is simply no way of escaping the fact that maintaining a bike is dirty work.
I find microfibre cloths the best for the job as they are absorbent, but also get you a streak free frame.
They also last a lot longer than your average rag. I find I can put mine through the wash, and bring them back to life (just don’t tell my wife!)
I get mine from Amazon, which at 10 for just under £7 is great value considering they can be used more than once.
3 – Tyre Levers
You will not regret buying a decent set of tyre levers.
If there is one thing you will be doing a lot of as a cyclist it is changing tyres. So why not get yourself a set of levers that are going to make this most laborious of tasks a little easier?
Schwalbe ones are a favourite of mine. Unlike most sets that contain two levers, these have three, which means you can wedge two under the tyre, whilst running the third one around the edge to free it from the rim.
The shape is also really helpful in preventing you causing further punctures by pinching the inner tube.
4 - Lubricant
There are a lot of moving parts on a bike, and all of these need to be kept well oiled for them to work properly.
Whilst your dad may disagree, WD40 is not the answer. It is a very light lubricant, and simply not strong enough to stick to rapidly moving parts that are regularly exposed to bad weather.
Step in Weldtite TF2. The Teflon in it resists the weather, so it is perfect for keeping your bike on the road. It also comes with one of those handy thin red rubes for directing the spray into those hard to reach areas.
5 – Rubber Gloves
Looking after a bike is dirty work, and if you want to avoid hours of scrubbing up, these are the answer.
I’ve experimented with cleaning products such as Swarfega, but much prefer just putting on a pair of gloves.
Some people claim to not be able to work in them, but if they’re good enough for a heart surgeon they’re surely good enough for a bike mechanic!
At around £6.50 for 100 (hint: you can get more garish colours cheaper) I think they are the perfect solution.
6 – Hex Keys
There are lots of different Hex key sets out there, and as you progress to more complicated jobs you will find your needs change, however I always find myself coming back to a solid set such as these.
So many of the mechanisms on a bike require a hex key, so getting a decent set early on is a sound investment.
My first purchase was the Stanley Fat Max Locking Hex Key Set.
These are really sturdy, and never feel like they will buckle no matter how much pressure you put on them.
I like the fact they lock out at 45, 90 and 190 degrees via the red button on the side. This also stops the other keys from moving whilst in use.
7 - Degreaser
How do get all of that oil and muck off?
Simple. Degreaser.
Bike lubricants are designed to be water resistant, which makes getting them off incredibly difficult.
Degreaser is one of those must own products if you’re a cyclist, and will help you keep your bike/house/tools/cat (only joking!) clean.
My favourite is Muc Off Bio Degreaser, which cuts through the worst of it in no time.
8 - Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers are never going to be the most exciting of investments, but a quality set will be worth their weight in gold over the years.
Bike manufacturers have a nasty habit of putting multiple different shapes and sizes of screw around the bike.
This set by Draper are a smart investment that you will never need to upgrade, and also come with a cross angle screwdriver to help removing those over tightened screws.
9 – Cleaning Set
I took a bike maintenance course a couple of years ago and was blown away by how much of it starts with keeping a bike clean.
Before my teacher did anything he started by cleaning up and then oiling the area before moving onto more complicated assessments.
If you want to prolong the life of your bike and give yourself a smoother ride then start here. Every time you head out on a mucky ride, then take ten minutes after to clean your bike down so it’s ready for your next ride.
I started off with the Muc Off Bicycle Essentials Kit, and have never needed anything else. I buy more cleaning spray once a year or so, plus have added in some paint brushes in to get to the places this brush doesn’t.
10 – Wire Cutters
It may not seem like it to start off, but changing over cables is one of the simplest maintenance jobs you can learn for your bike early on. It will save you money, and time off the road where you bike would have been in the local workshop.
You quickly come to realize that a decent set of wire cutters makes a massive difference when dealing with bike cables. They can be quite thick, and the last thing you need having painstakingly threaded your cables through the housing is to fray the end when you cut it.
Whilst Draper Wire Cutters aren’t a specialist bike tool, they are well made, and do the job as well as any of the more specific tools. Another investment that you will never need to upgrade, and you will find yourself using again and again.
11 – Puncture Repair Kit
Fixing punctures is a reality of every cyclist’s life so having decent puncture repair kit in the garage as well as out on the road is critical. Whilst putting in a new tube tends to be the best solution, repair old tubes as a money saver makes sense.
The Weldite Repair Kit will have everything you need to bring those old tubes back to life.
12 – Spanner Set
A spanner set is vital for maintaining a bike. You will find bolts of various types across the bike, especially on the wheels.
As a starter set you can’t go too far wrong with this set by Silverline. For more sophisticated work such as adjusting wheels and removing pedals you will need specialist wrenches, but for everyday work this set will do perfectly.
13 – Cable Puller
This may well be the only item on this list you’ve never heard of.
Changing brake and gear cables is a relatively easy job, however it can be really difficult to get the tension right, especially when working by yourself.
Cable pullers will hold the cable in place for you allowing you to perfectly adjust your brakes and gears.
The Pedros Cable Puller strikes the balance between price and quality. You can get cheaper, but risk fraying cables, or for double the price you can go for the Park Tools version which from reading the reviews do not seem to achieve any more than these.
In Summary
These tools will become the very basis of your home maintenance kit and you will find them in your hand time and time again.
Much of sustaining the life of a bike involves many small simple steps, and these tools will help you to achieve that with ease.
I have always bought slightly more expensive tools that deliver high quality, as over their lifetime they will deliver you more value for money than cheaper tools that need replacing.
crappy stamped effort)
