Can anyone recommend a good tool kit?

[BlackPanther]

Although I've had a mountain bike for many years, it's only been for occasional (summer) use....short distances with the kids in tow (sometimes literally). In March this year I bought a Dawes Tanami and started to commute to work (20 miles per day). I've since done around 4,000 miles, and for the 1st time ever I've bought a new chain (Wippermann 808). No tools required for this job, but as I'm doing a lot more miles now, this bike will need to be looked after to remain reliable. Looking down the line, I realise I'll be needing to replace consumables, such as bearings/sprockets etc.

Can anyone recommend a decent quality, value for money piece of kit with all the tools required for any job that's likely to need doing. I've looked around on t'internet, and most kits that look about right are around £50. I don't want to buy something of crappy quality that's missing some vital tool that I don't even know I'll need yet, so I'm looking to pick the brains of you experienced bike mechanics. If anyone's dropped on a bargain piece of kit I'd really appreciate a link to the item you've bought.....many thanks in advance, Carl.

 

[fossyant]

Buy bits as you need them. Start with quality Allen / hex keys (Park)....

Or buy a kit from the likes of EBC etc....... to get you going.

 

[pshore]

Bargain plus good quality don't normally go together.

If you just want a good starter pack of tools for a reasonable price this might do it (its what I have):
Halfords Essential Toolkit

Says £30 but I bought mine for £15 or £20 in an offer. I'd gamble it and wait until after after Christmas.
I think the only tools it is genuinely missing is cable cutters, pliers and a torx allen key for disc rotors but they are not so bike specific.

With that kit I have adjusted spoke tension; removed rear cassette a zillion times; changed chain; fitted new brakes and levers; adjusted gears etc; replaced freewheel, serviced hubs using cone spanners. I have not removed the bottom bracket yet. I have replaced forks but I think a few more tools may be required. Ah, yes, fixed p***tures.

I did a wheel building course the other day and found that the round heavy spoke keys are not ideal for building wheels.

Phil.

 

[subaqua]

wd 40 and duct tape

if it moves and it shouldn't duct tape
and it it doesn't move and it should WD40


sorry, i will be serious now.

A torque wrench and a socket set with the same size drive. this should in theory give you hex bits, torx bits not common but can be present depends on how far you want to strip down
I bought a little portable bike tool set with a chain splitter , then realised i have a powerlink chain !!! it has done most day to day maintenance jobs.

if you are changing cassetes you willl need a cassete lock ring tool and removing bottom brackets requires a proper c spanner ( or brute force ignorance and huge amounts of luck)

I will bespending some money on tools in the sales , Halfords do great range of workshop tools and my current socket set was from there over 10 years ago. it has been used every day in work . sadly i wasn't specific when i asked my dad to get me a torque wrench and he bought 3/8 drive. so new socket set required unless i can find a suitable adaptor but i don't like doing that .

 

[Grizzly]

I've got one of these http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...9&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003154c003148c003525 I know it's more than you want to spend but it is a good wee set.
I've also got one of these http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...7&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003154c003136c003544 I paid the full price and it was still worth it, it makes working on the bike a joy. I have also got some hex key sets, screw driver sets and a socket set that goes up to greater than 26 ml. I know its a lot of kit but it saved me spending £100 on getting the front forks on my mountain bike serviced, and with all the other work I've done its all probably paid for its self.

 

[BlackPanther]

Cheers. The Halfords kit looks like the one, and the price isn't bad at 30 quid. I do have a fair amount of tools from looking after the motorbikes. So I have a torque wrench, socket set, etc etc, and I guess I can buy the odd new tool as needed. I was soooooo annoyed last year, when I had to resort to taking the MBs back wheel in to the shop for new bearings, AFTER I'd bought the bearings! All because I didn't have that tool with the 2 pins. Felt like a right numpty.

 

[Alien8]

There's a PBK one here reduced from £50.99 to £34.42. PBK tools are usually reasonable quality but if it replicates some of the stuff you have already it might not be worth it.

 

[potsy]

Bought one from Wiggle a few weeks back when they had 20% off tools. Well worth it, I now can do jobs I would have had to get done by the lbs,and considering they charge £25 per hour labour it will pay for itself in no time.
Already used the tools to fit a new bottom bracket,service rear hub, remove cranks and take off cassette.

 

[cyberknight]

Bargain plus good quality don't normally go together.

If you just want a good starter pack of tools for a reasonable price this might do it (its what I have):
Halfords Essential Toolkit

Says £30 but I bought mine for £15 or £20 in an offer. I'd gamble it and wait until after after Christmas.
I think the only tools it is genuinely missing is cable cutters, pliers and a torx allen key for disc rotors but they are not so bike specific.

With that kit I have adjusted spoke tension; removed rear cassette a zillion times; changed chain; fitted new brakes and levers; adjusted gears etc; replaced freewheel, serviced hubs using cone spanners. I have not removed the bottom bracket yet. I have replaced forks but I think a few more tools may be required. Ah, yes, fixed p***tures.

I did a wheel building course the other day and found that the round heavy spoke keys are not ideal for building wheels.

Phil.

You will also need an old style freewheel remover if you have those as they only supply a newer cassette remover,.I have the same kit and for the price its ok for general repairs but as said you may need the odd extra tool.

 

[2Loose]

The Essence toolkit from Ice Toolz is a good value starter kit (about £40), but you should add cable cutters on top straight away and anything else you need can be bought as and when.

 

[Trevrev]

I have a Draper kit. It's very good !
But i do work for them so i'm a tad biased.