Workstands & toolkits

[livpoksoc]

Ok, so I've just got back from LDN2PAR cycle ride & have been bitten by the bug properly, before I went though I had to pay £200 for a service (new tyres, chain & cassette included) but obviously I don't want to be paying that once a year, otherwise it defeats the point of changing the car for a bike! I want to try my hand at some of the repairs/changes myself. I will be looking at some maintenance courses (if anyone can recommend some in the Southampton/Portsmouth area that would be handy).

Otherwise, I want to get a workstand & a toolkit but not have to lay out more than the money I'm trying to save in the first place! I've seen the following workstand:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Velomann-Ma...sr_1_4?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1316475114&sr=1-4

& the following toolkit:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-workshop-tool-kit/#more

But both get mixed reviews & I think if my eyesight is correct, the toolkit doesn't come with a chain cutter. Can anyone give me some info on what/where to get a decent toolkit & workstand that won't cost an arm & a leg (ideally max spend £150ish).

Thanks

 

[gbb]

Hiya Livpoc...
Can't speak for the stand, mines a Tacx Motion like this...
http://www.bikebitsuk.com/tacx-t3075-motion-workstand-p-787.html
The advantages are it's very sturdy, holds the bike with front or rear wheel removed. Also, it puts the bike at standing level, no stooping.
Disadvantages, you have to remove one wheel or the other to mount the bike and its moderately bulky, even when folded down (mind, i have limited storage space in my shed)
Crikey, i paid £100 for mine

The advantages of the one you're looking at is its quicker to attach the bike, no wheel removal...but i always think (perhaps incorrectly) that they look not quite as stable.

The toolkit, yes it has a chainbreaker.
Just make sure your needs match what the kit offers. I assume it's a Shimano based kit, no some of the tools are no good if you're running Campag, you'd need a different cassette lockring tool.
What BB have you, the wrench looks like a HollowTech 2 (which also does FSA BBs as well).

 

[PpPete]

I have an almost identical stand to the Amazon one, but bought from Ribble a couple of years ago - it's been absolutely fine. Lost count of the number of bikes that have been stripped & rebuilt on it let alone the number of repairs to my kid's friend's bikes.

Looks like a good basic tool kit too, one of the few that includes a cable cutter. The only parts that I suspect may not be great are the spoke key and the tyre levers, both of which are cheap to replace. You might also want to get a better set of allen keys - ball end type. It doesn't appear to have a headset spanner, but you only need those if you have an old type threaded headset, or old type BB. IIRC you have a Secteur(?) so you won't miss that.


£200 for a service .... OMG !
My favorite shop in the area is Cycle World in Romsey, but I can't promise they'd do it cheaper.

 

[jay clock]

£200 for a service .... OMG !
My favorite shop in the area is Cycle World in Romsey, but I can't promise they'd do it cheaper.

I use a guy in Shirley who is a semi retired ex GB team mechanic. Superb and massively massively cheaper. And you will be free to get the parts online and give them to him to fit. Let me know if you want details. And he will do things pretty much the same day

Cycle World I used a few years back for servicing and they were good. In terms of bike sales, not good... I went in a couple of weeks back looking for a new "winter road bike" and he tried three times to sell me a wide tyred hybrid. The he insisted he could get full mudguards onto a Trek Madone 3.1. Which they couldn't.

 

[jay clock]

In terms of workstand the one that needs a wheel removed looks a right kerfuffle. I have a Park like this (may find it cheaper) http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...a=X&ei=P1N4TtmrIcOi8QOU1uH4DA&ved=0CEUQ8wIwAA rock solid and leave it outdoors in the garden. Very high quality and nice and heavy

 

[VamP]

I have the Bikehut one as sold by Halfords - contrary to what you might expect it is of very good quality, solid, heavy and simple. A bit cheaper than the Park one too.

As to toolkits - depends on what you have already. I am just adding tools individually as and when I need them. TBH to change tyres, chain and cassette, there ain't all that much that you need.

As to the cost of your service - depends on what tyres, and components were fitted - without knowing that it's pretty hard to tell if you got ripped off or not.

 

[Dilbert]

I have the Bikehut one as sold by Halfords - contrary to what you might expect it is of very good quality, solid, heavy and simple. A bit cheaper than the Park one too.

As to toolkits - depends on what you have already. I am just adding tools individually as and when I need them. TBH to change tyres, chain and cassette, there ain't all that much that you need.

As to the cost of your service - depends on what tyres, and components were fitted - without knowing that it's pretty hard to tell if you got ripped off or not.

+1

 

[livpoksoc]

Just ordered the following workstand: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-elite-team-workstand/ I trust wiggle & if it's crap I'll get it refunded, I'll let y'all know when I've had a play with it.

As for toolkit, I have plent of allen keys, tyre levers and screwdrivers, it was more the specialist cycle tools for removing the crank arms, bottom bracket, repairing the chain & then maybe look at the cassette & truing of wheels if I feel confident. For these specialist tools, are there certain types that match certain components (like cleats that match pedals) or is it one size fits all as it were?

 

[smokeysmoo]

I can't recommended a particular tool kit as I've never bought one TBH. My tools have just been built up over the years.

As for workstands though, I use one of THESE and it is fantastic. Very quick to put up/take down as it has QR levers, and it's dead easy to adjust. I completely restored and built two bikes with mine, and I maintain my current two and Mrs S's with it as well. Shame it's from Ribble but you can't have everything I guess.

 

[HLaB]

Just ordered the following workstand: http://www.wiggle.co...team-workstand/ I trust wiggle & if it's crap I'll get it refunded, I'll let y'all know when I've had a play with it.

As for toolkit, I have plent of allen keys, tyre levers and screwdrivers, it was more the specialist cycle tools for removing the crank arms, bottom bracket, repairing the chain & then maybe look at the cassette & truing of wheels if I feel confident. For these specialist tools, are there certain types that match certain components (like cleats that match pedals) or is it one size fits all as it were?

That's workstand I've got and for the price I'm very happy with it, I don't know really what to say about it, it does the job fine for me and is stable enough.

Cleats are specific to each type of pedal but no special tools are needed; cleats are all attached to shoes via Allen keys, if thats what you mean. The basic tools I think are a set of Allen Keys, tyre levers, a chain tool, screw drivers, chain whip, pump (preferably track) and cassette lockring tool, a pair of cable cutters (preferably bike specific) and pedal wrench. If your bike need them spanners are useful too (say an adjustable one). Other tools I've used spoke keys, cone spanners (for the hubs) and a crank puller. I've probably forgotten something from these lists though.

 

[chigman]

I can't recommended a particular tool kit as I've never bought one TBH. My tools have just been built up over the years.

As for workstands though, I use one of THESE and it is fantastic. Very quick to put up/take down as it has QR levers, and it's dead easy to adjust. I completely restored and built two bikes with mine, and I maintain my current two and Mrs S's with it as well. Shame it's from Ribble but you can't have everything I guess.

Thats what I got as well. A great workstand if ever I saw one.

Steve

 

[Manonabike]

I saw a workstand at Lidl sometime ago and I think they are due soon again for £35 I think. I did purchase the tool box from Lidl This one for £25 and it's fine for home use.

 

[Nebulous]

I bought the Edinburgh Bicycle Coop stand. Currently reduced to £50

EBC workstand

I thought that was only for the sale - but it is still listed on the website at that price though the sale is over. I paid about £75 - and really like it so far.

I also bought a Halfords toolkit which is enough to get me started- but it doesn't have the Hollowtech BB tool.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Ok, so I've just got back from LDN2PAR cycle ride & have been bitten by the bug properly, before I went though I had to pay £200 for a service (new tyres, chain & cassette included) but obviously I don't want to be paying that once a year, otherwise it defeats the point of changing the car for a bike! I want to try my hand at some of the repairs/changes myself. I will be looking at some maintenance courses (if anyone can recommend some in the Southampton/Portsmouth area that would be handy).

Otherwise, I want to get a workstand & a toolkit but not have to lay out more than the money I'm trying to save in the first place! I've seen the following workstand:

http://www.amazon.co...16475114&sr=1-4

& the following toolkit:

http://www.wiggle.co...-tool-kit/#more

But both get mixed reviews & I think if my eyesight is correct, the toolkit doesn't come with a chain cutter. Can anyone give me some info on what/where to get a decent toolkit & workstand that won't cost an arm & a leg (ideally max spend £150ish).

Thanks

I have that stand, got it from decathlon and I think it was 40-50 quid. It's very good imo, tubing is massive so its strong, the clamp is a lever rather than a screw so its quick to clamp in and out. Only downside is it isn't foldable - but I like this as it means I always have a space reserved to work on!

A tool kit is worth getting from the outset - otherwise like many of us you will build up tool by tool, making purchasing a kit cause redundant parts. You will find that the numbers are bolstered by small stuff like 3 tyre levers.

The kit includes a chaintool...

You shouldn't need a chain/cassette every year - this sounds more like you need to do regular maintenence a quick clean often

 

[2Loose]

I saw a workstand at Lidl sometime ago and I think they are due soon again for £35 I think. I did purchase the tool box from Lidl This one for £25 and it's fine for home use.

The lidl stands came up a month or so again, so it'll be next year before they surface again...although Aldi will have 'bike stands' on the 29th, but very little info available at the moment so may not be a Workstand after all, but at £30 I expect it to be a workstand.