TOOLS FOR THE HOME BICYCLE MECHANIC
For many cycling enthusiasts, part of the fun is doing their own maintenance and repairs. Generally speaking, bicycles are very simple mechanical devices-you don't need to be a rocket scientist to work on your bike. There are less than 10% of repairs that are best left to the bike shop (usually because the tool involved is expensive), but all the rest can be done at home with only a modest investment. Home mechanics usually don't invest in things like bottom bracket shell taps, seat tube reamers, or head tube facing tools. Leave those kinds of devices and their use to the bicycle shop. However, if you have at least a little mechanical aptitude and have an interest in servicing your bicycle, the following list should help you equip your home shop and do all the common kinds of repairs and maintenance in your garage or basement.
The tools recommended for the home bicycle mechanic are basically of two types: Universal tools and bicycle specialty tools. The universal tools that commonly have application to bicycle repairs and maintenance include screwdrivers (standard and Phillips), metric hex wrenches (also called Allen wrenches), metric box or open-end wrenches (7mm to 17mm in 1 mm increments), adjustable wrench (Crescent wrench), pliers, and a pump (preferably a floor model, with a gauge). With less frequent application, but sometimes indispensable, are a hammer, hacksaw, and a couple of files.
There are some aspects of bicycle mechanics which require tools not generally applied in any other kind of work. They are typically only available for purchase from either cycling catalogs or from bicycle shops.
Before buying your first specialty tool, consider beginning your workshop setup with a workstand and an apron. Bicycle workstands allow you to hold your bike up off the ground, closer to eyelevel, and operate the drive train without having to flip the bike upsidedowm or hang it from the ceiling. Given below are the top ten, essential bicycle specialty tools.
1. Tube Patch Kit. The number one repair for bicycles continues to be fixing flats. In order to do that you will need a patch kit, suitable for bicycle tubes, either with glue or the new glueless type.
2. Tire Levers. These are thin, flat plastic gadgets that are used to remove and reseat tires. When you are fixing a flat, they are much safer to use than screwdrivers in that they won't damage rubber or metal when used properly.
3. Chain Rivet Tool. Most modem bicycles come equipped with a continuous chain, in that it doesn't have a special, snap-together link ("master link"). You can take your chain apart simply by pushing out any one of the dozens of rivets that hold all the links in place.
4. Crank Extractor. Once you remove the bolt or nut holding the crankarm in place, you need a unique tool to dislodge that arm from the bottom bracket spindle. Although some home mechanics beat it off or pry it off with various universal tools, the only safe way to remove a crankarm is using a crank extractor (also called a "crank puller") - it threads into the crank center and then pulls it off.
5. Bottom Bracket Tool. Often the reason a mechanic pulls off the crankarms is to get at the bottom bracket. Over the years there have been several different tools required for the various bottom brackets. Virtually all bicycles now are equipped, with a sealed cartridge type from Shimano and they all require the same tool.
6. Spoke Wrench. In order to keep your wheels reasonably straight ("true"), you will need to tighten and loosen spokes. Although it is possible to do this in an emergency with a pair of pliers, to do it fast without damaging the spoke nipples you will need a spoke wrench. There are individual-sized ones for sale, or for more universal application, multi-size spoke wrenches are also available.
7. Cassette Remover. When freewheels were the standard, there were several different tools for removing them depending upon the brand involved. Now we have cassettes, mostly Shimano, all requiring the same tool. However, it has to be used in conjunction with the tool described next.
8. Sprocket Remover. This tool, essentially a short length of bicycle chain hooked to a handle (also called a "chain whip"), is used to keep a cassette from "freewheeling" as you loosen its lockring to take it off.
9. Cone Wrench. If you wish to adjust, or replace your wheel axles or bearings, you must have at least one very thin open-end wrench to get a grip on a hub's cone.
10. Headset Wrench. Unless your bike has one of the new Aheadset type systems for the fork and stem, you will need a thin, flat wrench to service your headset. Choose among three sizes (32, 36 or 40 mm) to find the one that fits your bicycle.
If you look through a catalog of bicycle specialty tools, there are literally hundreds available. That kind of assortment is necessary to operate a full-service shop to work on all kinds of brands, from antique to modern. Added together, Great Basin Bicycles' tools cost thousands of dollars. However, we deal with hundreds and hundreds of service bikes a year and over 90% of all the repairs and maintenance we do only require the universal and specialty tools listed above. And you can obtain all the top-ten bicycle specialty tools listed above for less than one hundred dollars!
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