Working on your bike is a great way to cement your relationship with your steed, save money and learn new skills.
However, with a plethora of tools on offer, where should you spend your money? This isn’t a problem if you have unlimited space and an unlimited budget, but for most of us, prioritisation is key.
If you’re building a toolkit capable of maintaining your bike, and aiming to avoid having to go to the bike shop for every job, here’s what you need to know.
Mobile toolkit essentials
Everyone should have a trailside/roadside tool kit setup. When you’re starting out on your cycling journey, this can double up as your own portable workshop.
A cyclist’s mobile toolkit should consist of the basics: a good multi-tool, chain tool, tyre levers and a mini pump.
Multi-tools appear in many shapes and sizes, but I would start with a multi-hex and a multi-Torx.
My favourite multi-hex tool is the Park Tool AWS-10, which features small 2mm up to 6mm keys, including the important 2.5mm. An 8mm hex key is also useful for many cranks, pedals and Universal Derailleur Hangers.
A chain tool is very useful to have out on the trail: if your chain snaps, you can remove a link (and avoid the largest cogs). This should get you home safely, and you can make a DIY singlespeed setup if your rear derailleur gets destroyed.
Topeak’s All Speeds chain tool costs less than £30 and does the job.
Tyre levers can be superfluous if you have strong thumbs, but for tight tyres or repairs when your fingers are cold, they can be very helpful. Pedro's tyre levers are my go-to, with a great shape and a good balance between rigidity and flex for £5.
A pump is an essential item, whether you go for a lightweight mini pump or a more modern (but more expensive) electric pump.
The must-have tools for your workshop
Find a place in your home that you can dedicate to working on your bike. This could be as simple as keeping your mobile toolkit by the back door so you can carry it outside to work on your bike, or as luxurious as a dedicated double garage.
This forms the basis of your workshop. The mindset of caring for your bike can be started by checking the tyre pressures and giving it a wash. You don’t need to be able to strip a rear shock or build a wheel in order to call yourself a bike mechanic.
So, whether it’s a cardboard box or swanky roller-drawer unit, it’s now about stocking that storage with the home essentials. Here is how to step it up to the next level.
The best workstands are useful for many jobs, including adjusting your gears, swapping wheels and lubing the chain on an ebike, and are well worth the investment.
If space is confined, you can buy a folding stand that will pack away neatly. The Lifeline Pro Mechanic workstand is lightweight, costs £90 and folds down for storage.
A good torque wrench is something you should have as a home mechanic. Each bolt on your bike has a recommended torque setting and using a torque wrench will minimise the chances of damage or bolts coming loose.
Torque wrenches range from budget options up to all singing, all dancing digital versions. Buy the best you can afford and look after it.
Park Tool’s PTD-5 is a solid start for stems and seat clamps. It can be set from 4-6Nm and costs £40.
Ideally, though, you would have one with a larger torque range such as Prestacycle’s TorqRatchet Elite Lite, which goes up to 12Nm. Heavy-duty workshop torque wrenches are needed for components such as cassette lockrings (around 40Nm), SRAM cranks and pedals (both up to 54Nm).
A track pump will make it easier and faster to fill a tyre than a mini pump and is a useful addition to your home tool kit. A solid starter such as Specialized’s AirTool Comp Floor Pump starts at around £50, but the sky's the limit if you want more bling and more features such as a digital gauge or a high-pressure chamber for seating tubeless tyres.
Changing a cassette needs a couple of tools, but if you’re thinking of changing wheels or fitting a new drivetrain, a cassette lockring tool and a chainwhip will be required. Park Tool’s CP-1 is a good advanced option for a chainwhip, costing £55, while cassette tools start at around £10.
Those with a larger budget to spend could look at buying a full toolkit in one, with a case.
Advanced workshop investments
If you are lucky enough to already have a good home workshop, here are some recommendations to expand your setup.
Much as I understand the drive to own a full matching set of boutique equipment from the likes of Abbey Bike Tools, there are some things you could get first that might benefit you more.
High-quality cable cutters will be invaluable for cutting hoses and cables cleanly. They start at around £15, rising above £40 for professional-quality items. Park Tool’s CN-10 cutters are trade quality and cost £40.
A T-bar, P-handle or hex-key set could be a useful addition because they enable you to spin bolts in faster and modulate force better than a multi-hex key. A full set will start at around £20, rising to around £130 for some Park Tool THH-1 spinners.
A hacksaw and file are great additions to a mechanic’s toolkit for cutting down handlebars, steerer tubes and seatposts. These start at around £5 each for budget-conscious options, rising over £50 for professional trade-quality items.
If you’re looking to expand your skills into the world of wheel truing, you’ll need a spoke key. These start at around £5. Don’t bother with an expensive and bulky truing stand at this stage, just put a cable tie on your frame and learn the art of wheel truing from there.
