Say one had between £75 and £150. What set would you suggest, and why?

It is high time I started working on my own bicycles.

I just purchased bits and pieces as I needed them. I inevitably find most pre-made kits have some items that I never needed.
Jas

I wouldn’t buy a toolset, just the things I’d use most frequently then add to it over time.
Decent hex set, screwdriver, cable cutters, bb tool(s), chain tool, lockring tool, chainwhip would be a good start.

Trust me, don’t buy a bike set. Shop around, choose carefully and you will get much much higher quality kit for the same money. Bike kits always contain a fair amount of “filler”; shit you will never use.
Set of screwdrivers, 3/8 drive socket set, wera hex and torx sets then shop around for unior tools (can be bought very reasonably and comparable in quality with park) and get the bike specific stuff.
Oh, I have a park tool chain whip, BB wrench and cassette nut for sale cheap if you’re interested.

As above; work out what you need. No point getting cone spanners if your hubs don’t need them, or pedal spanners if your pedals don’t have wrench flats etc.

But how do you all know what you need exactly? I mean I have three of my own bikes to maintain, plus all the kids’ bikes, and I wouldn’t know, for example, if any of the hubs need cone spanners or not, and would probably only find out when I started the work.

In any case, it looks like I have my answer. Sincere thanks for that.

Should also add that a workstand makes everything much easier.

Agree with above – too many compromises. Hex set, torx set, chain whip, cassette adaptor, bb tool, syringes for brakes, chain breaker, good quality adjustable spanner, cable cutters are musts. Work up to headset press, headset remover, 7mm spanner for shimano brakes. Cone spanners are never used now. Spoke key is handy.

15mm or narrow adjustable spanner will do pedals. Nice to have lots of other things but if you are a gorilla/have carbon get a torque wrench from Superstar.

Cone spanners are never used now

LOL!

only on ropey halfords models or cx bikes 😀