Perhaps none of these are essential but they are all items you will never regret buying (apart from one)
Park Tool ZP-5 Flush Cut Pliers
- Price: £24.99
- From: Freewheel
Try as we might, even in the world of internally routed everything there is still a need for zip ties. And yes you can just use scissors, Stanley knife or regular snips to do your trimming but flush cut snippers like these are lovely. You’ll never go back to the old ways after going flush. These Park Tool versions are incredibly sharp too (so you may find yourself using them for various DIY tasks too). As well as making zip ties look a bit more ‘finished’, those of you who have ever received a cut from non-flush cut zip tie will know how much that hurts. And bleeds. Especially if it’s a cut on your leg mid-ride. Oof.
Pedro’s DH tyre lever
- Price: £17.99
- From: Pedro’s
This tool has seen some action. Those of you with carbon rims may wish to wrap a bit of insulation tape around the tip if you’re anxious. I use this tool pretty much every time I remove or install a tyre. Because why not? It makes easy tyres even easier, normal tyres nice and easy, and impossible tyres possible. There are alternative ‘big metal tyre levers’ out there but none has the tip shape or sheer strength of the classic Pedro’s version.
Nutrak Sealant Syringe
- Price: £12.99
- From: Freewheel
Whilst most of time when installing tyres I simply squirt sealant straight out of the bottle into the tyre and then finish putting the tyre bead on the rim, occasionally I do have the need to inject sealant via the valve whilst the wheel is fully tyre-shod. It’s arguably less techno than some other more expensive injectors but I don’t seem to get on very well with the fancy injectors. I understand this Nutrak one and am fine with it. Remove valve core, thread on the black end of this injector, squirt a measured amount of sealant in, unthread end, reinstall valve core. No waste. No waste. Just works.
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Rope vernier / Rideguard ruler
- Price: £freebie from The London Boat Show / £14.00 Rideguard PF1
- From: Marlow Ropes / Rideguard
The black things comes supplied with RideGuard mudguards. The white I picked up as a freebie from the London Boat Show back in the day (it was next door the London Cycle Show). Normal people won’t need these things as much as bike testers do. But for accurate and consistent suspension sag setting-up, either of these two dinky things are very useful. Basically you can put them fully up against the stanchion or shock body without the risk of scratching the surface (which can happen with metal tape measures or rulers). And the fact that you can rest these measuring instruments directly on to the suspension seal lip and O-ring means you can be sure of your measurements.
Muc-Off eBike Drivetrain Tool
- Price: £20.00
- From: Muc-Off
Very ebike specific. And very specific to the type of ebike motor you have. Basically you need to have an ebike with a chainring that mounts via spider and chainring bolts. Direct mount chainrings won’t work with this. But if you have a Specialized or Shimano motor for example, this makes oiling your chain a heck of a lot simpler. Thus you will do it more and/or better! Select the correct bit end (5/6mm hex, T25), insert it into the chainring bolt, pedal your crank backwards and voila! You can oil your chain just like you used to do in the analogue days.
Park Tool FCT-1 Fork Cap Tool
- Price: £13.99
- From: Freewheel
Something rather niche. A cube for undoing stuck fork caps. Again, normal humans probably shouldn’t rush out and buy one of these but for bike mechanics (and bike jounros) who encounter a fair few seized-on fork caps will be welcome to see a solution that works and doesn’t risk damaging someone else’s bike.
and…
Wera 9 Piece Colour Coded Allen Key Set
- Price: £33.95
- From: Wera
I think my expectations were too high. Nonetheless, this colourful set of Allen keys was very disappointing. There were two main issues I had with them. Firstly, the insertion depth of the non-ball end was occasionally too shallow (for things like thru-axles) and secondly, the plastic sleeves weren’t great. The more frequently used ones (for me, the 4 and 6mm) suffered from splits ends and ultimately ended up slipping and spinning on the shaft. I ended up replacing this whole set with a pack of non-sleeved colour-coded ones from Lidl of all places, which have been surprisingly great so far (you can see two of them in the top left of the photo above).
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I’ve got the Wera Allen keys above and on first look they seem great. What they do leave me wishing for is the longer end not being a ball type Allen key. Maybe I just need another set essentially the same but with normal ends on as it would be useful to have both…… That Pedros metal tyre never would make me nervous – I find the cushcore bead dropper gets pretty much any tyre on without scratching rims. I find it especially helpful when fighting with a tyre with an insert in it.
Syringes are undoubtedly useful for tyre gunk and brake fluid, but it’s worth saying that buying a ‘bike specific’ one is just asking to pay over the odds. You can get a 150ml syringe + length of tubing for less than a fiver on eBay, for example.
IHN – true ish. It’s the threaded end that goes on to the valve and makes everything more secure (especially when there’s resistance in the valve) that’s worth it in my opinion.
Yep, and I use some mini-snippers from a £6 pack of three pliers & snippers that Lidl do a few times a year (vs. the £25 Park ones)
The DH tyre lever (think mine is X-Tools) recommendation is spot on though, mine has helped me get the better of many a stubborn tyre/rim combo.
Oh, the ironing, if the Wera allen keys went in the holder easier, I’d use them more…
I can’t disagree more about the Wera’s. I’ve had my set for years and they’re still going strong, I’ve also never needed more insertion depth even for thru axlesÂ
No fricken way is a metal tyre lever going anywhere near any of my rims. I can get most stubborn tyres on with normal pedro plastic tyre levers and the, as per Joe the cushcore bead dropper does the rest. Just bought one of those Tyre monkey lever to see if it make it easier.
Have the wera set allen key, but I still tend to use an my Halford professional range more
Fair enough, I’m a whip the thing out, slip in my length and empty my load kinda guy.
Most used tool in my tool box – Knippex plier wrench.
Gets used on the bike, on the car, round the house, lent to FiL (I trust him!), used in work, taken on holiday. Best and most versatile tool I’ve ever owned.
My mate tried to take one of those Pedros tyre levers through Geneva airport in his hand luggage about 16 years ago. Standing and watching him try and explain to the Swiss security people what it was with lots of hand motions etc was a sight to behold. They let him on with it as far as I can remember… vs the pricks at Manchester who made me bin a set of allen keys this summer which accidentally found their way into my hand luggage. What am I going to do with those? Kill someone with a 5mm allen key? Disassemble the plane mid flight?
I have one of those fork cap tools on order from Halfords (20% off Park Tool just now) as a luxury tool to replace my usual bit of inner tube over some pliers. Also ordered the (way overpriced so it had better be a joy to use) wheel holder WH-1
Wera hex keys I also find good but occasionally irritating. I’m not convinced their special shape is ideal on aluminium fasteners and the plastic sheath can make them useless if access is tight e.g. recessed grub screws. They do loads of options though, I just bought the wrong option
For those in fear of damaging their rims, the IceToolz DH tyre lever is nylon coated.
Agreed. One of mine has rounded and buggered a thru axle.
I had them getting difficult about the tube on a camelbak bladder once – ‘you could use it to strangle someone’.
Allen keys definitely banned – I almost lost a multi tool that way. Â We traveling with someone else who’d not checked in and somehow I got them to let me back out and gave it to them to put in their hold baggage. Â Whilst at the checkin desk. Â Immediate ‘has anyone given you anything to put in your baggage’ question. Â ‘no’Â
A set of decent nail clippers is the GOAT for snipping cable ties. The rounded profile means you don’t get any pointy bits and they cost a couple of quid.Â
Also the best tool I have for resetting brake pistons. Parallel action and smooth jaws work better than any other of the various tools I’ve tried over the years.Â
I’ve also got a Stans branded sealant syringe same as that one. I’ve actually blocked the nozzle/tube up with the squirting action a couple of times when using really good sealant, I tend to just use it as a funnel now and it works that way too.Â
+1 for this. It’s one of those bike tester things I guess. If you actually have to pay for your own rims, you’re probably a little more wary of gurt big metal tyre levers with long handles.Â
Does spinning the wheel backwards not have the same result as the Muc-Off tool? Or does that not work with eBikes?
I use my Wera hex keys loads and no complaints – am I doing it wrong? Sleeves have come loose on a couple which was easily fixed with superglue. No complaints about the size of size of them or the ball ends.
A tool I am interested in is something to help get insert-equipped tyres OFF. I can get them on no problem but my issue is getting the buggers off again. It’s probably technique (lack thereof) but if there’s some sort of magical tool I’m all for it.
Are you having trouble breaking the seal?