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[i] A vice that actually fits my bench.
I want a bench that fits my vice
I want an income that fits my vice! [/i]
I want a vice that doesn't fall under the misuse of drugs act.
Oh, hang on, I may have misunderstood.
I was about to buy some cheap £8 cable cutters a few weeks ago & then went bananas and treated myself to £22 Park ones, and my aren't they wonderful - I now can happily throw away the 3 foot pile of cheap shitty misaligned/bent ones that are lying in a corner of the loft... 8)
I have those bearing puller/slide hammer ^^. Well actually I bought them for a mate who fixes my bikes without complaint after he spent a long time trying to extract bearings that have an inside tab so you can't know them out. The puller is ace, fixed loads of stuff (BB cups frame bearings, etc) with it.
I also like my two cheap jobsworth tools - the disc brake straightener / pad pusher back and the universal pedal spanner. Total cost £15
Anther one, a good workshop quality chain tool. So much nicer than messing around with little multi-tool jobs.
Also, a Park Dummy Hub/chain keeper. Awesome little thing for cleaning and prepping chains without the wheel in.
And finally, a head torch. Yes, I perhaps should just have better lighting in my garage, but I don't so head torch is invaluable.
I know they're overpriced and worryingly hub-specific, but the proper Hope bearing tools make me feel like a happy toddler thwacking wooden blocks.
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And I can't remember where I heard about these, but a pair of them is definitely going on the shopping list. Wheel truing is enough of an arse without having to hunt around for the correct QR adapter.
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Pedros Vice-Whip
http://andrewhowett.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-right-tools-for-bodge.html
Yes, a normal chain-whip will do but...
I've got the Aldi/Lidl bike tool set which was great value and has helped with a few little jobs - they're not great but they're there when I need them
I had quite a lot of tools from other hobbies so haven't really bought that much. In fact my chain whip in a oil filter removal tool!
But I did buy some nice draper cable cutters, which are very handy for cables and hoses
I also now have a big pair of the Knipex plier wrenches, which hasn't found a use for the bike but plenty of other uses
I know they're overpriced and worryingly hub-specific, but the proper Hope bearing tools make me feel like a happy toddler thwacking wooden blocks.
Very true. Thing is, any decent bearing press kit will do what that small set does and as well as every other hub you're ever likely to come across. The Wheels Manufacting large bearing press is eye wateringly expensive but utterly addictive. Once you've used one it's hard to go back....
The most used things I've got are:
Bontrager (or similar) preset torque key. I do up every single 4mm Allen bolt with one.
Park TM-1 spoke tension meter. Removes all doubt about the quality of the wheel I've just built.
Ratchet spanners. So fast, lots less fiddly.
Grease gun. Clean, no waste and grease where you want it, not where it wants to be.
One day I wish my shed would burn down and all my tools backed so I have an excuse to buy a full Park tool kit.
"Yes Mr Insurance. Full Park kit. Everything. Which pieces in particular went up in flames? All of them. All of them!"
got pretty much all the tools i need to work on a bike. but i only bought a work stand earlier this year. didnt need one prior to that as our old house had a big garage so i always work on the bike by hanging it by the saddle off one of the steel beams.
what i still need to get round to buying:
headset press
torque wrench
wheel truing stand
split link/circlip pliers
bearing removal/installation tools
what i also need is a bigger house so i can have a mancave again with a workbench and vice and a place to hang all my tools...that way i dont have to make a mess of the living room/kitchen
mcj78 - Member
I was about to buy some cheap £8 cable cutters a few weeks ago & then went bananas and treated myself to £22 Park ones, and my aren't they wonderful - I now can happily throw away the 3 foot pile of cheap shitty misaligned/bent ones that are lying in a corner of the loft...
Don't count your chickens too soon - I broke a Park Tool cable cutter just cutting brake cable!
I'm an unashamed tool whore. I have a Facom Jet roller cab with the plastic "mod" inserts with lots and lots of wonderful things in them. Still deciding on bike specific tools, I have a mixture of park and unior. The two most satisfying ones I think are the Unior chain tool, which doesn't push the pin all the way out so you can push it back in, and the unior bearing press kit which makes me disproportionately happy (having previously tried the threaded bar/washers/sockets bodge). The foam tray liners are very difficult to cut tool shapes out neatly (I have failed miserably)
I still need a compressor (just about to push the button on a SGS job) and a few other bits such as an extractor set. Kukko looking favorite for that one.
The Park tool internal routing tool just makes life so much easier.
My last build was a dream 😀
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Real pleasure to open this up today for a screwdriver
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Though I fancy one of those tools the op started this with!
The cutter and driver that WWASWAS posted.
I'm an unashamed tool whore
Yep, same here.
Got a roll-cab + top box rammed full of decent mechanical tools from my car-fettling/Engineering days, and now slowly adding bike specific stuff as/when I need it.
I do like the Park missing-link tool..
mcj78 - MemberI was about to buy some cheap £8 cable cutters a few weeks ago & then went bananas and treated myself to £22 Park ones, and my aren't they wonderful - I now can happily throw away the 3 foot pile of cheap shitty misaligned/bent ones that are lying in a corner of the loft...
My Park ones are the worst cable cutters I've owned- they blunted ridiculously fast. They do have a nice cable ferrule squisher though. The legendary Ebay Wire Rope Cutters are a far better tool ime.
The little blue anodised Park Tool gizmo for removing the core from tubeless valves (with removable cores). Brilliant thing if you run tubeless and 100 times better than the rest of the plastic rubbish out there:
Try these, so much easier for puncture repairs trailside
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-METAL-SCHRADER-VALVE-CORE-REMOVER-TOOLS-VALVE-KEY-CAPS-NEW-/391559910753?hash=item5b2aca1561:g:tqsAAOSw~uhUnW1m ]Valve cap core removerer[/url]
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Anyone with gears on their bike should buy one of these.
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http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y477/BigBlackShed/9b4fc1fae36cbd447aeb0b5699a5af8b_zps5qu0qgcc.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
The amount of times I hear "I replaced my hanger, so I KNOW that is straight" or "why do my gears not index properly?"
Just buy a DAG tool.
The little blue anodised Park Tool gizmo for removing the core from tubeless valves (with removable cores). Brilliant thing if you run tubeless and 100 times better than the rest of the plastic rubbish out there:
Metal valve core removers £1 from wiggle so next time you're ordering your Shimano, DHB, Speedo, whatever cack from them, chuck in a couple of valve core removers as you will lose them.
Waswaswas wins thread IMHO!
Park spoke tension gauge. Built lots of wheels without it but you get a much better result with
Cup goes in perfectly straight with a mallet too, if you're any good. Main difference is rotating/alignment, that's annoying with logos but a real issue with angle headsets and often with presses you get a wee bit of movement as you fit it.
I have a dura ace headset cup that cracked all way round its base from hitting it with a percussive wrench
Derailleur alignment tool
Oooh, can I include this?
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Basically a trailbuilding multiplier, I get so much more done with this thing than I used to with mattock and macleod. Mint.
joshvegas - MemberI have a dura ace headset cup that cracked all way round its base from hitting it with a percussive wrench
I have a giant headset cup that bent under the pressure of the headset press...
[quote=Northwind ]I've got a headset press. I use a rubber hammer.
I've got a headset press:
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I try and press the cups on the bearing seats - if they break from being pressed there they're unlikely to be up to the job (and with appropriate use of washers the cups shouldn't rotate on installation).
I have Park cable cutters and a (very cheap) wheel truing stand, but the only expensive specific tools I have is the toolset for DT hubs. Otherwise definitely the king of homemade tools - I'd hesitate to describe it as bodging as I tend to do it properly, for example a headset cup remover made from an old frame tube cut into quarters and splayed.
Park Tools PF30 remover / installation cups.
Lessens the pain of owning a bike with a PF30 bottom bracket. Two hits and the old one are out, put the cups on a a quick tighten of a headset press and the new ones are in.
Lessens the pain of owning a bike with a PF30 bottom bracket.
I think I see the bigger problem here. 😉
A real headset press has bearings and race to stop cup rotating as you fit it....ie to isolate it from the rotating motion.
Mines work real well.
A million miles away from a threaded rod tbh.
Also I don't really rate park tools. Their own tools are pretty pish.back when they used the snap on model or rebranding the best of best and were expensive they were good. These days they know a fool and his money are easily parted by some blue rubber.
Long live the days when the hex keys were rebranded bondhaus and lasted ages in a workshop environment.
a few years ago i allowed myself to drop 30/40 odd quid a month on some tools. well its cheaper than smoking isn't it. i would sit with the laptop whilst the wife was watching whatever it is she watches on the telly, perusing ebay and the various tool purveyors until i found something i probably need. I have run out of things to get now...
only things i don't have that i could probably justify are bottom bracket taps (already got pedal taps and repair kit) and i even looked into a nitrogen needle for recharging rear shocks but decided it was a silly idea.
already have a couple of lathes, one cnc, couple of mills, one cnc, welders and so on. the triple stack tool box is full. i try not to look for tools any more as everything i need/want is [i]way [/i]more than 30 odd quid 🙁
however, i haven't seen that chainring bolt device before so i can get one of those!
Also I don't really rate park tools.
I didn't particularly while monkeying in a shop. Actually, that's a lie - some were very good (I am in love with the workshop pedal spanner) while others were merely average and a bit plasticky. They do have a very strong market presence though, which helps massively. There also appears to be a lot of rebranded generic stuff, such as adjustable spanners and scales. They also have clever tools for a multitude of little jobs, sort of like the IKEA of bike tools (see above valve nipple tool).
FWIW I am a Park tart, but do try and buy their workshop stuff (as opposed to the 'home mechanic' kit) when I can afford/justify it. But there are plenty of other very good tools out there, often for less cash too.
"A real headset press has bearings and race to stop cup rotating as you fit it....ie to isolate it from the rotating motion.Mines work real well.
A million miles away from a threaded rod tbh."
Realy? Which one is that? Just because neither of these have any bearings, and the second one isn't actually a million miles away from a threaded rod. In fact, it actually [i]is[/i] a threaded rod! 😆
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Over 2 decades of bike mechanicking, including working professionally, has taught me that some tools are invaluable, and there really isn't any decent substitute, some tools are great to have if you're doing the same jobs day in day out, and some tools are a waste of money. If you're only ever occasionally fitting a headset at home, then spending £45+ on something that is essentially a bit of threaded rod and some nuts and washers, is a waste of money. My DIY headset press is as good as, if not better than the Park 'home mechanic' version, and cost nothing. Park Tools are generally pretty good, but often overpriced, but some of their kit really is well worth the money. I'll be splashing out on a TS2.2 at some stage soon, as I have a few wheels needing trued/rebuilt, want to build a few more, and in my experience, it's simply much better than anything else bar one or two stupidly expensive ones.
I wish I'd spent extra on the Park Tools versions recently, when buying a set of headset spanners, as the Ice Toolz ones I 'saved' money on, turned out to be poorly made, necessitating some judicious filing to actually make them fit ('36mm' one actually measured up as 35.2mm, and didn't fit a headset lockring which was 35.8mm). The Park Tools cone spanners are much better quality than any of the cheap ones I've seen.
The Shimano adapter for the road BBs, which is meant to fit the larger BB cup spanner, was such a tight fit that I had to tap it in with a mallet, then snapped in use. Absolute rubbish. Didn't fit Shimano's own tool!
"I've got a headset press. I use a rubber hammer."
Great example of using the wrong tool for the job. 😆
Thankfully you'll never go near any of my bikes.
Like some of the others I have a decent sized roll cab with loads of car based tools so haven't had to buy many for the bikes.
However the park tools Hydralic Brake Piston Press makes pad changes so much easier.
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A few years ago it was replacing a big screwdriver with this...
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Edit... good lord, beaten to it by 48 seconds!
clodhopper - MemberGreat example of using the wrong tool for the job.
Nah, example of using a bit of independent thought and choosing the tool you find does the job best for you, rather than the one that has the right name.
"Nah, example of using a bit of independent thought and choosing the tool you find does the job best for you, rather than the one that has the right name."
It's stil the wrong tool though. 😆 Carry on using it; it's your bikes, not mine.
Double post
The one I had I. The workshop was a var
I noticed park and Pedro's both dropped the bearing how ever I understand it's purpose and so bought a cyclus for home that had it. As well as two different thread pitches so you can wind it on quickly then use the fine thread to press the headset in slow and steady.
Like Jamie porter Ive spent a fair chunk on tools over the years. I believe in buying not borrowing as often I modify tools to make them better or more fit for purpose and often buying the tool saves me a fortune. Wheel bearing on a car many moons ago cost me 250quid - when I found out just how easy it was I was disgusted and before I knew it there wasn't many jobs on a car that worried me and my tool box was packed.
Recent purchases include a set of knife edge race pullers and a set of graded bearing/bush press adaptors and rests for my 20ton press- having realised I was gonna kill someone (me) with my collection of bolts and scrap metal flying around the shop.
I'm on the look out for a small lathe and a mill next. Ive had to farm out jobs to workmates recently and wait for them to habe time for me. It's something I'd like to learn.
An open ended spanner (about 8mm) hooked around a chain ring tooth is much better than the screwdriver bodge 😉 although the OP has the tool now!
Until recently I'd coped for years without a chain whip. When I first started cycling I used a Hypercracker which was fine for years. Not something I'd want to use on an expensive alu or carbon frame though. Since then I'd been making to with a towel wrapped tightly round the cassette or a screwdriver jammed between the cassette and spokes whilst I used a cassette tool.
60p on a 7mm combi spanner instead of faffing about with a adjustable to bleed brakes...
That or a torque wrench.... only so many things you can do up FT or RFT.
Cheers, Steve
My cyclus headset press was completely reliable for 10 years until my last build where I had a nightmare getting the cups in straight. Bearing doesn't have captive balls either so I'm missing a few. Well worth the money though.
I originally bought a cheap chain whip, then a Park one but the Pedros vice whip is just a great tool.
Quick link pliers make a dirty frustrating job quick and easy. Someone is carrying a set in their pack on this weeks basque MTB trip andbtheyve had on trial use three or four times already