[Closed] building up a tool kit

Personally, I buy tools as and when I need them for a job rather than having them ready. I also try to buy quality tools. About the only useful thing my dad ever taught me was that money on good tools is never wasted.

Sometimes it's park for bike specific stuff, sometimes not. I would pay extra for park hex keys, adjustable spanners and hack saws!

Find a local tool supplier for that sort of stuff and then I just use the normal online places for the bike stuff.

I have built up a disorganized collection of tools that all do the job as & when I needed them, if I was to do it again I would have bought the best all in one kit I could afford, you know the type of full set all in a nice organized box.

My best tip is get proper allen keys, and a decent chain splitter, cable cutters, save the multi tool for emergency's out on the trail.

You don't really need park tool for non bike specific tools. As you could get same quality cheaper, or better quality for the smae price.

I was wondering if you just buy park tools first time

I rarely buy Park Tools. I think they are expensive for what they are.

Most general tools (Allen keys, sockets, ratchets, spanners, cable cutters, files) can be bought at just as good if not better quality elsewhere. Halford tools, for instance, are brilliant quality. I got some new Allen keys off ebay, the same make as I had last time, because they had lasted me nearly 10 years (I lost the most popular size and snapped a 2mm one)
Stuff like chainwhips, cassette tools, cone spanners and BB tools I buy as and when I need them, and budget tools are fine in most cases. My cain whip and cassette tool cast me £5 each from one of those one-day sales.

So, yes, buying tools is definately worth it: Spend £15 on tools rather than £10 getting a bike shop to do the job and the next time you're in profit. But don't just blindly buy Park tools just because they are 'for bikes'
🙂

Hi guys thanks for the replies,good to see different views.

I was wondering is it better to buy park bb sockets and park hub sockets also park chain splitter
as you only do it once compared to other out there like bikehut,icetoolz

just wondered

jackthelad

I started off with a cheap Lifeline toolkit from Wiggle but have gradually replaced most stuff with the Park equivalent over the years. As far as hex and torx keys go I've not found anything close to Park (mostly in terms of a snug fit, the tolerance is so tight they can be a pain to get out of a socket but that means it's also almost impossible to round it using one). For bigger tools like headset press then Cyclus seems to be good value for money.

BB tool - if it's Hollotech 2 avoid the Pedros one - the Shimano one is nice.

Hub sockets? if it's cone spanners- most are pressed out of cheese and cheap - but fine for the job IMO, pretty much regardless of where they come from.

Chain splitter- my Shimano one has been fine for over 10 yrs, despite my ham fistedness. As long as the pin's replaceable you can't go that far wrong, hopefully.

Good luck and make sure you've a tool box to keep it all in one place. V irritating when you find Mrs Wife has 'tidied' your chain whip to the point where you buy another one. All my own fault mind.

About the best investment is a good quality tool box, one with various different compartments.
All my tools have been collected over time, bought as and when I need them. Second the comments above about buying good tools especially Allen keys. Mine are from Halfords as well, excellent quality.

I'm same as the rest, buy tools as and when I need them (worth 'investing' in Zinn and the Art of MTB Maintenance). General tools are mainly from the Halfords Pro range, with specific bike tools from Park and Pedros.

And you can never have too many T-bar allen keys - normally generic, but small ones (sub 5mm) need to be better quality, otherwise they'll naff the smaller heads.

Worth getting a decent workstand too, along with dry garage, heater, beer fridge, etc etc

I bought a [url= http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=6&item=BK%2D2 ]Park Tool Roll[/url] and added tools as needed, usually Halfords Pro or similar and se the Park website as a technical book/help

1) hammer
2) really [b]BIG[/b] hammer
3) screwdriver/drift/chisel/prybar (for hitting with #1 or #2 )

that's enough tools...

I made my chainwhip out of a rabbit hutch leg and some old chain 🙂

PS some hold that #1 & #2 can be replaced with a rock...

I made my chain whip out of an old fork and a length of chain, attach the chain via the mudguard eyelet.

All you need it a good set of hex keys a T25 torx, a big adjustable, good cable cutters, a 15mm spanner, pliers, hammer, hacksaw and a vice.

Joxster - Member

I made my chain whip out of an old fork and a length of chain,

Luxury!!!! I had to make a cone spanner out of a rat's intestine and a clothes peg! Don't know your born i tell thee.

Park aren't that great for some stuff, allen keys/t bars from britool will be about the same price and loads better, also for cheapish nice stuff keep an eye on Teng and facom stuff on ebay, just check rrp's before you buy!
Had some cracking deals on there but also seen some silly prices.

depends what bike, what components you have

http://www.weldtite.co.uk/8/pages/weldtite/catalogue.aspx
http://www.cyclus-tools.eu/index.php?id=52&L=3
http://www.ceeway.com/
http://www.webbline.co.uk/
http://www.vartools.com/catalogue_var.pdf

as above, built up over a few yrs and a good metal toolbox (Halfords) to store them in. Most stuff is Halfords or Park plus a few Shimano things. If you build it up gradually as you need stuff you won't feel the cost so much as you will be saving on shop mechanics bills. After a few yrs you will be surprised how much you have and more to the point how much that tool kit is worth !!!

I found that having an MTBing joiner for a brother, who then moves to Canada but doesn't take his tools with him, to be a great way of getting a tool kit.

I think that you need to look at them on a tool by tool basis, some times Park tools seem much better designed/better quality than the opposition some time they seem second best. I have a Cyclus headset press which is OK, but I think that the Park is better designed. For cassette locking rings I found the Wrernchforce one the best. Agree with others about the general tools, can't beat Bondhus allen wrenches.

pedros tyre levers, cheap and very good.

you don't need to spend silly money on tools. there are the obvious, specialised tools where you'll need to fork out a little (BB romoval thingies), but things like headset remover and press can be knocked up after a trip to the DIY store. as said above, a chain whip is also fairly easy to knock up.

Good luck and make sure you've a tool box to keep it all in one place. V irritating when you find Mrs Wife has 'tidied' your chain whip to the point where you buy another one. All my own fault mind.

MrsStevo recently "sorted-out" my toolboxes by removing all the contents and putting them in a series of boxes labelled "screwdrivers", "spanners", "allen keys", "stuff I had no idea what it was", etc.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh! 😯

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Depends if you a swap-aholic like some folk on here and are going to be using them constantly. Otherwise the cheap X-tools, IceToolz, etc, are perfect for more than a few uses by which time the standard will have changed again anyway.

The worst thing you can do is get one of those cheap toolkits, loads of crap tools for £25. Thats what I did. Half of them are either irrelevant or broken. Now I have a cheap B&Q toolbox and I just buy mid-range tools when I need them.

just got my hands on a park tool 37 peice kit, good quality kit that will last leartt from working as an electrician for a number of years that good tools = good job.

I bought some Facom and Motion Pro tools when I rode Enduros(motorbikes).The Facom socket wrench in particular is still a joy to use.

I've also just built up my toolkit as and when I've needed it. Some of it's Park, some of it's BBB or Cyclo, and screwdrivers and things like that are just Halfords mid-range things.
Whether I spend more on Park depends on what it is- for example the Park chain whip is currently £22 on Wiggle and I just can't see how it can be twice as good as one for half that.

My one bit of advice is don't buy cheap cable cutters - the Shimano ones are expensive but alway cut clean.

+1 on the bondhus hex keys. Also my 'Rolson' cable cutters have worked superbly (£7 of eBay!).

Shandy - Member
The worst thing you can do is get one of those cheap toolkits, loads of crap tools for £25. Thats what I did. Half of them are either irrelevant or broken. Now I have a cheap B&Q toolbox and I just buy mid-range tools when I need them.

agree i did the same and only item i use is the chain whip