Bike/Ebike Tools

I have decided I will not be buying any more cheap tools. Allen keys that round, tools that lack bike specific shapes, spanners that give before tightening etc.

I have recently started buying Park Tools and have been impressed with the quality so far. However, they are pretty expensive. I have been buying them from ebay and chain reaction cycles but I'm wondering if I'm just doing it wrong. Is there a decent competitor out there?

- I have recently purchased a brake piston pusher tool for pushing hydraulic brake pistons back into the caliper. Whilst it can be done with a tyre lever or screwdriver, it's just easier and a nicer job with the right tool.
- Park tool tyre levers are also stronger than the cheapo ones and are the perfect shape for the breaking the bead from the rim.

What brand do you buy? why?
Do you have a preferred supplier? why?
Is there a special/ specific tool you have which you consider special? why?

Park is good tools IMO. But I have , in my abusive hard on tools way, worn out a park crank puller.

I keep wishing to just buy a whole set of park tools, but never get around to it. I keep using the wrong tools stupidly, taking channel lock pliers to cheap bike bottom brackets, and such. I have proper park spoke wrenches, with one of them reamed out to fit my motor wheel nipples perfect. I have cassette and freewheel removers, and that worn crank puller. Metric open end wrenches are ok, craftsman stuff. My best tire tools are a set of Trek brand ones, but old vintage metal ones are nice too if you can find them.

Good enough allen wrenches aren't hard to come by, some kobalt ones I have are ok enough. My best allens are old vintage craftsman. But for sure, harbor freight sells a darn crappy allen set.

On the bike, I have a cheapie bell multi tool for allens, some so so bell tire irons, cheap adjustable wrench, and a screwdriver.

I carry park mtb3. $10 from pricepoint

Nearly complete. I just carry separate mini pliers

When I was struggling, I bought a cheap tool when I needed a tool (mostly for cars), but...when I was making good money, I always paid extra to get a quality tool, and I never regretted it (I have some quality tools that I bought 20 years ago). I am very familiar with Harbor Freight (HF). For those outside the US, they are a national chain of tool-stores with products from China (some India, Thailand, etc).

I have actually had good luck with screwdrivers and pliers from HF, along with their $20 angle-grinder (with the safety shield removed and a thin abrasive wheel attached, it cuts through a bike frame easily, wear swim-goggles, and beware a kickback into your face). Also bought a large bench-vice from there.

I have never had any luck with cheap imitation channel-locks, or cheap cordless drills, or cheap drill bits...

Tools:
spare throttle, for trouble-shooting
spare 6-FET sensorless controller, for trouble-shooting
100W soldering iron (stained-glass section from hobby crafts store)
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=49848
assorted wire, connectors, heat-shrink (from Hobby King)
quality metric open-end/box-end wrench set
quality needle-nose vice-grips (smallest size you can find)

quality metric allen bit set (with "L" handle for bits)

multi-bit reversible ratcheting driver


edit: everyone here can use TWO Digital Multi Meters (DMMs) a cheap one you don't mind risking, and later...a better one for the more technical stuff as you learn

"Best Volt meter" (Teklektik, 2 pages, battery technology)
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=66127#p995111

Been through the entire list of Parktools tool options.

Identified that most of the tools I want are only in the Master kits, but they include a large number of tools which I do not need/ they are pricey.

Decision made to add a tool or two onto every online order (usually monthly) to get exactly what I want/need.

Park or Pedros are good tools. I never can find mine so I always buy 2 when I get them. HF quality is really going up, and I have used my HF impact wrench as a hammer (I got frustrated) and it still works. Older Craftsman stuff was very good quality and they used to have a lifetime warrentee. I once tested this when I overtorqued a cylinder head bolt and the 10mm socket exploded. Took it to a Sears store and they gave me a new one. This was thirty years ago so things may have changed. Unless you are a pro and need extremely good tools like Makita or DeWalt then HF is fine.
otherDoc

I use Park for bike specific tools. They are well made. They are expensive though. So buying them at Sport Chalet and price matching to a good online price has been the best practice, for convenience and savings, so far. I also have a Park tools repair stand that I bought from Craigslist for cheap.

I also come from an automotive background, so I have many tools (mostly Craftsman while they were made in the USA) that will work on bikes as well. One thing that you can't have enough of with bikes is an Allen set. In fact, I have over 6 different allen tool sets. It makes working on the bike go by much faster. The allen key that you are needing the most is always the one that happens to be missing. Extras keep the party going.

Then, I also carry some small multitools when on the road and I prefer Topeak in that department. The Park Tools multi-tools that I have owned have a plastic chassis and are pretty flimsy. Odd since everything else they have is solid. The Topeak tools are well thought out, and very resilient due to an all-metal chassis.

Early on I bought a Park combo kit around $40. This provided most “bicycle specific” needs. Always adding a few things here and there - the main thing is to “get busy” working on your bike and let the “need” fill the shopping cart, IMO.

I’ve never been good at or accurate trying to “envision” what I might need so ‘usually wait until “I know” then grab good consumer quality tool(s) for the task. I’ve been around long enough to know shit from shinola so I’ll go cheap off-brand as long as it possesses sufficient quality for moderate use.

If I made my living doing bicycle work you can be sure I’d buy only pro quality stuff. But, I don’t so I buy “good enough” and rarely, if ever, regret doing so.

I had a lot of problems with busted spokes and cheap chinese rims when I got into this hobby. I learned to build my own.
I went and bought all the park tools necessary to properly build, balance, tension and dish wheels. (I order custom spoke lengths online.) Expensive, but never regretted it. Now I can buy all my motors 'sans' rim/spokes and do it better, any motor any wheel diameter no problem and match front and rear wheel styles.

The tool I use the most is my Topeak Alien II. Saved my ass on the road countless times. Both of my ebikes have a pouch under/in front of the seat permanently attached for it.

Getting into BB drives, I now have a whole host of Park BB tools like crank pullers, pedal wrenches, those weird spline socket wrenches etc...

I got a Park bike maintenance stand for like $120 at REI when they had a member sale, which is the best for holding the bike off the ground when building or maintenance.

Supertux1, which tools did you buy/ would recommend buying to begin building wheels? I have a cheapo wheel truing stand and average multi spoke tool, but would like to replace both with something more steady/decent... tool numbers would be awesome!

Truing
A post with a bit of truing stand info:

• mention of two commercial truing stands (Bikehand, Park TS 2.2)
• Roger Musson's book 'A Professional Guide to Wheel Building" (also has excellent instructions to build a truing stand)
• my version of Roger's stand
• Park TM-1 spoke tension gauge

Toolkit
Lightweight 22mm Hub Motor Wrench for Toolkit

Best buy, ever, in my kit. I use this tool everyday. found a sale and have one on each of three bikes and one on my belt. Seems something always needs a check and adjustment.

I good chain tool is a must for any mid-drivers.
I use this one:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/281693700597?nav=SEARCH

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Its a bit heavy, bulky and more expensive than the casted ones that you can buy anywhere, but I've used mine about 30 times on 9sp-to-bmx chains and it still works beautifully.
That's 29 more times (and counting) than any other chain tool I've owned.

My bike toolbox contains:

#10 wrench
Allen key set
Multi-bit mini screwdriver
Pliers
Chain tool
Extra chain
Some string, Velcro straps and zip ties
Bandana
Also an emergency bypass harness

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Some good info here- I just wanted to add that I linked to a list this newbie (me) used@ the top of my build page.
Possibly the unibits or diegrinder bit could be useful for some.

+1 a good mini kit on rides.
I'd recommend the trek bigbrother multitool, but can't find it anywhere anymore. It has more tools than I've seen since. Also, some good ducttape rolled around a pencil in my pack. Great for a quick fix or even first aid.
*edit on the trek tool, there are some 20-30 function multi's out there for as little as 30$ now.

Lurkin said:

Supertux1, which tools did you buy/ would recommend buying to begin building wheels? I have a cheapo wheel truing stand and average multi spoke tool, but would like to replace both with something more steady/decent... tool numbers would be awesome!

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If you're going to build your own wheels I recommend reading 'Jobst Brandt's The Bicycle Wheel' for all the theory and what not.
(RIP Jobst!)

I started off with the 'Park Tool Professional Wheel Truing Stand - TS-2.2' this thing is really intended to be bolted permanently to a workbench, but I have no work bench, so I bolted it to a 2x2 and then I secure the 2x2 into one of those clamping sawhorse worktable things. eg: http://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DE...table-Project-Center-and-Vise-WM425/202516382 This will let you check/set both sides of the rim at the same time and also helps with the initial dish.

Next thing on the list is what's called a 'nipple driver' - Park Tool ND-1 - this helps screw the nipple onto the spoke so that spokes start at close to the same tension. The spoke pushes the flathead out of the nipple when it reaches a predetermined length. I think I have another nipple driver too that you can adjust the depth.

Next thing is a spoke tensiometer device, Park Tool TM-1. It'll tell you if you are in the proper range of tension for each spoke for each side of an asymmetric wheel. When you get good at it, you can also pluck the spoke and listen to the sound it makes.

I dish for the gear cluster on the back and for disc brake on the front. I lace the front wheels 'shimano' style so the pulling spokes are taking the load when front braking, and the rear the opposite so that the pulling spokes are taking the load when being driven. I use the Park Tool WAG-3 to check dish.

Get a good set of spoke wrenches that are shaped like wing nuts. Throw out those circular ones that will strip and round nipples
if you accidentally use the wrong slot. Your thumbs will thank you. 'Spokey Pro' is the one I have I think. They come in all sorts of colors and there is no standard size. Measure your nipples and wrenches with digital calipers to be sure. The last thing you want is a rounded nipple that you can't fix. Make sure to use oil in the threads and on the part of the nipple that contacts the rim. They make nipple thread compounds that start off as a lubricant for tensioning then harden to be secure. I've never needed those.

Carrying a couple of pairs of disposable gloves can make even something as simple as re-positioning a thrown chain more pleasant on the side of the road. :wink:

After buying various spoke keys, decided to get a full set from one source. Located these Pedro ones, that come with four keys and a nice carabina to hold them together!

On delivery, they have both 2 sided and 3 sided keys on each key, reducing the need to purchase an extra key! A must have for anyone getting into wheel building/truing!

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/pedros-pro-spoke-wrench-set-of-4/

Lately, I have been using car oil filter wrenches(strap type)to remove the screw-on covers on my hub motors.
They work well, at least on the frt. motors :lol:

Ah I found it, reviving an old thread again because I feel its better then starting a new thread, keeps things much cleaner.

Anyway I watched a video on truing a ebike rim, one measurement required - Center of spoke hole diameter!
I made my own crude tool which I think is accurate on par with a digital ruler caliper, which does not open the full diameter for the hub. I just have to make the end points crisper, and buy a wing nut from a hardware store.

View attachment 1

Oh and I will probably make my own nipple driver.

Nice nipple hole measurer.

On nipple drivers. The Roger Musson wheel building book recommends using a screwdriver with an indentation burred out for nipple. This would be particularly nice for starting the spoke nipples off - the nipple drivers either have a bearing or are designed to allow the shaft to spin independently of the driver handle. This is tricker to start nipples off but is easier to turn them on the spoke once they are going.

The last wheel I had I stopped using the spoke driver. I've found its better to go slower in assembly with an ordinary screwdriver to slowly count the turns of the nipple - this takes more time in the assembly but much, much less time when the tension in the spokes has been taken up but the final true not yet performed. I also taped a 2mm sliver of pink post it note to the shaft of the nipple driver to try and make it easier to count the turns when wizzing up the nipples. 8)

In other news, I purchased a 3/8" park tools socket set about six months ago. Worst purchase yet, all of the allen and torx key ends are surface rusted as if they have been left in salt water! (I live well, well in land and they are kept in a dry garage). Whilst the tools are the correct sizes and are super handy for working on bikes, I would be purchasing a different brand going forward.

Thats too bad about Park Tool Socket Set rusting like that, you'd think since Park Tool is a premium brand they'd be professional grade, not generic brand grade like Power Fist at Princess Auto, or B&D.

Lurkin said:

In other news, I purchased a 3/8" park tools socket set about six months ago. Worst purchase yet, all of the allen and torx key ends are surface rusted as if they have been left in salt water! (I live well, well in land and they are kept in a dry garage). Whilst the tools are the correct sizes and are super handy for working on bikes, I would be purchasing a different brand going forward.

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Where was it purchased from?

Park Tools is such a desirable name brand, it is possible that there are counterfeits out there; perhaps this is one?

Or maybe Park has just begun cheaping out on things and not having them made as well as they used to?

You might check with the seller and / or Park themselves to see how they handle the situation.

ALL of my tools, from new get a wipe down of Boeshiled or similar on opening. BUT I feel your pain. That sucks. That said Paark tools 2017 and Park tools 1990 are different critters...

They were ordered from CRC, so its unlikely they are counterfeit, more likely to be old stock if anything.