Bikes are a great way to get around, and they can be a lot of fun for people of all ages. But with the increased popularity of biking as a form of transportation or exercise comes an increase in bike accidents and bike failures. Need for bike repair is especially common if you are into mountain biking. Here with the abuse we put the bike through when riding rocks, roots, jumps, drops… makes bike problems very common. Many people find themselves looking for bike repair kits to avoid the hassle and cost of taking their bikes into shops and fix the bikes themselves. Most of bike repair is not that hard if you have the right tools. So what bike repair tools should be in your kit?
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What Should Be Included In A Bike Tool Kit?
Having a tool kit for your bike can be a great way to handle all of your bike issues, but what should be included in the kit? The first step is buying a tool kit. When you are looking for one, try and get something that can cover most of your needs.
While there are plenty of tools available on the market, not all of them are good. Be sure to do your research before you make a purchase, or you may be stuck with something that doesn’t work well for years. The best bike tool kit should have some of the following to ensure you have safety net in case of unwanted scenarios:
- Tire pump (small and big one)
- Chain brush
- Allen wrench set (get sizes 2L/2.5/3/4/5/6/8 mm)
- Torx® wrench set (get T10/T15/T25)
- Phillips and flathead screwdriver
- Chain cleaner and lube
- Chain tool
- Tube patch set
- Tubes
- Tire levers
- Clean rags
- Open-end wrenches
Though there is a pre-made tool kit, some bikers will opt to buy the tools separately and store them in a toolbox. It is up to you what type of kit you would like, but either can be great as long as it has what you need for your bike repairs.
Having a tool kit for your bike comes with advantages and disadvantages. The most significant advantage is that you can make minor repairs and be on your way without having to call a mechanic or wait for the shop to fix it. But there are also disadvantages, such as cost. Good bike repair tools can be really expensive. Cheap repair tools on the other hand won’t break your bank but can sometimes be a pain in the ass to use. I suggest to stay away from the really cheap tools and take the middle road unless you want to fix bikes also for your friends and you really enjoy doing that. In that case go with pro level tools.
You need to consider several factors before setting up your bike toolset, as everything varies on the type of bike you have, the kind of rider you are, and your personal preferences. Some other factors to consider include:
Number of tools
The number of tools required for your bike’s maintenance depends on what types of bicycles you own or use most often, how much you ride them and how much you enjoy fixing bikes. The more often you ride, the more often there is something to repair. If you mostly ride city bikes there will be a lot less maintenance and repair than if you ride mountain bikes. And if you don’t enjoy fixing bikes then just get the tools for fixing basic things like flat tires, tightening the screws, lubing the chain etc…
Available Space
You should also consider where you will store the tools and even more important, do you have a place where you can fix your bikes. If you have a big garage you can even set up a pike repair corner with tools all neatly arranged and ready to use. If tools are easily accessible and you don’t have to look for them every single time you need them your bike repair will go much smoother. On the other hand, if you have no place to fix your bikes and you will be fixing them in your living room, then again I would suggest just get the basic tools.
Price range
This is a critical factor as most bike tool sets vary in price. As already mentioned, the safest bet is to go somewhere in the middle. You do not need expensive pro level tools for occasional home repair and stay away from really cheap tools that often then don’t work like they should.
Weight and size
There are two types of tools out there. Tools that you take with you on your bike ride and tools that you use at home. Tools that you take with you on the bike ride must be small and light. They are meant for quick emergency repairs on the go. The most common tools for this are the small tire pump and the multitool. A multitool is a tool that combines lots of different tool into one. On the other hand, for serious home bike repair tools should be bigger and heavier and each tool should have only one use (no multitools). This tools are much easier to use and require less effort.
Type of material
You also need to pay attention to what kind of materials are used for the tools as they greatly vary from one brand or model to another, which means some will not last long with regular usage. Since not everyone is an expert when it comes to materials I suggest you check the tool reviews online before buying.
What Are The Most Important Bike Tools?
Buying a suitable bike tool kit is a must for every biker. Don’t forget to include a bike stand in your shopping list. A high-quality stand for your bike can be your best friend when you want to clean, maintain or fix your bike (if you have enough room in your garage to get one). What follow is the list of required tools depending on what you want to fix. For almost every repair you will need some Allen wrenches (get sizes 2L/2.5/3/4/5/6/8 mm) and some Torx® wrenches (get T10/T15/T25). You will also need a flathead screw driver and a Phillips screw driver. So get these no matter what you want to fix, I won’t mention them down below.
For Brakes
Depending on your brakes your basic tools might be enough (v brakes) or you will need a bleed kit for bleeding your disc brakes. Bleeding disc brakes is somethin a mountain biker should learn how to do so you can fix your brakes quickly if they fail while you are riding. A good addition to your tools would be a C-clamp as it can hold those thick cables securely in place while you tighten or loosen them.
To Work On Derailleurs
A derailleur hanger alignment tool is an essential item that comes in handy when making adjustments to your derailleur. For making adjustments basic tools are ok.
For Tires
This is what you need for tire repair. A small portable pump to take on your rides (or a Co2 cartridge and inflator) and a big floor pump for home. A patch kit and tire levers. If you have tubeless tires you will also need a sealant (called milk). Tubeless tires, when they are empty, they require a bit of extra pressure to inflate them. This can be easily done if you use an air compressor. You also can buy a regular manual pump with high pressure chamber that helps you inflate tubeless tire. Finally, it is also possible to inflate them with a regular floor pump, but it takes some extra effort. For tubeless tires you will also need a tubeless tire plug set, if the puncture is so big that the sealant can not seal it.
For Wheels
When fixing wheels, you will need several tools for the process. The basic one is the spoke wrench (get 14G/15G/Mavic M7/Shimano® 4.5mm) that is used to tighten or loosen your spokes. For serious wheel truing you would also need a wheel truing stand.
For Drivetrains
For replacing the chain you will need a power link tool. For other drivetrain work your will need a chain whip for removing the cassette from your freehub body. You can also use this tool to hold those crank arms while unscrewing them with a crank arm removal tool, which is another essential for removing and installing cranks.
Final words
If you are still not sure what to buy, get some tips from your fellow bikers and just start buying the thing you need when something breaks. This way you will build up your tools with time.