Do you buy all your tools, or borrow?

ridelikeaturtle · 26-08-2018 5:34pm #1

I've got a headset to replace.

I've also got 5 road bikes, a mtb, the wife's two bikes (one of each, road & mtb), so I do actually get to use most tools I buy more than once, stuff for wheels and BBs and so on.

But a headset press, cup remover, race setting tool... that's around 100eur before I even get to the headset itself, and I'll be using them for literally just a few minutes.

Do most people here buy their tools, and hope to use them again someday, which is nice to have, but gets expensive; or do you borrow them from your mates, or do you make something yourself on the cheap?

Another alternative: do any bike shops around rent out tools?

Whatwicklow · 26-08-2018 6:47pm

Buy them, but it had taken years.

Adverts can be a good sourse for clean 'once a year' tools.

f1000 · 26-08-2018 7:11pm

I've saved a fair bit over the years by buying some tools and learning how to do the work but there are some jobs i'm not confident in doing yet, so off to the LBS for them. I seriously doubt shops will loan out tools as they will be losing out on service fees.

magicbastarder · 26-08-2018 7:13pm

bought most of the remaining tools i'd need when i recently built a bike for the first time. with the caveat that the BB and headset were already installed, and i've never done much with headsets bar regrease them, and shag all with BBs.

Eamonnator · 26-08-2018 7:32pm

If you're looking for a headset press, this will do the job nicely, works on press fit BBs as well.Less than a tenner

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/BB86-90-91-92-Bicycle-Bike-Headset-Road-Bottom-Bracket-Cup-Compress-Install-Tool/173283544815?hash=item2858810eef:g:l5wAAOSw3mNbe6aR

LollipopJimmy · 26-08-2018 7:42pm

Eamonnator wrote: »

If you're looking for a headset press, this will do the job nicely, works on press fit BBs as well.Less than a tenner

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/BB86-90-91-92-Bicycle-Bike-Headset-Road-Bottom-Bracket-Cup-Compress-Install-Tool/173283544815?hash=item2858810eef:g:l5wAAOSw3mNbe6aR

I made the above, threaded bar, washers and two nuts.

I tend to buy or make tools as needed. Fortunately I have a comprehensive toolbox with mostly Teng and some (not enough) Snap-on tools. Also bought a lot of bike specific tools on CRC and the likes. It's good to have them and not need to rely on anybody else.

ednwireland · 26-08-2018 10:58pm

pretty much got everything apart from bearing presses

ridelikeaturtle · 27-08-2018 9:39am

ednwireland wrote: »

pretty much got everything apart from bearing presses

Yeah, I figure I'll have a head bearing press here shortly too

. I'd be tempted to try the simple one first (some threaded bar), but the proper tool looks the business and should remove all doubt, which would be worth the extra cost. Plus I'm in no rush, I just know this one headset is really bad and winter is coming.

CramCycle · 27-08-2018 12:30pm

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I made the above, threaded bar, washers and two nuts.

Same here, 6 euro all in and my local LBS had a look after and said it was dead on. I was in for something else and they are so busy, they are happy when people take on some jobs themselves.

NeedMoreGears · 27-08-2018 6:30pm

I’ve most of the tools needed for maintaining the bike. I’ll buy the occasional special bike tool as required; things like chain wrenches or cassette removal tools. I haven’t got as far as a bearing press/extractor yet but I’d probably get one when the time comes as I’d expect it might be cheaper than the LBS.

NeedMoreGears · 27-08-2018 6:33pm

Ps - I’ve replaced headset bearings easily enough without any special tooling. This was on an aluminum frame. I’m not sure I’d do so on a carbon frame

doozerie · 28-08-2018 12:44pm

My interest in maintaining bikes developed alongside my interest in riding them, in my mid teens. That's a long time ago now and at the time you needed fewer tools to do the regular maintenance a bike needed (no press-fit b/b's, no "need" for a torque wrench, pretty much every b/b was square taper, etc.). So it was easier to build a suitably wide set of tools then, and certainly cheaper than relying on bike shops.

And as a consequence of accruing tools, more than once I've been able to complete a tricky bit of bike maintenance when I'd otherwise have had to abandon the task in the middle of the night and spend days trying to obtain the appropriate tool or wait for a bike shop to get round to working on my bike. These days that would be inconvenient, back when I relied on one bike for everything (fun ride, commuting, shopping, etc.) it would have been a real problem.

Over the years I've added to my tools as needed. And courtesy of the bike industry and its frequent and sometimes whimsical changes to component design, that need never goes away, so I've ended up investing heavily in tools over time. And I've come to value quality tools more and more over that time too, which generally means my cost per tool has increased (for anyone that values truly high-quality tools, look here, but cover your credit card's eyes first: https://www.abbeybiketools.com/). But it's still worth it, to me.

I try to avoid borrowing tools, I don't like lending out my own tools generally - not everyone treats quality tools with the care they deserve or require, there are few people that I'd lend a good torque wrench to, for example. For that reason, buying is always my first choice.

ford2600 · 28-08-2018 12:54pm

doozerie wrote: »

I try to avoid borrowing tools, I don't like lending out my own tools generally - not everyone treats quality tools with the care they deserve or require, there are few people that I'd lend a good torque wrench to, for example. For that reason, buying is always my first choice.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

That's how Polonios put it, but I rather my neighbours turn of phrase when asked for a loan of tools/gear "where would I get a loan of a fella to fix it"

doozerie · 28-08-2018 2:06pm

ford2600 wrote: »

That's how Polonios put it

Clearly a man who lent his torque wrench to someone who really wanted a hammer.

doozerie · 28-08-2018 2:10pm

Bah, I couldn't resist browsing the Abbey Bike Tools website after I dug out the URL for my post above. Now I want a new chain tool ("it goes all the way to 12"), and their bearing press too. I may have to sell my bikes to fund that...

CramCycle · 28-08-2018 2:34pm

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

Ps - I’ve replaced headset bearings easily enough without any special tooling. This was on an aluminum frame. I’m not sure I’d do so on a carbon frame

I have done a headset with a flathead screwdriver, a plank of wood and a hammer.

cdaly_ · 28-08-2018 2:44pm

I'll typically try to make a tool before buying one.

Cetyl Palmitate · 28-08-2018 4:03pm

doozerie wrote: »

My interest in maintaining bikes developed alongside my interest in riding them, in my mid teens. That's a long time ago now and at the time you needed fewer tools to do the regular maintenance a bike needed (no press-fit b/b's, no "need" for a torque wrench, pretty much every b/b was square taper, etc.). So it was easier to build a suitably wide set of tools then, and certainly cheaper than relying on bike shops.

And as a consequence of accruing tools, more than once I've been able to complete a tricky bit of bike maintenance when I'd otherwise have had to abandon the task in the middle of the night and spend days trying to obtain the appropriate tool or wait for a bike shop to get round to working on my bike. These days that would be inconvenient, back when I relied on one bike for everything (fun ride, commuting, shopping, etc.) it would have been a real problem.

Over the years I've added to my tools as needed. And courtesy of the bike industry and its frequent and sometimes whimsical changes to component design, that need never goes away, so I've ended up investing heavily in tools over time. And I've come to value quality tools more and more over that time too, which generally means my cost per tool has increased (for anyone that values truly high-quality tools, look here, but cover your credit card's eyes first: https://www.abbeybiketools.com/). But it's still worth it, to me.

I try to avoid borrowing tools, I don't like lending out my own tools generally - not everyone treats quality tools with the care they deserve or require, there are few people that I'd lend a good torque wrench to, for example. For that reason, buying is always my first choice.

$130 for a pedal wrench. Bit frothy!

doozerie · 28-08-2018 6:36pm

Cetyl Palmitate wrote: »

$130 for a pedal wrench. Bit frothy!

That's getting into a discussion about value for money, which is entirely subjective.

Personally I think there are many areas where many of us spend far more than we need. Tools are one example, but bikes are another - I am one of many people that bought a bike that is far better than they "need", and then race on it and in doing so put it into an environment where the risk of the frameset and components being damaged beyond repair is relatively high. But I see nothing wrong with that, many other people would consider such spending a waste of (a lot of) money, but I and many others don't. There is no right or wrong there, just a different perspective.

Obviously you don't have to spend $130 to get a perfectly functional pedal wrench, but if you are spending at that level you are either looking for something more than just basic function or you have a lot of disposable income and your assessment of value for money is different to most.

Amongst other reasons, having once snapped a Facom spanner when removing a pedal (and learning the hard way why you should leave the chain on the outer chainring when swinging out of a drive-side pedal), I decided that I was going to seek out better quality and better designed tools where I could. Better quality and/or design come with a price tag, I'm happy to live with that when I can afford to.

More expensive doesn't always mean better of course, just like cheap doesn't always mean worse, but more often than not with tools I've found that you get what you pay for. The likes of Abbey Bike Tools are a relative rarity in a market which is flooded with alternative tools costing half nothing, but my experience of the few of their tools that I have is that they really are well thought out, well made, and work very well. An example of the quality of their design is their new chain tool which can be adapted for pretty much any chain both now and in the future (by buying suitable future adapters from them).

I find their tools are both functional and a pleasure to use, and they've proven to be very good value for money for me over time. I don't own that pedal wrench though

doozerie · 28-08-2018 7:02pm

CramCycle wrote: »

I have done a headset with a flathead screwdriver, a plank of wood and a hammer.

Last time I did that was when building up my first "good bike". It was a brand new aluminium frame that cost me all of my savings at the time. It was like my first born.

It started well, I approached the frame carefully, gently placing the first headset cup in position. One piece of wood on top of the cup, another piece of wood under the other end of the head tube, me gently tapping on the top piece of wood with one of my lightest hammers (I have several hammers, this is perfectly normal...). I was looking forward to getting the bike built up, my spirits were high, outlook was optimistic.

After a few minutes of no obvious progress I switched to a slightly heavier hammer. The frame and I exchanged friendly glances, and off I went once more.

The swearing started a few minutes later. I was sweating by now and the frame was looking more nervous with every increasingly "enthusiastic" swing of the hammer. Our formerly loving relationship had changed, the frame was now the hated red-headed stepchild, I was now the Christian Brother of my youth that was going to beat some discipline into it as god intended.

I was now on a much heavier hammer, I stopped short of resorting to my lump hammer but I had to work hard to fight that urge. The pattern was swing, *whack*, swear, swing, *whack*, swear, ...

It took a while but the first cup was eventually installed fully. It had cost me my relationship with the frame, a lot of sweat, a few years off my life, and my dignity. But it had worked. Then I started on the second cup...

As soon as I could after that, I bought myself a headset press. It became my new first born, and I haven't looked back.

ednwireland · 28-08-2018 8:11pm

doozerie wrote: »

Last time I did that was when building up my first "good bike". It was a brand new aluminium frame that cost me all of my savings at the time. It was like my first born.

It started well, I approached the frame carefully, gently placing the first headset cup in position. One piece of wood on top of the cup, another piece of wood under the other end of the head tube, me gently tapping on the top piece of wood with one of my lightest hammers (I have several hammers, this is perfectly normal...). I was looking forward to getting the bike built up, my spirits were high, outlook was optimistic.

After a few minutes of no obvious progress I switched to a slightly heavier hammer. The frame and I exchanged friendly glances, and off I went once more.

The swearing started a few minutes later. I was sweating by now and the frame was looking more nervous with every increasingly "enthusiastic" swing of the hammer. Our formerly loving relationship had changed, the frame was now the hated red-headed stepchild, I was now the Christian Brother of my youth that was going to beat some discipline into it as god intended.

I was now on a much heavier hammer, I stopped short of resorting to my lump hammer but I had to work hard to fight that urge. The pattern was swing, *whack*, swear, swing, *whack*, swear, ...

It took a while but the first cup was eventually installed fully. It had cost me my relationship with the frame, a lot of sweat, a few years off my life, and my dignity. But it had worked. Then I started on the second cup...

As soon as I could after that, I bought myself a headset press. It became my new first born, and I haven't looked back.

yeh wouldn't do that on a carbon frame

Certainly used a homemade press for the cups on a steel frame.

doozerie · 28-08-2018 9:02pm

ednwireland wrote: »

yeh wouldn't do that on a carbon frame

That's for sure. And things like that influence my choice towards commercial tools for certain jobs in particular - installing a b/b or headset cup out of parallel would be a real hassle on any frame but on carbon frame could be disastrous.

Mind you, I gather that various commercial presses aren't great at self-centring so this remains a risk even if you've paid money for some purpose-built presses. (The Abbey Bike Tools press has a self-centring cone, one of many well thought-out features that make it stand out from its competitors.)

Cee-Jay-Cee · 28-08-2018 10:59pm

I have bought most tools at this stage. Can pretty much strip and replace a groupset myself now as I have everything needed including a bearing extractor/press that I bought on eBay for around €45 a year or so ago.

I don’t have any alignment tools or truing rig for wheels, I’ll leave those jobs to LBS if the need arises.

magicbastarder · 28-08-2018 11:15pm

i do have a variable speed lathe and a slow wet stone grinder, but i've yet to find a cycling application for them.

doozerie · 29-08-2018 12:39am

magicbastarder wrote: »

i do have a variable speed lathe and a slow wet stone grinder, but i've yet to find a cycling application for them.

A lathe (a metalworking one, presumably) was instrumental in founding at least one company

: LINK

“So he called me up and we’re in our respective garages and was like, ‘hey, can you make this happen?’ and I was like, ‘yeah, that’ll work’. So the next day, I took the one spare lockring tool that I had, chucked it in the lathe and bored a hole through it, and then welded a handle to it. That was literally the first one — a 10-minute phone call and 15 minutes worth of work.”

Borderfox · 29-08-2018 8:20am

Have bought nearly all the tools needed to work on the bike, easier now with a screw in bb, although I have all the bearing equipment in work. A lot of park stuff and I don't loan or get a loan of tools, had a lovely workshop chain breaker and loaned it out only for it to come back in pieces and it was replaced by a lightweight one that was not a patch on the original.