These older ones are gold!! I currently work at a bike shop and commute daily by bike. It's interesting on what's gonna get tossed your way. Being honest watching your channel for the last 6ish years is what sparked wanting to torture myself working on other people's bikes. Cheers man, the new garage setup it 👌
May i suggest you a similar video dedicated to all the necessary sprays/lubes/greases? I already have a load of tools, but somehow sometimes i'm not 100% sure if i'm using the correct grease/lube on a specific part
@RollinRat Awe, don't take it like that...if I had the money, and time, and wasn't disabled, I'd have all the goodies too! I just meant to show that there are two very different ends of the scale of people who watch these videos. I used to be a bike nerd with all the tools. But when I became disabled, it was too much for me. I also used to be an auto mechanic, and had a ton of tools...I sold all of my tools except the bare necessities when I became disabled and needed the money. Now, I get by with the bare minimum. I was just sharing what works for me currently, a for the past 5+ years. Wasn't meant to discredit you in anyway at all!
I wrench at a bike coop rehabbing and recycling lots of trashed out bikes. For rehab work, your home toolkit would do about 98% of what we do. You've built a solid, no-frills, no-junk kit. Thanks for this video! (BTW, our recycling involves bolt cutters, side grinders and impact wrenches. But, recycling bikes is a different story)
Coming from a car mechanic background I already had a lot of tools obviously, but I ended up buying a kit that had cassette and bottom bracket specific tools for reasonably cheap and it's been amazing. It's great being able to maintain it yourself and have since done a 1x conversion 😂
People complain about the cost of tools and also spend tons of money on going out. I know not everyone. 20$ for a pair of pliers is too much but $20 for lunch is fine.
I had to buy a crank tool and a bb tool in order to service my bottom bracket. Both items cost far less than a service at a shop would have but I now have the ability to service it whenever I need to and all future services will be free. Your advice is spot on and inspiring to just 'have a go'. Great stuff!
The criticisms are people’s way of justifying their laziness or lack of motivation to help themselves. Your videos are mucho helpful and entertaining. Keep it up.
Some derailleur limit screws are JIS. Shimano are for sure. You'll see a small dot indention between two of the slots on the face of the screw if it's JIS. Regular screwdrivers will work, but they can eventually trash the slots. P.S. this was in no way a criticism of this video! Excellent as always
@@forevercomputing lol, buy a JIS driver, it's probably not as critical for home repairs as it would be in a Shop. JIS stands for Japanese Industrial Standard, it looks exactly like a phillps head, except it has ramps down in the grove that force the driver out at a certain torque value, to keep them from getting stripped. Phillips drivers don't have this, so they can strip the heads out. I've got a couple but only because I;ve been messing with Japanes motorcycles for 20+ years and stripped a lot of screws and bolts early on until I leanred the difference.
Channel lock pliers......sometimes.....the only tool that gets the job done when working on an old garage find. Usually to sacrifice a part that has to go anyway; frozen cones, seized square taper bb cups and such. A small ballpean hammer and punch/chisel set can also come in very handy at times also. I guess you can tell I've worked on some pretty old, rust bucket crap in the past, LOL!
People that live up north are crazy. I live in West Palm Beach Florida and we might have 3 nights a year when it gets into the 40's. I will say the summers are hot and long but the cold, wind, and snow you can keep up there. I ride 365 days a year. Yes i might get wet some days, but even then if you just wait 30 minutes to an hour the rain is gone. There are exceptions, like when a tropical system moves in and it rains for a couple days but that doesn't even happen every year. I have been here since 93 and have been through 3 hurricanes with another 2 or 3 that got close. But having to deal with winter every year is crazy, you guys are insane.
So much truth in your videos. I got a cheap kit a few years ago. Learned some basic maintenance, replace broken tools with Park as they go, but still try and use my LBS for supplies (chains, spokes, cleaners, small tools) Now i also have 2 storage bins of old "good" but worn parts, and just supplies. Also picked up a couple park stands on craigslist. Always good things there.. just take a buddy. Alway enjoy your videos! Reminds me how lucky i am to be not in a cold area.
Great suggestions for anyone looking to get started in their own bicycle maintenance and modifications. Personally, I got started this way , too . And yes, you create a money spending monster as one advance their mechanical skills in this field , but it’s a lot of fun !
great video! keep up the good work. As a mechanic myself the only other tool I would recommend is a dedicated pedal wrench. Park tool makes a chain whip with a 15mm pedal wrench on opposite end. perfect dual tool. Thanks for the inspiration!
Most mid to high-end 15mm wrench should be thin enough to fit between the crank arm and pedal, no? That's one tool I've honestly never had to purchase.
should mention that there are "universal" crank pullers that cover square tapers and all splined spindles. don't get the one that only does squares. Also, the nicer your bike is, the nicer your chain is, and peened chains take a lot more force to break (since they cut off the peened part of the chain rivet) so you'll want a better chain tool right from the start. I made about 1/3 of my tools, the rest were bought as needed and are real Park tools now. I tried a few off brand tools and they generally suck for fitment or have really shitty durability because of soft metal. some never fit and others didn't even make it through the first few uses without deforming Bike tools i've made myself - chain whip (chain and flatbar) -disc rotor straightener (large flatbar shaped to Park tool likeness) -lockring wrench/tool (also shaped flatbar) -headset cup knockout thing (thinwall tubing) -fork crown race remover U-chisel thing (also flatbar and angle/cutoff grinder) -cone nut wrenches (took real wrenches to a grinder) -adjustable cone nut wrench (put a real adjustable on a grinder :D )
Edmonton has the Bicycle Commuters Society. With a 20 dollar membership you can use their shop and get help from volunteer bike mechanics for $3/ hour. AND they also sell cheap used parts.
That's the way I went with my tools: started with a cheap kit and started replacing tools as they broke. Some from the cheap kit have surprisingly lasted longer than I expected. It's like buying from Harbor Freight: it's a crapshoot. lol
(Haven’t finished the video) I’ve been working on bikes for 10 years now, when I started I bought a kit from amazon I think for like $80 over the years all those tools have been replaced and some not even used at all (still) in the box. I ended up buying tool as I needed. Every tool in this kit absolutely necessary to do your own repairs. I would add a cheap trying stand. You can get one for cheap for under $100 these days (be patient and practice practice practice) specially if you commute.
I try to do most of the bike maintenance myself, but I am still iffy with bearings, specially press fit stuff. Park tool's book and youtube videos, such as yours helped me learn a lot.
I would argue that a small socket set that includes hex drive/allen wrenches heads is a better investment than a set of spanners. Then jumping up to a torque wrench is really easy. You can also grab crank puller, BB, cassette sockets and you have a set that really can work on any part you need on a bike for less space and hassle. Through in an adjustable box wrench, and a pedal/cone wrench set and you’ll be off to the races with what you showed in this video. Besides a few BB and threaded headset wrenches, there are few things you cannot do with a good ol’ socket set.
All hail. Love this. I watched a Parktool on cranks (want to change mine and have no clue) he pulled out a torque and said you really need one of these. It cost more than my bike lol.
Most of those cheap chain breakers just strip the threads and can no longer break a chain, making them useless. They usually break one old rusty chain for me and then are already starting to strip. Also...super cheap cone wrenches...stay away...they also work about one time before they are cocked sideways or the jaws pushed apart. Most other cheap tools seem to be OK.
Something that I've found helpful before I picked up tools was the bike co-op, which I've had access to in a couple places. Pay like 5 bucks for an hour in the shop space with every tool you need and friendly people around to answer questions usually. The two I've been at also had 'how-to' nights every week for the aspiring basement mechanics
Bike co-ops are something that have always interested me but I’ve never been to one. I can’t help but feel like it’s something I’d like to put a spin on myself. A space for working on bikes and hosting events like goldsprints. That’s the dream.
@Spindatt I have a 20 year old Stevens road bike, where I sanded approx. 3 mm of material from the brake bridge with the rear wheel (almost down to the screw from the brake) because the 28 mm wide tires were too big ... Should I trash the frame or turning it into a winter bike? The old Tiagra 4400 group is pretty worn out, but I could convert it to a single speed.
Until you got to the last three bike specific tools, the rest are common tools a citizen should have for home and auto. The biggest expense and you left out is a portable stand. It is an essential. I use one in my apartment and stick back in closet when done. I do not horde discard parts, I sell them on FB flea market. Love this video.
Nice selection but there are 3 tools that I would not want to miss in my "tool box". These are my mini grease gun, my cable cutters and a chain link opening tool. Honestly, I have only the first of these three, but having to install 3 chains in the last week the later one will soon be in my collection.
Super helpful video. I'm about to build up a vintage Bianchi today and it's good to know what I need to flesh out the toolkit I've been accumulating over the past year or so.
If you don't want to build a home shop and amass tools just for yourself look for a co-op/collective in your area (or start one!). I try to work on my bikes myself as much as possible and use Rusty Spoke (Phoenix, AZ) and Bike Saviours (Tempe, AZ) for access to tools, advice, and affordable parts as much as possible. Yesterday I upgraded my 1988 Miyata AlumiCross at Bike Saviours. I bought a set of Vision Team 25 wheels for $200 from a friend's bike shop and then found the parts for a 10-speed drivetrain at the co-op for another $106 and rode away with basically a new bike on a frame I'm in love with for $306.
Just subscribed. Recently bought 4 old mountain bikes and am trying to get them in decent shape for the family. I like your humor. I find myself having to back the videos up and re-watch, because I somehow end up staring at your ears to see what parts of the background I can see through them.
Yeah, you're last point about doing your own work getting expensive is spot on. You'll also find only wanting bikes or frames that allow more tinkering options. Surlys are the ultimate tinkerer's dream.
That is a sage warning about being a hoarder and buyer of unnecessary parts once you have tools and the confidence to use them. It is painfully true. See my shed for a case and point.
Really enjoy the videos you make. I especially like the fact that you like both geared bikes and single speed and/or fixed gear bikes. I have and appreciate both types as well! Nice 1x conversion, and keep up the good work!
I like your channel and your attitude. You’ve inspired me. I’m getting my first few tools from amazon today. I also scored 5 bikes for free to get me started. I figure I can get over the learning curve with some of these weirdo old bikes. Gonna build my first fixed gear. Just letting you know that some of us really like you and your channel and all the inspiration. Ps. People are mean if you let them.
The struggle is real man!!! I have xt hubs with center lock disc and the front is different so i need different tools for each lol I don't even have cone wrenches and it sux
Better yet- visit your local bike coop or community bike shop. Your community doesn’t have one? Band together with your friends and start one. It is a great way to build a community around bikes and help other people!
Found your channel revently and i am bingwatching everything!i recently got into bikes. I biked from amsterdam to paris this summer and now inspired by you to convert a 88 mtb to gravelbike. Almost my birthday so treating myself on some new tools. Keep on making videos man. You are a funny!
I have a few of the Bikehand tools, and the quality is there. For the home shop I wish I'd bought less Park Tool stuff and just gotten one of their kits.
Great vid. Home workshop tools don't have to be expensive, I buy more budget items that I know I'm not going to use often and spend a little more on tools that are going to be used more frequently. As you say, once you get spare stuff laying around, it's quite entertaining building up a Franken-bike because you can :)
I highly recomend JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) philips screwdriver. They work really well for shimano components. (Because they are using JIS standard) You can get one made by Vessel off from Amazon for $10.
Good call, I thought about mentioning this.. but the can of worms that gets opened with new mechanics when you start bringing the different standards up haha
Video helps. Every time I go to my local bike shop I feel the guys behind the counter and the show room look at me and whisper to themselves "He look fellas here comes that sucker, lets go over and help him - wink wink."
I wouldn't let anyone use Channelocks on my bike, Kniipex pliers wrench on the other hand is expensive but worth every penny/cent. It covers all the wrenches you don't have and unlike the Channelocks they are non-marring. They're also really handy for straightening rotors (saves you buying a specialist tool) and dinged aluminium rims (I have some plastic jaw covers for that job).
Without sounding douching, what can a old bro use for a bike stand. Without a stand, all this working on bikes is futile....Basic Park Tool stand being 280.99 is a kick in the nuts!
You forgot the most important tool! The bike stand like you have to hold the bike up and in place so you can do work. :) Not essential? If your back is new to bike repairs I guess it is a luxury. Siege hammer and pipe to throw bearing races off? BB tools, freewheel wrench for those that still have freewheels.
Unless you want to spend heaps on parts, labour will always be the greater part of the bill if you put your bike into a bike shop for upgrades. Support your local bike shop by all means, but if you want more joy out of cycling, you need to be able to do it yourself.
I watched a few of your videos back when this one was released and admittedly at first thought you were a bit douchey. They channel has since grown on me like a fungus and it is currently one of my favorite channels. Sorry for the initial judgment and look forward to more videos
Hello neighbor to the North (east). I have been getting hit with the same blizzards. Just found your channel and I like it. Also 👍 cadence is the shit!
It's pretty awesome that you're in hfx and wish you were still downtown bc I would have popped in for some service and also having a hard time finding a rear hub for my bike im just rocking fucked rwces
Yeah, I'm deep into the hoarding & tinkering stage now, definitely would've been cheaper to just go to my lbs every now and then (but not as much fun, and that's what counts for me)
11:38 That's called a Slip Joint Hammer/Pliers/grabber combo tool! It does everything equally poorly! Essential tool for every DIY fabricobbler and destruction specialist!
2:46 me last winter and drivers pulling up and saying, 'your fucked in the head dude, buy a car or ride a bus...' to which my response would be 'I'm living the dream baby'! ha ha
I too bought tools as my bike repair skills progressed. By the time I wanted to get a good quality kit of tools I already had most of them. I like Vice Grips to adjust my brake pads square to the wheel, and for the tough jobs already mentioned below - definitely be careful using these. Being a so-so handy older guy I already have the usual auto/motorcycle/home-fix-it assortment of tools. Why do you have "Cadence" stickers on your bike and car, sponsorship?
I was finding that I was changing the chain too early, and I don't like using cheap chains. Saved me $$$$. You know what happens when you use it too long. $$$$.
ruler isn't so good. on bikes with high end parts and an aluminum chainset, you change the chain earlier and it's nearly impossible to eyeball 1/16" with a stick when the paint lines are just about 1/16" plus a ruler doesn't measure wear in the rollers. At the same time, i've read that some proper chain wear tools don't measure well, some measure the wrong sides and others are just inaccurate (including Park's), but they're better than nothing. I've switched to using a digital caliper which i had anyways but you can get fairly inexpensive ones online these days. take 2 measurements, do some math and you're done.
Love this video man. If I was going to do any real mod to my bike it would be for going 1x on my AWOL for a laugh. P.S. Still hoping for a Norton/Spindatt patch or my framebag.
Don't worry about the DBags. You have to wonder why they watch and comment if they don't like you. Trolls maybe? I appreciate the free insights from somebody that actually gets paid to fix bicycles. Quick question. How do feel about the Shimano quick links instead of the link pin. Any preferences?
I wish I could say I’m not worried about them, but I can be haha. Quick links forever in my opinion. I despise the pins, I think they are stupid and they don’t offer anything but uncertainty for new mechanics. Not to mention, way less serviceable on the side of the road.
I was almost 40 when I learned you can take your bike to a bike shop for repair. I thought you had to do it yourself, I've been doing my own work since childhood with dad's tools. I grew up seeing bikes at curbs with the trash because nobody knew how to fix them, so I've had lots of free bikes.
Id argue all day long that an air pump is the very first thing you need when you buy a bike, and someone would immediately prove me wrong. lol.. Buy the best quality tools you can afford as you need them, if you're starting a collection. Buying a low grade tool set and replacing the tools one at a time with better quality tools is another option. Bottom bracket tools are the only high quality tools I've ever broken. Steel frames, rust seized bottom brackets, and hammer bashing a bb wrench, does not make a proud moment.
Yo man. Love the videos. They've helped me a tonne. Don't worry about the haters! Don't be so hard on your self. Keep up the work. Also maybe some gear reviews or review of gear you use or for future videos! Thanks!
===========================================================
Grab a Norton Tee!:
teespring.com/spindatt-x-norton#pid=211&cid=101932&sid=front
teespring.com/stores/spindatt
===========================================================
Spindatt Are they made by American Apparel?
The olive drab is supposed to be a premium tee “like” an AA shirt but aren’t. The grey and white ones are Hanes basic.
These older ones are gold!! I currently work at a bike shop and commute daily by bike. It's interesting on what's gonna get tossed your way. Being honest watching your channel for the last 6ish years is what sparked wanting to torture myself working on other people's bikes. Cheers man, the new garage setup it 👌
May i suggest you a similar video dedicated to all the necessary sprays/lubes/greases? I already have a load of tools, but somehow sometimes i'm not 100% sure if i'm using the correct grease/lube on a specific part
YES Please
Great day and I will be there for the same thing but
Automobile bearing grease and used ATF fluid is all I ever use for anything.
@RollinRat Your lube collection is probably worth more than my bike.
@RollinRat Awe, don't take it like that...if I had the money, and time, and wasn't disabled, I'd have all the goodies too! I just meant to show that there are two very different ends of the scale of people who watch these videos. I used to be a bike nerd with all the tools. But when I became disabled, it was too much for me. I also used to be an auto mechanic, and had a ton of tools...I sold all of my tools except the bare necessities when I became disabled and needed the money. Now, I get by with the bare minimum. I was just sharing what works for me currently, a for the past 5+ years. Wasn't meant to discredit you in anyway at all!
I wrench at a bike coop rehabbing and recycling lots of trashed out bikes. For rehab work, your home toolkit would do about 98% of what we do. You've built a solid, no-frills, no-junk kit. Thanks for this video! (BTW, our recycling involves bolt cutters, side grinders and impact wrenches. But, recycling bikes is a different story)
Coming from a car mechanic background I already had a lot of tools obviously, but I ended up buying a kit that had cassette and bottom bracket specific tools for reasonably cheap and it's been amazing. It's great being able to maintain it yourself and have since done a 1x conversion 😂
I heard saying once. It was in reference to learning to repair musical instruments, but it also applies here - "Practice on junk"
I’m not a techie, but since I have three bikes I really like seeing how bike mechanisms function and how to be more self-sufficient. Thanks so much!
Millions of guys are d-bags. Don't feel bad 😂😂😂 your videos are great keep it up✌
People complain about the cost of tools and also spend tons of money on going out. I know not everyone. 20$ for a pair of pliers is too much but $20 for lunch is fine.
I had to buy a crank tool and a bb tool in order to service my bottom bracket. Both items cost far less than a service at a shop would have but I now have the ability to service it whenever I need to and all future services will be free.
Your advice is spot on and inspiring to just 'have a go'. Great stuff!
The criticisms are people’s way of justifying their laziness or lack of motivation to help themselves. Your videos are mucho helpful and entertaining. Keep it up.
Some derailleur limit screws are JIS. Shimano are for sure. You'll see a small dot indention between two of the slots on the face of the screw if it's JIS. Regular screwdrivers will work, but they can eventually trash the slots. P.S. this was in no way a criticism of this video! Excellent as always
Buy JIS tools - got it :)
@@forevercomputing lol, buy a JIS driver, it's probably not as critical for home repairs as it would be in a Shop. JIS stands for Japanese Industrial Standard, it looks exactly like a phillps head, except it has ramps down in the grove that force the driver out at a certain torque value, to keep them from getting stripped. Phillips drivers don't have this, so they can strip the heads out. I've got a couple but only because I;ve been messing with Japanes motorcycles for 20+ years and stripped a lot of screws and bolts early on until I leanred the difference.
@@MountainGuerrilla still need to buy a set. I hear they fit better than Philips screwdrivers 😁
Channel lock pliers......sometimes.....the only tool that gets the job done when working on an old garage find. Usually to sacrifice a part that has to go anyway; frozen cones, seized square taper bb cups and such. A small ballpean hammer and punch/chisel set can also come in very handy at times also. I guess you can tell I've worked on some pretty old, rust bucket crap in the past, LOL!
People that live up north are crazy. I live in West Palm Beach Florida and we might have 3 nights a year when it gets into the 40's. I will say the summers are hot and long but the cold, wind, and snow you can keep up there. I ride 365 days a year. Yes i might get wet some days, but even then if you just wait 30 minutes to an hour the rain is gone. There are exceptions, like when a tropical system moves in and it rains for a couple days but that doesn't even happen every year. I have been here since 93 and have been through 3 hurricanes with another 2 or 3 that got close. But having to deal with winter every year is crazy, you guys are insane.
So much truth in your videos.
I got a cheap kit a few years ago. Learned some basic maintenance, replace broken tools with Park as they go, but still try and use my LBS for supplies (chains, spokes, cleaners, small tools)
Now i also have 2 storage bins of old "good" but worn parts, and just supplies. Also picked up a couple park stands on craigslist. Always good things there.. just take a buddy.
Alway enjoy your videos! Reminds me how lucky i am to be not in a cold area.
I would include a track/floor pump with a gauge.
My link extractor came with a piece of metal that pulls the chain ends together for easier and controlled splitting/connecting. It was cheap.
Great suggestions for anyone looking to get started in their own bicycle maintenance and modifications. Personally, I got started this way , too . And yes, you create a money spending monster as one advance their mechanical skills in this field , but it’s a lot of fun !
great video! keep up the good work. As a mechanic myself the only other tool I would recommend is a dedicated pedal wrench. Park tool makes a chain whip with a 15mm pedal wrench on opposite end. perfect dual tool. Thanks for the inspiration!
Most mid to high-end 15mm wrench should be thin enough to fit between the crank arm and pedal, no? That's one tool I've honestly never had to purchase.
Check the Super T Handle Metric set, a compact new design that solves the rotational problem when torque is not needed (at Amazon).
should mention that there are "universal" crank pullers that cover square tapers and all splined spindles. don't get the one that only does squares. Also, the nicer your bike is, the nicer your chain is, and peened chains take a lot more force to break (since they cut off the peened part of the chain rivet) so you'll want a better chain tool right from the start.
I made about 1/3 of my tools, the rest were bought as needed and are real Park tools now. I tried a few off brand tools and they generally suck for fitment or have really shitty durability because of soft metal. some never fit and others didn't even make it through the first few uses without deforming
Bike tools i've made myself
- chain whip (chain and flatbar)
-disc rotor straightener (large flatbar shaped to Park tool likeness)
-lockring wrench/tool (also shaped flatbar)
-headset cup knockout thing (thinwall tubing)
-fork crown race remover U-chisel thing (also flatbar and angle/cutoff grinder)
-cone nut wrenches (took real wrenches to a grinder)
-adjustable cone nut wrench (put a real adjustable on a grinder :D )
I've been a budget builder for four years. love your videos dude. keep it up!
Edmonton has the Bicycle Commuters Society. With a 20 dollar membership you can use their shop and get help from volunteer bike mechanics for $3/ hour. AND they also sell cheap used parts.
That's the way I went with my tools: started with a cheap kit and started replacing tools as they broke. Some from the cheap kit have surprisingly lasted longer than I expected. It's like buying from Harbor Freight: it's a crapshoot. lol
(Haven’t finished the video) I’ve been working on bikes for 10 years now, when I started I bought a kit from amazon I think for like $80 over the years all those tools have been replaced and some not even used at all (still) in the box. I ended up buying tool as I needed. Every tool in this kit absolutely necessary to do your own repairs. I would add a cheap trying stand. You can get one for cheap for under $100 these days (be patient and practice practice practice) specially if you commute.
I try to do most of the bike maintenance myself, but I am still iffy with bearings, specially press fit stuff. Park tool's book and youtube videos, such as yours helped me learn a lot.
Yeah pressing things can be a hassle. Ill eventually own a bearing press but for now don’t consider it a need for at home yet!
yeah, calvin does a great job in that series.
Hey from Calgary, Alberta. Really love this channel. It's chill ... and informative. As a budding DIY'er, this is one of my favorite episodes.
I would argue that a small socket set that includes hex drive/allen wrenches heads is a better investment than a set of spanners. Then jumping up to a torque wrench is really easy. You can also grab crank puller, BB, cassette sockets and you have a set that really can work on any part you need on a bike for less space and hassle. Through in an adjustable box wrench, and a pedal/cone wrench set and you’ll be off to the races with what you showed in this video.
Besides a few BB and threaded headset wrenches, there are few things you cannot do with a good ol’ socket set.
All hail. Love this. I watched a Parktool on cranks (want to change mine and have no clue) he pulled out a torque and said you really need one of these. It cost more than my bike lol.
Most of those cheap chain breakers just strip the threads and can no longer break a chain, making them useless. They usually break one old rusty chain for me and then are already starting to strip. Also...super cheap cone wrenches...stay away...they also work about one time before they are cocked sideways or the jaws pushed apart. Most other cheap tools seem to be OK.
Something that I've found helpful before I picked up tools was the bike co-op, which I've had access to in a couple places. Pay like 5 bucks for an hour in the shop space with every tool you need and friendly people around to answer questions usually.
The two I've been at also had 'how-to' nights every week for the aspiring basement mechanics
Bike co-ops are something that have always interested me but I’ve never been to one. I can’t help but feel like it’s something I’d like to put a spin on myself. A space for working on bikes and hosting events like goldsprints. That’s the dream.
Make it happen dude.
If nothing else, it’s a great way to hang out and meet other people in the world.
@Spindatt I have a 20 year old Stevens road bike, where I sanded approx. 3 mm of material from the brake bridge with the rear wheel (almost down to the screw from the brake) because the 28 mm wide tires were too big ... Should I trash the frame or turning it into a winter bike?
The old Tiagra 4400 group is pretty worn out, but I could convert it to a single speed.
Until you got to the last three bike specific tools, the rest are common tools a citizen should have for home and auto. The biggest expense and you left out is a portable stand. It is an essential. I use one in my apartment and stick back in closet when done. I do not horde discard parts, I sell them on FB flea market. Love this video.
Nice selection but there are 3 tools that I would not want to miss in my "tool box". These are my mini grease gun, my cable cutters and a chain link opening tool. Honestly, I have only the first of these three, but having to install 3 chains in the last week the later one will soon be in my collection.
Super helpful video. I'm about to build up a vintage Bianchi today and it's good to know what I need to flesh out the toolkit I've been accumulating over the past year or so.
If you don't want to build a home shop and amass tools just for yourself look for a co-op/collective in your area (or start one!). I try to work on my bikes myself as much as possible and use Rusty Spoke (Phoenix, AZ) and Bike Saviours (Tempe, AZ) for access to tools, advice, and affordable parts as much as possible. Yesterday I upgraded my 1988 Miyata AlumiCross at Bike Saviours. I bought a set of Vision Team 25 wheels for $200 from a friend's bike shop and then found the parts for a 10-speed drivetrain at the co-op for another $106 and rode away with basically a new bike on a frame I'm in love with for $306.
Just subscribed. Recently bought 4 old mountain bikes and am trying to get them in decent shape for the family. I like your humor. I find myself having to back the videos up and re-watch, because I somehow end up staring at your ears to see what parts of the background I can see through them.
Yeah, you're last point about doing your own work getting expensive is spot on. You'll also find only wanting bikes or frames that allow more tinkering options. Surlys are the ultimate tinkerer's dream.
Thanks for sharing. Very useful tips. I like inexpensive yet useful tools.
That is a sage warning about being a hoarder and buyer of unnecessary parts once you have tools and the confidence to use them. It is painfully true. See my shed for a case and point.
Nice video. I've never let anyone work on my bike but me. You spoke the truth.
A man after my own heart..
DON'T TOUCH ME BIKE !!
Really enjoy the videos you make. I especially like the fact that you like both geared bikes and single speed and/or fixed gear bikes. I have and appreciate both types as well! Nice 1x conversion, and keep up the good work!
I like your channel and your attitude. You’ve inspired me. I’m getting my first few tools from amazon today. I also scored 5 bikes for free to get me started. I figure I can get over the learning curve with some of these weirdo old bikes. Gonna build my first fixed gear. Just letting you know that some of us really like you and your channel and all the inspiration. Ps. People are mean if you let them.
Congrats dude
Happy tinkering!
Great video if you had to do it all over again would you piecemeal your kit together or would you buy one already assembled? Thanks
lol I guess I should have finished watching the video keep up the good work
Hey, can you list your winter gear please? Or a winter gear list.
you can replace torx screws w hex screws of the same diameter
14:53 ...and a bike stand (how about a video on bike stands?). Great video!
The struggle is real man!!! I have xt hubs with center lock disc and the front is different so i need different tools for each lol I don't even have cone wrenches and it sux
Better yet- visit your local bike coop or community bike shop. Your community doesn’t have one? Band together with your friends and start one. It is a great way to build a community around bikes and help other people!
Found your channel revently and i am bingwatching everything!i recently got into bikes. I biked from amsterdam to paris this summer and now inspired by you to convert a 88 mtb to gravelbike. Almost my birthday so treating myself on some new tools. Keep on making videos man. You are a funny!
I replaced my cheap cartridge bottom bracket tool with a BBT22 because the teeth on the cheap tool did not sit securely and would slip under load.
Where is a good place to get information on bicycle adjustments?
Channel locks, a hammer, and a small pry bar...if you work on old bikes, at least.
I have a few of the Bikehand tools, and the quality is there. For the home shop I wish I'd bought less Park Tool stuff and just gotten one of their kits.
Great vid. Home workshop tools don't have to be expensive, I buy more budget items that I know I'm not going to use often and spend a little more on tools that are going to be used more frequently. As you say, once you get spare stuff laying around, it's quite entertaining building up a Franken-bike because you can :)
I highly recomend JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) philips screwdriver.
They work really well for shimano components. (Because they are using JIS standard)
You can get one made by Vessel off from Amazon for $10.
Good call, I thought about mentioning this.. but the can of worms that gets opened with new mechanics when you start bringing the different standards up haha
Video helps. Every time I go to my local bike shop I feel the guys behind the counter and the show room look at me and whisper to themselves "He look fellas here comes that sucker, lets go over and help him - wink wink."
Good old Mastercraft. Looks like a Home Hardware hex multi tool, got the same one haha
I do lots to my bike but still see a pro from time to time and learn from it. the next time it happens then i can fix it myself.
I wouldn't let anyone use Channelocks on my bike, Kniipex pliers wrench on the other hand is expensive but worth every penny/cent. It covers all the wrenches you don't have and unlike the Channelocks they are non-marring. They're also really handy for straightening rotors (saves you buying a specialist tool) and dinged aluminium rims (I have some plastic jaw covers for that job).
Without sounding douching, what can a old bro use for a bike stand. Without a stand, all this working on bikes is futile....Basic Park Tool stand being 280.99 is a kick in the nuts!
You forgot the most important tool!
The bike stand like you have to hold the bike up and in place so you can do work. :)
Not essential? If your back is new to bike repairs I guess it is a luxury.
Siege hammer and pipe to throw bearing races off?
BB tools, freewheel wrench for those that still have freewheels.
Unless you want to spend heaps on parts, labour will always be the greater part of the bill if you put your bike into a bike shop for upgrades. Support your local bike shop by all means, but if you want more joy out of cycling, you need to be able to do it yourself.
Amazing useful video for a beginner biker too 💋 thank you
What tool kit would you recommend for building a bike from just the frame
you are the best. thanks for the channel! so many great learning pieces.
Dude you crack me up. Subscribed after watching the first vid I saw. Nice one.
Thanks Scott!
Hey Eric, I have a Giant Talon 3 3x8. I currently have it 1x9 but I want to know if I’m able to convert it to 1x10 with its stock hub?
Dude, I think you're a kool guy. Don't sweat it! Peace!
What is your opinion of icetoolz brand of bicycle tools.? Is park your only brand?
I watched a few of your videos back when this one was released and admittedly at first thought you were a bit douchey. They channel has since grown on me like a fungus and it is currently one of my favorite channels. Sorry for the initial judgment and look forward to more videos
hahahaha totally okay! I'm an annoying dork who likes to talk.
@@Spindatt dork maybe, but not a douche. The comments you put at the end of the videos helped me come around.
Hello neighbor to the North (east). I have been getting hit with the same blizzards. Just found your channel and I like it. Also 👍 cadence is the shit!
Is the top tube shinier where your pants would be rubbing against it or is it just me?
It's pretty awesome that you're in hfx and wish you were still downtown bc I would have popped in for some service and also having a hard time finding a rear hub for my bike im just rocking fucked rwces
Yeah, I'm deep into the hoarding & tinkering stage now, definitely would've been cheaper to just go to my lbs every now and then (but not as much fun, and that's what counts for me)
11:38 That's called a Slip Joint Hammer/Pliers/grabber combo tool! It does everything equally poorly! Essential tool for every DIY fabricobbler and destruction specialist!
2:46 me last winter and drivers pulling up and saying, 'your fucked in the head dude, buy a car or ride a bus...' to which my response would be 'I'm living the dream baby'! ha ha
when i stop working at a shop I keep trying to work out which stand i'll buy becuse DIY stands work, but not the way I like
I too bought tools as my bike repair skills progressed. By the time I wanted to get a good quality kit of tools I already had most of them. I like Vice Grips to adjust my brake pads square to the wheel, and for the tough jobs already mentioned below - definitely be careful using these. Being a so-so handy older guy I already have the usual auto/motorcycle/home-fix-it assortment of tools.
Why do you have "Cadence" stickers on your bike and car, sponsorship?
How about a bike coop shop in mtl there is one for 20$ a year
Thanks for the tips, and dount worry aboit the negatives, great day.
Chain wear indicator tool.
idk about that, I personaly never needed one. I've allways either replaced chain before i got streached or could just tell by looking.
I was finding that I was changing the chain too early, and I don't like using cheap chains. Saved me $$$$. You know what happens when you use it too long. $$$$.
12 inch ruler
ruler isn't so good. on bikes with high end parts and an aluminum chainset, you change the chain earlier and it's nearly impossible to eyeball 1/16" with a stick when the paint lines are just about 1/16" plus a ruler doesn't measure wear in the rollers. At the same time, i've read that some proper chain wear tools don't measure well, some measure the wrong sides and others are just inaccurate (including Park's), but they're better than nothing. I've switched to using a digital caliper which i had anyways but you can get fairly inexpensive ones online these days. take 2 measurements, do some math and you're done.
yea, I like this bike a lot better with the gears. I live by fixies but not every bike is destined for zen simplicity.
Hey bro! I want a damn coffee mug! I didn’t order it when the price went up like I was supposed to... so you should sell em
I have to admit your videos are kind of addictive 😂 keep up the good work love the channel.
The new t shirts looks sick
Love this video man. If I was going to do any real mod to my bike it would be for going 1x on my AWOL for a laugh.
P.S. Still hoping for a Norton/Spindatt patch or my framebag.
thank you spindatt
Don't worry about the DBags. You have to wonder why they watch and comment if they don't like you. Trolls maybe? I appreciate the free insights from somebody that actually gets paid to fix bicycles. Quick question. How do feel about the Shimano quick links instead of the link pin. Any preferences?
I wish I could say I’m not worried about them, but I can be haha. Quick links forever in my opinion. I despise the pins, I think they are stupid and they don’t offer anything but uncertainty for new mechanics. Not to mention, way less serviceable on the side of the road.
I was almost 40 when I learned you can take your bike to a bike shop for repair. I thought you had to do it yourself, I've been doing my own work since childhood with dad's tools. I grew up seeing bikes at curbs with the trash because nobody knew how to fix them, so I've had lots of free bikes.
I think you do a great job. I appreciate your videos.
good looks bud 👌
Don’t forget the GoJo 😁
I love you man. You're decent ginge bloke 💪🏻💪🏻
I Hate snow, what kind of fork Is in your bike ?
Id argue all day long that an air pump is the very first thing you need when you buy a bike, and someone would immediately prove me wrong. lol.. Buy the best quality tools you can afford as you need them, if you're starting a collection. Buying a low grade tool set and replacing the tools one at a time with better quality tools is another option. Bottom bracket tools are the only high quality tools I've ever broken. Steel frames, rust seized bottom brackets, and hammer bashing a bb wrench, does not make a proud moment.
skip to 3:55 for the actual maintenance and topic of the video...
Yo man. Love the videos. They've helped me a tonne. Don't worry about the haters! Don't be so hard on your self. Keep up the work. Also maybe some gear reviews or review of gear you use or for future videos! Thanks!
Another great video thanks bud keep up the great work 👍🏻👊🏻
What bike stand do u use