Couple of tips from me. For derailleur limit screws, you can just use a good quality small flat headed screwdriver rather than worrying about the JIS crosshead. As for standard tools like hex/Allen keys - buy ones from car maintenance brands NOT bikes - ‘bike’ stuff has an unnecessary premium put on the price
By the way, Philipps head is designed so the screwdriver requires vertical force to be applied so it does not get of the screw head and it... JIS has a better "retention" in the screw head. Robertson screws are way better than any other screws, their head is designed so the screwdriver keeps at work and does not wander around :P
Chain checker. I've saved so much money on cassettes since I got one. I used to just run a chain way too long and then have to replace the cassette too.
One isn't enough though if you want everything in the right torque. I just bought a long one because I didn't have a long enough tool to get an old seized up bottom bracket out of the frame. Now I can install the bigger parts in the correct torque but it obviously won't do for smaller screws.
I'm a fan of Park Tool products, but I find the Vessel JIS to be the best. We have one in our shop that is used every day and it is at least 6 years old. It still performs like brand new.
My two tools to replace that last two tools is a nice work stand to hold the bike up and a huge tub of grease (you always need it when you dont have any). If you have a bike stand or some way to work on it off the ground then a Truing Stand for wheels even if its DIY can save you $20-40 truing it your self
I've built wheels since the 70s, so my favorite tool is my Var truing stand, which I've added dial indicators to. I love seeing my 10-20 year wheels still holding +/- .002". My newest acquisition is a Park derailleur hangar alignment tool. I've used them, but I finally received one as a present from my nephew.
50 years as a cycist doing my own maintenance and I have a few comments. 1. Buy decent but not shop-grade tools.The latter are made to be used day in day out for years. You don’t need that at home. 2. I’ve needed a derailleur mount straightener about 3 times in 175,000 miles. If you bend an aluminum der. hanger, you should probably replace it. 3. Agree with many commenters, torque wrench is necessary with som many CF components. 4. It would be hard to live without a repair stand. 5. Headlamp. 6. Cable cutters, definitely.
Totally agree. Funny - I often hear it said "you buy cheap and you're often likely to buy twice." I've heard it more succinctly stated: "Buy nice or buy twice." Cheers!
Some cheap things work not that bad (heavily depends on the individual tool), other things should never be bought cheap. I have a cheap tool to remove headset bearings from the steering tube, it's good enough to use it once every 2 years. A cheap torque wrench however is not a good idea. Cheap bits work as long as you don't have to put much stress on them ( they won't break because of 5 or 8 Nm) , if you use a tool with high torque a cheap steel don't work any longer however
The cable cutters are the hands down most important for every amateur mechanic. Most other tools can be found in any other household tool kit, and things like a brake bleed kit, or internal cable routing kit, are really only specific to newer, fancier bikes. The derailer hanger straightener is important, but you need a trued wheel to use it effectively, and won't come in handy unless you're willing to do (and spend on) all that too.
Wrong about the DER hanger straightener needing a trued wheel. Always rotate the wheel when you rotate the tool, measuring at the valve. It's takes the untrued wheel out of the equation.
An old trick to cut the inner cable is heat it to red hot with a lighter then any wire cutters including the ones in most pliers will cut cleanly. For outers, Dremel / rotary tool with a cutoff wheel gives a nice clean cut. The first tools I recommend investing in is a decent set of size colour-coded (rainbow) hex / Allen keys.
I’ve discovered the more tools I have the more I tend to fix things that aren’t broke, just to use the tool. It’s a character flaw I can’t shake. Plus, I have no issue supporting my LBS when necessary.
I got the AK-5 Tool kit from Park Tool... If you're new to this and starting from scratch, it's a no brainer one item purchase!! It comes with the basics for a whole lot of repairs you need to do, I'd say if all you have at home is a multi-bit screwdriver and a hammer, this will get you 80% of the way there before you get in way over your head. I'm into cars also, so some of the things I had duplicates of in my big toolbox but this kit has most of the stuff you need, I added a few specific bits for my own needs and it all fits nicely in the included toolbox. It's a really convenient way of just needing to do something on your bike, grabbing one box and be all set!!
You’re sure right about quality products, but Park tool is so ridiculous expensive that I rather go to my local bike store and let them get fixed problems I have once every few years.
in my experience the cost of the tool to do the job is half of what the shop quotes me for time and time again. only thing i go to shop for now is tire true and cable routing because i hate it and maybe a brake bleed if im out of fluid or feeling lazy
@@chencho7083 I would like to fully agree with you, but by doing so I would only confirm my own prejudices towards Park tool tools without any actual experience. I think the reality is that the quality of their products is pretty good. I mean, would they really be used so much if this wasn't the case? However, I'm personally not going to buy a single one of their tools for the simple reason that they are advertised way too much to the point that I find their logo irritating.
A really cheap way to get good Hex/Allen, Torx and Screwdrivers is to buy the 1/4" bits in the sizes you need (the type that go in cordless drills) form a brand like Wera then "cheap out" on the the bit holders/drivers from a so-so company like Draper, those parts won't ever touch your bike and if you're a carbon jockey or even just really serious about becoming self reliant you will probably be wanting to use a torque wrench for the critical stuff anyway. Also consider that a real bike mechanic will use his/her tools day in day out you likely won't so going cheapish (not like Poundland though) on things you won't use often and won't damage anything expensive is ok if you use your common sense. My square taper extractor and Cartridge BB tool cost £3 and £5.50 respectively I have used them ONCE on a crank that went in the bin and I will likely never use them again because I replaced the crank with a Hollowtech Type. Oh and bike maintenance stand? ALDI £25 damn thing is like Captain Scarlet.
I was going to mention all of these. I have a Park Tool ATD-1 torque wrench, a Topeak digital tire guage, and Spin Doctor Chrome Validium hex keys. Three investments every cyclist should make.
I bought the same cable cutters 4 years ago. And used them once since. With the hydraulic brakes and wireless shifters, first on MTB now on the road bike too - I never need them. Ditto for the cable routers.
Use all of those, except the Di2 routing kit, though I am tempted by one of those! So far, all my internal routing needs have been met by some light thread, a small piece of masking tape and a vacuum cleaner! 😂
@@gcntech yep! 👍🏻 Just put a small piece of masking tape on the end of the thread, push it through the 'in' hole, block off all other holes in the frame/bars/fork etc (again with masking tape, doesn't need to be 100% air-tight) then put the vacuum hose on or near the 'exit' hole and allow the thread to pull through from the 'in' end. Usually it works with just the thread on its own but sometimes you need the tape on the end to give a bit more of a surface to suck along the tubes. It has never failed for me!
I work on cars a lot so use either German or American tool makers. Works like a charm every time. If anyone is on a budget then I’d recommend Wera hex bits as a must.
Quality tools. I used to buy cheap sets and sometimes broke more than I repaired. Since then, I only buy individual tools that are of high quality and have far fewer problems. I don't adjust derailleurs without first checking the derailleur hanger with an alignment tool. The tool is actually mandatory when working on bicycles. I realized that pretty late.
Park Tools, my favorite are the derailleur hanger aligner and they did not mention the chain gauge/checker (saves hundreds in premature drivetrain wear). But to be honest, many Park Tools are poor quality, like the T handle allen wrenches, not for heavy use, and for cable cutters? Shimano...
I agree completely! A less obvious, and money saving, advantage of using the chain checker is that you don't replace a chain too soon. No more pulling off a chain that still has plenty of kilometers left in it. I have the Park cable cutters and I've always been very disappointed in them. I've been trying to justify spending the money to replace them with something better.
But Olly, if you are installing new barbs and olives it's not easy without vices or grips of some kind, furthermore cable cutters won't work too well on brake hose. You need a hose cutting blade that'll get you a straight edge. This stuff is a rabbit hole, I've got more tools to do the job right from DIY maintenance instead of suffering with tools I had, like holding a brake hose with pliers so insert a barb to a brake hose cut with a Stanley knife.
I found that using cheap tools generally won't damage your bike, hex keys excluded, most will just wear out sooner. So unless you have unlimited money, you can buy the cheap tool, and a few years down the line upgrade if you need to.
Cable cutters 100%. I went through two pairs of expensive hardware store cable cutters before I folded and got the Park Tool cutter that was only a few dollars more. I swear cable housings are lined with diamond or something.
It’s because the metal casing are helical. A cheap tool won’t cut the cable before it gets diverted between the gaps in the metal, giving you a nasty edge
@@rob-c. When cutting cables (even with good cutters), I apply a tiny drop of super-glue (cyanoacrylate) to the cut end. Let it penetrate and harden, and it will resist fraying even if it encounters some difficulties while threading. Can also buy you some time if you don't have any ferrules at the moment.
Cable cutters were the best, so many badly cut cables before. And I borrowed a mech hanger tool from a mate which solved the insoluble shifting issue. Oh and a low range torque wrench.
it is worth buying the proper tools, i think for my main core tools i have had for about 30 years or something silly, i still use the ones that are relevant to this day
Agree. All the industrial japanese Standards are consolidated and managed by the Japanese Standard Association. And in my point of view, Japanese are not really keen to switch to ISO (ww) standards. But it is billion of dollar investment. For information, in Europe, standards were national (NF in France, BSI in UK, VDA in Germany .... They are now european (EN) and even worldwide (ISO). We play fairly the game, but not everyone....😂😂
I plead guilty for hydraulic disc brakes tools, it only has to be done less than once a year, so LBS is my answer, but sooner or later I will have to do it myself
I much prefer Wera hex and torx wrenches than anything Park. Ditto with Felco and Knipex cable and housing cutters. The Abbey HAG is probably the best hanger alignment tool I've ever used, but it isn't what you'd call inexpensive
The tools I use most include hex wrenches, torque wrench, split link pliers, chain checker and chain tool. I have only once needed a mech hanger tool, and I straightened it in a vice. Who on earth keeps bending their mech hanger?
If you have a bench or belt grinder, don't buy the fancy Park Tools spinny hex tools. Buy a set with a consistent shape the length of the tool. When it gets chowdered a bit -- which it will after years of consistent use -- take it to the grinder and grind off the smushed part. You can't do that if it's some sort of T handle with a plastic grip or stubby hex shape.
I have some Wera tools ( I'm a craftsman). Wera has great tools, but some stuff is simply massively overpriced. I also have a Zyklop ratchet, it's the only ratchet which already broke. I have other ratchets too ( cheaper ones but also a Facom 171) and they never had a problem. When it comes to spanners I rather buy Elora (relatively affordable) or Gedore (expensive but indesturctable) than the expensive Wera spanners
I have an issue with crushing my cable housings. Standard, old school wirecutters won't bite through the stainless steel jackets, and I endup crushing them.
I'm quite surprised you didn't release the tension of the chain before you removed the rear mech from the hanger. I knew straight away it was going to smack against the chain stay!
I honestly had no idea at all that JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard, Nihon Sangyō Kikaku, formerly Nihon Kōgyō Kikaku, but always abbreviated in romaji as "JIS") screw heads had a differing slot profile to a standard Phillips. No wonder derailleur adjustments have always been such a pain!
😅 Luckly, I have already all of them from the beginning when I decided to start building my own bikes from the scratch 🙏🏻 and, last year changing to a carbon frame with internal route cables, the Guide Tool became a must 🙌🏻 Great & Essential video sharing the most useful troubleshooting tools !!! See ya, blue skies 🤙🏻🍀🚲
@@gcntech I have built three MTB, keeping the last one that I use primarily on the weekends and, now, I am working on an hybrid MTB/Gravel to go to my job. That's it 😅🤙🏻
Gotta go with lots of these folks and say a work stand is a great thing to invest in. Big fan of a handlebar-holder type thing to keep the front end from swinging all over the place when servicing the bike, too. This might come off as a Park Tool commercial, but let's be honest-- where else are you going to get literally every part, adapter, and plier specifically made for your weird-a$$ bike, whether it was made two days or two decades ago? Buy whatever brand floats your boat, but my box has Park tools from the 1990s that I still use today.
Super-B - used a huge range of their tools, park tool quality much much cheaper, last forever. I’m sure there’s some bum products, even park have them, but yeah, defo recommend. But a brake bleed kit just buy the one for your brand.
I just own several bikes so if one needs to go to the shop I have another one ready 🤣 . In all seriousness I usually buy a replacement hanger and I’m able to do simple repairs, but brake bleeding is not on my list.
Even new hangers sometimes need realignment. Just because it's straight on its own, doesn't mean it'll be straight when installed on a frame with the rear wheel on, although a few do actually not need realignment.
Well if I had the money I would go out and buy all these tools instantly sadly I dont but my dad has a variety of bike tools and a whole workshop with everythin in it from a simple saw to a CNC plasma cutter so I guess I am pretty well set up
I bought the park tool hydraulic brake kit, but I can never get the pressure the way I wanted....I suspect the brake spacer is the problem and Im about to just buy the Shimano kit...Anyway else have similar experience?
The yellow bleed block should have 10 mm at Shimano brakes. I forgot mine at home and are somewhere else at the moment, I did a bleed last week and just used a 10 mm allen key as spacer instead. It worked fine.
BTW, did you follow the official Shimano bleed instruction or not? I did (at a mtb, so a different brake than a road bike one) and still had air in the rear brake. Then I just pushed a full syringe of oil through the brake caliper into the funnel, after that it was perfectly fine.
@@simonm1447 nice tip. Im pretty certain I follow the instruction correctly. Maybe I should just put ton of oil like you did, just let it cycle through the whole cable.
@@chenaowang9986 the ton of oil was what helped me at the end, it just flushed everything out of the lever (leftovers of older oil and air). If you use a 2nd syringe you can even remove old oil from the funnel and the oil coming from then on is new clean one which can be reused.
I have already been searching for non-rusting hex/Torx tools; as I transport them in a Deuter security belt under the jersey, those tools even become rusty even when I put them in a zipper bag. But every time I search "stainless steel hex tools", I get links to "stainless steel bolts", which is quite annoying. A really rusty torx 30-tools already has rounded edges in a way I cannot use it any more for both torx 30 and M6-screws (which normally have a 5mm hex in the head), as it was possible when the black-coated tool was new (I know this is a very cheap one, but it was the only small tool available in that small hardware store).
I'm afraid not, the DAG-2.2 is probably the least you can get. Cheaper derailleur hanger gauges usually have too much freeplay to make them accurate. Tools that require precision shouldn't be cheaped out. Although the Holy Grail is Abbey Bike Tools' HAG, the average home mechanic doesn't need to go this far, unless the budget is there. Dave Rome wrote an article about this tool type back when he was still with Cycling Tips.
Instead of buying a JIS screwdriver, just replace the derailleur screws with some Allen screws. That's an easy and cheap fix for that Problem and usually an Allen key is included in your multitool, so you could even readjust your shifter on the road.
@@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589 only if you are doing it wrong. hold the cable with a pair of pliers, cut it with dremel... cleanest cuts you'll ever get. This was the only method used in the bike shop where I used to work.
Back at my old workplace, I had enough of using cheap Chinese chrome vanadium hex wrenches as their tolerances are loose and have a risk of rounding out bolts, never something I want to happen to a customer's bike. So I bit the bullet by buying what I thought was a pretty expensive hex wrench set (Bondhus), that turned out to be one of the best tools I've ever bought. Once I go industrial-grade, there's absolutely no turning back.
Number one rule about racing is fix your bike a FULL WEEK before the race, so you're not stressed at the last minute, short on tools and begging a bike shop to squeeze you in. Or worse yet, it's the night before the race, and the bike shop is closed.
So, fancy internal routing kit, you need one time in 2-5 year, and you can do same job without it, by spending 10-20 minutes more? So if you service only your bike, its like $60 for 30 minutes of youre life?
Which bike tools do you wish you had bought sooner? 👇
Cassette changer
Bottom bracket assembly / removal tool (no brute force / hammer involved)
Air compressor to seat tubeless tires.
A work stand!
Track pump with a pressure gauge!
I've always been the biggest tool on my bike
Same
Did you get the ultralight model?
@@jaugustussmith5816 No, I got the one that is made of beer and hobnobs
And the award for best comment goes to... 🤣
Just as long as you're a useful tool...
Couple of tips from me. For derailleur limit screws, you can just use a good quality small flat headed screwdriver rather than worrying about the JIS crosshead. As for standard tools like hex/Allen keys - buy ones from car maintenance brands NOT bikes - ‘bike’ stuff has an unnecessary premium put on the price
Harbor freight for the win
@@askmeaboutmattweiner I’m from the UK so I’ll take your word for it 🙂
@@askmeaboutmattweiner Harbor Freight (except for Icon) is generally rubbish.
Alternatively buy a set of assorted hex screws and replace them.
By the way, Philipps head is designed so the screwdriver requires vertical force to be applied so it does not get of the screw head and it...
JIS has a better "retention" in the screw head.
Robertson screws are way better than any other screws, their head is designed so the screwdriver keeps at work and does not wander around :P
JIS stands for Japanese Indstruial Standards, those standards cover a lot more then just screwdrivers
Chain checker. I've saved so much money on cassettes since I got one. I used to just run a chain way too long and then have to replace the cassette too.
One time I was desperate and cut a cable and housing with a dremel. A few sparks flew but it worked brilliantly. I bought cable cutters shortly after.
A torque wrench. Seriously, I never knew how much I would need it. It is also very elegant tool.
And you’d use it more often than say cable routing.
Yes! Can’t believe Ollie left this one off the list.
Yes, very important!
One isn't enough though if you want everything in the right torque. I just bought a long one because I didn't have a long enough tool to get an old seized up bottom bracket out of the frame. Now I can install the bigger parts in the correct torque but it obviously won't do for smaller screws.
@@falsemcnuggethope be careful, as to my info, you should never use a torque wrench to loosen bolt, only to fasten them
I'm a fan of Park Tool products, but I find the Vessel JIS to be the best. We have one in our shop that is used every day and it is at least 6 years old. It still performs like brand new.
Plus the Vessel is under 10 bucks, while the Park is over 30.
Vessel makes some incredible screwdrivers. The wood composite, non-slip handles are the best.
I have them as well. Great screwdrivers.
My two tools to replace that last two tools is a nice work stand to hold the bike up and a huge tub of grease (you always need it when you dont have any). If you have a bike stand or some way to work on it off the ground then a Truing Stand for wheels even if its DIY can save you $20-40 truing it your self
My Wera hex/torx set. A lot of cheap tools do actually work well but hex/torx is where you should spend the extra
& if you do flog out eg. the 4 or 5mm bit, you can buy just the bit, for a few $.
Nice vid - hate to be that guy but JIS stands for Japanese Industrial Standard rather than Japanese Industrial Screwdriver
I've built wheels since the 70s, so my favorite tool is my Var truing stand, which I've added dial indicators to.
I love seeing my 10-20 year wheels still holding +/- .002".
My newest acquisition is a Park derailleur hangar alignment tool.
I've used them, but I finally received one as a present from my nephew.
50 years as a cycist doing my own maintenance and I have a few comments.
1. Buy decent but not shop-grade tools.The latter are made to be used day in day out for years. You don’t need that at home.
2. I’ve needed a derailleur mount straightener about 3 times in 175,000 miles. If you bend an aluminum der. hanger, you should probably replace it.
3. Agree with many commenters, torque wrench is necessary with som many CF components.
4. It would be hard to live without a repair stand.
5. Headlamp.
6. Cable cutters, definitely.
hangars can and will come bent
Totally agree.
Funny - I often hear it said "you buy cheap and you're often likely to buy twice."
I've heard it more succinctly stated: "Buy nice or buy twice."
Cheers!
Or "buy once, cry once"
Sometimes especially precision tools or pullers but I bought cheep cable routing feeders and they’ve worked fine without a magnet.
Some cheap things work not that bad (heavily depends on the individual tool), other things should never be bought cheap.
I have a cheap tool to remove headset bearings from the steering tube, it's good enough to use it once every 2 years. A cheap torque wrench however is not a good idea. Cheap bits work as long as you don't have to put much stress on them ( they won't break because of 5 or 8 Nm) , if you use a tool with high torque a cheap steel don't work any longer however
@@rdr33 I don’t get this phrase. If I buy once, why am I crying? Surely that’s a good thing? 🙃
@@rob-c. because it's expensive
The cable cutters are the hands down most important for every amateur mechanic.
Most other tools can be found in any other household tool kit, and things like a brake bleed kit, or internal cable routing kit, are really only specific to newer, fancier bikes.
The derailer hanger straightener is important, but you need a trued wheel to use it effectively, and won't come in handy unless you're willing to do (and spend on) all that too.
Wrong about the DER hanger straightener needing a trued wheel. Always rotate the wheel when you rotate the tool, measuring at the valve. It's takes the untrued wheel out of the equation.
An old trick to cut the inner cable is heat it to red hot with a lighter then any wire cutters including the ones in most pliers will cut cleanly. For outers, Dremel / rotary tool with a cutoff wheel gives a nice clean cut.
The first tools I recommend investing in is a decent set of size colour-coded (rainbow) hex / Allen keys.
The rear mech tool….definitely worth having. Set up the alignment correctly and your bike works like a Swiss watch mechanism.
So glad I made the decision when I got into road cycling to do all maintenance/repair myself. It's an investment.
I’ve discovered the more tools I have the more I tend to fix things that aren’t broke, just to use the tool. It’s a character flaw I can’t shake. Plus, I have no issue supporting my LBS when necessary.
I got the AK-5 Tool kit from Park Tool... If you're new to this and starting from scratch, it's a no brainer one item purchase!! It comes with the basics for a whole lot of repairs you need to do, I'd say if all you have at home is a multi-bit screwdriver and a hammer, this will get you 80% of the way there before you get in way over your head. I'm into cars also, so some of the things I had duplicates of in my big toolbox but this kit has most of the stuff you need, I added a few specific bits for my own needs and it all fits nicely in the included toolbox. It's a really convenient way of just needing to do something on your bike, grabbing one box and be all set!!
You’re sure right about quality products, but Park tool is so ridiculous expensive that I rather go to my local bike store and let them get fixed problems I have once every few years.
Stupid expensive and they are not that great in quality,...
How do you think they could fund these videos if they weren't expensive?
in my experience the cost of the tool to do the job is half of what the shop quotes me for time and time again. only thing i go to shop for now is tire true and cable routing because i hate it and maybe a brake bleed if im out of fluid or feeling lazy
@@chencho7083 I would like to fully agree with you, but by doing so I would only confirm my own prejudices towards Park tool tools without any actual experience. I think the reality is that the quality of their products is pretty good. I mean, would they really be used so much if this wasn't the case?
However, I'm personally not going to buy a single one of their tools for the simple reason that they are advertised way too much to the point that I find their logo irritating.
Allen keys, cassette remover, torque wrench, bb tool and bleeding kit is all you need.
Cone wrenches for your wheel bearings. A one-handed grease gun. A crank puller for your square-taper bottom bracket.
Cone wrenches are a thing of beauty. I still have my 14s and 15s though I haven't had that type of axle for many years.
@@BixbyConsequence Over the winter I overhauled six Shimano hubs.
Proper cable cutters are something I should have bought early in my cycling
They make such a difference for home maintenance!
But If you have hydraulic brakes and full electronic gear, do you need it? Or do they still have some wire?
@@TrondBakkeFlgstad I understand there are cable cutters needed for the hydraulic lines too
A really cheap way to get good Hex/Allen, Torx and Screwdrivers is to buy the 1/4" bits in the sizes you need (the type that go in cordless drills) form a brand like Wera then "cheap out" on the the bit holders/drivers from a so-so company like Draper, those parts won't ever touch your bike and if you're a carbon jockey or even just really serious about becoming self reliant you will probably be wanting to use a torque wrench for the critical stuff anyway.
Also consider that a real bike mechanic will use his/her tools day in day out you likely won't so going cheapish (not like Poundland though) on things you won't use often and won't damage anything expensive is ok if you use your common sense. My square taper extractor and Cartridge BB tool cost £3 and £5.50 respectively I have used them ONCE on a crank that went in the bin and I will likely never use them again because I replaced the crank with a Hollowtech Type.
Oh and bike maintenance stand? ALDI £25 damn thing is like Captain Scarlet.
I agree about 90% with this. But, 1/4' Wera bits are still pretty expensive.... Worth it though.
Got that Aldi stand myself - works great
Few tools I should have got earlier: torque wrench, chain link tool, digital air pressure gauge (my floor pump is off more than 0.5bar).
I was going to mention all of these. I have a Park Tool ATD-1 torque wrench, a Topeak digital tire guage, and Spin Doctor Chrome Validium hex keys. Three investments every cyclist should make.
If you know your pump is off evenly you can just take that into account and you still know the real pressure (if it's not evenly this don't work)
@@simonm1447 If you don't have a good digital gauge you will never know your pump is wrong.
Good ones Markus!
I bought the same cable cutters 4 years ago. And used them once since. With the hydraulic brakes and wireless shifters, first on MTB now on the road bike too - I never need them. Ditto for the cable routers.
Use all of those, except the Di2 routing kit, though I am tempted by one of those! So far, all my internal routing needs have been met by some light thread, a small piece of masking tape and a vacuum cleaner! 😂
That works???? 👀
@@gcntech yep! 👍🏻 Just put a small piece of masking tape on the end of the thread, push it through the 'in' hole, block off all other holes in the frame/bars/fork etc (again with masking tape, doesn't need to be 100% air-tight) then put the vacuum hose on or near the 'exit' hole and allow the thread to pull through from the 'in' end. Usually it works with just the thread on its own but sometimes you need the tape on the end to give a bit more of a surface to suck along the tubes. It has never failed for me!
I work on cars a lot so use either German or American tool makers. Works like a charm every time. If anyone is on a budget then I’d recommend Wera hex bits as a must.
: As a German, I can attest, that Wera bits are indeed very good. :D
Budget or not, Wera hex tools are among the best. Most used and loved bike tool I have.
wera hex wrenches are the best christmas present I ever got. Incredibly nice to use.
I work as a field Service Engineer and we swear by the wera hex and torx bits
Comment thread sponsored by Wera, your favourite tool.
Quality tools. I used to buy cheap sets and sometimes broke more than I repaired. Since then, I only buy individual tools that are of high quality and have far fewer problems.
I don't adjust derailleurs without first checking the derailleur hanger with an alignment tool. The tool is actually mandatory when working on bicycles. I realized that pretty late.
Park Tools, my favorite are the derailleur hanger aligner and they did not mention the chain gauge/checker (saves hundreds in premature drivetrain wear). But to be honest, many Park Tools are poor quality, like the T handle allen wrenches, not for heavy use, and for cable cutters? Shimano...
I agree completely! A less obvious, and money saving, advantage of using the chain checker is that you don't replace a chain too soon. No more pulling off a chain that still has plenty of kilometers left in it.
I have the Park cable cutters and I've always been very disappointed in them. I've been trying to justify spending the money to replace them with something better.
Yes, their sliding T-handle hex wrenches have looser tolerances than my Bondhus hex wrenches and they're not even new already (almost 3 years old).
But Olly, if you are installing new barbs and olives it's not easy without vices or grips of some kind, furthermore cable cutters won't work too well on brake hose. You need a hose cutting blade that'll get you a straight edge. This stuff is a rabbit hole, I've got more tools to do the job right from DIY maintenance instead of suffering with tools I had, like holding a brake hose with pliers so insert a barb to a brake hose cut with a Stanley knife.
Bent my derailleur hanger in a remote area. Carried a spare hanger after that.
Always own two at any given time. Almost every rider I know only have one: The one that's on their bikes.
I found that using cheap tools generally won't damage your bike, hex keys excluded, most will just wear out sooner. So unless you have unlimited money, you can buy the cheap tool, and a few years down the line upgrade if you need to.
Agree on the cable cutter - "nothing else works" I've tested this myself😁
I bought T-wrenches. After spending years using a multitool this was a game changer!
I currently have two, 4 and 5 mm hex, mainly for disc brake installation and adjustment. They sure do make things more convenient.
Sorry, but JIS is Japanese Industrial Standards. It's true that the JIS cross-point screws ("plus" driver) are slightly different from true Phillips.
They are not sponsored by JIS therefore they don't need to care about what it stands for. They do know what Park Tool stands for, that's for sure.
Cable cutters 100%. I went through two pairs of expensive hardware store cable cutters before I folded and got the Park Tool cutter that was only a few dollars more. I swear cable housings are lined with diamond or something.
It’s because the metal casing are helical. A cheap tool won’t cut the cable before it gets diverted between the gaps in the metal, giving you a nasty edge
@@rob-c. When cutting cables (even with good cutters), I apply a tiny drop of super-glue (cyanoacrylate) to the cut end. Let it penetrate and harden, and it will resist fraying even if it encounters some difficulties while threading. Can also buy you some time if you don't have any ferrules at the moment.
Good choice of top 5 workshop tools, thanks. JIS is short for Japanese Industry Standard not Japanese Industry Screwdriver 😊
Am not a fan of Alex and Olie’s videos before. This one was good and informative
Cable cutters were the best, so many badly cut cables before. And I borrowed a mech hanger tool from a mate which solved the insoluble shifting issue. Oh and a low range torque wrench.
Cable Cutters: I usually trim my cables AFTER I finish routing the cables, not before.
Yes, this is a good tip! 🙌
I’m still waiting for a Di2 cable routing tool for the newer shimano etubes which are smaller than the older etube wires
it is worth buying the proper tools, i think for my main core tools i have had for about 30 years or something silly, i still use the ones that are relevant to this day
The park tool JIS screwdriver is awesome
JIS
Japanese Industrial Standard not Japanese Industrial Screwdriver
Agree. All the industrial japanese Standards are consolidated and managed by the Japanese Standard Association. And in my point of view, Japanese are not really keen to switch to ISO (ww) standards. But it is billion of dollar investment. For information, in Europe, standards were national (NF in France, BSI in UK, VDA in Germany .... They are now european (EN) and even worldwide (ISO). We play fairly the game, but not everyone....😂😂
🤦
I use Snap-on Allan keys & Spanners.
A good quality Torque wrench also.
I plead guilty for hydraulic disc brakes tools, it only has to be done less than once a year, so LBS is my answer, but sooner or later I will have to do it myself
If nothing else, get good allen keys in 4mm and 5mm! The park multi allen key is about a tenner and worth it even if you are a cheapskate like me.
The Park cable cutters are the second tool I tell people to buy, the first is a good multi tool.
I much prefer Wera hex and torx wrenches than anything Park. Ditto with Felco and Knipex cable and housing cutters. The Abbey HAG is probably the best hanger alignment tool I've ever used, but it isn't what you'd call inexpensive
Torque wrench is a must
Thanks for exposing the JIS stands for Japanese industrial screw driver.
JIS = Japanese Industry Standard . The Vessel versions are excellent quality tools. Must-have for anyone with any Shimano parts on their bike.
Sponsored by Park Tool!
You can buy a good -2 JIS screwdriver for $10 rather than the $30 Park DSD-2.
The DAG and cable cutters are excellent tools to have in your kit. Highly recommended. Also, are you the UK voice for ‘How it’s made’…?
The tools I use most include hex wrenches, torque wrench, split link pliers, chain checker and chain tool. I have only once needed a mech hanger tool, and I straightened it in a vice. Who on earth keeps bending their mech hanger?
Park cable cutters are also great for trimming the dogs nails!
If you have a bench or belt grinder, don't buy the fancy Park Tools spinny hex tools. Buy a set with a consistent shape the length of the tool.
When it gets chowdered a bit -- which it will after years of consistent use -- take it to the grinder and grind off the smushed part.
You can't do that if it's some sort of T handle with a plastic grip or stubby hex shape.
Great advert from Park tools, GCN should watch
I’d buy Wera in preference to Park Tools if Wera make what you want. Some Park Tools are ok but not consistently good quality.
I have some Wera tools ( I'm a craftsman). Wera has great tools, but some stuff is simply massively overpriced. I also have a Zyklop ratchet, it's the only ratchet which already broke. I have other ratchets too ( cheaper ones but also a Facom 171) and they never had a problem. When it comes to spanners I rather buy Elora (relatively affordable) or Gedore (expensive but indesturctable) than the expensive Wera spanners
@@simonm1447 That’s useful, thanks
I have an issue with crushing my cable housings. Standard, old school wirecutters won't bite through the stainless steel jackets, and I endup crushing them.
Best GCN channel
I'm quite surprised you didn't release the tension of the chain before you removed the rear mech from the hanger. I knew straight away it was going to smack against the chain stay!
I honestly had no idea at all that JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard, Nihon Sangyō Kikaku, formerly Nihon Kōgyō Kikaku, but always abbreviated in romaji as "JIS") screw heads had a differing slot profile to a standard Phillips. No wonder derailleur adjustments have always been such a pain!
Can you make a video on how to service freehubs on modern bikes?
Pro tip Japanese Industrial Standard lube works really well too. Just make sure you use it in private.
Park tool 5N torque is a must .. especially if it's a carbon component
Remember, not all cockpits have a 5 Nm torque spec. Some have even lower torque specs, going as low as 2 Nm.
@@yonglingng5640 interesting .. 4 is the lowest I've seen..
@@philipsimmonds1103 The lightest stems I've worked on are the following:
Darimo: 3.5 Nm max.
Extralite: 2 Nm
Love you too, buddy!❤
😅 Luckly, I have already all of them from the beginning when I decided to start building my own bikes from the scratch 🙏🏻 and, last year changing to a carbon frame with internal route cables, the Guide Tool became a must 🙌🏻
Great & Essential video sharing the most useful troubleshooting tools !!!
See ya, blue skies 🤙🏻🍀🚲
Nice! What's your favourite bike you've built up?
@@gcntech I have built three MTB, keeping the last one that I use primarily on the weekends and, now, I am working on an hybrid MTB/Gravel to go to my job. That's it 😅🤙🏻
I just watched a giant park tool commercial...
Park Tool are a partner of our channel but there are other brands too that make similar products
Gotta go with lots of these folks and say a work stand is a great thing to invest in. Big fan of a handlebar-holder type thing to keep the front end from swinging all over the place when servicing the bike, too. This might come off as a Park Tool commercial, but let's be honest-- where else are you going to get literally every part, adapter, and plier specifically made for your weird-a$$ bike, whether it was made two days or two decades ago? Buy whatever brand floats your boat, but my box has Park tools from the 1990s that I still use today.
Definitely a work stand! 🙌
Mech hanger tool pays for itself in one use (compared to taking your bike to a shop).
@ollie: that’s the most awesome Pullover you are wearing in this video. Where did you get it?
Cable cutters, yep tried garden shears and wire cutters - useless. Got an electricians cable cutter from screwfix (uk) . They are brill
Just get a made in Taiwan tools such as Duratech. They have nice bike tool kits for a fraction of the price Park Tool. Nice quality and cheap.
I'm glad I bought cable cutters.
Super-B - used a huge range of their tools, park tool quality much much cheaper, last forever. I’m sure there’s some bum products, even park have them, but yeah, defo recommend.
But a brake bleed kit just buy the one for your brand.
Can you recommend a great bike tool kit that is inexpensive on a budget?
I just own several bikes so if one needs to go to the shop I have another one ready 🤣 . In all seriousness I usually buy a replacement hanger and I’m able to do simple repairs, but brake bleeding is not on my list.
Even new hangers sometimes need realignment. Just because it's straight on its own, doesn't mean it'll be straight when installed on a frame with the rear wheel on, although a few do actually not need realignment.
Well if I had the money I would go out and buy all these tools instantly sadly I dont but my dad has a variety of bike tools and a whole workshop with everythin in it from a simple saw to a CNC plasma cutter so I guess I am pretty well set up
I have Felco cable cutters. Do you have any tips on cutting the cable sheath without crushing it?
Not really possible. Use a pick to open it back up. Park Tool (slightly ironically) have a great video on what to do.
Maybe a stupid or noob question, but is the derailed hanger supplied by the bike manufacturer (Cannondale) or the derailed company (Shimano 105)
To be honest if you're rounding out your derailleur limit screws you're doing something seriously wrong
The best tool I don't have, is money...
😅
I bought the park tool hydraulic brake kit, but I can never get the pressure the way I wanted....I suspect the brake spacer is the problem and Im about to just buy the Shimano kit...Anyway else have similar experience?
The yellow bleed block should have 10 mm at Shimano brakes. I forgot mine at home and are somewhere else at the moment, I did a bleed last week and just used a 10 mm allen key as spacer instead. It worked fine.
BTW, did you follow the official Shimano bleed instruction or not? I did (at a mtb, so a different brake than a road bike one) and still had air in the rear brake. Then I just pushed a full syringe of oil through the brake caliper into the funnel, after that it was perfectly fine.
@@simonm1447 nice tip. Im pretty certain I follow the instruction correctly. Maybe I should just put ton of oil like you did, just let it cycle through the whole cable.
@@chenaowang9986 the ton of oil was what helped me at the end, it just flushed everything out of the lever (leftovers of older oil and air). If you use a 2nd syringe you can even remove old oil from the funnel and the oil coming from then on is new clean one which can be reused.
The tool I wish I'd bought sooner is the Park Tool tire inflator.
oh yes, you can't repeat it often enough: always buy the BEST hex wrenches you can get!
I have already been searching for non-rusting hex/Torx tools; as I transport them in a Deuter security belt under the jersey, those tools even become rusty even when I put them in a zipper bag. But every time I search "stainless steel hex tools", I get links to "stainless steel bolts", which is quite annoying. A really rusty torx 30-tools already has rounded edges in a way I cannot use it any more for both torx 30 and M6-screws (which normally have a 5mm hex in the head), as it was possible when the black-coated tool was new (I know this is a very cheap one, but it was the only small tool available in that small hardware store).
Wera make quality stainless steel hex keys
I always wanted to have the rd hanger alignment tool but find it pretty expensve. Are there other good but more affordable options?
I'm afraid not, the DAG-2.2 is probably the least you can get. Cheaper derailleur hanger gauges usually have too much freeplay to make them accurate. Tools that require precision shouldn't be cheaped out.
Although the Holy Grail is Abbey Bike Tools' HAG, the average home mechanic doesn't need to go this far, unless the budget is there.
Dave Rome wrote an article about this tool type back when he was still with Cycling Tips.
Instead of buying a JIS screwdriver, just replace the derailleur screws with some Allen screws. That's an easy and cheap fix for that Problem and usually an Allen key is included in your multitool, so you could even readjust your shifter on the road.
Or Torx screws
For cable cutting: Dremel tool with cutoff wheel, and don't look back.
fantastic way to fray cables.
@@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589 only if you are doing it wrong. hold the cable with a pair of pliers, cut it with dremel... cleanest cuts you'll ever get. This was the only method used in the bike shop where I used to work.
The more you use the tool the higher quality it should be, e.g. allen key. Buying too good tools to be used once a year is a premature optimization.
Back at my old workplace, I had enough of using cheap Chinese chrome vanadium hex wrenches as their tolerances are loose and have a risk of rounding out bolts, never something I want to happen to a customer's bike.
So I bit the bullet by buying what I thought was a pretty expensive hex wrench set (Bondhus), that turned out to be one of the best tools I've ever bought.
Once I go industrial-grade, there's absolutely no turning back.
❤ Love you too bro ❤
If only park tool could solve my crippling depression..
They used to make a wall-mount bottle opener [BO-5], so at least they could enable your relief.
Number one rule about racing is fix your bike a FULL WEEK before the race, so you're not stressed at the last minute, short on tools and begging a bike shop to squeeze you in. Or worse yet, it's the night before the race, and the bike shop is closed.
Some of these suggested tools give a pretty good argument for getting an old used bike. Some of the noted problems will not exist.
For cutters go knipex all day
JIS is Japanese Industrial STANDARD, not screwdriver, the screwdriver is made to the Standard, just like DIN, ISO or SAE
Not all Park Tool branded tools are the best. The Knipex cable cutters run circles around Park Tool’s offering.
Pliers are the core competence of Knipex
So, fancy internal routing kit, you need one time in 2-5 year, and you can do same job without it, by spending 10-20 minutes more? So if you service only your bike, its like $60 for 30 minutes of youre life?