9 Essential Tools For Home Cycle Maintenance

Here's Jon with his top 9 tools for home maintenance. What are the tools that you couldn't live without?

Firstly, I cannot recommend enough having a good workstand to use when maintaining your bike. You want it to be sturdy and stable but not something you can trip over. I’ve seen it done. But why a workstand, well, for a start it really does make your life easy when you’ve got to work on a bike. I’ve seen people try and fix a bike upside down, and it’s not easy, I always say you don’t ride a bike upside down, so don’t fix it upside down. As well as things may not appear as logical when the bike is not in the correct orientation.
Personally I like to use a tripod style stand as the bike is nice and supported and I can spin the bike around with ease which is really handy when working on a bike. But there are lots of other options out there to suit all budgets. From an inner tube hanging from the ceiling, to this monster sturdy stand from Park Tool.

Get yourself a good quality set, there are loads of different varieties available. My preference are some like these, with a ball end so if you have to access the six sided sockets at an angle, you can. Some come like this, and others with what’s known as a T-Handle for a bit more comfort when working on a bike day in day out. If you don’t fancy these or don’t have the money, get a good quality multi-allen key set like this, I know for myself and Doddy from GMBN, we use these an awful lot. Normally because they’re closest to us in our home workshops, and actually fit the hand really well.
As for sizes, essentially you will need a 4/5/6mm as they are the most common sizes, but if possible, get a full range from 2mm up to 10 or maybe 12mm.

These keys are similar to a hex wrench in that they have a six sided contact, but, that’s really where it ends. Torx keys can generally have a higher torque put through them as the contact point between the tool and the bolt or socket are closer and work better together. For smaller fittings, this is very helpful. As it’s quite common for a poor fitting allen key and soft headed tool to basically round off, making adjustment a considerable pain. Hence the likely introduction of them into the cycle industry where we use lots of small fittings.
It is possible to use an undersized torx key on these sockets, and that is where problems may occur. Pay close attention to using the correct size as it’s easy to crush or distort a bolt head on small components.
Of course, if you don’t have or don’t intend to have any TORX fittings on your bike, you don’t need to worry about anything I’ve just said. But, it’s slowly being introduced more and more to our components, so I predict in the end you will have to give in!

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[paulflory]

A smartphone for taking pictures of things before you take them apart, to be sure you reassemble them properly.  Possibly also some photos during the disassembly if needed.

[stevenkimdmd]

Old inner tube as a bike stand...?

That was brilliant!

[katharineh]

Definitely need a chain checker - can really save your cassette. As soon as you replace your chain or cassette get another one to have on hand. Spare tubes are a must have as well. Also essential are a set of small brushes to get dirt out of the nooks and crannies. I would also recommend a pedal wrench. And a bottle of TriFlow.

[countertony]

Essential tool for the home workshop - a laptop or tablet. Particularly if you're new to spannering, or working on a bike that's new to you - there are hundreds of specific videos on Youtube and elsewhere to walk you through that pain-in-the-ahem bit of maintenance or repair work - GCN in particular have some excellently-described, clearly-shot and well-composed offierings. Or you can just have some music playing while you work!

(Yeah, I'll take cash or Paypa...what, we're still commenting? Dammit!)

[panzerveps]

I always keep a new bike handy, in case some maintenance is needed.

[jamesy]

I always use protective gloves when doing any maintenance, I'd also recommend a magnetic tray for bolts.

[killer_subzero]

Thin wrenchs. Would be a nice must too. I dont have parktool ones but i do have thin wrenches and love them.

[shikeeng]

Thanks man it's a good list. I learnt it the hard way by collecting them piece by piece upon need.
I use chain holder often to prevent extra cleaning caused by dangling chain.
Not tool but good to have are alot of rags/kitchen towel and newspaper/mat/things to cover the floor if it's not a designated workshop.

[guyd]

My maintenance regime: wash, lube, ride, tentatively approach mysterious two-wheeled object with torque wrench etc, fiddle around, take bike to shop to repair damage done. Once took the rear derailleur off for a "service". The look I got from the LBS when I turned up with a bike and a collection of pieces taught me where my strengths lay.

[vinnyl.canuel]

Chain checker, Grease gun, Hollowtech BB tool (for BB and centerlock).

[johnnydoe]

A rubber mallet to help knock things loose, especially steered tubes from the wedge in the headset when disassembling and removing your fork.

[Martin-ylzb]

Magnetic bowls for holding all the little parts.

[TraumaER]

Having the tools is one thing. Knowing what to do with them is another level. Big reason why I gave away my car lift and stands. No way I’m going to do my own oil changes. Not trying to get my face covered in oil anymore!

[drengskap]

I really like the little hook tool for holding the chain together when joining it - it takes the derailleur tension off and stops the chain springing out of the chain tool. Definitely saves a lot of hassle, and is cheap.

[callumph]

Jon - your presenting style has improved so dramatically over the past weeks! Keep up the hard work, you're doing a fantastic job.

[markponiente]

I love your tools, parktool... my dream tools... stay safe....

[earlgrey]

A good pick set can come in handy for lifting bearing seals for cleaning and also opening up freshly cut cables.

[sudduthjonathan]

The most important tool I have is my brain. Lots of research, watch videos, etc. before I try anything so I know what I’m getting into, what tools I need, and when I should let my LBS mechanic handle the job. The best part is that this tool is free and saves me time, hassle, and money in the long run.

[MP-zfkg]

an alternative, a bit more to carry:
a back-up chain with quick-link.

I am planning to pack a shorter, "fixie-get-me-home" chain; having had chain breaks and rear mech fails, you'll either need a good chain-break tool or spare chain. I'm not worried about killing grams, so the extra chain is easier and faster.

[brianschiff]

I use an ultrasonic cleaner for the chain and cassette. It also works well when doing pedal maintenance.