9 Essential Tools For Home Cycle Maintenance

(electronic knock) Wanting to work on your bike at

home

and keep it in top condition is great. But you'll need the right

tools

to do it. So here are nine

essential

tools

you need to keep it running smoothly. (hip hop music) First of all, I can't recommend having a work bike rack to use enough. The reason is that it supports the bike well and from time to time I see people working with their bikes upside down. That basically doesn't make sense because nothing is logical and I've seen people basically attach chains in the wrong places because they've routed them across the ridge really wrong.

So whatever you do, work on your bike in the correct position, but on a stand. At

home

, I actually use a tripod style stand, a bit different than what we have here. The reason I prefer that is that I can work on the bike a lot faster, actually, and I can turn it and maybe I don't need something as cumbersome as this. There is a wide variety of work supports available from the top of the range... one like this to something homemade like the one I showed you with an old inner tube. Whatever your budget, there is something available for you.

And please, get just one. (hip hop music) So, Allen wrenches or hex wrenches. Nowadays, bi

cycle

s are covered with sockets for them. Years ago, we had to use wrenches, but today it's very easy with just a few. As for the differences between them, well, you can get several like this, a basic key like that, or one with a plastic hand. The difference is really how often you will use them. So something like this with a plastic handle is much more comfortable for everyday use. What I would recommend if you have the budget for it is to try to find something that has a ball head.

The reason is that a lot of bike parts are in places where it's not necessarily that easy to get to, so by having something like that, you can still get good access to the plug and still be able to undo it. As for sizes, well, you'll definitely need one in four, five, and six millimeters, or most likely at least. There are a variety of different sizes available, but those are the three most common. Now, when you have to buy some, look for, say, a two millimeter to a 12 millimeter, or possibly a 10, 12 millimeter, which is only used in some freehub bodies.

As for what I use and also what Doddy from GMBM uses, we use multi-tool Allen keys a lot in our home workshops. They are usually the ones closest to us and we are working on the bikes pretty quickly. So it is a simple and easy job. (hip hop music) So, Torx wrenches. They are similar to a hex wrench in that they have six sides, but that's basically where the similarity ends. A Torx wrench uses more of a tip type fit and basically you can apply a higher torque and that's really important in the bi

cycle

world where we use quite high torques.

And when using a small head, you can round off Allen wrench heads quite easily, whereas with a Torx wrench it's not as easy to do so. Hence the probable introduction of them into the bicycle industry, where we have all those little accessories. However, it is possible to use an undersized Torx wrench in one of those sockets. So pay close attention when tightening them to make sure you're using the correct tool size and the correct socket size because you don't want to start rounding anything. That's never fun. Of course, if you don't have any Torx accessories on your bike, you can ignore everything I just said, but keep in mind that this is coming more and more into the bike world, so it will likely be in the future.

You'll have to compromise, and you'll need these Torx tools after all. (hip hop music) The screwdrivers. Make sure you have a couple of these in your workshop. I always have a flathead one and also a crosshead one. So you can use them on your derailleur limit screws. Also on brake calipers to align them. Shoe cleats, that kind of thing. And if not, you can always use them at home, right?, to do a little DIY. (hip hop music) So, torque wrenches. In fact, these are really important nowadays in a home workshop. All the best mechanics I know use torque wrenches day after day on components and keep in mind that they use the exact same components day after day.

That means something. It means they're not just fitting in and forgetting. Actually, they're taking a lot of care of it and you should too, because after all, it's your pride and joy. Take, for example, if you were to tighten the handlebar stem too much, that could crush the fork steerer tube and in turn could break both components. And in the case of this bike, with integrated handlebars and stem, it could break all three. So, use one. As for sizes, there are a ton of varieties, from this large one to quite a small one. Sometimes you even get them for free with a bike when you buy it.

How cool is that? Obviously, different sizes will give you a lot more leverage. So this one here can amount to much more than this one or this one, naturally. And this is best suited for things like bottom brackets, cassette lock rings, that kind of thing. But if you're only going to get one, make sure you get a small one like one of these two because it'll be good for the handlebar stem, seat post, and that kind of stuff. A little final advice, actually. I always leave my torque wrench in the idle state, basically the dial at zero.

The reason is that the spring is then not tensioned and I hope that in the future it will always give me a really accurate reading. Again, I don't know if there's any science behind this, but it's good for my mind. Lastly, adhere to the manufacturer's torque settings. It's there for a reason. (hip hop music) Pumps and tire levers. But today I'm not going to talk to you about tire pressure or anything like that. I'll leave that to Simon Richardson. It's his specialty after gear ratios and chainstay lengths. Exciting stuff, that. Anyway, we have many videos about tire pressure.

But what I'm going to preach to you today is a floor pump or what someone retro, like me, still calls a track pump. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they all largely look the same. The reason I recommend it is that it is much easier, faster and simpler to inflate your tires with one. You can put your entire body weight behind it and what's more, if it comes with a pressure gauge, you can get the desired tire pressure as recommended by our own Simon Richardson. At the end of the hose there is also a head to inflate the valve, obviously.

My favorite is one that works with Schrader and Presta type valves. So if someone comes along who has a Schrader valve on their bike, I can easily inflate it. One last thing to keep in mind when purchasing a foot pump is that if you use tubeless tires, try to go for something like this. This actually has a booster chamber. So what does that mean? It means you can close that chamber, inflate a charge of air into it, connect the hose to the valve, and then release the air with a quick motion and a bang. (pop) That slamming noise will be the bead of your tubeless tire sitting on the rim and will save you from pumping with a standard track pump and looking like a maniac and making anyone who walks by and sees you look like one too.

So tire levers are often overlooked and people just look for something really basic. Maybe you're not as particular as me, but I think it's worth the effort. They come in different shapes and sizes. So something like this, a Topeak shuttle lever is actually a little bit longer than a standard shuttle lever. You can see one attached there. It is long. It's stiff. You'll get good leverage to remove a tight, stubborn tire. However, the small lip may not fit under a very close bead-to-rim interface. In that case, a few years ago I was given some of these Continentals somewhere.

I do not remember. And they still work great because they are nice and thin and I can get them under those tight beads. There's a little more give to them and sometimes I worry that this prized possession I've had for years will break. But so far so good. However, whatever you do, make sure you buy some quality levers because changing bike tires is part of cycling. (hip hop music) Pliers and wire cutters. First, some pliers. Opt for a pair of long-toed models. That way you can keep the shift or brake cables taut while you tighten the clamp bolt.

Of course, if you're using electronic gears or hydraulic brakes, you won't need them for that, but even so, they'll probably come in handy for something or another in the future. And then, cable cutters. These are very important for a cyclist. I can't say that enough. People sometimes look at me like I'm angry when I say that, but they really are that important. The reason is that they are specific for small diameter cables and anything else just won't give you a smooth, clean cut. And that's really important when cutting brake cables and shift cables, specifically the end locks, because you want that cable to be as smooth and flush as possible when you put it in a ferrule or inside a component housing.

They also last a long time. The ones I have at home are about 20 years old. So, almost as old as me. No, in fact, they are not as old as I am, but they are still going strong because I only use them on bike cables. So, make sure you get some. Of course, if you are using hydraulic hoses, then no, you don't need to worry about that. But seriously, you'll need a hydraulic cutter anyway. Then you'll have to get something. (hip hop music) Then you will reach a point where you will need to replace your chain and also your cassette.

But first, let's look at a chain tool. Well, what is this? Well, it basically allows you to split and rejoin your chain. They come in different sizes, but they largely look the same, don't they? Same kind of shape there. What you actually buy obviously depends on your budget. However, Campagnolo recommends using one of their own chain tools if you are splitting and re-adjusting one of your chains. The reason is that their chain pins actually require a lot more force to remove than other brands of chains. I, at home, have used my own old chain tool to remove one, that is, a non-Campagnolo one, but basically I follow Campanolo's advice.

It's there for a reason. So to remove the cassette you will need one of these, a chain whip; one of them, an adjustable wrench; and this, the cassette lock ring tool. So, cassette lock ring tools come in different shapes to fit different splines of cassette lock rings. So Shimano and Sram actually use the same spline adjustment, that's pretty cool. Campagnolo, they use a different fitting. And there are all kinds of old accessories, most of which are no longer used. But basically get the right one for your bike and you'll be good to go. So how does it work?

Well, take your chain whip and wrap it around the fourth sprocket down, so it's the largest fourth at the rear, and then with your cassette tool, insert it into the lock ring and then adjust the adjustable wrench to make it fit and then push down on the adjustable wrench in a counterclockwise motion while applying clockwise pressure on the chain whip and you will see it come undone. And then to reattach the cassette, it's simply a matter of aligning the cassette splines with a free hub body and then locking the cassette locking ring at the desired Newton meters.

Of course, using the torque wrench that we already told you about. (hip hop music) Lastly, the adjustable wrench. Yes, we just talked about that a moment ago. So you could use that to tighten the lock ring if you don't have a torque wrench for it, but if you do, do it carefully because something like this, which is about 12 inches long, you get quite a bit of leverage. Behind that, you could easily remove a locking ring or, worse yet, the hub body free. Then you're in trouble. And you'll have to ask me at one of my tech clinics what to do.

Seriously though, there are a few different uses. Depending on your type of pedal, you could use it instead of a 15 millimeter flat wrench to loosen the axle, or perhaps also to straighten a chainring if one becomes bent. After all, if it's bent, you'll have to replace it anyway, so with an adjustable wrench, well, you might save a little money in the short term. But anyway, it's pretty cheap just to get into his workshop. Now as always, let me know your

essential

home

maintenance

tools in the comments.I'll read them and see what I've missed at home.

But I don't think I missed anything at home, because wait until you see my tour of the garage. Yes, it's going to be long. Now, also remember to visit the GCN Store, where you can get things like this apron, also essential for your home workshop. Maybe we should re-record this video. I could use it. Also, remember to Like and Share this video with your friends. And to see another great

maintenance

video, click below.