You want to start working on your own bike but are on a budget

You have just made the decision to start working on your own bike, and there are many great reasons to do so. Some great reasons to work on your own bike are:

  • Save time by not having to take your bike to the bike shop and wait for days for labor to be completed
  • Save money by not paying for professional labor prices
  • Increase self reliance: fix your bike on the road when an unforeseen mechanical comes up during a ride

Quality, expensive tools will last for life, right?

Yes it’s nice to own high quality tools and if you have the budget I would agree. Park tools makes great quality tools for about everything out there on a bike and usually you can’t go wrong with them. There are also a few companies that make beautifully crafted tools like https://www.abbeybiketools.com/ and https://silca.cc/ which will cost you, but they should last forever. A lot of these tools are for professional mechanics that wrench daily and as a home mechanic, your usage should be much less. So for getting started out on a budget, here are a few alternatives that can save you money and get you started on your way to becoming a mechanic.

Allen wrench set

Allen wrenches are probably the most used tools on a bike so this should be your first buy. Allen wrenches are not a bicycle specific set of tools so although Park Tools makes a nice set for$25.99, you can save $20 from buying a set from Harbor Freight for about $5

Tire Levers

Tire levers are essential for both working on your bike at home and on the road. For these I would recommend a Park Tools version for $4.99 a pair. There are lots of different shapes and materials but I’ve found these to be durable and work for any tire I’ve come across.

Cassette Lockring and Chainwhip

Eventually you will need to replace your cassette sprockets either from being worn out or wanting to change your gearing and a cassette locking tool and chainwhip are what you are going to need. I’ve seen a lot of amazon brands of these that I can’t vouch for, but I personally have been using this set by Pro which is owned by Shimano. It comes as a set and costs $37.99 and I have had no issues with it for multiple years.

Chain Tool

For the chain tool I wouldn’t go to inexpensive on this one and I would suggest something with good quality. If you damage a chain while pushing a pin out, it could lead to injury. For this I am recommending a Park Chain tool priced at $41.99. I’ve had my same park tool for over 10 years and still works great. The new version is compatible with all the previous and the newer chains like the SRAM Flattop chains.

Conclusion

If you’re an aspiring home bicycle mechanic, there are good tools out there that don’t have to break the bank. Make sure to spend where tool quality is critical to safety like the chain tool. I am also not saying that the Abbey and Silca and other brand tools are not worth the money, they are just not needed for a new mechanic on a budget. These are some tools to get you started and I’ll add more in future posts!