5 tools every bike mechanic should own

I’ve been a professional bike mechanic for over a decade now and have been fiddling with bikes long before that, over this time I’ve used a lot of different tools and some of them have made their way into my personal collection, here are 5 of my favourite tools that I think every bike mechanic should own.

Park Tool Multi tool, 2-6mm

This is easily my most used tool, I specifically like that I’ve got almost every allen key I could need right there in my hand and I don’t have to keep going back to get a different one. It's also not got too much leverage which means theirs less chance of over torquing a bolt. If you’re going to buy yourself just one tool from this list, make it the Park AWS-10!

Park Tool Flush Cutters

I don’t know how I lived without flush cutters for so long! If you work on bikes then you’ve most likely had to cut zip ties, or have cut yourself on a badly cut zip tie. These make sharp zip tie ends a thing of the past, try a set for yourself and I can almost guarantee that you won’t turn back.

Topeak Smart Guage D2

A pressure gauge is a must to consistently make sure your tyre pressure is correct, you’d be surprised at just how far out the gauges on track pumps are, I’ve seen track pumps 10-15psi out. This Topeak pressure gauge is always in my workshop or in the van ready to check my tyre pressures before riding. My favourite feature of it is the ability to adjust the pressure with the gauge on the valve which I use all the time.

Knipex 250mm pliers

These things are incredibly versatile, from undoing any nut up to 52mm to pushing bearings into linkages if you can think of a job to use them for they’ll probably be up to the challenge! The best function of these pliers is the fact that the jaws move perfectly parallel to each other and don’t have any teeth to damage anything, that makes these great for bushing bearings into linkages and so may other jobs.

Spokey spoke key

I’ve tried a lot of different spoke keys and the ones from Spokey have always been the nicest to use. This one is easily 5 years old now and still going strong. If you build or true wheels then make sure to get yourself one of these.

Bonus tool - custom nipple driver.

Now this isn’t a tool that you can buy but if you have a spare spoke then you can easily make one. I use it to insert nipples into the rim and start to thread them onto the spoke, I have used a pair of pliers to crimp the threads of the tool just after the first 2 so the nipple stops and can then be threaded onto the spoke in the wheel. If you build wheels or replace spokes occasionally then this is a very helpful tool so give it a go and make your own.

Hopefully these tips will come in useful, let me know if they were and if you’ve got any tips of your own by dropping me an email on: rpbiketech@gmail.com

Watch out for more Tech Tuesday post’s coming soon!