Do you like to get on your bike often? Then you know what it's like: screws come loose, the brake pads are "off" or the chain has accumulated rust. Maybe you just want to adjust the height of your saddle or handlebars - these are simple, everyday maintenance jobs. It gets a little trickier when a tire is flat or the brakes have drawn air, but with a little instruction and practice, most cyclists can take on such interventions on a road bike, MTB or trekking bike themselves. By the way, most parents are well acquainted with the classic bicycle repair - the saddle on the child's bike has to be raised a bit and the training wheels can come off. What an event! A little bike tool should therefore have every bike lover.
The topic of bicycle tools is not just about repairs, however, because you also need a basic tool kit for maintenance work. Which bike tools should not be missing in any tool box, which are also practical for on the road and which maintenance tools your bike needs, you can find out here.
The quick way to the answer:
Which bike tool should no toolbox be without?
If you don't want to make a trip to the garage for every little thing, then you'll need some tools to disassemble, repair and then reassemble your bike when needed. There is a wide variety of bicycles on the market. There is also a huge amount of different bike components and parts. And there is a suitable tool for all types of work on a bicycle. For some tinkering normal tools are suitable, but there are also tools especially for bicycles. In general, high-quality tools are more durable and reliable. To help you gradually build the perfect tool collection, we have sorted the most common bike tools from "very important" to "you rarely need".
Important bike tools - the must-haves
- Most screws on a bike have a socket head, also called an Allen key. Depending on the bike part, these bolts can be different sizes. That's why Inbus wrenches in different sizes, or a tool set with different Allen wrenches are absolute basics in every bike workshop.
- If you combine the Allen keys with a torque wrench you can be sure not to tighten the screws with too much force. A torque wrench is a really important tool, especially if you are the proud owner of a carbon bike. So, below we'll explain exactly why it's so important that you don't overtighten bolts.
- Besides that, it's important to have all the tools you need to fix a flat tire yourself. To do this, you'll need at least two tire levers and patch kits or a new tube. And of course, a air pump. You can easily fix or replace a holey hose with it. For tubeless tyres you need different tools than for tyres with inner tubes!
- In addition, your bike may have bolts with Torx heads so it's worth having at least the standard T25 size!
- A well-maintained bike will last much longer, so cleaning products, cleaning tools and grease and lubricants are important. You can learn more about them below.
- General tools that aren't bike-specific will often help you, too. This includes, for example, combination pliers, various open-end wrenches and screwdrivers (cross and slot).
Useful additional tools in the bicycle workshop
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An assembly stand ensures that your bike is always at eye level during repairs, doesn't move, and you can easily remove the wheels. Most of the time, the stands also have storage baskets for small screws or the like, so they don't get lost.
- To be able to maintain or renew the drive of your bike, you need various special bicycle tools. The different tools for crank, chain, ring gear and inner bearings, are among them.
- Also the right tools for the brake system will save you a workshop visit or two. Especially bleeder kits for the brake system and brake pads for disc brakes, rim brakes or V-brakes are needed about once a year, depending on your mileage.
Special tools for your bike repair shop that you rarely need
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If you're technically gifted, want to build a complete bike yourself, or just want to be prepared for all eventualities, then it's worth getting the full tool kit for a bike workshop
- You can then use things like a bottom bracket wrench, a belt wrench, cable pull pliers, and other tools.
- A quality bike tool that doesn't cost much, but is definitely a must for talented wrenches, is a spoke wrench. You can use it to replace broken spokes and center your out-of-round wheels.
What bike tools should you always have with you on the road?
You should definitely have high-quality bike tools with you on the road, because as we all know, very few bike breakdowns happen at home. Of course, you can't lug around your entire tool kit so you need small, compact, and lightweight bike tool sets that allow for the most versatile repairs possible.
It's best if you have a small bag for this, so that your pro bike tools are always well stowed away when you're on the go. Such bags are available, for example, for the handlebar, the frame or the saddle. There should be at least two tire levers, a spare tube and the most important Allen keys for your bike. An air pump should also not be missing, there are compact mini pumps for on the road. If you are going on a longer tour, it is advisable to take other bike tools with you, the most practical here is of course a versatile multitool.
What is a multitool and what do you need it for?
There are special bike tools that you should definitely have with you on the road. A multi-tool is perfect for fixed repairs on the road and at home, as it combines many different devices into one small tool. It is perhaps best compared to a Swiss Army knife. These small, handy bike tools have many functions and still fit in any pants or jersey pocket. The exact number of functions varies depending on the size of the tool. Multitools combine either general bike tools or everything you need for a specific assembly. There are multitools for tire repair, tools to mend a broken chain, or tool sets specifically for the drivetrain.
Which bike tool do I need for which application?
To help you quickly find the right bike tool, we've listed the tools in our online shop by area of use . Essentially, most bikes today consist of the same parts and the tools also fit across manufacturers. Even on road bikes, gravel bikes, trekking bikes or mountain bikes, the same basic set of bike tools will fit.
- Tools for the bicycle drive
To change your chain, you'll need a chain riveter. This is already a fairly specialized tool, but if you like to ride your bike a lot, you'll need to change your chain more often. The chain gauge is a bike tool that shows you when your chain is worn out. That's why this tool is highly recommended.
If you're up to replacing other parts of the drivetrain yourself, you'll also need a chain whip, as well as a sprocket puller (including lever arm) for the rear sprocket assembly. To replace the crank, you'll need a crank puller for your specific crank.
- Bike tools for the wheels
Wheels tools, of course, include anything you can use to fix a flat tire . Also include spoke wrenches you'll need them to align a figure eight or re-spoke a wheel. Underinflating your tires will cause increased wear, poor bike handling, and can possibly destroy your entire rim. If you check your tire pressure regularly with a air pump with pressure gauge you'll be on the safe side here. You can't be surprised at the tire levers you find on the internet, by the way! It's not like you'll only find inferior plastic parts everywhere. There's a reason for the choice of material - rigid metal would damage rims and jackets, so tyre levers are made of plastic and are therefore softer than the rims and harmless to inner tube and jacket.
The most common tools for brakes are bleeder kits. But the tools you need to renew brake cables or replace brake pads are also included. You'll find the appropriate tools in the tools for the brake system.
For e-bikes, you'll mostly need the same tools that get non-motorized bikes back up and running, so you won't need to buy any special tools. The repair and maintenance of the drive you should rather leave to a specialist workshop.
Mountain bikes have different suspension elements that are not installed on a road bike or city bike. In order to adjust these suspension elements, a mountain biker then of course needs special bike tools. Especially the tools for suspension fork and shock kits are in demand here. To make sure your mountain bike's shocks always have enough pressure, you'll also need a shock pump.
Are there any (manufacturer-)specific bike tools?
Some parts on bikes are so special that each manufacturer has designed its own solution. For instance, the different components on the drivetrain require different professional tools that don't fit on parts from other manufacturers. Example: If you ride a crank from Shimano, the tool from SRAM won't fit there. The same applies to different sizes of components. Another example: For bottom brackets there are different standards and therefore also special bike tools.
The different materials of the components also make special bike tools necessary. If you have installed parts made of carbon on your bike, it is definitely necessary to have a torque wrench, so that you do not tighten the screws around the component too much and the carbon gets cracked in the worst case.
The carbon parts are made of different materials.
What is a torque wrench?
A torque wrench is a bike tool that no good bike shop should be without. There are two different types: triggering and indicating torque wrenches. Triggering torque wrenches you can set them to a specific value, for example 8 NM (Newton meters). If you exceed the set value, you will hear a ratcheting sound - the wrench is going crazy. It is then not possible to tighten the bolt any tighter with the torque wrench (unless you set a higher value). So you can easily tighten all bolts with this torque wrench without risking to damage your bike by applying too much force.
With a indicating torque wrench there is a scale. On this display you can see by a marker how much force you are currently using. Here you have to take care yourself not to exceed the maximum value.
Why should you pay attention to the torque specifications on Bikeparts?
Whether you use a triggering or indicating torque wrench in your bike shop, it will help you tighten the bolts to exactly the right torque. Without a torque wrench, you can only vaguely find the right amount of force to apply to the bolts. Then either the bolts can come loose while you're riding, or you'll overtighten the bolts. That in turn can cause the parts to snap or break. That's where the old garage adage comes from, "After tight comes off."
Make your bike sparkling clean - bike care made easy
Your bike consists of many different parts, all performing an important function. Environmental influences such as rain or dust increase the friction between the components. At worst, this can cause parts on your bike to become dysfunctional.
Dirt on your chain, for example, will cause the chain, sprockets and chainrings to wear out much faster. Dirt in the brake system reduces braking performance. With sticky lights you stand in the dark. As you can see, regular bike maintenance not only increases the life of your bike. It's important for your safety on the road!
Which products are especially important for bike care?
A bike shop consists not only of high-quality bike tools, but also of care products. Many bikers first think of chain oil, definitely part of the basic equipment. But there are many different tools that are useful for bike care. Many bike care products come in liquid form, we distinguish between lubricants and cleaners in our online shop. The rule of thumb is to clean first, then lubricate! Many of the care products are quite specific in their application, so you should always pay close attention to the care instructions on the package<
On BMO you can find cleaners from Muc-Off, F100 and many other manufacturers. To make your green conscience happy too, you can also order numerous eco-friendly and biodegradable bike cleaners from Neatflow here.
In addition, there are bike tools specifically designed to care for your bike . These include, for example, a chain cleaner, different brushes and polishing cloths. A assembly stand is not only helpful for construction work, it also makes it easier for you to take care of your bike.
One more note: With disc brakes be careful! Under no circumstances should the brake discs come into contact with grease or the wrong cleaner. In the worst case, this can lead to the braking power being impaired.
Welcome to the beautiful world of bike wrenches!
Running to the workshop for every little thing on your bike is not only annoying, but also expensive in the long run. Even if you're not really handy, you can maintain and repair a lot of things yourself with the right, high-quality bike tools. So that your bike doesn't let you down when you need it most, you'll find branded tools from well-known manufacturers like Birzman, Topeak, Giant, Crankbrothers or Granite. Of course, we also have the manufacturer-specific tools from well-known greats like SRAM or Shimano in our online shop.
Here's another request: honestly assess your wrenching skills before you put yourself and others in danger on the road! If you rebuild safety-relevant parts such as the brakes, you should find out exactly how to do it. There are a few ways to stay on the safe side during your first repair attempts: Take a wrenching course or ask an experienced mechanic to check your work. This way, you will not only acquire the necessary bicycle tools, but you will also gain more and more experience with the proper use of them.
