Must-Have Bike Tools for the DIY Home Mechanic

Investing in quality bike tools will help keep your bicycle in tip-top performance, reduce the money you spend on professional cycling repairs, and save time out on the road. You don’t need to be a bike mechanic; with the right tools in your kit (and maybe the odd YouTube download now and again), you can perform plenty of maintenance and repair work. 

But what are the best essential bike tools? We check in with the BikeChain experts to get their top tools of the trade that you should have at home. 

1. Bike Pumps

Technically, we’d define a bike pump as a bicycle accessory, but this item certainly belongs on our list of must-have bike maintenance tools. There’s no point owning a bike if you don’t have a bike pump. Alas, a flat tyre is a little like paying taxes and death - it will happen at some point! A floor pump is much easier and faster than a hand pump.

However, you can’t tuck it into the back of your cycling jersey, so each has pros and cons. As such, we recommend you buy both - a floor pump to keep in the garage or the car boot, and a hand pump to take out with you every time you ride (no matter how confident you’re feeling!).

2. Hex Keys

You might also use the term Allen wrench when referring to a Hex key. Available in various sizes, this tool is designed to fit into and turn screws and bolts of a corresponding size. It is typically sold as a single unit with multiple size options or as a set with a range of sizes included.

You will certainly get value for money with this bike maintenance kit item, as it can do everything from adjusting your seat post and handlebars to installing and adjusting your pedals.

3. Tyre Levers

Unless you have a rock climber’s finger strength or have been changing flats with your bare hands for some time, you will want a tyre lever set in your kit. Sometimes it’s the little things that deliver the big results, and this is certainly one of them! Remove or install stubborn bike tyres and deal with rigid rims using these simple but effective essential bike tools to carry.

4. Brake Bleeding Kit

If you’ve got hydraulic brakes, investing in these essential bike maintenance tools will save you visits to your local bike shop. A brake bleed kit enables you to extract old fluid and air from your bike’s braking system, which maintains good brake performance and reduces the chance of damage to components.

5. Bottom Bracket Tools

If you have moved up into some more serious DIY bike maintenance and repair, bottom bracket tools can be very handy to have in your bike tool kit. These might include bottom bracket grips, plugs, removers, spanners, and much more. All are used to remove or install a bottom bracket from the bike’s frame.

6. Torque Wrench

A must for your bike repair kit! Torque wrenches tighten the bike’s nuts and bolts to specific tightness levels, known as torque. Why the precision? Because too loose, and your safety might be compromised, whilst too tight and the components might get damaged or not perform as intended. You have two options, a digital torque wrench or manual. The former is more accurate, however, the latter is typically more affordable.

Contact Us About Essential Tools for Bike Maintenance

Are you now inspired to curate your collection of must-have bike tools? With over 600 items from world-leading brands, BikeChain has every item imaginable you’ll need to complete the most basic or technical bike maintenance and repair tasks. Check out the collection today.

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