Beginner bike mechanic 101: raw materials + simple necessities

Needs for all cyclists:

Tire levers

Pump (frame - can be substituted with CO2 - and floor)

Tri-allen, or small allen kit with 3/4/5 on it

Chain tool (can be a small one that can fit in a bag)

And then you go up from there with all the special tools you might need for your specific bike application.

Awesome idea - I'm at exactly this point and have just started doing a little basic work on the bike.  Looking forward to learning a lot more.

Thanks a lot.

Adding to Rick's list, I few things that I use regularly on the bike:

Basic everday tools (screwdriver set, channel-lock and needle-nosed pliers, etc.) 

Cassette tool and chain whip.

Pedal wrench.

Chain cleaning machine.

Cog cleaning brush.

Degreaser (Simple Green).

Chain lube.

Electrician's tape.

Tie wraps of various sizes.

Don't forget a bike stand. While not a necessity, definitely makes doing anything on a bike so much easier. We had been using our pulley that hangs the bike in the garage but a stand is 100 times better.

If I need a reference I almost always check www.sheldonbrown.com or park tool's site. Sometimes I'll check Shimano's site also.

Some people that I've talked to (including my LBS guy) say that it's not necessary to use a degreaser/chain cleaner; they claim that a good wipe and relube are all that you need.  I know that many others here and elsewhere swear by the Simple Green.

Is this just one of those "personal preference, probably doesn't make too much difference" things , or is there a stronger case to be made either way?

Thanks

Not at all a silly question. But here's a silly answer: "Armed Bananas".

OK, I started to learn how to do maintainance from a several weekends long course sponsored by my local bike club. They had several LBS helping out, with both instruction and tools. Here are my more serious answers:

Starting out, everyone should have (along with the bike and helmet) a floor pump with gauge, a frame pump, CO2, patch kit, tire levers, and a multi-tool.  Also some sort of bag under the seat to store it all.

I would next add degreasing and chain maintainance tools: chain scrubber, chain lube, chain tool, citrus based degreaser (I use Zep in the gallon jug from Home Depot).

Then I would get a book. Even if you get your LBS or club to sponsor some classes, having a reference handy will help when you have forgotten how to do stuff.  I started out with Bicycling Magazine's book, which had nice photos.  But my copy is now pretty old and outdated for my current bike, so I upgraded to Zinn's Road Biking for the quality of the drawings and the detailed explainations.

Next I would get a workstand and a tool kit.  Both Performance and Nashbar have basic tool sets in a kit form for $50-70.  These have your more common basic tools to do the vast majority of work you will want to do. The quality is so-so, but it is of course much cheaper than getting individual tools.  And until you start to work on multiple bikes for multiple people, they are perfectly servicible. I would also get a torque wrench to work on carbon fiber components. Nashbar used to have one that I got a few weeks ago, but I don't see it on their website anymore. Or on the cheap, get a Ritchey Torqkey.  It is preset to 5 Nm, which works for most of the smaller bolts on a carbon frame.

The workstand is the central part of a well-equipped home bike shop.  I used a Minora stand for many years, which worked fine, but just upgraded to Ultimate Designs when I found a new one at the REI garage sale recently for $40. They make a very neat tray for it that not only has a compartment for tools/lube, but also slots for screwdrivers and allen wrenchs, a self-draining compartment for degreasing parts, and a place for my coffee.

Even before you get all the tools and skills for repair work, a workstand makes cleaning the drivetrain and overall bike much easier. I have a set of brushes for working on the bike, but realistically a large sponge and an old toothbrush are all you really need if you already have a chain cleaning tool.  I use an old plastic kitty litter box to keep cleaning supplies handy.  It doubles as a bucket for soapy water (a squirt of Dawn works well).  I also use an old (but cleaned) weed killer dispenser to rinse off everything.

The workstand makes a big difference in being able to get at all the parts of the bike without it falling over.  I can't imagine trying to maintain the bike without it.

The other site besides the Park tools site that I like is http://bicycletutor.com/.

Just as important I think is what NOT to touch. Don't try to mess with the wheels until you are very comfortable with the other elements of the bike.  Wheel truing is tricky, even with a good truing stand.  Also, without a dishing tool, it is too easy to screw up the centering of the bike.  I mis-adjusted a rear wheel a couple of years ago and couldn't figure out why the handling was off until someone behind me noticed the allignment was off. (I still have to get the dishing tool to get more precision.  I corrected it with a lot of cursing patience and a ruler.). But in the beginning, only use the nipple spokes sparingly to correct serious problems that prevent safe riding overall.

Oh, and when you take out any ball bearings, don't be near any drains or slopes leading to drains.  Just trust me on this one.

They do have a DVD - http://bicycletutor.com/dvd/.  Although all the videos are on line, and getting updated with new skills.

For the record, I do not own a repair stand  I've done complete tear downs and frame up builds without one.  For der. adjusting and tuning I'll just use my trainer.  so it is certainly not a necessity for even extreme repair work.

I do have a shop level Park truing stand though .......... but I also use to build wheels for the shops I worked in back in the day, so I really appreciate the good stuff.

Even though I am just really working on more of my bike components now I do have a lot of experience with chains and it really comes down to personal preference. I know some guys who clean their chain after every ride with a good rag and occasionally a de-greaser. If it rains you should definatly wipe down your chain. Personally I clean my chain well about once every week to two weeks by taking it off and giving it a good cleaning and then rinsing several times and then drying it in the oven before re-lubing it and putting it back on (this method courtesy of Leo Stone on the Cascade Bike Club forums here in Seattle). Most the maintenance I still can't do on my own but I am learning and by talking to local Bike club Guys you get a lot of good ideas on how to take care of your bike. Best of luck!

as far as this thread goes I would say:

Alan Wrenches, screw driver set, multi tool, chain lube, and lots of patience while learning. 

Good info so far, but I'll add one: good lighting. Bike repair can at times be pretty intricate work, so being able to see well what you're doing is invaluable.

And get a torque wrench.

Excellent stuff so far ... let's take it to the application level as a means to fill in the subject further.

Given the falling temperatures and the off-season many are enjoying, outdoor riding is curtailed.  This extra time in our schedule hopefully affords some time to do some regular and preventive maintenance.

Along these lines, what tasks do you recommend doing?  Tips? Tools required?

a ton of very good information for someone pretty new to the sport like myself.  I know the question I am about to ask is mentioned in bits and pieces through all of these posts, but can someone write down a simple outline of regular needed maintenance?

1. Chain - How often to clean? Exactly what is needed (brush or tool, degreaser, cleaner, lube)? And a simple step by step in order of how to.

2. Cassette and Cogs - How often do you need to clean?  What is the best way to clean?  What products are needed?

3.  Any other maintenance that should be done on a regular basis?  Simple how to? and products needed to do it?

I just want to get and keep my bike in good shape as I am entering my second season and I have some longer events planned.

  I have never cleaned my chain or cogs or done anything like that. I got my bike back in may and I have asked my LBS that I bought the bike from multiple times what I need to be doing as far as maintenance and they never really give me an answer.  I have taken it in and they tuned it up once, but I have no idea what they do in a tune up.

Take my advice up above with a grain of salt. I try and be zealous about cleaning my bike regularly especially living in a rainy area. Also realize that I don't have any "formal" training and all that I do comes from what I have learned from reading, trial and error, and mostly talking to and working with other cyclists.

I clean my bike once a month to keep road grime to a minimum targeting the underside of the bike where road grime collects. I clean my chain weekly to keep sludge from building up and so that I dont have to scrub my calves after I ride. When I clean my chain with degreaser I am also cleaning all the derailer parts and cassette, I do find it necessary to use a good degreaser to clean the caked stuff I miss with a rag. Simple green works good,cheap, can buy anywhere, but you do have to give it a moment to work. Good oil is key also, T-9!

Check out www.pricepoint.com for tools and workstands.  The brand of tools is Sette, but they are fine tools and they are priced well. 

First tip - when tuning bikes or trueing wheels - a little goes a long way.  If you make big adjustments you are going to chase the tune.  Little adjustments and it will get you there. 

THanks for the tips guys.  I am finding out little bits along the way.

Learning how to use all the stuff is not easy for the mechanically challenged

As yet another former bike mechanic I don't have a stand either!  I too recommend not truing your own wheels unless you know what you are doing. Dishing is no the only tough issue. Knowing when the wheel, while true, is dangerously close to failure takes experience. You do not want awheel where the spokes on one side are very tight while the spokes on the opposite side are very loose!

One set of tools that hasn't been mentioned are cone wrenches. These are thin wrenches for tighten and loosening the cones on your axles. I found that this was one of the most misadjusted components on new bike wheels straight out of the box. You wont need them on a ride, but at home there great to have and not expensive. Overly tight cones can ruin your ride as you waste a lot of energy.

Doug