Tips Archive:

Hot Tip of the Month- May 2004: "How much should I spend on tools?"
Ask any man (or woman) who earns their living with tools and they’ll tell you just how important tools are. Many facilities believe that because they don’t work on the bikes much (go figure!), they don’t need good tools. Use a low quality pedal wrench to remove a pedal that’s been on a bike for a couple of years and you’ll see right away how effective a low ball tool can be. The same goes with Allen wrenches, or any other tool for that matter. Of course, a facility won’t need thousands of dollars worth of tool, but the ones that ARE needed AND used should be picked carefully. Stay away from the tool “kits”. You’ll recognize these because generally they are supposed to contain “everything” you’ll need to work on your bikes. These kits are usually of a Taiwanese origin, VERY poor AND soft metal. Buy good tools, only the ones you need, as you need them. Sportsmith is a great source (888-713-2880, talk to Bryan!) for your tools. You can also e-mail me if you have questions about the right tool for the job.