Beginner's guide to bike tools - get all the vital gear for basic bike maintenance

For anyone reading this in March 2021, it appears Decathlon have their "magic" chain whip that doesn't need  the whippy bit back in stock for the first time in ages....

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/chain-whip-cassette-remover/_/R-p-200
Looking forward to trying the one I have just ordered....

The Feedback stand is a beautifully engineered piece of equipment that I don't use enough....my bikes clearly don't break down enough...

Do I read that correctly, nearly £220 for the Lezyne pedal spanner? What's it made from, Onobtanium?

The recommended brand on the torque wrench seems slightly insane.  You can get a Lifeline or similar for about £30.  Choose the right tool and get an aftermarket set of sockets to go with it so it does double duty as an ordinary socket spanner.

I've never needed a cable puller, just use a pair of long nose pliers and make sure you have enough length to snip off the flattened end afterwards.

The other thing I would recommend is a good quality set of hex & screwdriver bits with a ratcheting screwdriver handle.

spot on re cable cutters - stump up for at least the Draper ones, rather than waste £££ on cheap rubbish that doesn't do the job.  
My most used bike tool is an multi fold-out Allen key jobby from b and q. 
the cable tensioner is a fourth hand - the third clamps the caliper in the "on" position. 
didn't see a spoke key? 

I'm a fan of the Wolf Tooth Pliers. They're a bit expensive, but such a nice design (looks like there's some companies copying them, so you can get something similar a bit cheaper). They've got space to hold two pairs of quick links and the strange y-shaped hole is for removing valve cores.

If modern quick links need a special tool to open and close them, it does beg the question of how that's an improvement on not having quick links at all and just using a chain tool?  A chain tool is a lot smaller, after all.  Or am I missing something?

beto surge floor pump link is dead, advised to replace with a valid alternative.

One thing I have discovered since I last read this old article: #toolboxwars on Instagram. It features endless photos of pro mechanics' tool collections. Over time you will see the same tools cropping up again and again. Knipex plier wrenches, Abbey Crombies, etc. If you're ready to move to the next sub-basement of the home mechanic rabbit hole, then it is a great place to go to buid your wish list! Wera also does several bicycle-specific starter kits which are worth a look.

The first expensive single item I bought was a torque wrench, which changed things for me! While I would love to own the Effeto Mariposa wrench featured here, my Halfords Pro wrench is about 15 years old and still going strong. The click that announces a correctly tightened fastener is very satisfying.

Finally, workshop geeks will enjoy Rohan Dubash's book, Bike Mechanic. Rohan is also known as Doctor D.

Workstand. On the one hand, this is a bit of a luxury...

Over the past couple of years, I've gone down the rabbit hole of bike maintenance and found the workstand to be the single most important tool; it really makes working on the bike a joy.

I use the Elite Race Pro stand (where the bike sits on its bottom bracket and the front forks rather than being gripped by the seat post). I've got two bikes which have pretty much the same components (except the bottom bracket) and one always seems to be sitting on the stand while I ride the other (swapover happens regularly).

Chain hook/clip is essential, particularly when using master link pliers. Voice of experience from taking a chunk out of the clear coat on my seat stay when clipping a chain together by hand.

And a pick/awl/bradawl for tidying up gear outers after cutting. Depending on how good your cutters and cutting technique are a dremel or similar to tidy up brake housing too.

Over the years I have accumulated many many many tools, last year I decided to buy a Cable Puller (Third hand or whatever you call it), to start with it is a little fiddily to get used to, but now I wouldn't work without one, it is one of the best tools I have, especially getting the tension right on the front mech, I didn't buy the stupidly expensive Park version, I got an unbranded one from eBay for just a few pounds.

Pad alignment tool - Free -I just get a strip of the cardboard the pads are attached to, make a fold in it and hook it over the rear end of the pads.

Ball end allen keys - I use the halfords Bikehut set, good quality and comes in a handy round holder.

Low-end torque wrench - I can recommend the Topeak Combo wrench, comes with bits in the handle, very handy to use.

High-end torque wrench - Free (well, not quite, I have a pair for the car so I use one of those!)

I have all the tools I need to do everything on a push bike.  I have made or used simple parts to make items like bearing press or pullers.  A good set of Allen keys, Torque wrench, and a few basic chain/cassette tools will see you sort most jobs

If you have Shimano, you want JIS screwdrivers not Philips. They look similar but aren't. Philips tend to cam-out of wee bolts like those used to adjust derailleur throw. The JIS screwdrivers (of the right size) fit perfectly. (JIS = Japanese Industrial Standard).

You don't need a standard set of spanners of all sizes for a bike. You need one or three very specific spanners for limited tasks. For example, very thin ones of the right sizes to apply to hub locknuts and cones; a 7mm open/ring spanner for disc brake caliper bleed nuts; a two-pronged thingy to hold the back-side nuts of chainring bolts; and so forth. Ordinary spanners are rarely of any use. You'r often better off with a socket set anyway, for those odd bike things with standard nuts, such as mudguards or nuts on cantilever brakes.

There are some special tools for some kinds of bikes. For example: BB tighteners and removers of various kinds, depending on the BB. Various presses for putting in things like wheel bearings, headset bearings and BB bearings of the press-fit kind. (And perhaps a special tool for knocking the old bearings out).

Bikes with internal cables may need a special kit to help thread the things if they ever need removing and replacing. A lot of current bikes have the dreaded internal cables.

Hydraulic disk brakes will need to be bled at some point so a special kit and fluid for the brake types will be necessary.

And so on. It's no longer as simple as it used to be. On the other hand, you may not need a BB facing tool or various other major items once needed for the bikes of yesteryear (unless you still have a bike of yesteryear).

Cugel

I admit to using both the cable puller and the pad alignment tools.

The cable puller is also known as a third hand, I find it useful not so much for pulling the cable but more for locking it in place while I then fasten the cable in place

I lick the pad adjuster mostly because I am really bad at getting the brakes setup consistant but using this I have similar brake feel across all my bikes

Those of you who toe in your brake pads - what do you do when they've worn a bit and their faces are once more parallel to the rim?  Toe them in again?  And again, and again, until you've got no meat on the front of the pad, while the rear is pristine?

I really wish you hadn't said that, I now have a cable tie death-gripped around my finger ...

Edit: ouch, thank you Pedro's cable cutters.