What's required?

[Crowz]

If I was going to buy all the components of a bike separately, what tools would I need to put it together? Is there a recommended 'beginners' tool-set?

[mitzikatzi]

Most tool boxes contain an assortment of tools. Usually with a number you will never use.

Buy a bike maintenance book or have a good look on the Park tools site on what is required to assemble a bike from parts. Make a list of the tools you need.

Several tools you will only use rarely like when building a new bike ie a head set press.

[ironhanglider]

If I was going to buy all the components of a bike separately, what tools would I need to put it together? Is there a recommended 'beginners' tool-set?

Whatever you get you need something with a lot of leverage for your significant other.

Building from parts is not usually a cheap option, even if you get the frame free. If you figure out what parts you are going to put on first then you can work out what tools you need. You can buy a dozen different tools for bottom brackets, but you may only need one. Some tools like BB chasing and facing tools and headset presses are not worth buying, you can rent them (with labour thrown in) from your LBS.

Bike shops don't sell bikes to make money, they sell them so that you need to buy parts and accessories where they have better margins.

Cheers,

Cameron

[jaffaman]

I've just built my own for the first time. Bought the headset from the LBS and they fitted it to the frame using their headset clamp. Bought the bottom bracket and crank from another LBS and paid $25 for them to fit that. Fitted the rest myself - only other tool needed aside from the usual hex keys, a torx head for the disc brakes, wire / cable cutter and pliers was a tool to fit the rear cassette to the hub. Borrowed one from a friend, but $20 at the LBS to buy. Oh and a chain breaker which I have on a cheap bike multi-tool.

[coffeeandwine]

Chain Reaction Cycles have a very handy 18 piece toolkit, on special at the moment for approx AUD$46.

I've got good use out of mine and just bought one for my niece, tools fit shimano BB's, lock rings etc.

Has chain whips, breakers, very good tyre levers.

You can use all the hex keys, screwdrivers etc to put bike together, maintenance and then for upgrades when they come

[munga]

if you're buying all the parts seperately, i'd suggest you buy the tools once you've bought all the correct parts. no point buying a simple toolkit if you're buying oddball bottom brackets/cranksets/wheelsets etc.

do you have regular tools such as pliers, allen keys, spanners, sockets?

[Crowz]

if you're buying all the parts seperately, i'd suggest you buy the tools once you've bought all the correct parts. no point buying a simple toolkit if you're buying oddball bottom brackets/cranksets/wheelsets etc.

do you have regular tools such as pliers, allen keys, spanners, sockets?

Yeah I have most regular tools. Would this be the sort of thing to look out for?

[munga]

if you're doing a regular update eg: new 105 group on an old steelie frame, i'd suggest:

cassette tool,
bb tool,
chain whip,
chain breaker,
pedal spanner,
spoke key,
maybe a torque wrench.

best bet is to make some cycling friends and go on regular rides with them each week.
suddenly you have a bike tool library at your disposal

[queequeg]

If I was going to buy all the components of a bike separately, what tools would I need to put it together? Is there a recommended 'beginners' tool-set?

I did mine from scratch. I got the bike shop to fit forks/headset and tap/face the bottom bracket shell as the two tools for this are crazy expensive for a one time use.
I assembled the rest of the bike with Allen keys, Phillips head screwdrivers, scissors and an adjustable wrench.
Special tools required:-
a lock ring tool, chain breaker, cable cutters, bottom bracket fitting tool and a 15mm pedal wrench.

[Crowz]

if you're doing a regular update eg: new 105 group on an old steelie frame, i'd suggest:

cassette tool,
bb tool,
chain whip,
chain breaker,
pedal spanner,
spoke key,
maybe a torque wrench.

best bet is to make some cycling friends and go on regular rides with them each week.
suddenly you have a bike tool library at your disposal

Don't think I've had a Saturday morning off and not had anything on for about a year now.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm deciding whether to go with a new group set on an old steel frame or keep the old Repco original and just buy a new bike.

[singlespeedscott]

If you do decide to go the rebuild yourself don't skimp on cheap tools. As they say, "buy the best you can afford". Honestly after trying multiple tools from different manufacturers I have to say the best tools are actually made by the component manufacturers themselves. All the tools I have bought made by Park, Pedro's and Tacx have been disappointing. The stuff from Campagnolo, Shimano, Sugino and Stronglight have been top notch.