My pump is not budget but you can get a cheap one that does the same thing but is more of a pain in the ass to deal with. Mine is this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxBR4qvU324](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxBR4qvU324)
GANGofFOURSTAR on
15mm wrench and a tire lever or 2.. multi tool for the rest
Lopsided_Attitude743 on
The only real thing likely to stop you mid-ride is a flat tyre. Most other things you can nurse home and fix there.
My mid-ride tyre changing kit is minimal:
* Stubby spanner to fit my axle nuts (15 mm, I think). The stubby spanner fits in my saddle bag. In the past, when I was not able to source a stubby spanner, I just duct taped a conventional length spanner to my down tube. Make sure you put some extra tape under the contact points so that it doesn’t scratch your frame.
* Two tubes. One in my saddle bag, the other in my back pocket. I find that tubes in the saddle bag can get worn through from the vibration. It is good to have a backup in my pocket. I am generally doing 35 km+ rides, so it is a long way to walk if I get stuck!
* Pump. Clipped to a bracket under the bottle cage. Buy the smallest that you can. I use mine so rarely that I am willing to put up with the inconvenience of a tiny pump on the few occasions that I use it. Don’t bother with CO2 cartridges or portable electric pumps. You will also need a full size pump with a pressure guage at home.
On long rides (100 km+) I used to include a tube patch kit as a last resort if my two tubes failed, but I found the cementless ones prone to failure, so I have stopped carrying them. You will probably want a tube patch kit at home. I just tend to replace the entire tube these days.
I never carry tyre levers. I don’t even have tyre levers in my bike tool kit at home. Learn how to change tyres without them. It is super easy once you know how. Look it up on YouTube.
I don’t carry allen keys, except if I am making adjustments to the bike. For example, if I have just adjusted the saddle at home, I might carry an allen key on the next ride just in case it needs further adjustment on the road. You will need allen keys at home. I think 4 mm, 5 mm and 6 mm are the most common on single speeds.
If you are leaving your bike locked up at college, you probably aren’t going to want to leave your tyre change kit on the bike. Get a small bag that you can throw it in and then put it in your college bag that you take to class.
You will also need chain lube at home. Buy it now and use it regularly. Thank me later. 😊
In terms of other tools at home, just buy them as you need them. I find multi tools annoying to use. I would much prefer a dedicated tool. Over time, you will probably accumulate tools like:
I also commute to school everyday on my single speed, and I have a bike frame bag attached to the back of my saddle, as well as a pump and bottle cage on my down tube. As for the things I usually carry in there, they are: a park tools hex multi tool, an adjustable wrench, a spare tire and tire lever. You can find all of these things on aliexpress for dirt cheap, and tire levers usually come with a purchase of a inner tube. Doesn’t need to be complicated, these bikes are extremely easy to repair and require barely any tools!
JaxRhapsody on
A multi tool will serve you well, but I would get a set of metric allen wrenches at least for home. Or metric allen sockets, and a socket set. Also a pedal wrench and crank removal tool.
Wheel axles are usually 15mm and saddles are usually 13mm
5 Comments
The cheapest would be an appropriate allen key (#5 I believe) or a crescent wrench and 2 tire irons.
Ideal would be a mult-tool that inlcudes the allen key and 3 tire irons.
Edit: and a pump.
Personally I use a set like this (https://www.amazon.com/Multi-Tool-19-Black-Midnight/dp/B00ZDUGHCW ) and some tire irons. If you had a geared bike you would need more tools.
My pump is not budget but you can get a cheap one that does the same thing but is more of a pain in the ass to deal with. Mine is this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxBR4qvU324](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxBR4qvU324)
15mm wrench and a tire lever or 2.. multi tool for the rest
The only real thing likely to stop you mid-ride is a flat tyre. Most other things you can nurse home and fix there.
My mid-ride tyre changing kit is minimal:
* Stubby spanner to fit my axle nuts (15 mm, I think). The stubby spanner fits in my saddle bag. In the past, when I was not able to source a stubby spanner, I just duct taped a conventional length spanner to my down tube. Make sure you put some extra tape under the contact points so that it doesn’t scratch your frame.
* Two tubes. One in my saddle bag, the other in my back pocket. I find that tubes in the saddle bag can get worn through from the vibration. It is good to have a backup in my pocket. I am generally doing 35 km+ rides, so it is a long way to walk if I get stuck!
* Pump. Clipped to a bracket under the bottle cage. Buy the smallest that you can. I use mine so rarely that I am willing to put up with the inconvenience of a tiny pump on the few occasions that I use it. Don’t bother with CO2 cartridges or portable electric pumps. You will also need a full size pump with a pressure guage at home.
On long rides (100 km+) I used to include a tube patch kit as a last resort if my two tubes failed, but I found the cementless ones prone to failure, so I have stopped carrying them. You will probably want a tube patch kit at home. I just tend to replace the entire tube these days.
I never carry tyre levers. I don’t even have tyre levers in my bike tool kit at home. Learn how to change tyres without them. It is super easy once you know how. Look it up on YouTube.
I don’t carry allen keys, except if I am making adjustments to the bike. For example, if I have just adjusted the saddle at home, I might carry an allen key on the next ride just in case it needs further adjustment on the road. You will need allen keys at home. I think 4 mm, 5 mm and 6 mm are the most common on single speeds.
If you are leaving your bike locked up at college, you probably aren’t going to want to leave your tyre change kit on the bike. Get a small bag that you can throw it in and then put it in your college bag that you take to class.
You will also need chain lube at home. Buy it now and use it regularly. Thank me later. 😊
In terms of other tools at home, just buy them as you need them. I find multi tools annoying to use. I would much prefer a dedicated tool. Over time, you will probably accumulate tools like:
* freehub remover
* chain splitter
* pliers
* spoke tool
* cone spanners.
But don’t bother buying them until you need them.
I also commute to school everyday on my single speed, and I have a bike frame bag attached to the back of my saddle, as well as a pump and bottle cage on my down tube. As for the things I usually carry in there, they are: a park tools hex multi tool, an adjustable wrench, a spare tire and tire lever. You can find all of these things on aliexpress for dirt cheap, and tire levers usually come with a purchase of a inner tube. Doesn’t need to be complicated, these bikes are extremely easy to repair and require barely any tools!
A multi tool will serve you well, but I would get a set of metric allen wrenches at least for home. Or metric allen sockets, and a socket set. Also a pedal wrench and crank removal tool.
Wheel axles are usually 15mm and saddles are usually 13mm