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I guess that you never know that you need something till it is gone. At our old place in Westosha, the shop was in the garage, but about a year ago, we moved and now the shop is in the basement. So all of the tools are inside, while most of the bikes that are currently being ridden are up in the garage. The shop and the garage are connected by a flight of concrete stairs and there are definitely advantages to having the shop inside. (like heat) and better lighting. But when I want to make a small seat adjustment, or the like, (up in the garage) I had to run downstairs to grab tools and then remember to return those tools to the shop, or when I would be working on a bike in the shop and I hadn’t returned the tool to the shop, I’d have to run upstairs and find them.
One day, it (finally) became clear that I needed a set of tools that could take care of simple adjustments up in the garage and fill the roll as a comprehensive mobile tool kit for travel. Some how, during the move, my old travel tool kit was obsorbed into my roll away tool chests. I tried a tool kit from Feedback Sports. The Ride Prep Tool Kit MSRP $130. The quality of the tools was marginal. Cheap stamped tools that didn’t live up to the standard of ‘shop quality’. The Feedback Kit did clearly show me that I was on the right track with a set of tools for the upstairs bike parlour (garage), so I looked for other options.
I started to think about what I wanted the kit to cover, as far as, repairs. While my garage requirements could be covered with a set of hex keys and a pedal wrench, the mobile tool kit opened up a can of worms that required Cassette, Bottom Bracket, Chain tools and the now, ever present Torx bits. So I looked at what was available. Anyone that’s ever worked at a bike shop knows Park Tool Blue. They’ve set the standard for professional tools for the bike industry. Pedros also makes bike tools , and there’s a tool kit that is made by Lezyne. Here’s an overview of all three.
Lezyne Porta Shop Pro Tool Kit – $300
I’m familiar with Lezyne’s tools, because I’ve been using their Ninja wrenches in the shop for a couple of years. The experience using those three sided allen keys gave me confidence that the Lezyne Kit would meet my quality expectations and the organized case made this kit very appealing.
TOOLS INCLUDED:
Hex Kit
Torx Block
Smart Kit
(5)
3 Way Spoke Wrench
3 Way Allen 4/5/6
3 Way Allen 2/2.5/3
3 Way Wrench Star
Chain Drive
CNC Rod
Classic Chain Rod
Classic Pedal Rod
Power Lever XL
Classic Hex 6mm
Classic Hex 8mm
Splined BB Tool
Cassette Tool
Park Tool – Advanced Mechanic Tool Kit – $305
As mentioned above, Park Tool Blue is in just about every bike shop in America. Park also offers a larger travel tool kit called the Professional Travel and Event Kit that sells for $660
TOOLS INCLUDED:
AK-2 Contents:
BBT-9 Bottom Bracket Tool for 16-Notch External Bearing Cups
BBT-32 Bottom Bracket Tool for 20 Notch Shimano® and ISIS® Drive
BO-2 Bottle Opener
CC-3.2 Chain Wear Indicator
CM-5.2 Cyclone Chain Scrubber
CN-10 Professional Cable and Housing Cutter
CNW-2 Chainring Nut Wrench
CT-3.2 Chain Tool
CWP-7 Compact Crank Puller
DCW-1 Double Ended Cone Wrench: 13/14mm (2)
DCW-2 Double Ended Cone Wrench: 15/16mm (2)
DCW-3 Double Ended Cone Wrench: 17/18mm
FR-5 Cassette Lockring Tool
GP-2 Super Patch Kit
GSC-1 GearClean Brush
HXS-1.2 Professional L-Shaped Hex Wrench Set
MLP-1.2 Master Link Pliers
PAW-12 12″ Adjustable Wrench
PW-3 Pedal Wrench
RR-12 Tape Measure
SD-SET Shop Screwdriver Set of 4
SR-11 Sprocket Remover/Chain Whip 5-to 11-Speed Compatible
SW-0 Precision Spoke Wrench: .127″
SW-2 Precision Spoke Wrench: .136″
TB-2 Tire Boot (2)
TL-1.2 Tire Lever (3)
TWS-3 Torx® Compatible 3-Way Wrench
Soft Bristle Soaping Brush
High Pressure Inflation Gauge
Pedro’s Master Tool Kit 3.1 – $1,100
Pedros only has one travel tool kit and it’s more comprehensive than both of the kits that we featured above. This is a one kit that does everything that a home mechanic could want. I just thought we should show you a third option for the person that needs to have everything! Plus Pedro’s used to sponsor Pedro’s-Fest and I had a blast there, way back in the last century.
TOOLS INCLUDED:
• Chain Checker Plus
• Adjustable Wrench-10″
• Crank Adjusting Cap Driver
• The Hammer
• Utility Knife
• Diagonal Cutters
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Pro Spoke Wrench – 3.23
• Pro Spoke Wrench – 3.30
• Pro Spoke Wrench – 3.45
• Quick Link Pliers
• Pro Chain Tool (New)
• Toothbrush
• Y wrenches-2, 2.5, 3mm; 4, 5, 6mm; T10, T25, T30
• 3-Piece Screwdriver Set, #1 Ph, #2Ph, 5.5mm Flat
• 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14mm Ratcheting Wrenches
• Disc Wrench-7mm & 8mm Flare Wrench and Rotor Truing
• Trixie- 8, 9, 10, 15mm Box, Bottle, Cog Lockring
• 8-piece Pro T/L Hex Set
• 9-piece L Hex Set
• L Torx Set – 7 piece
• Equalizer Pedal Wrench
• Vise Whip
• Splined Bottom Bracket Socket
• Cassette Lockring Socket
• Campagnolo® BB and Cassette Socket
• Bottom Bracket Wrench
• Cable Cutter
• 13-19mm Cone Wrenches (1 each)
• 6mm and 8mm Hex Drivers
• Universal Crank Puller
• 2 Tire Levers
• Tape Measure
After looking at these choices we purchased the Lezyne Kit and we’ll be testing it on a long term basis. My initial thoughts are pretty positive. Love the big wooden handle on some of the larger wrenches and I just restocked one of my seat bags with one of the patch kits from the kit. I’d have to say that the kit has been pretty great so far. My only gripe is that the tools don’t stay in the foam cutouts, when you open up the case. But they go right back in and everything stays organized, which is nice compared to the jumbled black hole of a tool box. So next time you take a trip, be the guy with the tool kit and maybe save the day or maybe an entire trip!