My favorite tool on my wish list is a rear-derailleur alignment tool. When properly used, it can make a huge improvement in rapid, precise shifting. Another thing on my wish list is a set of dropout alignment tools. Great video!
Great video. The park press tool is still used on every mountain bike headset out there now. All head cups press into place. Press fit bb cups are becoming more popular too.
Landed on your channel and liked it so much I binged watch all day, subscribed and you answered so many of my questions that I'll will slowly start MTBing, something like Lisa but I'm not afraid to stand up even at 67 y.o. Thanks and keep those videos coming.
Not the tools I use the most but when I do, the pipe cutter, star nut installer and crown race remover make life so much easier than what I used to bodge around with when changing a fork. I just swapped in a fork from box to riding in about 20 minutes which included the cutting, filing, star nut installation and race transfer. Only a bicycle geek would understand how sweet that is.
Seth, just a shout out to you for your hard work on YT. I'm very picky about who I sub to on here. I'm an older guy (43) and just this year realized my love for cycling. I like your videos and have learned from you. You are 1 of 8 I subscribe to. Great job.
I made a chain whip out of a old chain and a old lawn mower blade I grinded and shaped with the angle grinder. 25yrs and still working awesome. ten years working in bike shop even with this tool
great video about the tools needed for bike repair but it would be great if you had a video showing how to actually use these 15 bike tools on your bike. do you have such a series yet? if not it would be a great help to me at least if you could make such a series. great work by the way. keep up the good work. a fan.
I am a wrench, and work as such, but I still had to watch out of curiosity, to see just which specific tools you covered....not a bad selection, but Id have to say my fav tools are my t handle allen/torx wrenches and my rubber mallet....the last one being in my opinion and essential tool for any bike wrench at any level.
derailleur alignment tool/gauge - invaluable for setting up gears properly after a couple of hard hits on the trails. the fancy name for the star nut tool (i like these as i always get the star nuts in cockeyed) these are 2 of my favorites
thank you! You are my new bike Guru! I love my bike so much , my old Gary Fischer 2002 BIG SUR. I have ridden the hell out of it and I want to care for it the way it deserves to be cared for Thanks again
my 2 favorite tools are probably my bike stand and air compressor. I plan on getting a presta specific air compressor chuck instead of using the adapter screws too. Another thing is the specialized swat water bottle holder/ bike multitool. Small, light, practical.
Hi Seth I always appreciate such noble helpful tips, even though I'm a skilled mechanic for decades. I'd like to point out that your "favorite tool" is actually useless. I've never used it and never had a need for it. You simply set your chain (and rear mech) somewhere in the middle of cassette, with cable lose. Then select gear on shifter a click away from what really is, take a lose cable end by fingers, lead it through the pinch nut , pull by fingers until it stops, without force for pulling, just pinch it securely. Later on, you do fine tuning by "fine tuning ferrule". If out of range, repeat the same but with two clicks offset. Until you gain experience. No hassle, no sweat. Worked for me every time. Cheers! :)
for a bike service stand. I hanger a rope from the ceiling in my shop or even a adjustable friction motorcycle strap. Works awesome. love it cuz you can stand in one place and turn the bike. I hang the bike from under the nose of the seat . unless you got a monster T fork this works excellent.
One of those odd bike tools i encountered was called a "missing link remover" Nowadays some modern bike chains, especially the ones made by KMC have this special chain link called a "missing link" to enable a chain to be broken without extracting any chain pins. So there was this tool that looks like a pliers that can undo the missing link(to break the chain) or reassemble back the missing link(to link back the chain)
I have a job today fixing about 50 bikes for a school just tightening brakes seats changing out tubes but I got it because my school went on a cycle and I was the "mechanic" so my principal recommended me
It’s crazy how much a person’s life can change in 6 years, he is living the dream now...One of the best youtubers out there, no click bait, excellent delivery and presentation, content that never disappoints.
Each tool does a specific purpose, takes.time to build a collection though. Thanks for sharing. Just wodering if you can do a video on riser bars and when one would require it. Eg. For tricks etc..
Wilson Veloso Thanks Wilson, and yeah that's a pretty good point. I think a video on the difference between a trail bike and a cross country bike would cover that. I happen to really like risers for the exact reason you stated.
I'd say most, but not all, of the tools here are unique in that there really aren't many common household tools that can do the same jobs. Another tool is the "4th hand" brake caliper clamp for rim brakes, that'd be a good one.
Seth, you forgot maybe the most important tool there in our arsenal o tools - the torque wrench, modern bikes are fast, precision machines. this means that each and every bolt or nut must be tighten to a proper torque spec. If not, parts might make unpleasant noises, stress and fatigue and wear ad tear will be greatly accelerated, or some parts might will not work well, if bolts are overtight or brake loose and cause damage if not tight enough. always tight bolts to proper torque.
I keep a mallet/hammer to hand as i can hammer stuff back into shape or put a wrench on a over tightened bolt and hit the crap out of it, Fixes most problems!
A pair of screwable syringes and also a little screwable container for the dirty oil. Easy way to bleed both brakes and seatpost with the right oil. And old rags, the most useful tool for any garage xD
a pipe cutter can leave a slight lip at the edge of the cut and sometimes make it harder to get your stem or brake levers on ... tho a bit of a lip isn't all that bad
The weirdest tool i own is a chainring nut wrench... The tool I made myself is a "nipple squeezer", made of a blunt pincer. You can glue the Aluminium nipples on the cable, but pressing them on the cable should work better.
I just stumbled across this video without looking at the date. I was like uuuum what up with seth! Where the hell is he and why is he balancing his phone on the tablet he's leaning on to film a video 😂 then I realised iv gon back in time! WAY BACK!
Possible dumb question: The disc brake wedge (3:49), what does it mean for the brakes to compress? Is this only an issue with hydraulic brakes? I have a low end hard tail right now with mechanical brakes and I almost always leave the front tire off when storing it. Should I be using a wedge for that one too? I ask mainly because I'm going to be buying a much more expensive MTB soon and want to be sure I know what the heck I'm doing with it.
hmn my bike is not that old. It is made in 2014. And it was the first gen alloy 29" hardtail for this company but I need tools like you said for old MTBs or bmx bikes. 1 weak ago I replaced the old and total dead heatset with an new different one. Without a good tool or machine I would not able to replaced it. Taperd 1,5 FSA orbiter heatset with a Rockshock reba RL also taperd and 100mm travel. I just stuff the bearings and every thing into the frame with a drill press. I hope this time my bearings wont fail just after 1y and 7 months.
the third hand is genious... been trying to tune my mechanical disc brakes but could never get it just right......one other tool, front derailleur aligner
Torque Wrench (low torque range) Especially important when using alloy components fixed with steel or titanium bolts. Much better than guessing. It is no fun occasionally over-tightening bolts and destroying threads on alloy parts...
Noob question: Is it a bad thing to clamp a bike's dropper post on a repair stand (a Parktool PCS-10)? There is no other good place to clamp my bike. I have an Epic now and will be getting a Stumpjumper next. Both are full carbon.
B_Taylor-007 It might not be possible on your bike. Look around near the hub on your wheels and see if there’s a spot to mount discs and a spot to mount a caliper.
Yea. I've looked on my bike. There is some mounts for one on the front but I can't find one on the back wheel. Ive seen people order mounts for it if they don't have it on their bike.
One thing that's not a tool but every mountain biker should have is zip ties. Have lost count of the number of times I've bee out and someone has needed a zip tie to fix something.
Between building used BMX and mountain bikes the most valuable tool ive come across is a big fucking hammer. Who needs a crank puller when you have a big fucking hammer? put things in take things out a big fucking hammer will never let you down!
so that lever mechanism used for the wheels is the same on the downhill seat, so instead of tightening the lever I should tighten the other side with the Allan key?
Rob Johnson You can pluck the spokes like guitar strings, if they have the same tone they have the same tension. Uniform tension is the key to wheels that stay true. Rear wheels will be different tone on each side. Tone won't tell you if it's the right tension (that takes a tensiometer/tension meter), but you will have uniform tension which is also important and overlooked by most new mechanics. As a wheel turns the spokes go through a high/low tension cycle, causing loose spokes to get looser. Don't over tighten spokes to straighten a bent rim, bend the rim back into shape, then use spoke tension for fine tuning.
i knew and have half of the tools. im 12y and i got used kona four deluxe. i have to service the front and rear shocks myself. any tips? sorry for bad english im from finland.
Ekodevil no, in fact he is still searching to this day. I saw him the other day, holding up a cardboard sign, which reads "Best hardtail for $1000?". He sits there day and night, rain or shine, waiting. Occasionally someone recommends he goes to a bike shop but he is scared of bias. I rarely see him eat, it's "hunger strike for $1000 hardtail bike" boycott I think. You can release him by recommending a bike to him though.
Watching this video in 2020 makes me realize how much your style has been improved. You've came a very long way Seth. Kudos to you.
Thats what im saying. During quarantine i have been watching all his videos
@@timjim3275 We need some quarantine bike hacks for those of us that have gone down the YT bike rabbit hole lol
Yes true
The quality went up, the appreciation for pipe cutters went down.
@@beckobert yeah, pipes moved on but cutters didn't :)
My torque wrench. I consider it my most essential MTB tools.
Agreed. And crazy expensive if it’s certified as calibrated. And you’ll prob need more than one due to small ranges
I agree I love my torque wrenches.
4:26 "damn it feels good to be a gangsta"
Gangsta seth
Great videos! As a beginner to my first real mountain bike, your videos are a great help.
Nicholas Golseth Glad I could help, you're exactly who I make the videos for
Dom miles hi
Nicholas Golseth ii
This is great. I really appreciate someone just straightforwardly just telling you what something is and what it does, weirdly this is unusual haha
My favourite tool is the crank puller. I really just love how simply it takes care of an otherwise difficult or impossible job.
Lol I had the hardest time ever with my park tool one had to use a hammer to get the crank puller to move to get it off
My favorite tool on my wish list is a rear-derailleur alignment tool. When properly used, it can make a huge improvement in rapid, precise shifting. Another thing on my wish list is a set of dropout alignment tools. Great video!
I like the hammer because if something breaks just hammer the fuck out of it till it works
or duct tape, duct tape fixes everything
and WD-40
Grant Eckardt dude your comment had me cracking up.
Lol. No.
your hired as a bike mechanic.
Great video. The park press tool is still used on every mountain bike headset out there now. All head cups press into place. Press fit bb cups are becoming more popular too.
Landed on your channel and liked it so much I binged watch all day, subscribed and you answered so many of my questions that I'll will slowly start MTBing, something like Lisa but I'm not afraid to stand up even at 67 y.o. Thanks and keep those videos coming.
4:27 he just flips off the camera
Ryan Morgan e
Ye
Oooooh no
Ryan Morgan 100th like
I don’t think he’s doing that on purpose.
This video was very down to earth and helpful
Not the tools I use the most but when I do, the pipe cutter, star nut installer and crown race remover make life so much easier than what I used to bodge around with when changing a fork. I just swapped in a fork from box to riding in about 20 minutes which included the cutting, filing, star nut installation and race transfer. Only a bicycle geek would understand how sweet that is.
Seth, just a shout out to you for your hard work on YT. I'm very picky about who I sub to on here. I'm an older guy (43) and just this year realized my love for cycling. I like your videos and have learned from you. You are 1 of 8 I subscribe to. Great job.
I made a chain whip out of a old chain and a old lawn mower blade I grinded and shaped with the angle grinder. 25yrs and still working awesome. ten years working in bike shop even with this tool
great video about the tools needed for bike repair but it would be great if you had a video showing how to actually use these 15 bike tools on your bike. do you have such a series yet? if not it would be a great help to me at least if you could make such a series. great work by the way. keep up the good work. a fan.
thats exactly what i thought. i stopped watching it before half caus i had no idea what he was talking about
I am a wrench, and work as such, but I still had to watch out of curiosity, to see just which specific tools you covered....not a bad selection, but Id have to say my fav tools are my t handle allen/torx wrenches and my rubber mallet....the last one being in my opinion and essential tool for any bike wrench at any level.
derailleur alignment tool/gauge - invaluable for setting up gears properly after a couple of hard hits on the trails.
the fancy name for the star nut tool (i like these as i always get the star nuts in cockeyed)
these are 2 of my favorites
6:40 holy i almost died XD
game game Hope your okay :)
game game um, am I missing something?
The loud THUD when he dropped it on the deck.
lol
@@robinhood_xd1777 scarred me
A wealth of information here. Thanks for these informative videos. Now I can tinker a bit and try to be a weekend bike mechanic...
thank you! You are my new bike Guru! I love my bike so much , my old Gary Fischer 2002 BIG SUR. I have ridden the hell out of it and I want to care for it the way it deserves to be cared for Thanks again
my 2 favorite tools are probably my bike stand and air compressor. I plan on getting a presta specific air compressor chuck instead of using the adapter screws too. Another thing is the specialized swat water bottle holder/ bike multitool. Small, light, practical.
Hi Seth
I always appreciate such noble helpful tips, even though I'm a skilled mechanic for decades. I'd like to point out that your "favorite tool" is actually useless. I've never used it and never had a need for it. You simply set your chain (and rear mech) somewhere in the middle of cassette, with cable lose. Then select gear on shifter a click away from what really is, take a lose cable end by fingers, lead it through the pinch nut , pull by fingers until it stops, without force for pulling, just pinch it securely. Later on, you do fine tuning by "fine tuning ferrule". If out of range, repeat the same but with two clicks offset. Until you gain experience. No hassle, no sweat. Worked for me every time.
Cheers! :)
thank you for the video; as for some extra tools, in my opinion a cone wrench is a must in my workshop, for adjustment of old style cone&cup bearings
Great channel! Discovered it because i was looking to buy a mtb, but got hooked
for a bike service stand. I hanger a rope from the ceiling in my shop or even a adjustable friction motorcycle strap. Works awesome. love it cuz you can stand in one place and turn the bike. I hang the bike from under the nose of the seat . unless you got a monster T fork this works excellent.
Great teacher for bike shop!
a chain wear checker tool, is useful, let's I you know if you need to replace the chain before it wears out the rest of your drivetrain
Chain gauge
They're nice to have if you want to spend the money, like many people do, but a good tape measure will do as good a job.
randolph patterson They're dirt cheap and easier to use than a tape measure.
apx5777 just buy metric calipers, more versatile. My has an led readout - impressive ? You bet your ass
One of those odd bike tools i encountered was called a "missing link remover"
Nowadays some modern bike chains, especially the ones made by KMC have this special chain link called a "missing link" to enable a chain to be broken without extracting any chain pins. So there was this tool that looks like a pliers that can undo the missing link(to break the chain) or reassemble back the missing link(to link back the chain)
Dishing tool, bladed spoke holder, facing tools, scales, tire levers, grease gun, orange degreaser, chain cleaner, chain length checker, torx 25 key
Could you make something about entry level bikes, example what arethe best cheap bikes out there?
Mostly headset tools. Star Nut setting tool, hacksaw guide for head tubes, crown race remover, bearing press.
My crank-arm-remover is a 2 meter long metal Pipe and a hex wrench.
My favorit tool is the multi-tool
Agreed! This one is my personal favorite! thegreatoutdoorsreviews.com/index.php/2017/03/15/the-wotow-16-in-1-multi-function-bike-tool-kit/
I have a job today fixing about 50 bikes for a school just tightening brakes seats changing out tubes but I got it because my school went on a cycle and I was the "mechanic" so my principal recommended me
paul 2002 so, how was it men?
Park Tool DAG-2 derailleur hanger alignment gauge is a really nice and handy tool
It’s crazy how much a person’s life can change in 6 years, he is living the dream now...One of the best youtubers out there, no click bait, excellent delivery and presentation, content that never disappoints.
Each tool does a specific purpose, takes.time to build a collection though. Thanks for sharing. Just wodering if you can do a video on riser bars and when one would require it. Eg. For tricks etc..
Wilson Veloso Thanks Wilson, and yeah that's a pretty good point. I think a video on the difference between a trail bike and a cross country bike would cover that. I happen to really like risers for the exact reason you stated.
I'd say most, but not all, of the tools here are unique in that there really aren't many common household tools that can do the same jobs. Another tool is the "4th hand" brake caliper clamp for rim brakes, that'd be a good one.
Seth, you forgot maybe the most important tool there in our arsenal o tools - the torque wrench, modern bikes are fast, precision machines. this means that each and every bolt or nut must be tighten to a proper torque spec. If not, parts might make unpleasant noises, stress and fatigue and wear ad tear will be greatly accelerated, or some parts might will not work well, if bolts are overtight or brake loose and cause damage if not tight enough. always tight bolts to proper torque.
I see that Seth's position on pipe cutters has evolved...
some magnetos in small engines use exactly the same style puller. But never the less a good video. :)
I keep a mallet/hammer to hand as i can hammer stuff back into shape or put a wrench on a over tightened bolt and hit the crap out of it, Fixes most problems!
tire levers are mine 😂 they just make taking on and off tires very easy without scratching your rim or hurting your hand
Congrats on 50000 subs you have eared it
A pair of screwable syringes and also a little screwable container for the dirty oil. Easy way to bleed both brakes and seatpost with the right oil.
And old rags, the most useful tool for any garage xD
this video helps a lot Seth!
a pipe cutter can leave a slight lip at the edge of the cut and sometimes make it harder to get your stem or brake levers on ... tho a bit of a lip isn't all that bad
The weirdest tool i own is a chainring nut wrench... The tool I made myself is a "nipple squeezer", made of a blunt pincer. You can glue the Aluminium nipples on the cable, but pressing them on the cable should work better.
Nice shades Dude!!! 😎😎😎
Seth is my favorite tool!
That wedge also has a bottle opener on it ;) look at the side, I have the same one or one like it haha
I just stumbled across this video without looking at the date. I was like uuuum what up with seth! Where the hell is he and why is he balancing his phone on the tablet he's leaning on to film a video 😂 then I realised iv gon back in time! WAY BACK!
Definitely a spoke wrench, I love building wheels
my fav tool is the floor pump
Those sunglasses though
Before I got my suspension pump, I managed to pump the fork with the regular lezyne pump. The smaller diameter of the piston, the better:)
The rim brake spaces a by Jaqwire Re a great tool for serving/aligning that may people don't know.
Possible dumb question: The disc brake wedge (3:49), what does it mean for the brakes to compress? Is this only an issue with hydraulic brakes? I have a low end hard tail right now with mechanical brakes and I almost always leave the front tire off when storing it. Should I be using a wedge for that one too? I ask mainly because I'm going to be buying a much more expensive MTB soon and want to be sure I know what the heck I'm doing with it.
I am watching every vid old to new
What kind of sunglasses are those, they look comfy and have good coverage.
all your video's so cool bro.
Seth, I love your fucking vids man!! Between you and the GMBN guys, that's all I watch!
"I don't have a garage, I keep my bike stuff in this cuboard" if only past seth could see where his future self keeps his bike stuff!
hmn my bike is not that old. It is made in 2014. And it was the first gen alloy 29" hardtail for this company but I need tools like you said for old MTBs or bmx bikes. 1 weak ago I replaced the old and total dead heatset with an new different one. Without a good tool or machine I would not able to replaced it. Taperd 1,5 FSA orbiter heatset with a Rockshock reba RL also taperd and 100mm travel. I just stuff the bearings and every thing into the frame with a drill press. I hope this time my bearings wont fail just after 1y and 7 months.
Try sliding your dropper post up out of the seat tube, and then clamp on to the outer tube of the post in your bike stand.
the third hand is genious... been trying to tune my mechanical disc brakes but could never get it just right......one other tool, front derailleur aligner
Torque Wrench (low torque range) Especially important when using alloy components fixed with steel or titanium bolts. Much better than guessing. It is no fun occasionally over-tightening bolts and destroying threads on alloy parts...
Great vids bro... How about brake disc truing tool?
Recommended?
Very useful, thanks
Noob question: Is it a bad thing to clamp a bike's dropper post on a repair stand (a Parktool PCS-10)? There is no other good place to clamp my bike. I have an Epic now and will be getting a Stumpjumper next. Both are full carbon.
Show a video on how to convert a v brake to a disk brake bike?
B_Taylor-007 It might not be possible on your bike. Look around near the hub on your wheels and see if there’s a spot to mount discs and a spot to mount a caliper.
Yea. I've looked on my bike. There is some mounts for one on the front but I can't find one on the back wheel. Ive seen people order mounts for it if they don't have it on their bike.
2:50 made me die 😂 lol I'm dirty minded
Same 😂😂😂😂
Same
One thing that's not a tool but every mountain biker should have is zip ties. Have lost count of the number of times I've bee out and someone has needed a zip tie to fix something.
Eddie Chavez I’m the same, every time I go riding I will always pack a few zip ties
Seth you forgot the common bike pump
didn't ask for this, RUclips, but I'm good with it
i was watching your videos and i like your videos, im looking at getting that same bike repair stand. maybe ill run in to you around south fl,
Can you share your bike specs? Great videos!
You forgot a vice grips, it can take the place of many tools.
Great vids Seth! how much is the headset remover tool?
Between building used BMX and mountain bikes the most valuable tool ive come across is a big fucking hammer. Who needs a crank puller when you have a big fucking hammer? put things in take things out a big fucking hammer will never let you down!
With the sunglasses you just look like a mafia boss
You should try to do a road bike set of videos
Thanks, i need a 3rd hand. Now off to amazon or ebay.
A cable lubricator is a pretty nifty tool.
duct tape. fixes everything
its flex tape now
My favorite tool is a rock
What would you consider to be an older MTB? I have a 02 Specialized Hotrock A1 FS 26. Would that be described as 'older'?
My '92 Trek 800 Antelope 😂 Still a good bike.
4:26 fourth hand tool
so that lever mechanism used for the wheels is the same on the downhill seat, so instead of tightening the lever I should tighten the other side with the Allan key?
I need a bike repair stand, been working on my bike without one, sucks.
Spoke tension meter and any home hacks to get consistent spoke tensions without a tension meter. NeoGeezr
Rob Johnson You can pluck the spokes like guitar strings, if they have the same tone they have the same tension. Uniform tension is the key to wheels that stay true.
Rear wheels will be different tone on each side.
Tone won't tell you if it's the right tension (that takes a tensiometer/tension meter), but you will have uniform tension which is also important and overlooked by most new mechanics.
As a wheel turns the spokes go through a high/low tension cycle, causing loose spokes to get looser.
Don't over tighten spokes to straighten a bent rim, bend the rim back into shape, then use spoke tension for fine tuning.
i knew and have half of the tools. im 12y and i got used kona four deluxe. i have to service the front and rear shocks myself. any tips? sorry for bad english im from finland.
Why does nobody use the word sprockets anymore?
Maybe it's because on mtb it's an actual removable ring? Because in bmx where it's not attached to anything it's one piece as a sprocket
Cone wrenches and tire levers.
some of the cassets are different because we have 2 we have one for campagnola cassets and another one for the rest
when i used a crank puller it just ends up stripping the thread in the crank arm... so now I can't really take the crank off...
4:28 Seth flips you off
Best hardtail for 1000 dollars ? Great video by the way !
Benji I'm gonna guess you already got one after 2 years?
Ekodevil no, in fact he is still searching to this day. I saw him the other day, holding up a cardboard sign, which reads "Best hardtail for $1000?". He sits there day and night, rain or shine, waiting. Occasionally someone recommends he goes to a bike shop but he is scared of bias. I rarely see him eat, it's "hunger strike for $1000 hardtail bike" boycott I think. You can release him by recommending a bike to him though.
It's obviously a Schwinn Sidewinder!
My favorite is brakecleaner