Bicycle Repair Kit

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Whether you’re a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) expert or cack-handed at all mechanical things, a good bicycle repair kit is a must-have item in your possession. At some stage, you’re going to need to do basic bicycle maintenance or some emergency maintenance on the road, tighten or adjust a saddle, bicycle pedals, bicycle brakes, fix a puncture, fix the chain or just adjust the stem. Let’s see what to look for when you’re shopping for yours.

All Good Bicycle Repair Kits Need…

A bicycle tire pump
Tire levers/irons
A puncture repair kit
Hex keys
Lightweight wrenches
Spare bicycle inner tubes
Plastic tape
Snap-on chain link

Note: This is just a basic list. Don’t get a kit that has anything less than that.

Main and Portable Repair Kits

Your main toolbox is best left in the garage for more major work and maintenance between rides, but when you hit the road and are far from home, you’ll want to have the bare necessities on hand without adding too many excess pounds of weight to your bike.

Tip: Practice at home.

Some repair tasks, such as replacing an inner tube or fixing a broken chain are not easy to do if it is your first.

If you've already done the repair job five or six times in the relative comfort of your garden, garage, or workshop you'll be much more capable when you're at the side of the road.

Many off-the-shelf kits come with Swiss Army Knife-style multi-tools, bicycle tire repair kits, hex keys and most other requirements in a small, lightweight pack that can strap to bicycle frames.

It's highly unlikely that you'll find the perfect one-size-fits-all kit no matter how hard you look, so like with a real tool kit, you should be prepared to mix and match. Never underestimate the power of a multi-tool for bikes. They are small and light-weight and often come with some very good tools.

Some universal kits:

Choosing a Bicycle Repair Kit for Your Home

For the regular (scheduled) maintenance of your BMX, hybrid, or road bike, you'll need a more comprehensive set-up. Because the need for saving space and weight is no longer there, you can buy bigger tools with more heft that are easier to use.

Consider Investing in a Bicycle Repair Stand

For home-based repairs, "serious" cyclists used to getting their hands dirty swear by a bicycle repair stand.

If you've ever tried to make your bike balance while attempting to fit a new bicycle chain, change bicycle inner tubes, or remove the saddle, then you'll know the bike seems to gain a life of its own and refuse to co-operate! Repair stands fit in most garages and some of them can fold to store them wherever you want.

Just one crushed finger or bruised skull will be enough to convince you of the worth of adding a stand to your bicycle repair kit. Some of the best:

Find a Bicycle Repair Kit Online?

If you are interested in buying a bicycle repair kit, such as a bicycle stand, tire wrenches, tire levers, and the like, you can buy them in one of these trusted online stores:

Last Word Before Buying a Bicycle Repair Kit

It's not important what your bicycle repair kit LOOKS like: what counts is what it DOES! Don't be afraid to mix and match, make do and patch to get your perfect tool kit.

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