Being able to work on your own boat and boat systems is a goodly thing. None of it is too difficult or rocket science and the reward of knowing you have done a good job combined with keeping the budget manageable can make you feel all warm and fuzzy!
As I consider a bike onboard to be just another boat system (the land dinghy if you will) having the proper tools aboard is just common sense and, as there are very few bike mechanics where you want to cruise, something of must have.
Both on boats and with bikes I am always surprised how some folks simply don't have much in the way of tools... If you think a couple of screwdrivers, a couple of vice grips, a pair wrenches and a leatherman (the wrong tool for every job) can be called a "tool kit" on a boat, well you are what folks in the marine trades call a paycheck.
But back to bikes and the tools you need to get by...
For starters, every bike needs a minimum bike kit even if it is just biking down to the pub and what I think of as a seat kit (a simple little bag small enough to velcro to the underside of your bike seat) is the first building block to being able to be the master of your own destiny!
Park, the toolmaker to just about every bike mechanic in the world, makes a nice little kit which is just the thing...
For those who are more the multitool type, Park also makes a very neat multitool for more or less the same purpose. Personally I would not bike to the pub without both!
Of course, this is the bare minimum and not up to really maintaining your bike but it will get you home... The next step is some real tools and Park makes any number of tools kits from simple to shop kits that cost thousands. Being that we are on a boat, small is better and the simple BK-2 roll up kit is a good place to start. You'll wind up wanting a few more tools as you get into it but it is a great place to start and for a boat it makes sense to have a roll up kit rather than a box.
The other two tools that make all the difference between a pleasurable experience or a pain in the butt is a proper work stand... I like the wall or bench sort as they are more compact and I mount mine to the front of the mast using my spinnaker track (rock solid) so I can pop it on and work on the bike on deck and watch the world go by... Of course, some might prefer the floor type and they do fold.
...and a truing jig for maintaining your wheels.
Another great resource is the Park website which has all manner of "how to" stuff and they do consumer bike mechanic workshops as well...
Plans Change, Martinique version
4 days ago
