Many basic repairs on your bike can be performed with just a simple set of hex wrenches (I prefer the Park Tool P-Handle Hex Wrench Set). Advanced repairs usually call for a combination wrench or two, and unless you are working on a vintage American-made bike you are going to need a set of metric wrenches—and my favorite is the Park Tool Metric Wrench Set.
Park Tool Metric Wrench (10mm)
I own several sets of combination wrenches, but I have to tell you this is the most beautiful set of wrenches I have ever seen! They are forged from Chrome Vanadium Steel, then chrome plated and beautifully polished. The center of each wrench is coated with a thick layer of vinyl and provides a secure, yet comfortable, grip.
This set has twelve box/open-end combination wrenches. When Park Tool first introduced this set they only included 6mm to 15mm wrenches. However, the set that is now sold (item #MW-SET.2) also includes both 16mm and 17mm wrenches.
The Park Tool Metric Wrench Set On My Wall
The Park Tool Metric Wrench Set retails for $80, but if you would like to save a few dollars you can buy it online from Amazon.com. However, I prefer to support my local bike shop when I buy bike tools for my home workshop, and I hope you do too! Park Tool guarantees these tools for life (see their Website for complete details).
My Garage Looks Like A Park Tool Showroom
If you spend much time in home improvement stores you are probably wondering how the Park Tool wrenches compare to other brands. I think they stand up well against the competition. Sears sells a similar set of Craftsman wrenches for nearly half the price, but those wrenches lack both the vinyl center and the beautiful polished chrome finish. You might think less of me for what I am about to say, but I judge mechanics (at least in part) on the quality of tools they use—if they don’t take pride in their equipment they seldom take pride in their work. If you are going to buy a set of combination wrenches then I hope you get the Park Tool brand—it is just another case of getting what you pay for.
billgncs
August 3, 2012 at 8:05 AM
do you have a carbon frame? do what torque wrench do you use?
All Seasons Cyclist
August 3, 2012 at 9:50 AM
Only one of my bikes has a carbon frame (the Trek Madone). I use the Park Tool Torque Wrench (Item #TW-2) — you can see it (barely) in the photograph of my workbench.
Daniel Undem
August 3, 2012 at 9:08 AM
You have a beautiful workbench there. I wish that someday I have one as nice as you. Currently my workbench is full of stuff. You may have just given me the motivation to clean it up.
All Seasons Cyclist
August 3, 2012 at 9:54 AM
Daniel, I am one of those people who has to have a clean work area before I get started on any project — it might look like a tornado hit the garage while I am working, but I always clean everything up when I am finished. If the workbench is dirty I find it hard to get motivated to start any new project. Of course, I am also one of those people who has to make sure everything in my office is put away before I go home at night.
anniebikes
August 3, 2012 at 10:16 AM
I love your set up. So clean and neat. If you were my husband I wouldn’t have my own toolbox.
All Seasons Cyclist
August 3, 2012 at 10:25 AM
Before I got married I read a book which suggested that in order to keep peace in the home it would be a good idea to buy your wife her own set of tools so she would never have to borrow yours and you would not have to complain about what she did with them. All of my standard workshop tools (non-bike related) are Craftsman brand, so I got my wife a set of Stanley tools (easier to tell them apart).
Unfortunately, the book failed to mention that if you buy your wife a set of tools she might actually use them! I have often been accused of being a “perfectionist” (I take that as a compliment) and watching my wife use a nail the size of a railroad spike just to hang up a picture frame drives me crazy (but I am smart enough to keep my big mouth shut anyway).
Cary Gossett
August 3, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Great post! Park makes the best tools, they last, and I love mine. The only tool I like better is my Chris King Hub Tool. If you haven’t used or seen one, you can see it in photo action here: http://rollinwithouttacolon.com/2012/06/13/toolshed-1-king-to-bontrager/
RubberSideDown,
Cary
All Seasons Cyclist
August 3, 2012 at 1:01 PM
That Chris King Hub Tool is cool — thanks for sharing the link!
bikevcar
August 4, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Are you sponsored by Parktool? LOL
All Seasons Cyclist
August 4, 2012 at 9:36 PM
I own about 70% of the tools in the Park Tool catalog and paid for every one of them — I think it is more a case of ME sponsoring Park Tool (I am so grateful that my wife never looks at the American Express bill).
kimthedietitian
August 4, 2012 at 2:34 PM
Thanks for visiting my site! Your bio is impressive – glad to hear you have made such healthy changes. I give you lots of credit for cycling under so many conditions. I live in Milwaukee and know what you are up against!
All Seasons Cyclist
August 4, 2012 at 9:40 PM
I live directly south of you — right on the Illinois/Wisconsin state line (AKA, The Cheddar Curtain). With the right bike winter can be a blast — a bad day on the bike is still better than a good day in the office.
kimthedietitian
August 5, 2012 at 6:33 AM
Over the years, we have made many stops to the Mars Cheese Castle. I’m also old enough to remember my parents stopping over the border to bring back the coveted “oleo margarine”. Wow, how our view of health has changed since then!
All Seasons Cyclist
August 5, 2012 at 5:24 PM
kimthedietitian — your comment about oleo margarine was funny — when I was a child my mother switched from using butter to margarine because it was “healthier” — how far we have come since then!
Vito
August 5, 2012 at 9:35 PM
Darn nice set up there:)
All Seasons Cyclist
August 5, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Thank you very much! My garage would look a lot better if it had your new Surly Cross-Check in it!
Dmitry (@dimmodd)
August 6, 2012 at 2:30 PM
What you think about Birzman’s Wrench Sets?
http://goo.gl/XvTtI or http://goo.gl/xFDKp
All Seasons Cyclist
August 6, 2012 at 9:14 PM
Dmitry — I have to admit that I had never even heard of the Birzman brand until today, but I looked at their Website and their tools look very interesting. Unfortunately, their tools do not appear to be available on Amazon.com and I have never seen them in a local bike shop — so I really don’t have an opinion about them at this time.
veganbunnylove
August 24, 2012 at 2:09 AM
I love parktool!
Saint Stay At Home
August 26, 2012 at 9:59 PM
Your Park tool collection looks like art.
I’m forwarding your blog to my brother. He works for Endura! And started out as a bike mechanic.
All Seasons Cyclist
August 26, 2012 at 10:05 PM
SSAH – Thank you! I enjoy working on bikes, but enjoy riding them a lot more.