Tools for the home mechanic.

[Cyclingwilly]

With getting my new toy next Tuesday, I tried to take the pedals off my old bike to go on the new one, I opened the cyclists toolkit my kids got me a few Christmas's ago, one of the spanners bent and the other twisted like wet pasta, so I gave up and left it for another day. I didn't know where it came from so did a bit of research, I was horrified to find out it was one of Lidl/Aldi's finest, it now resides in the recycling bin.
I can't afford a Park tool kit or the like, but I would like some decent home/workshop tools to work on my new steed and the old bike (3 years old) with. I carry a set of the usual on each bike, folding Allen and Torx wrenches, tyre levers etc, , but I want a decent and useful kit or set of tools to keep in the shed for more substantial and robust repairs and maintenance. I have a good motorcycle/car toolkit, but it's not really useful for finer work and intricate stuff.
Would I be better off with a kit or separate tools? Also a torque wrench. Answers on a postcard please.

 

[Doomanic]

Separate tools. Just buy what you need, as (or preferably just before) you need it.

 

[Beekeeper]

separate and buy as you need them, spread the cost gradually, Rome wasn’t built in a day and buying tools can be a bottomless pit if you are not careful. It can get addictive.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Yep... the best tool you can afford - but one at a time as the need arises. Or everything you need in one go - but cheap quality. Up to you.

There are OK intermediate quality tools, but you won't know if it's good enough for the kind of work you do until you've bought them, so may or may not be a risk worth taking.

 

[Beekeeper]

Definitely a torque wrench or even two covering different ranges and they don’t come cheap.
I have one designed for bikes from Halfords which covers 4-24 nm which is ok for most things but I’ve just ordered another covering 10-60 nm and then there are then there are the various sockets and torx bits you need to get for them too.

 

[Supratad]

When it comes to things like low-torque wrenches, sockets, hex and Torq drivers etc, don't buy from a bike shop. They are often overpriced as "bike tools" when they are just tools. Online, Machine Mart etc, will get you tools at reasonable prices.

 

[Rosemount]

Chain link pliers .
Quality allen keys .
Spoke tool .
Chain whip and cassette tool .
Track pump .
Torx tools .
Torque wrench .
Chain breaker .
Crank puller .

Then watch loads of videos and spend the money you would have spent on maintenance and repairs by some kids at the LBS on whatever you fancy .