Getting started: tools? Tips please!

Hi there,

I'm just getting started on my fixed build... Its an old Dawes Celeste frame that i used to ride and which i'm about to get done over by Armourtec in an as yet undecided finish... maybe mustard yellow, maybe pea green, maybe metallic red, maybe creamy duck egg blue...
Just thought i'd ask for any tips you might be able to give me... I think I'm happy with most of the parts apart from the chain set, which i'm going to be taking off another bike of mine mainly to save money(but it's not particularly elegant, I had been hoping to use the old chainset from the original bike because it was really pretty, but have been told that that's impossible(wrong cranks?)).
I'm getting the back wheel made for me by hand for £90... does this sound like a deal? or is that mad? I don't know.
I'm only just learning, and I'm not building it myself, but I'd like to be able to take it apart and change it myself once it's done. So this is a general call into the darkness for tips etc. what tools should I own?

oh, the picture doesn't seem to come up:

dawes star celeste frame n forks

I'd leave it like that it looks dope!

really?? I thought I'd show it some love for once...

straight up I'd leave it as it is... looks gnarly

Van Damage .. maybe creamy duck egg blue...

what kind of duck eggs do eat that are blue?

Anyway tools

Wiggle do a good tool kit for about 30 squid. Got most of what you need apart from a lock ring tool I think.

CHUG_IT straight up I'd leave it as it is... looks gnarly

I agree. Save the cost for your next frame....

OCD

yeah, like the one on the right: love it. though those are chicken eggs...

Ok, so is this frame not worth it? I suppose i think it's great coz when i rode it it was such a fine companion of mine... and one time when i asked whether i could prop it up in a bike shop I got the reply "well, it's a dawes celeste, you can put that anywhere you like"

I'd definitely spend my money on getting a handful of good quality tools rather than a set that's got everything in a crap version. Most important things would be allen keys, bottom bracket tool, crank remover, chain breaker, headset spanners and a set of ring/open ended spanners. And pliers help too. That basically covers most stuff but avoids you being able to do any messing about with wheels/bearings. Other stuff like pressing in headsets and crown races can be done at the shop cos its a piece of piss with the right gear (and with DIY gear too if you're a bit handy), but unless you've got a load to do doesn't really warrant buying the tools.
Also £90 for the back wheel is fine if they're supplying the bits, ridiculous if you are...

Saying all that that tool kit from Wiggle that The Brick mentioned might well be a.o.k. to start with (i've never used one so don't know).... so completely contradicting that lot i just wrote...

I actually really like that bike all knackered looking - looks sweet

Leave it!

Richard Cheese Saying all that that tool kit from Wiggle that The Brick mentioned might well be a.o.k. to start with (i've never used one so don't know).... so completely contradicting that lot i just wrote...

Ha ha.

Yep depends on buget. ALways worth having good tools as they will last a life time but if money is short wiggle will get you started.

make sure it's structurally sound, and hasn't rusted right through, but yeah i'd leave it. Looks rad and pretty un-nickable!

I've already got a crank brothers multi tool with a spoke key and chain breaker etc:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360013736&N=Crank%20Brothers%2017%20Function%20Multitool
and a large adjustable wrench, plus various bits n bobs.
so maybe i should just get bottom bracket tool, crank remover and headset spanners...
are these all standard sizes or do i need to tailor them to the type of stuff my bike has on it?? seen as it's being built out of all sorts of bits and bobs does that leave me in the dark?
anyway, that sounds like christmas list material. great.
£90 is for the whole lot. Thanks for that cheese maestro.

asm make sure it's structurally sound, and hasn't rusted right through, but yeah i'd leave it. Looks rad and pretty un-nickable!
I've got it under good authority that it is fine... what about any tips on reducing the future damage of rust, or preventing more... without getting it re sprayed?

More pictures: close up:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_pq7h377aGdg/R2aIp3lbVjI/AAAAAAAAAN0/yMd2XD3m5vc/s1600-h/IMG_2473.JPG

http://bp1.blogger.com/_pq7h377aGdg/R2aIonlbViI/AAAAAAAAANs/6KFTXrkSKlU/s1600-h/IMG_2475.JPG

and I just took the badge off to prepare it for the spraying as well!

http://bp0.blogger.com/_pq7h377aGdg/R2aIqXlbVkI/AAAAAAAAAN8/CdDZfM_7Y0o/s1600-h/IMG_2472.JPG

just clean it up the best you can, washing etc....then rattle can some laquer on it, should keep it safe for a few years

A product like rust killer just does what it says on the tin. Dab away with a brush, the rust goes. I've done this to the tubes on my mercian project. Worked well enough.

i can bear cheap parts but never cheap tools. don't get crap they'll just ruin all your parts!

i was in a bind and needed a hammer, so got one from a £2 shop. after 1 day one of the claws broke off, then it snapped in half.

dogsballs i was in a bind and needed a hammer, so got one from a £2 shop. after 1 day one of the claws broke off, then it snapped in half.

If you still need a hammer, DB, try this:

he's tried it already, that's why dogs chucked out hammer and replaced it with elmo and now a christmas tree.

actually sthg more on topic. it might be easier to ask on this very forum to borrow stuff like lockring, crank and bb tools etc as you probably wont need to use them often. unless you start getting into building bikes (and eventually building a lot) it's not necessary.

i'd say any person would be fine everyday with a multi-tool set with diff. sizes allen keys, set of tyre levers, spanner for track nuts...

Was thinking about starting a thread for a "Tool library" ; list what you got and where you are. Sticky maybe?

I've got things like a cable cutter and Campy BB tool that will get an airing once a year if they are lucky. Between all of us you could probably fit any part to any frame ever made in any postcode...