Wheel & Tyre Tools Guide
Essential to a smooth rolling bike is well-maintained wheels and tyres. Removing old and fitting new tyres is much easier with the correct tools. While wheel maintenance is a little more involved, it can be done at home with the correct tools. Keep your wheels and tyres running as they should with our wide range of tools.
Tyre Tools
Even the most basic toolbox or on-bike tool kit should include at least one tyre lever, though having a pair makes removal and fitting of a tyre much easier. Not all tyre levers are created equal and you might be surprised by the price of some pairs, though the investment will be worth it when compared to the annoyance and struggle of using cheap tools. The best tyre levers have become go-to workshop tools and can be part of your tool kit for use on any type of tyre for any bike. Please see our guide on how to fix a puncture for more detail on tyre lever use.
Tubeless tyres use sealant to seal any small punctures, but occasionally you will get a larger hole that the sealant cannot seal. Anyone who rides with a tubeless set-up should carry with them a tubeless repair kit just in case. Having a repair kit that is easily accessible means you can get to fixing the puncture before too much air is lost, making inflating that much quicker and easier. Most use some type of plug or dart that is pushed into the hole to seal, quickly removing the insert tool keeps the plug in place and you can keep rolling and continue your ride.
Wheel Tools
A spoke key is a simple tool that allows you to straighten your wheel if it becomes slightly bent. Part of any good tool box, the spoke key is effectively a very small spanner, the spokes of a wheel are attached to the rim using threaded nipples. In the construction of a wheel, the spokes are tensioned equally to the rim, creating a strong and "true" wheel with no side to side wobble or flat spots. Over time and impacts, some spokes can loosen, or the wheel develops a wobble, a spoke key is used to tighten or loosen the nipples to true the wheel. Most are not one size and have several different sizes to suit different size nipples.
