Tools for bike wheels and tires

Tire levers and valve tool: fixing a flat tyre

The plastic tire lever slides under the bead of the tyre without marking the rim, whether it’s aluminium or carbon; usually, two or even three are used for tight tyres. Its curved end fits under the bead while the second lever makes its way around the rim. The valve tool unscrews the valve cores from removable Presta valves: it’s used to inject sealant, replace a leaking core, or quickly deflate a tubeless tyre. A puncture repair kit with a rasp and glue rounds out the toolkit for repairing the inner tube without having to replace it.

Other tools

Tools are also available in the following categories:

• Chain and cassette tools.
• Brake tools.
• Crank tools.
• Suspension tools.

All tools can be found on the tools page.

Tension key and stand: truing a wheel yourself

A wheel that is out of true can be straightened by adjusting the tension nuts located at the edge of the rim, using a tension key that fits these nuts precisely: a key that is too large will round them off. Adjustments should be made quarter turns at a time, tightening on one side and loosening on the opposite side where the wobble occurs, to centre the rim. The truing stand, with its adjustable probes, shows the lateral wobble and the vertical hop much more clearly than brake pads. Finally, a centring gauge ensures that the rim stays aligned with the hub axis.

Tubeless: the equipment for mounting and repairing

Mounting tubeless requires a sticky, airtight rim tape, dedicated valves, and sealant, which seals small punctures while riding. The tyre bead must pop into the rim under a sudden rush of air: a reservoir pump, loaded at the pump and then released in one go, succeeds where a standard pump fails. For larger holes, repair plugs are inserted using a split-point awl. The sealant needs to be renewed every two to six months, as it gradually dries out in the tyre.

Deals

Great deals can also be found in the deals, promotions, clearance sales, sales, and Black Friday. The new arrivals showcase the latest collections, and items shipped within 24 hours are prepared and dispatched in 24 hours. The key events of the year follow a steady rhythm: the Black Friday at the end of autumn, the holiday season, the winter sales, the French Days in spring, then the summer sales and back-to-school season.

Frequently asked questions

What tools should I take to fix a flat tyre on a ride?

Two tire levers, a spare inner tube or a puncture repair kit, a mini pump or a gas cartridge, and if tubeless, a plug kit. This kit fits into a small saddle bag.

How do I choose the right size of tension key?

Size depends on the wheel nuts, which vary by manufacturer. A key with multiple fittings will do in a pinch, but a key that fits exactly, with four points of contact, tightens without rounding off the nuts, especially if they are aluminium.

How can you tell if a wheel is out of true?

Spin the wheel slowly while observing the gap between the rim and a fixed point, brake pad or clamp on the frame. If the gap varies from one side to the other, the wheel is out of true; if the rim goes up and down, it has a hop.

How do you remove a very tight tyre without pinching the inner tube?

Push the beads into the central hollow of the rim all around the wheel to gain some slack, then lever near the valve last. When reassembling, finish by hand or with a suitable lever, without slipping the tool under the inner tube.

Is a pressure gauge necessary for properly inflating tyres?

Yes, thumb pressure can be misleading, especially on wide tyres inflated at low pressure. A digital or needle pressure gauge allows you to maintain the same pressure for each ride, within a tenth of a bar for precise models.