Can someone recommend a good resource for getting a neglected bike back into riding condition? What tools I need, what sort of parts I should check if they need replacement, so on?
Can someone recommend a good resource for getting a neglected bike back into riding condition? What tools I need, what sort of parts I should check if they need replacement, so on?
As a general resource, Park Tool has a great collection of service and repair guides. They list the tools you need for each type of repair.
Here's the basic maintenance checklist for an old neglected bike:
Inspect anything rubber, and replace as needed. Tires and brake pads harden over time.
Drip some thin lube (Tri-Flow or light oil) into the cable housings. Run the cables through the housings to spread the lube throughout.
Lubricate all the pivot points on the derailleur(s), as well as the axles of the rear derailleur pulleys.
Lubricate the pivot points on the brakes. Be careful not to get lube on the brake pads.
Lube the chain and check chain "stretch" using a chain gauge. Or just replace it and start fresh.
And if you really want to get into it, here are some more advanced maintenance items:
Repack the wheel hubs with fresh grease.
True the wheels.
To build a basic toolkit, start with this:
Tire levers
Phillips screwdriver, size 0 or 1.
A small flat-head screwdriver.
Metric hex/allen wrenches. 4mm and 5mm sizes are the most common. Get a set that goes from 1.5mm to 10mm. Having ball ends on the 4mm and 5mm wrenches can be a lifesaver.
Metric box-end wrenches. 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm, 17mm are all common sizes.
More advanced maintenance will require special tools specific to the parts installed on your bike. The designs of freehubs/cassettes/cranks/bottom brackets have all changed a lot over the last few decades.