I just got a bike (for free/permanent loan) a few months ago and it has served me quite well. I topped off my tires with air the day before yesterday, then yesterday I heard a POP! and hiss as the air left my back tire. I don't think I over-inflated it. I also don't think any maintenance has been done on it probably ever.
I need to replace the tube but I'm not very handy. I don't want to pay $35 for a new tube (which is insane!), I'd rather buy the tools and learn to do it myself.
So I need recommendations on a buy-it-for-life bike repair kit that won't break the bank, and brand recommendations for tubes As I'm clueless. It's a women's mountain bike if that makes any difference.
Tire levers and bike pump are really all you need to change a tire. If you're a beast with strong thumbs, you don't even need the levers.
For other general bike stuff, a small set of allen wrenches is also useful. Make sure there's a 4,5,and 6mm wrench in the set. The allen wrenches will help you snug up handlebars, seats, seatposts, etc. An 8mm comes in handy sometimes, since Shimano has started using a concave 8mm on their pedals. If you've got carbon fiber on your bike, I'd consider picking up a small torque wrench, but otherwise I wouldn't bother. As for other tools, I'd just pick them up as they're needed, since they start to get really specialized.
Take a look at parktool.com, they have the best tutorials on how to do bike repair on the internet. Here's the link for your tire:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/tire-and-tube-removal-and-installation#article-section-1As for inner tube brand recommendations, they're all the same. Most of them are made in the same factory in China by the parent company of Kenda. Michelin and Conti tubes are the exception, but they're no better or worse to use, and they cost more.