Its new multi tool time

[Trigger]

Trigger
EEK!
What's the story behind the hand damaging multitool?

Not mine, fortunately, it was just a picture posted by a reviewer of said multi-tool.

[OnYourRight]

Trigger’s image is taken from this Amazon US review. Without knowing more, I wouldn’t worry about it. Any tool can be broken, and especially a small multi-tool. The reviewer’s “reasonable amount of stress” might be someone else’s absurdly excessive (or even impossible to apply) force. And as Brucey says, who knows if the bolt was tight? (Chances are good it wasn’t, frankly. A similar bolt on my Tacx multi-tool is constantly working loose.)

Still, I would prefer a metal housing on this type of tool.

The ALiEN tools look nifty. So does the Ratchet Rocket Lite (but do you see the stated “Chain Pin Breaker” there?). I’d like this to last for a couple of decades, so I’d be happy to pay a reasonable premium for quality.

[EagleDay]

I purchased one of the higher priced Topeaks about two years ago..........first time I used the tyre levers one snapped. Give me a small tool kit any day!

[Richard D]

Two SKS multitools here. A lightweight Bitworx, and a more complete toolset in the shape of a CT Worx. I recently tried the included tyre levers, and was pleasantly surprised to find that they worked well, with no risk of bending or shaping (though this was on 25mm Gatorskins; I'd be a bit more circumspect about using them on Marathon Plusses). Only downside with the CT Worx was the lack of a T25 bit - but you can get them from SKS's spares department, along with various other spare bits.

[Vetus Ossa]

I have a Crank Brothers multi tool too, and it’s excellent. I used it yesterday for a roadside repair, it’s a strong piece of kit and has tools for most jobs.
What it doesn’t have is sockets for nut tightening, should you have an older bike without allen key fittings, though some models may have.

[IanW]

I use a Victorinox Bitwrench - like a 6 or 7mm allen key with a 1/4" screwdriver bit holder on each end. Extra bits that don't go in the holder are in a film tub along with spare bolts etc.

+1 for the Victorinox Bitwrench

Victorinox also make another dedicated bike tool:
http://www.victorinox.com/ch/product/Swiss-Army-Knives/Category/Outdoor/Sport/Bike-Tool/4.1329
Although it does include 2 tyre-levers, it is typically absurdly expensively priced and holds fewer bits than the bitwrench holder and does not hold the bits at both ends of the "wrench" (6mm allen key?)

Topeak make something similar:
http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Tools/RatchetRocket
(And they do a "lite" version without the chain-tool, but in a tool pouch.)
But I was not convinced that I wanted the mechanical complexity / failure potential nor the extra weight of the ratchet mechanism for a road-side tool.

I think that the common theme emerging here is that we all need something slightly different, either because of how our bike is, or what kind of jobs we expect to have to do by the side of the road.

I keep thinking that a small (old fashioned style) tool roll isn't such a bad idea after all.

+1 for Brucey's comment.

It depends on exactly what jobs you want to, and can do, at the roadside and what tools (and spare parts) you need to do these jobs.

It also depends on whether this "toolkit" is for exactly (and only) the bicycle you are currently riding,
or whether it is the same kit to be used for multiple bicycles that you ride,
or whether it is to be useful for most bikes that you and other people ride.

So, in a tool-pouch, I always carry a puncture-repair and basic maintenance toolkit for the bcycle I am currently riding which consists of:
1 x spare inner tube
1 x [compact] pump
2 x tyre-levers
Victorinox bitwrench with the 10 x hex bits that are appropriate to my bike (2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm and 8mm hex, T25 and T15 torx and a PZ No. 1 cross-head)
a pair of dual-sized open-ended (a.k.a. "C") spanners, 8mm+10mm and 14mm+15mm
a puncture repair kit with 8 patches and enough fresh glue
and finally some wet-wipes to clean my hands afterwards.

These tools weigh little more than a multi-tool and do the job (in my opinion) much better than any multi-tool.

When riding with other people I will supplement this with a second larger tool-roll containing:
6-inch adjustable spanner, crank extractor tool, chain-tool, pliers, some zip ties, some plastic-coated gardening wire, miscellaneous nuts, bolts, some string and a torch.

My spouse on the otherhand carries spare inner-tube + pump + a Topeak Hexus II and a 6-inch adjustable spanner.
But to my certain knowledge, none of these have ever been used
because she prefers to use her "universal bicycle/car repair and/or recovery tool".

[cycloret]

Some multi tools come with tyre levers but I'm careful about the quality of the tyre levers since having to call home in the past when the Aldi or Lidl tyre levers I had were barely stronger than a blade of grass. I carry a Var tyre lever set more so if the tyres are over 23s otherwise the tyre levers are made of a hard plastic.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... b0s72p1263

Having a chain tool or multi tool with chain tool seems important. I've never had a chain break but I did help out a fellow cyclist some while ago with his broken chain who otherwise would have had a rather long walk back to Tadcaster. I carry quick links but as someone else mentioned you might well need a chain tool to prep the chain.

I've got several multi tools mostly bought after reading magazine reviews but often they seem to care less about the multi tools' weight when giving their star ratings. I spend £s on having a light bike only to put it back on with carrying a heavy multi tool?

I've no idea about the ideal tool I should carry, in part it depends on the length of the ride and how far I will be away from civilisation (spare spokes, cassette removal tool etc).

I had a NBT2 (next best thing) on my Lejog etc, bought just in case but so far haven't needed it.
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 2b0s72p595

Currently I've a new road bike which is all but ready for day trips except that I haven't yet sorted the tool bag and its contents, perhaps a Crank Tools 23 because that's one of the one I bought previously.

[IanW]

Victorinox Bitwrench

Minimal bike-specific puncture-repair toolkit (minus spare tube)

Spouse's minimal puncture-repair toolkit (minus pump, spare tube and mobile phone)

Extended tool-roll

[climbingsidrat]

Im reading this on my phone so apologise if its already been mentioned further up but has anyone tried the Nutter tool? Was thinking it would be ideal with my singlespeed.

[OnYourRight]

Victorinox Bitwrench

I’ve looked for this item a few times without success. I can find it on Amazon France for about €24 (though it seems to be sold as a spare part for something called a SwissTool), but despite that price it doesn’t seem to include all the bits you have. Did you have to buy them separately? Do you remember where you bought it?

[jayd]

The Victorinox Bitwrench is on offer on Blacks website - £10. Going by the positive reviews on this thread I've ordered one to collect from my local store.

http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/12763 ... stool.html

[IanW]

Did you have to buy [the hex bits] separately?

I supplemented the collection of bits and even eschewed one or two the original bits in favour bits that were specifically useful to me for my bike

The bits were abstracted from a number different hex bit sets like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/33pc-Security-Tamper-Proof-Torq-Torx-Hex-Bit-Set-Includes-2-1-2-Magnetic-Holder-/170896087074

In fact I have a second bitwrench with a different collection of hex-drive bits including a 1/2-inch nut driver to go with an old recumbent trike.

Do you remember where you bought it?

Yes, from an eBay seller "folkestonefixings", price was approx £15 for new with free dekivery but this is not as good a price as is currently available from Blacks, as noted above

At £10 from Blacks, if I did not have 2 of these already, I'd buy another one.

[Brucey]

a note of caution re tools that use hex drive bits;

- it is quite easy to lose the relevant bits

- vs a standard allen key if you damage your hex bit it is 'game over' ; with a standard key you have another end right there.

- the hex drive bits vary enormously in quality; I've had some which were brittle and some which were as soft as cheese, so buy a good brand if you can

- the sizing and corner radii (esp on small allen key sizes) are often suspect on inexpensive hex drive bits

- you can't reach into some narrow hollow recesses and tight corners using a hex bit (e.g. brake levers etc).

So whilst I use hex drive bits, I don't use them for every job and I don't usually carry them in my 'on the bike' toolkit. In point of fact if you are talking allen keys up to 6mm, I'm not sure there is much weight/space saving vs standard length keys. For many years I carried a small bundle of ordinary allen keys tied together with a few inner tube elastic bands, and I could usually use the one I wanted without even removing it from the bunch, just by folding the right key end outwards.

I can buy top quality allen keys in my local tool store for about 25p each in smaller sizes.

cheers

[mnichols]

Tried loads of combinations, and taking everything separate, now i just take the Park Tool MTB-3 Rescue tool, has everything I need including a chain tool, tyre levers, spoke tool and a pedal spanner which tends to be the things that are missing from others that I have tried. I a

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... b-3-18827/

Oh' and it has the right size spanner's to tighten my rack

[IanW]

a note of caution re tools that use hex drive bits;

- it is quite easy to lose the relevant bits.

Unfortunately the same is also true of most other bicycle-grade / bicycle-strength tools (i.e. small and light) including individual allen keys.
You just have to learn that if you want to have reliable good quality tools you have to be reliable yourself when looking after them.

- vs a standard allen key if you damage your hex bit it is 'game over' ; with a standard key you have another end right there.

True, but the end that you will damage will be the shorter-arm end, precisely because of the excessive torque you were trying to apply
which means that the other end will also not be able to apply sufficient torque because you now only have the damaged-end short arm with which to apply said torque
(and you will probably have rounded-out the hex socket head too) which again means "game over".

- the hex drive bits vary enormously in quality; I've had some which were brittle and some which were as soft as cheese, so buy a good brand if you can

- the sizing and corner radii (esp on small allen key sizes) are often suspect on inexpensive hex drive bits

I will "second" those observation about hex-bit quality "in spades".

But if you use a particular type of tool often, then you will eventually end up with a good instance of that tool.
(I bet you can guess how I know this.)

When that good instance eventually wears out, you will be sad, but at least know what to look for in (and pay for) as a replacement.

Unfortnately, nowadays you can no-longer throw good money at an unknown quality tool and reliably get a good one.

- you can't reach into some narrow hollow recesses and tight corners using a hex bit (e.g. brake levers etc).

That precisely sums up / reiterates both your comment "I think that the common theme emerging here is that we all need something slightly different, because of how our bike is."
and my comment "I carry a toolkit for the bicycle I am currently riding" and also "[the bitwrench is included in my] minimal bike-specific toolkit"

Every rider who wants to carry a toolkit that is more than just "a mobile phone to phone a friend",
must think about their own abilities and how much "junk" they want to carry when out for a ride,
(or who else they can prevailable upon to carry and/or use said "junk"

And I use the term "junk" because it can mean poor quality tools and/or heavy (but useful) tools and/or tools that you are never likely or able to actually use.

Only if it is a good quality tool that not too heavy to be prepared to carry and you know how to, and will, use it, does it become "not junk".

So the question here is really: "which multi-tool should I buy because I don't know what I, or my bike, needs and I do not want to do the necessary research to actually find out for myself. So can someone just tell me the name of a single product to purchase that reputedly works for someone else"

And the answer is: "Well, the following ... works well for my bike when used in my hands - your mileage may vary".