Its new multi tool time

[in4time]

Wood for the trees moment for me! What is the default multi tool these days; Crank, Park, Lezyne none of these?
Thanks

[freeflow]

I have a mini 18. I think its made by Topeak. All the bits I've used have worked well but I haven't yet used all of the bits. One thing it doesn't have is a mini spanner for mudguard nuts. This might be a consideration if you have mudguards on your bike. If you do go for a mini 18 make sure you undo the screw for the chain tool a couple of times as it can be a bit tight when first used.

Alternatively, write down what tools you might need when out and about, decide which, if any, need to be 'full size', look for a multi tool that does the rest. If like me, you're prone to leaving thimngs on the verge after repairs, then perhaps cheap is good as you're only going to use it once

[Mick F]

I became tired of trying to find the multitool exactly right for me.
I didn't want a bit on it that I had no use for, wanting no more than was necessary and only wanted what I needed.

In the end, I bought a few cheap multitools and pulled them apart and rebuilt only one with the bits I wanted. I now have a collection of bits in a tray in the shed.

[reohn2]

Crank Bros 17,I paid £14each for the two I have(one for each bag) and are great,with everything you'll need on the roadside:- http://www.crankbrothers.com/tools_multi17.php
But for a minimal multitool Wilco's:- http://www.wilko.com/bike-accessories/w ... vt/0286539 have a great seven piece tool for £3 ,which is really good quality surprisingly.
I keep one in a small seatpack with two tubes two tyre levers and P/outfit for 'minimal' days.

[Vorpal]

I have two (and a small Leatherman, but I assume you mean bike tool ones).

One, I bought myself was a BBB like this one http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/bbb-prim ... 67206.html

The other is a Park Tool like http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/no/e ... p-prod5096

I have used and carried both. I like both, but each has it advantages and disadvantages.

Park
advantages:
has more stuff
has spanners, including two of a couple of spanner sizes, so you can use one to hold & the other to tighten
disadvantages:
the hex keys are on the long side, and I can't get them under the stokers saddle on the tandem (I have to carry a separate hex key for the stokers saddle adjustment on the tandem)
the tyre levers are rubbish, so I carry separate tyre levers
the tool is largish, especially given that I also have to carry other stuff, that it theoretically does
3 separate pieces are a bit fiddly

BBB
advantages:
compact and easy to carry
the hex keys are shorter & I can get them into everything I usually need to
it is a good arrangement of hex keys, spoke key, etc.
disadvantages:
no spanners (I usually carry a separate, small adjustable spanner)
the separate hex key cap thingy is easy to lose

I carried both for a while, but I found myself mostly using the BBB one, so now, the Park one stays at home, and the BBB multitool goes in my bag, along with tyre levers, a small adjustable spanner, and a small Letherman multitool with knife and pliers.

[Sweep]

Crank Bros 17,I paid £14each for the two I have(one for each bag) and are great,with everything you'll need on the roadside:- http://www.crankbrothers.com/tools_multi17.php
.

Does the chain tool on that have a cradle for loosening tight links? The Topeak Alien II has an excellent chain tool (better than a "workshop" one I have) and it does have the loosening cradle. A cheaper tool from Edinburgh Bike Co-op I have is generally OK but doesn't have the loosening cradle - I had to resort to a bit of intensive chain flexing after using it recently.

[mjr]

I dislike the flickknife-type multitools: I stab myself with them far too often. I've switched to a Ritchey CPR-9, but I carry a small adjustable spanner, chain tool and tyre levers too. However, one of the bikes has an allen-head bolt which is obstructed and needs a longer key than the 2mm on the CPR-9... but I suspect that's rare.

[Sweep]

[quote="mjr" However, one of the bikes has an allen-head bolt which is obstructed and needs a longer key than the 2mm on the CPR-9... but I suspect that's rare.[/quote]

yep, bottle cage mounts (you do sometimes have to fiddle with them) are often hard to reach with a multi-tool allen key. Ditto the adjusters on my Magura hydraulic brakes. So I carry about 2 extra allen keys - excess weight of course because the stubby versions of these are also on the Topeak Alien but there you go - I'm not a weight weeny. The Alien is not the smallest multi-tool by a long shot but I'd recommend it - very well made.

[reohn2]

.....Does the chain tool on that have a cradle for loosening tight links?..........

Yep,and 0,1,2,3 spoke keys too,both chain tool and spoke keys work very well indeed .

[Brucey]

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.

Multi-tools of any kinds are compromised to some extent vs workshop tools but some are pretty good these days. I usually end up carrying a few loose tools as well as a multi-tool. The problem with this is that the loose tools are easy to lose by the roadside, and easy to misplace if you use them at home. I keep thinking that a small (old fashioned style) tool roll isn't such a bad idea after all.

cheers

[MGate]

Crank Bros has a chain tool and spanner that fits mudguards. Well made too.

[Vantage]

+1 for the crank bros 17.
Mines 2 years old and despite how often I use it (I can't be bothered going through the toolbox these days) every single tool on it still looks factory new.
The 10mm mudguard spanner on mine is a particularly loose fit but that may be a one off or I have funny sized nuts (ahem!)
I personally find the chain tool hard to use due to lack of leverage but that's probably coz I'm a wuss.
I heard a story about a guy who used a steel tube as leverage while using the 8mm Allen key to undo a stubborn crank bolt. The Allen key snapped under the pressure and despite the guy telling crank bros exactly what happened, they replaced the entire tool under warranty. That's pretty good IMO as any other company would probably claim the tool was misused.

[Trigger]

I don't use a cycling specific one, I carry a Leatherman Juice S2 and a generic small folding Allen key block with the six most used sizes. I prefer this because the Leatherman is more useful than a bike specific tool when I'm not on the bike

[Sweep]

I personally find the chain tool hard to use due to lack of leverage but that's probably coz I'm a wuss.
.

I was tempted to get one as a spare/other location after reohn's positive comments but that sounds like a serious issue. I read some reviews online where amongst many positive review a few other folks reported a similar problem so I won't write you off as a wuss. I have a workshop chain splitter at the bottom of the toolbox which even though it appears to have good leverage doesn't in practice. It's basically unusable. With the Topeak you slot one half of the tool into the other half with the chain tool. The leverage is excellent. Effortless.

[freiston]

I'm not a fan of the big fancy multi-tools - they look very unwieldy in the pictures - but prefer to carry a small 'tool kit' and I always carry my Leatherman Juice Pro too. I also tend to be one of those who carries more than I ever need/use.

As part of that kit, I do carry an old but cheap Halfords-branded tool which incorporates folding allen keys, cross-head and flat screw-driver, and has a couple of spanner tools. They don't do it any more but I found something almost identical - the IceToolz Release 20 (see here for details).

I also carry a 6" adjustable spanner, chain-link tool (plus bit of bent coat-hanger wire as a chain third-hand tool), a couple of cone spanners, puncture repair kit and tyre levers (also a spare tube), plus a few spare screws/bolts, washers, nuts, cable ties and some duct tape wrapped around a plastic card (credit-card style). I keep meaning to get a small syringe filled with grease too!

Edit - Added bit: Sheldon Brown has something to say about on-road repairs and the tools to carry