Looking for a good bike tool

[derekmac]

I picked up a new to me KHS Alite 1000 and I want to get one of those small bike tool kits, but I'm not sure which ones are good and which are not. 

I'm not looking for something crazy expensive, but I want something that won't strip or break first time I use it.

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[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I've been a cyclist for nearly 3 years, and put myself through college working as a bike mechanic.  I honestly don't think there's a single, really good and capable bike tool on the market.  Topeak makes some that come close, but the problem is, what do you do when you need to use two of the tools at the same time?

I carry a dedicated toolkit in a seat bag that goes in my lower water bottle cage.  I carry 8, 9, and 10 mm Snap-On stubby combo wrenches, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mm Bondhus hex wrenches, a set of tire levers, a small chain tool, a spoke wrench, a patch kit, and a spare tube.  I also throw my Leatherman Crunch in for longer rides.  I wrap it all up in a shop towel, bundle it up with velcro pump straps, and seal it up in a zip-lock freezer bag to keep moisture out.  I also carry a small frame pump that converts to a floor style pump which allows me to actually get my tires up to 80+ psi when needed.

For the short term, an all in one kit will probably meet your basic needs, but if you're planning on doing any long distance riding, commuting, or especially touring, you're far better off making the investment in dedicated tools.

[derekmac]

Thanks for the great advice!  I guess I was thinking more about the convenience than practicality.  I'll grab one of the saddle or frame bags and put a kit together.

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[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Thanks for the great advice!  I guess I was thinking more about the convenience than practicality.  I'll grab one of the saddle or frame bags and put a kit together.

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Just off the top of my head, I'd say most of the Topeak tools would be a good bet for a convenience tool.  As time goes on, and you figure out what your needs are in a bike tool kit, you can tailor your kit appropriately.  I did a lot mt. biking and off road racing when I was in my early 20's, and the kit I have now is a product of regularly riding over Mt. Tam to Stinson Beach and back.  I did a lot of riding in the water district lake lands behind Tam, and in Pt. Reyes as well back then, and was often a long way from civilization, so I had to be able to fix most anything on my own.  I could probably get along with just a patch kit and some tire levers now days, but I know my Karma... the minute I stop carrying wrenches, something will happen to me that I'll need one of them...   

You might also want to look at a Wenger S557; they've gotten a lot of love here lately, and I think one would be a good choice for biking.  Pair one up with one of the Topeak tools, and you'll be covered for most things that might happen.

Correction to typo in my first post above... I tried to say "30" years... the 0 key on my keyboard is acting up.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

Thanks for the great advice!  I guess I was thinking more about the convenience than practicality.  I'll grab one of the saddle or frame bags and put a kit together.

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I have a few different ones if you want to check them out some time.

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

The Topeak range are great, but look around the range as they can end up being very bulky

I use a Pocket tools Mako on my Brompton when out and about

[derekmac]

I have a few different ones if you want to check them out some time.

Def

Thanks for the offer, might have to take you up on that.

I'd like to get into MEC to have a look at the different things they have there, both MT/knife and bike wise.

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[Zed]

Im with a lot of the guys on here as also cycled most of my life as one i dont drive and i raced bikes over 20 years in one form or another , ive found most cycling tools to be ok but have mainly always carried seperate elen keys etc, i still carry a spoke gey and chain breaker but have made up my own MT ,it includes all and a few more Allen keys i might need plus phillips and a flat head just in case    also a socket driver  i used a old topeak tool and a tool i paid £4 for, its worked out perfect but its for emergencies really as if you look after your bike it will look after you 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Good luck cycling all year round in Nova Scotia!



Def

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Derek, how'd your search end up?  What'd you get for your bike tools?  Let us know! 

[derekmac]

I actually haven't picked a dedicated tool up yet as I have just been taking a few loose tools with me.  I still do plan on getting one though, but still undecided on what one.  I haven't made it into MEC to handle a few different ones yet, but once I do I'll have a better idea of what I want/need.

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[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Derek,

I was taking care of some stuff on my bike, so I took a pic of my toolkit for you.



It contains a spare tube and patch kit, three tire levers, stubby 8, 9, and 10 mm combo wrenches, a chain tool, a spoke wrench, 2 - 6 mm hex wrenches, and my Leatherman Crunch.

Also in the shot are my pump, Quark AA with a Twofish bike block that serves as my headlight, and my tail light.  I keep the Crunch and wrenches wrapped in the bandana and sealed in the ziplock.  It all goes into the Jandd seat bag, which then gets strapped into a waterbottle cage. 

I am considering revising my carry method though; I'm considering trying my MaxPed Micro EDC Organizer for it.  I'll play around with it, and see what I think.

It's a bit of a brick, but it lets me fix most anything that might go wrong.  If I can't fix it with the tools in this kit, I'd need to be in my shop anyway.

Hope this helps.

[derekmac]

Thanks Heinz, you've mentioned a few things I didn't think of carrying, but would be good to have. 

I need to get a better pouch to carry my stuff in as mine is getting pretty ratty.

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[Zed]

Derek,

I was taking care of some stuff on my bike, so I took a pic of my toolkit for you.

(Image removed from quote.)

It contains a spare tube and patch kit, three tire levers, stubby 8, 9, and 10 mm combo wrenches, a chain tool, a spoke wrench, 2 - 6 mm hex wrenches, and my Leatherman Crunch.

Also in the shot are my pump, Quark AA with a Twofish bike block that serves as my headlight, and my tail light.  I keep the Crunch and wrenches wrapped in the bandana and sealed in the ziplock.  It all goes into the Jandd seat bag, which then gets strapped into a waterbottle cage. 

I am considering revising my carry method though; I'm considering trying my MaxPed Micro EDC Organizer for it.  I'll play around with it, and see what I think.

It's a bit of a brick, but it lets me fix most anything that might go wrong.  If I can't fix it with the tools in this kit, I'd need to be in my shop anyway.Hope this helps.

Thats pretty much the same as i carry although i dont have a crunch used to be my wave but now my ppp, i carry mine in my hydration pack unless on my road bike and then under my saddle in my pouch, I didnt know you had a bike shop Heinz, cool, i helped out in my coache's bike shop back in the late 80's and early 90's he gave me good deals on the bikes i raced on, plus came in handy when i got knocked off once and he re-built my bike with campag parts replacing the bent up shimano stuff, the guy who knocked me off insurance paid     

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Thats pretty much the same as i carry although i dont have a crunch used to be my wave but now my ppp, i carry mine in my hydration pack unless on my road bike and then under my saddle in my pouch, I didnt know you had a bike shop Heinz, cool, i helped out in my coache's bike shop back in the late 80's and early 90's he gave me good deals on the bikes i raced on, plus came in handy when i got knocked off once and he re-built my bike with campag parts replacing the bent up shimano stuff, the guy who knocked me off insurance paid     

My bike was my only source of transportation, other than feet and public transit, from the time I was 19 to 31.  During that time I worked as a mechanic in a bike shop in San Rafael, CA, and was an aspiring mt. bike racer.  That dream ended when I was hit by a car one night when I was 24 and dislocated my left hip and had to have some arthroscopic surgery to repair some ligament damage.   

During that time, I assembled a pretty complete selection of tools and a Park professional bike stand.  I can do anything a bike shop can do, even straighten frames and forks as I have a set of Campagnolo frame alignment tools as well.  I don't have any tools for shocks though, so suspension systems are the one thing I can't work on myself.  I'm also an accomplished wheel builder; I've hand built over 100 wheels, and even did some custom building work for a few pro mt. bike racers back in those days.  I have a wheel on my old mt. bike that I painstakingly built over 20 years ago that I haven't had to true in several years of regular riding.  I'd estimate that wheel has over 10,000 miles on it...

If any of you guys need any bike advice, I'm happy to help, although I'm not quite up to date on all the latest technology. 

[Zed]

Thats pretty much the same as i carry although i dont have a crunch used to be my wave but now my ppp, i carry mine in my hydration pack unless on my road bike and then under my saddle in my pouch, I didnt know you had a bike shop Heinz, cool, i helped out in my coache's bike shop back in the late 80's and early 90's he gave me good deals on the bikes i raced on, plus came in handy when i got knocked off once and he re-built my bike with campag parts replacing the bent up shimano stuff, the guy who knocked me off insurance paid     

My bike was my only source of transportation, other than feet and public transit, from the time I was 19 to 31.  During that time I worked as a mechanic in a bike shop in San Rafael, CA, and was an aspiring mt. bike racer.  That dream ended when I was hit by a car one night when I was 24 and dislocated my left hip and had to have some arthroscopic surgery to repair some ligament damage.   

During that time, I assembled a pretty complete selection of tools and a Park professional bike stand.  I can do anything a bike shop can do, even straighten frames and forks as I have a set of Campagnolo frame alignment tools as well.  I don't have any tools for shocks though, so suspension systems are the one thing I can't work on myself.  I'm also an accomplished wheel builder; I've hand built over 100 wheels, and even did some custom building work for a few pro mt. bike racers back in those days.  I have a wheel on my old mt. bike that I painstakingly built over 20 years ago that I haven't had to true in several years of regular riding.  I'd estimate that wheel has over 10,000 miles on it...

If any of you guys need any bike advice, I'm happy to help, although I'm not quite up to date on all the latest technology.

cool  ive ridden since i was 6 and never stopped as dont drive, there is a reason i dont drive but a long story, i started racing bmx in 1979 and retired from that in 2008 as broken too many bones  i raced road bikes and track in the 90's as well as cyclocross and MTB im pretty much the same repair wise as dont mind fixing most things and have done suspension but not my strong point, i can do hydrolic brakes as fixed my motor bikes many times so not much different, i have to admit to prefere riding them more than fixing them these days due to time, my wife still jokes about the amount of bikes i had when she met me and i lived with my brother in law in a flat, there was 10 altogether  to think i only have 3 these days and one of them is in bits  sighn of the times i guess, i enjoy building wheels as well but not done any in years, ive got a few in my shed i did many years back for one of my mountain bikes, i stupidly sold my old kona kilauea 3 years ago and that had a nice set i did with Ti hope hubs    all this bike talk i really must get out for a ride 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Jeez Heinz, do you have a Sherpa following you carrying all of that for you? 

Def

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Jeez Heinz, do you have a Sherpa following you carrying all of that for you? 

Def

My bike IS my Sherpa!!!

The pump straps into a bracket that takes up one water bottle mount (my bike has 3), the Quark goes on my handlebars, and the red oval thing that is my tail light clips into a bracket clamped on my seatpost under my seat.  The rest of it all fits into the pouch and gets strapped into one of my waterbottle cages.  My third waterbottle mount has a very old uber-bottle cage, called a Bomber... it was made by Blackburn many years ago, and it lets me carry most 1.5 liter disposable water bottles in it, so I still have about two standard bike bottles worth of water carrying ability.

I also have a rear rack on my bike, and a pair of the best panniers in the world; Ortlieb Classic Back Rollers.  I've had them a good 10 years of regular riding and commuting, and they're still going strong. 

My bike also has mounts for a front rack, though I've never put one on my current bike, but I have used front racks in the past.  When I was working as a bike mechanic, I had a bike I called my "mule"... it had front and back racks, and a set of saddle bags for each rack, and a bag for the top of my rear rack.  One day I went grocery shopping and bought an entire cart's full of groceries... the people in the store couldn't believe I was going to carry it all home on my bike.  Among other things I had two gallons of milk, and a 12 pack of beer...

They were totally blown away when I pulled my XL Timbuk2 messenger bag out of one of my saddlebags, and proceeded to load up every last bit of groceries I had bought into all of my bags.  One of the bagging clerks simply couldn't believe I'd done it.  The store manager actually offered me a job working as a bagger... LOL!!!   All together I'd guesstimate it was probably about 100 lbs of cargo all together, and I hopped on and pedaled it all home. 

Oh, I almost forgot... I have one of these for my 4 y.o. daughter... (although the one I have is older and doesn't look exactly like that one).

http://www.burley.com/home/bur/page_302/solo.html

It has a cargo space in the back, and between my rear panniers, a messenger bag, and the cargo space in the trailer, I can fit almost an entire cart's worth of groceries in it, along with my daughter!    (Let's say just that on those occasions I exceed the normal operating parameters of the trailer...  )  As a quick guesstimate, I'd say it's probably 80 lbs of groceries, 40 lbs. of child, and 16 lbs. of trailer that I'm hauling at such a time.  I do have to go slow, yeah, but I already refitted my bike with gearing that lets me haul that much without a real problem.  I also upgraded my disc brakes and I can easily slow it all down, very quickly too if need be.

Just call me Sherpa!!! 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I was in my locally owned hardware store today to pick up some batteries and light bulbs, and decided to browse through the tool corral...  I found one of these little puppies, and bought it for my bike kit. 

http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Black-Phospate-Wrench-4/dp/B00002N7RA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343108204&sr=8-2&keywords=Crescent+AT14V

I took out my 3 Snap-On stubby combo wrenches and replaced them with the adjustable.  I may regret it later, but the adjustable has the same 10 mm capacity that my combo wrenches have, and is about half the weight.  I also saved some space in my pouch too. 

Now I'm thinking I should get an all in one hex wrench tool as well, to replace the motley collection of loose hex keys I'm carrying now.