On-bike toolkit: multitools and multifools.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Yesterday's bag loop incident - one of the little screws that holds the bag loops on worked loose, leaving my saddlebag hanging from one side only - has made me think about what tools I do or should carry. In addition to tube, patches, levers and minipump, I tend to have tools for whatever I've recently adjusted or fettled; so yesterday I adjusted the saddle angle, which needs a 6mm allen key, today I took the 6mm allen key with me - and re-adjusted the saddle (much comfier now!). AFAIK there isn't a single other bolt on the bike that takes a 6mm allen key, so now I've got that sorted there really isn't any point taking that tool on the bike.

Which brings me to multitools; I've never liked them because I've seen them as meaning you have to carry lots of tools you'll never use in order to have a few you will, and they usually do that worse than using individual tools. But OTOH they're also a great way of ensuring you have that tool you'll only need once a year, on the occasion it saves the day. Like the little screwdriver that tightens those bag-loop screws - except by the time I'd noticed, it was already too late. Clearly, best to check at home.

To cut a ramble short, I'm wondering what people carry in the way of tools on a ride of say 60 miles, in order that I may glean useful ideas to include, or maybe cut out. Some kind of waterless hand cleaner would seem a good idea from experience. Don't know about a spoke key... Obviously there's a range of opinions from "kitchen sink" to "a tube is excess weight". So, over to you...

[plum]

Some kind of waterless hand cleaner would seem a good idea

Baby wipes will shift absolutely anything and a couple of those in a little zip seal bag will last months.

[hellymedic]

I kept a ToPeak multi with one bike.
Usually the 'kitchen sink' pencil case accompanied every trip.
It had:
Chain tool
Leatherman
5" Vise Grips
Spokey
4, 5 & 6mm allen keys
8 10 mm spanners (and often a 6/7mm double-ended one too)

Tools are like rainwear; you hope you never need them but they make life more comfortable if the worst happens. There's also the belief you may help someone else.

[Kim]

A decent multi-tool covers an awful lot of things.  I have a nice Crank Brothers one with all the usual Allen bits, screwdrivers, T25 bit for disc brake rotor bolts, spoke keys and chain tool.

Other tools I'll carry in addition to the puncture kit on overnight or group rides where I'm more concerned about reliability than weight include my trusty Swiss Army Knife^[1], a small adjustable spanner, cassette^[2] lockring tool and sometimes a pair of pliers.  So far these have mostly been of use on other people's bikes (the spanner is surprisingly useful).  The Lightweight Racing Multimeter has been discussed in threads passim.  Gaffer tape and the now legendary cable ties, also.  Oh, and there's a jeweller's screwdriver that lives in my glasses case which was just the thing for field-stripping someone's shifter on the Dun Run last year when the cable snapped and left the end thingy inside it.

VAR tyre levers and at least one toe-strap or releasable cable tie if there's Marathon Plusses involved.

Spare batteries deserve honourable mention, especially on night rides.  CR2032s work in blood glucose meters as well as cycle computers.  DAHIKT.

On a group ride, there's a lot to be said for strategically carrying relatively exotic tools.  Everyone will have the common ones.



_{[1] If it's good enough for MacGyver, then it's good enough for me.
[2] Also needed to remove Centerlock disc brake rotors.  A NBT2 wouldn't work for this.}

[Kim]

Some kind of waterless hand cleaner would seem a good idea

Baby wipes will shift absolutely anything and a couple of those in a little zip seal bag will last months.

The magic words are "removes eye make-up".  Any wipe bearing this inscription will make short work of even the nastiest brake/chain grime.  What this says about the composition of eye make-up left as an exercise for the reader.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Haven't bought baby wipes since Little Cudzo got potty trained. Sounds like I may might, not may! be raiding Mrs Cudzo's cosmetics. 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Hang on, she doesn't wear eye make up. I think.

[hellymedic]

Halfords sold hand cleaning wipes in handy sachets. Don't know if they're still about.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I noticed some Swarfega hand wipes the other day, but I have a feeling standard baby wipes would work out cheaper and probably just as good.

[plum]

I noticed some Swarfega hand wipes the other day, but I have a feeling standard baby wipes would work out cheaper and probably just as good.

Better. Or at least more versatile; you can't really wipe down a baby with swarfega and hope to retain your liberty.

[hellymedic]

The problem is leak and evaporation-proof wrapping of small numbers of wipes for infrequent use.
Once opened, most multipacks' contents dry out quite quickly.
I'm prepared to pay extra if I know my wipe will be moist when I need it.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I kept a ToPeak multi with one bike.
Usually the 'kitchen sink' pencil case accompanied every trip.
It had:
Chain tool
Leatherman
5" Vise Grips
Spokey
4, 5 & 6mm allen keys
8 10 mm spanners (and often a 6/7mm double-ended one too)

Tools are like rainwear; you hope you never need them but they make life more comfortable if the worst happens. There's also the belief you may help someone else.

I've never in my life broken a chain! I understand it does happen sometimes to fixie riders, but unless you're doing a tour of chain-wearing length, I can't see the need.
Spokey - you mean one of those lightweight plastic ones? I have one but never use it - wrong gauge, left over from some past bike. Should get another.

Spanners - this demonstrates my dislike of multitools. I've dug out the one I have - can't remember where it comes from. It has allen keys 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm (I'm guessing, they're not marked). I can't think of a use for the 2 or 3 but the 4 and 5 could be useful, potentially the 8 in case of loose crank I suppose. Not exactly likely, but potentiall v serious!
Then it has 9, 10, 12, 13, 15mm ring spanners. There's not a thing on my bike those will fit!
An 8mm socket. Hmm, not sure about that.
Straight and cross screwdrivers. Could be useful.

But... I could just take the screwdrivers and relevant allen keys for a saving in weight and gain in useability. Of course I don't though. Except in fact I do have 4 and 5mm allen keys in tool kit, again they're left over just-in-case-it-isn't-tight from fettling brake blocks and something (I think the 4mm was from cleats).

I used to have a packet of citric acid crystals -baking type - when MiL showed me how they can clean your hands w/o water! Probably not as effective as baby wipes though.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I noticed some Swarfega hand wipes the other day, but I have a feeling standard baby wipes would work out cheaper and probably just as good.

Better. Or at least more versatile; you can't really wipe down a baby with swarfega and hope to retain your liberty.

[Cudzoziemiec]

The problem is leak and evaporation-proof wrapping of small numbers of wipes for infrequent use.
Once opened, most multipacks' contents dry out quite quickly.
I'm prepared to pay extra if I know my wipe will be moist when I need it.

I think that would apply just as much to the little packs of Swarfega wipes - I doubt v much they'd be airtight once opened. £1.87 for 15 IIRC. Don't know how much baby wipes cost nowadays but that seems a bit steep to me. This is where citric acid crystals win! Though of course once you've opened them they will spill all over your tools and then out into saddlebag/pannier/barbag/pocket/wherever they are. Still, they smell nicer than swarfega!

[Kim]

What's not to like about the smell of Swarfega? 

[road-runner]

I have learned the hard way:
 - Dirty hands can be avoided by carrying a pair of thin rubbery gloves in my toolkit.
 - A broken spoke can require a spoke key to straighten the wheel enough to be able to continue the ride.

[hellymedic]

Individual foil sachets are the way to go.

Otherwise, a sachet of mayonnaise from a pub, applied with a dry tissue, will clean hands effectively.

Pats of butter do the job but don't travel well.

I've only broken a chain once. I was 2 miles from home and it was mostly downhill. I coasted and walked.

[smurphboy]

Just having a rummage through my rack bag and I have:

• Multi-tool - Park Tool mtb rescue tool, allan keys, torx, spanners, spoke keys, bottle opener, levers, chain tool and blade in one. The tyre levers are sh1te though
• Leatherman - don't leave home without one
• Chain oil - essential in Bristol's current climate
• Tyre Levers
• Tube, patch kit and CO2 inflator
• Mini Pump as I don't trust CO2 alone but CO2 is fun.
• Latex gloves - better than wipes - in a small bag
• SRAM powerlink - in case I need to use the chain tool
• Lights, and rechargeable AAs for said lights
• Haribo and Vit I

I think I've used all of it bar the chain tool / powerlink over the last two years.

[Kim]

The closest thing to a broken chain I've had is the time I demonstrated an SRAM Powerlink to someone and managed not to put it back together properly afterwards.   

I have, on the other hand, repaired various other people's chains at the roadside.  In one case saving them a walk of several miles with a full touring load.

Plus there's the possibility of non-chain failures that might require the ability to fettle the chain: going single-speed after a rear mech catastrophe, for example.

[Lindagordinho]

My lovely Topeak multitool, and its neoprene pouch, are somewhere in India 

I really liked that tool.  And the little neoprene envelope.  Compact, nifty, and cost about two hours' wages 

[Cudzoziemiec]

What's not to like about the smell of Swarfega? 

I refer you to your post in the Hunger thread!

[Cudzoziemiec]

I've only broken a chain once. I was 2 miles from home and it was mostly downhill. I coasted and walked.

I think I've used all of it bar the chain tool / powerlink over the last two years.

The closest thing to a broken chain I've had is the time I demonstrated an SRAM Powerlink to someone and managed not to put it back together properly afterwards.   

Three anecdotes is good enough for me! Plus, the one time I tried to use a powerlink (wasn't SRAM, I think it was KMC) I bust it completely.  Luckily, I was at home at the time. 

But, Helly - mayonnaise?  We probably don't want to know how you know this!

[Wowbagger]

I find there's a limited amount of stuff likely to be needed for my bikes.

Set of allen keys, but I really only need 3 sizes;
Philips/flat head screw driver
Thorn spanner for eccentric bottom bracket
C-spanner for S & S couplings
Brooks nose bolt spanner
spoke key
tyre levers
puncture repair kit
Topeak Road Morph pump / Zefal HP4 for tandem use
special tyre lever for putting tyres back on again (can't remember what it's called)
sometimes the T20 tool for Rohloff twistgrip / gear cable removal
8/10 mm spanner for mudguard nuts
Swiss army knife

[Lindagordinho]

It's oil based.  Olive oil dilutes the chain oil enough for it to wipe off.

It's magic, Jim, but not as we know it.

You end up with a kind of very dark salad dressing.

Yum.

[hellymedic]

I'm a compulsive label reader. Mayonnaise is >80% fat and an oil-in-water emulsion. It works.