Bike multitool

I suppose what I’m after is fairly bespoke. Something like the Alien but with pliers.

Most of the above plus:
2 more tubes.
Boot
Stans Sealant
Mini pliers
Multi tool
Screwdriver
Half a dozen chain links
Valves
Pump

I did an hours very local blast after work last night and didn’t take anything, not even a drink. It was absolutely brilliant. Felt like a kid on a bike again 😁

Oneup EDC multitool
2x spare quicklinks - one in the edc tool, one in the...
76 projects piggy, with drybag with the following in it:
2x Co2 cannisters
Lezyne Co2 head
Tyre plug strips & tool
Tube

On the hardtail I also have the one up pump

That covers me for rides up to 2 hours, if I can carry enough water on me/the bike.

Longer rides I'll add a hip pack or backpack with a bigger multitool, spare pads, mech hanger, zip ties etc.

Multi tool, tube (tubolito), pump, tubeless repair, tyre levers.

All either on/in the bike or in a small frame bag on the bike - haven't used a pack of any type in a number of years.

Pedros hex key/T25 multitool
Park chain tool
Mini-pliers (curved, thin ended)
Tube & pump
Spoke key
Chain link
Tubeless repair kit

Felt like a kid on a bike again 😁

That's what I aim for now on every ride. Part of what puts me off going out is all the silly clothes and ugly shoes and the bag full of crap you have to carry.

For me, the Topeak Hexus and a cheap foldy pliers multitool. The Hexus has all the tools most bikes need and they're good and long too. The tyre levers are shit though so I have a couple of good ones too.

Tubolito saves a lot of weight and bulk, it's not cheap for an inner tube but it would cost a lot more to buy a bike part that saves that much weight. Really like my OneUp EDC as well but it's expensive and a pain to tap all your steerers

For local rides I take a Topeak Hexus, Tubolito, CO2 Canister. All in some for of on bike luggage. If that isn't enough she can come and pick me up.

Really like my OneUp EDC as well but it’s expensive and a pain to tap all your steerers

If you've got the v2 tool then you just need the threadless carrier for each bike, or the pump and move it between bikes. I'll probably end up doing the latter on my future new FS frame, I already carry the pump on my hardtail. Shame the v1 tool doesn't fit in the threadless carrier though.

Always:

Oneup EDC in the steerer which includes
multitool
chain breaker
spoke key (I think, never used)
tyre lever
quick links

Within the little storage capsule of the EDC:
tubeless repair stabby thing and bacon strip things
a few little zip ties
valve core remover
tubeless valve core
brake pad pin

Water bottle. I once forgot this for a group ride. It was night, in october. (Although it was the fast paced group) I threw up after 45 minutes.

Usually:
Pump. clip by bottle cage or strap to top tube.

Very rarely if going to be very remote
Inner tube, proper tyre levers.

if I have identified an imminent need
brake pads

Part of what puts me off going out is all the silly clothes and ugly shoes and the bag full of crap you have to carry.

are free rider pros ugly? Some shorts or trousers, and a merino t shirt or casual looking polyestery long sleeve shirt suits me for local riding.
My general rule being - if it was clean and non sweaty, would I happily wear it to the pub beer garden to meet non biking mates, without feeling silly?

For those who use an on-bike bag, what do you use? I got a top-tube bag recently and I haven't used it in anger at all yet as a quick fixing of it to my my bike made me think "well that's clearly just going to rattle about like a ba$tard"

It was/is one of these (I think, they do a few)

https://alpkit.com/products/enduro-pod

Re: bags, for stuff that isn't used very often (tube, Co2 etc) I use the 76 projects mounts and a their drybag, goes between bikes easily.

https://flic.kr/p/2jnsvED

Tubolito saves a lot of weight and bulk

They are just crap though!

Very puncture prone - I'd hate to use one in a tyre for which I might not have got every thorn out of.

I did an hours very local blast after work last night and didn’t take anything, not even a drink. It was absolutely brilliant. Felt like a kid on a bike again

It's how I go around Castlewellan bike park. unless I break myself it's a 30min or so walk home, I don't miss carrying half the earth.

If you don't need a wood saw I suggest the following:

- the Topeak Alien multitool is quite chunky and heavy at nearly 300g and has a lot of stuff you don't really need. You could swap it for a lighter, smaller, well featured multitool such as a Topeak Hexus X (167g & £14) with contains a decent chain tool, Allen keys which have a good length, tyre levers and all the other useful stuff you might need in a mechanical emergency. There are some really small multitools on the market but you've got to weigh up their lack of size against their ability to get you out of a scrape, compared to something a bit bigger and better equipped. I refer in particular to really short stubby allen keys and chain tools which are poor in operation.

- Leatherman Charge Ti could be swapped for something of similar quality but much smaller with decent pliers, eg The Leatherman Style PS. It's tiny (45g against 238g of the Charge Ti), well made and the pliers work well on a bike. It has an inbuilt carabiner which means you can clip it somewhere (clothing, bike etc.) Has got me out of a few scrapes. Also, It also comes without a blade if that's important to you (see recent threads about this issue).

- I'd ditch the co2 stuff if you already carry a pump

When I'm out and about or racing a marathon or something longer than an XC race I have the Lezyne Flow storage cage loaded bolted to the bike along with a tube & lever under the saddle.

When I'm racing XC, nowt as it's never a long walk back and you're out of it by the time you fix anything anyway.

For those who use an on-bike bag, what do you use? I got a top-tube bag recently and I haven’t used it in anger at all yet as a quick fixing of it to my my bike made me think “well that’s clearly just going to rattle about like a ba$tard”

I have (/had*) an Alpkit something, looks quite similar in size to your link

As its a flexible bag, if you pack it right with something wide on the bottom, it sits quite nicely, no rattle or noise.

*does need a spacer or two under the stem, which my new bike doesnt have.

Funnily enough, it was looking at the Leatherman style as a possible Father’s Day gift, combined with just blasting around without a pack the other day, that made me start the thread and wondered what I can get away with.

I’d ditch the co2 stuff if you already carry a pump

Ah well… it was trying to inflate a tubeless tyre that made me buy a CO2 inflator. The pump is to top up.

In back pocket:
Genuine innovations mountain pipe with glueless patches in handle and one CO2 cartridge
Strapped to bike:
Specialized EMTB pro multitool (light but has a chain tool)
One tyre lever
Dynaplug racer
One inner tube (Tubilito for racing)

Taped to bike:
Quick link (Makes sure I'm always carrying the correct one)

For me I have a tiny pump and hacked down dynaplug kit shoved up the steerer tube and a little Giant multi tool (giving hex keys, T25 torx, chain breaker and quick link) which fits into the crank axle. That little collection means I can always just grab my bike, fill a water bottle and go for a quick ride without worrying about anything else.

I only really ride around FOD trail centre and sometimes Ashton Court/Leigh Woods nowadays (unless an epic day is planned) so the most I carry is a tube, patches and tiny CO2 (plus 2 canisters) in a Huck (or I think mine was old enough to be Louri) drybag/strap and a tiny Topeak roadie multi-tool.

I used to stick a 500ml mineral water bottle, tiny pump and Lezyne tool in my pocket, tube taped to top tube and ride like that as i was always a 10-15 minute walk back to the van.

I carry more stuff when out with the missus and kids.

Recently upgraded to a Fidlock bottle.

Apart from decent MTB baggy shorts I mainly wear Fox/Under Armour/Nike tech tees as not a fan of shiny bike specific tops/ clothing. Wouldn’t mind some lightweight riding trousers but no one seems to make any that fit people with thick thighs and narrow(ish) waists as it seems all clothing designers think MTB riders have the physique of prepubescent boys wearing their sister’s trousers

…as it seems all clothing designers think MTB riders have the physique of prepubescent boys wearing their sister’s trousers

I just snorted my beer reading that - also, I would add to that - all jeans designers since about 1997.

Tubolito (or Pitelli rquivalent) saves a heap of weight and bulk. I carry one, used it for the first time recently when I broke a spoke, having carried it for about 4 years, mate had used it before then, just clean it off and roll it back up when you're tubeless again. Saves loads of weight, and moresp saves bulk - even two is much lighter and smaller than a normal tube. Brilliant thing, worth 20 quid all day.

Ratchet rocket on one bike, cheap inside crank tool on another.
Spare tube
Pump
Split link
Some tubeless worms, the spike thing, glue and a few patches.

Big days, cable ties, gear cable and the full suss has a spare mech hanger bolted to the chain device as it's a tiny hanger.

In Road Saddle bag at all times:- Alien 2, Leatherman PS4 (for pliers), quick links x 2, tubes x 2, Park GP2 tube patches, Park TB2 tyre boot, valve core remover, presta/schrader adapter, plastic cable ties 2 x small 2 x medium, pair disp. vinyl gloves, disp. face mask, small bottle hand sanitiser, 2 sheets kitchen roll, £30 in notes, snickers x 2, Torq flapjacks x 2, Clif Bar Bloks x 2, Lift glucose tabs x 1 tube.

Tattico Silca mini pump.

It's seems quite a lot but I have to be self sufficient and I'm T1 diabetic.

BumBag?
have a SWAT multitool attached to bottle cage, mini pump attached to bottle cage. 2 bottles in 2 cages
Have a SWAT saddle bag that clips into my saddle rails (inner tube, anchovy and poky thing, couple tyre levers, CO2 and inflator, old gel wrapper for tyre gash, additional crank multitool (w chain tool, extra links and quick link, bottle opener and 2mm allen key for high/low limit screws).
That gets me round 80k loops on the downs no probs.
Gels and phone and extra leyer in me back pockets.
What have i *actually* used......over 2 years....2mm allen key for adjusting H/L on rear (1x). Bottle opener (many), chain tool for snapped chain (x1). Oh and CO2 and tube for my dorky mate (x1).
In the past I've carried extra tubes, 1st aid kit, extra layers, flapjacks, extra water in bladder. But rarely used any of that so don't bother.

I guess I'm lucky that riding the downs you can call the cavalry or bale for the train if it all goes tits, but I got bored carrying weight that never got used.

The Alien 2 is a great multitool, I've used it for years.

But...

Now I've started to carry a Topeak PT30.

It's so much smaller/lighter and does most of what the alien 2 can do and a few things it can't!

Highly recommended.👍

https://road.cc/content/review/topeak-mini-pt30-multi-tool-276801

+1 for the One Up set up. All the tools on the bike ready to ride.
Tools in the steerer with a loaded plugger. CO2 in the 70cc pump with spare plugs.
Dakine Stealth for phone, wallet & keys. Plus a little Leatherman for trimming plugs, tighten cores or loosen valves. Also has room for a tube, but I rely on plugs these days.

Local rides, nothing..

Longer rides, a pump and a small crank bros tool...

trail centers/racing, loads and loads, but nothing on the bike.

If something happens, i'll either hike to a pub or call the wife 🙂

Spesh have these nifty little things - chain stuff in the stem cap too

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footflaps
They are just crap though!

Very puncture prone – I’d hate to use one in a tyre for which I might not have got every thorn out of.

Not been my experience at all. And a thorn is going to puncture a regular tube too.

A thorn is going to puncture a regular tube too.

Which is one of the main reasons I like to carry pliers.