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These fancy pants micro tool kits that fit in your bar ends or steerer seem to make a lot of sense on smaller or less exposed rides.
I'm late to the party on this - what are the cool kids buying now? The Wolf Tooth ones look good if eye wateringly spendy.
For reference the minimum I'd want to carry would be a micro multi tool, a chain break and link, a tyre tool and bacon strips and an emergency CO2 cannister, oh and a few zip ties I guess. I don't 'think' anything on the market will carry all of that in a oners but I might be wrong. With the Wolf Tooth I think the COs would have to attach to the bottle cages bosses (or your pocket).
Not interested in a water bottle tool kit, as that is where water goes.
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Some of the Granite Designs stuff is pretty good. Their little ratchet tool kit is well made.
I was mulling this over for a while and finally bought a OneUp EDC, I have to say it is very good and the ease of access is a big plus IMO. I can switch it between bikes more easily than bar end tools but it is a bit spendy. Aside from the EDC I only have to carry a tube, co2 valve and tubeless plugs.
Having got a Crank Bros M20 tool which has a load of tools incl chain + tubeless kit, I was considering combining it with a 76 projects piggy or equivalent. looks like it could fit your spec?
^ I will never understand why womeone would strap stuff they want to work as well as possible when needed, to a bike leaving them exposed to the elements.
I do agree, particularly for winter slop, so was considering either just using sandwich bags to contain them all or possibly the smarter looking 'piggy pouch' from the same lot. The sandwich bag approach has the benefit of being clear plastic so easier to identify what's what when that blow out / mechanical inevitably happens on a dark, wet night ride.
^ I will never understand why womeone would strap stuff they want to work as well as possible when needed, to a bike leaving them exposed to the elements.
Got to confess it is a solution I'm trying to avoid.
The fat bike has a bento style toptube bag. I'm struggling to work out why that won't do for the FS. I'd like to tell myself it's because my knee occasionally knocks the one on the fat bike even with the wider Q factor. Realistically I fear aesthetic might be a bigger draw to the internally carried versions.
Joshvegas. For that reason most UK customers buy the optional pouch or case to go with The Piggy.
Those EDC lite look ok and not too pricey
Anyone have one ??
I used to have a 76projects pouch/piggy and strap job, it held all of my spares, but I always found getting a tool out an absolute ball ache. I've now a bag for stuff that takes time to repair anyway so a pump/tube/food/tyre levers & a small chain breaker and then a granite designs heat tube mini tool.
The tool is tiny with minimal Allen keys etc, but really easy to use. Some big do anything multi tools have the opposite problem.
If I go on larger/long rides I may take a more comprehensive tool, but thats pretty rare as the majority of stuff I do is within emergency travel home or to the car.
I've always liked the look of the All In multitool that fits in the space in the crank axle (needs to be bigger than 21mm diameter). Rarely ride without a bag though, so tend to just take a normal multitool with me.
Joshvegas. For that reason most UK customers buy the optional pouch or case to go with The Piggy.
Ah, if there is a pouch or case, fair enough. Zero issue with the concept. Handy little corner to fill.
^ I will never understand why womeone would strap stuff they want to work as well as possible when needed, to a bike leaving them exposed to the elements.
Yeah, they should put it in a not quite watertight frame/seatbag/rucksack so it can properly sit and marinate in dirty water until required.
Personally I don't think strapping tools to the outside of the bike is the worst solution...
I’ve got a little dry bag and strap from Hick/Louri which currently has a Topeak mini- tool, tube, zip ties, CO2 can and head inside. Quick and easy to access and swap between bike (if I had two). I fancy an EDC lite and then i’d swap the tool in the bag for a chain breaker.
It’s at the bottom of the seat tube tucked above the BB and I’ve never clipped it with feet or noticed it’s there when riding.
I like the Granite Designs and Wolf Tooth bar end tools but don’t want to cut up the grips I currently have and never carry tubeless worm things.
How often do any of these tools get used? I can't remember the last time a chain failed on me since going to 11 speed.
How often do any of these tools get used? I can’t remember the last time a chain failed on me since going to 11 speed.
Yet the one day a chain does fail and you're a few miles from the road.... #sods_law
Agreed with the intelligent person querying why you'd strap tools to your bike and let then get caked in mank - even in a pouch of sorts it just gives more stuff to hold mud and rub away at the frame.
Never understood this and also never understood the need to go as small as possible for tools as it inevitably means you can't get enough torque to remove or tighten something.
However, it seems to work for others so why should I stop others making money by selling things? Fire on people...
I'll stick to a resealable freezer bag in a backpack/bumbag...
I bought a cheap tool that sits inside the BB axle from China, has the usual Allen keys etc, chain tool and split link on it. Tube, tubeless repair and tyre levers are out in a bag and strapped under the top tube, with my pump above it.
I carry a crank brothers tool with chain tool on it, couple of chain links, and a tubeless worm kit. All in a small drybag. This gets popped in a aiguille waist pack, camelbak, frame bag, or top/head tube bag, depending on bike. Having the same tools on each bike makes life easier
Crank Bros multi 19 tool. Comes in a nice metal case, well made, well thought out.
I've got one of these from Decathlon. £18 for ehat seems to cost £50 from the big brands.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/cycling-bottle-cage-with-tools/_/R-p-330975
I’m running the V2 One up in the steerer and the 70cc pump under the bottle cage.
The pump has got a CO2 in it & the inflator is brilliant.
I’ve got the plugger on the tool, loaded with a plug & ready to go in seconds.
If I’m switching to the hard tail, I ditch the CO2 & stick the tool in the pump.
Only other tools I take are 6mm Allen key for my slow release axles and a leatherman squirt.
I use an Ortleib waterproof saddle bag in winter - keeps everything bone dry and can be jet washed as well.
How often do any of these tools get used? I can’t remember the last time a chain failed on me since going to 11 speed.
Broke my chain two weeks ago.
Good job I had a chain tool.
And just as good a job my mate had a quick link, as I only had half a link in my puncture kit for some reason.
This
I will never understand why someone would strap stuff they want to work as well as possible when needed, to a bike leaving them exposed to the elements.
and this!
Yeah, they should put it in a not quite watertight frame/seatbag/rucksack so it can properly sit and marinate in dirty water until required.
I was dead excited when I got my 2020 Stumpy as it comes with SWAT this and SWAT that and I thought I could finally stop stuffing my pockets full of tools. The steerer tube tool stuff is nice so that helps, but the SWAT box in the downtube is just somewhere for water to collect so I've stopped using it.
I've now gone full circle and asked Beerbabe to make me a mini tool roll which goes back in the jersey.
I love my EDC. I've got 1 tool, both bikes threaded for it.
some of the other similar brands you cant do this (buy the carrier separately)
In the little storage compartment I've got tubeless repair, a few mini zip ties, brakepad bolt, valve core remover.
Combined with a pump attached next to the bottlecage. very rare occasions I'll add a tube strapped to the frame.
I havent worn a bag or any description since the summer - and then it contained 2 litres of water, a snack bar and a facemask.
If I was starting from scratch, I think I would just get the EDC pump and carry the tools in that.
Allen key comes out once a month I'd guess, half the time on a friends bike as I'm a lot quicker to pull it out than the huge backpack wearers. Tubeless repair used at ard rock, and my welsh holiday in october. valce core remover used last month when my thread on pump pulled the core out after reinflating a soft tyre.
combined with my phone in my right trouser pocket, and the key to either my house or my car in the left. Plus facemask if a stop is anticipated.
piggy is quite good if you have room for it with two bottles fitted
https://ukgravelco.com/76-projects-the-piggy-on-bike-storage/
If you want a little pouchy thing, the wolf tooth b-rad range is pretty nice.
Few different sizes of bag.