Originally Posted by
TimothyH
Most people carry way too many useless tools.
The Phillips head screwdrivers are useless on a well maintained modern bike.
3mm, 4mm and 5mm Allen wrenches will cover the seat clamp, seat post clamp, chain ring bolts, stem, brake caliper mount, brake cable clamp, brake pad mount and brake lever mount. The bigger bolt in the center of the cranks is unlikely to come apart and if it does then an Allen wrench probably isn't going to help you.
Instead of a heavy, expensive multi-tool with a bunch of stuff you are never going to need, why not ride down to Sears and buy some Craftsman 3/4/5 mm Allen wrenches and a stubby 15mm combination wrench? Tire levers, patch kit, spare tube, pump or CO2 cartridges and a folded dollar bill for the inside of the tire when you get a hole are the only things else most riders are are ever going to need while on the road. This is all I carry.
What do you use a 3mm allen wrench for...? Extra tire lever, spare tube are a waste of space; I carry my money in my wallet.
Yes, many people carry too many useless tools. I am guilty of this. What I carry to service a few different bikes in on-road/trail emergency situations:
The cheap-o Bontrager multitool with the plastic handle (9 tools).
Small adjustable wrench
tire lever
self adhesive patches
CO2 cartridge w/ inflator head
The adj wrench covers wheel nuts, pedals, the seatpost clamp on my vintage Schwinn frame.
On the Bontrager multitool:
- Useless in my life: flat blade screwdriver, two of the three smallest allens, 2, 2.5, or 3mm.
- Specialty: the small allen which fits shimano SPD tension adjustments. 8mm adaptor for loose crank bolt. Neither of these have I actually used in the field.
- Phillips head is useful if I ever need to adjust the limit screws on my geared bikes, and I've used them to tighten up the screws holding the cages to pedal bodies.
- Useful many times over: 4, 5, 6mm allens.
I'm not a weight weenie, so I'm not going to take the tool apart just to discard the tools I don't use. Why bother? Plus it keeps them handy, all in one place, and I don't need a zip lock bag or two to keep them together, individual tools don't go wandering off.