I just bought a Silca Venti 20 during their Black Friday sale. It comes with a chain tool.

I never thought I’d need a chain tool and never carried one but was very glad my buddy did! In 2020 I rode my De Rosa with a relatively new chain. It separated during a climb and I thought I needed to call to be picked up but my buddy, a retired MBZ mechanic, carried a chain tool!

My saddle bag has become a “pay it forward” bag where I carry tools to assist my fellow riders on group rides.

Back in the 80’s I rode with a weight weenie. He didn’t carry any tools or even tire levers or a tube. He assumed one of us would have what he needed. If not, he rode with a quarter in each ear! The quarters were for making a call from a pay phone to be picked up if necessary!



Silca Venti 20 - 174g

What I’m carrying. I will carry 2 of the 31g Ridenow TPU inner tubes instead of the 100g butyl tube in the future to save weight and space. The VAR tire Jack is to assist other cyclists who have difficulty mounting their tires on carbon rims.

KMC chain with only a few hundred miles.

I removed the bent plate and link.

My buddy had a chain tool!

Excuse the dirty chain. I’m starting to wax now. I may have driven the pin in improperly when I installed the new chain.