ColonelSanders

Thanks for letting me know about the Spurcycle tool, it looks fantastic.

The issue of course is that I don't know if I would feel comfortable leaving it unattended on my bike.

With the Topeak tool, I would be happy to leave that on my bike, but I am not happy with its weight or what looks to me like it would not be that enjoyable to use.

I'm leaning more towards having something like the Leatherman Skeletool 7-in-1 Multi-Tool, as it also allows for the use of allen keybits(which I didn't realise when I spoke about the Gerber), and then I would keep the allen keybits in a toolbag on my bike and keep the Leatherman Skeletool on my person, whether I am on the bike or not.

MRT2

I have an inexpensive multi tool I bought from Nashbar about 5 years ago, but the tool I use the most, both at home and on the road is the 3 way hex wrench. Park Tool makes a good one. the one I have isn't a Park Tool, but I don't remember the brand. Compact and versatile, and the 4, 5, 6 mm size is good for 90% of emergency repairs.

Marcus_Ti

I have a Gerber like this:
https://www.gerbergear.com/Multi-Too...g/MP600_07530G

Surface rusted in its holster on my belt. I knew someone who had the same model-and it literally flew apart at the pivots at work. I prefer one-hand tools as at work I frequently only have on free. Mine has lasted a decade, although the flat-head screwdriver snapped, and ofc surface rust. I think they sell stainless now at least.

Last week at work I needed a geek-tool on the job....somebody tossed me their Leatherman Skeletool. Pliers feel good in the hand, all the other tools don't. I only needed a Philips, and getting enough of a grip on it to exert any modicum of torque was hard. Seriously, fasteners weren't screwed down tight at all, but the tool made it hard to get any leverage.


Another option, I've handled a few at work during down-time and tool show-and-tell, is SOG:
https://www.sogknives.com/type/multi-tools.html

Good feel, easy leverage...just no one-handed opening. Even my pocket-knives are one-handed spring-assist, it is a big thing for me.

ColonelSanders

Damn, you are destroying my dreams.


The tyranny of distance means that in Australia I can't easily get stuff from SOG.

HillRider

It's small and light enough that you could easily carry it in a jersey pocket so it would always be with you.

ColonelSanders

Whilst it would be small & light enough, I am someone who is a creature of habit, so unless I always carried that tool, even when I am not biking, I would be likely to forget it often when I am on my bike.


The attraction I have to something like a Leatherman Skeleetool is that it is something I could get into the habit of always having on me and it comes with a caribiner that I could use to attach it to my house keys.

Ball Bearing

If you do buy a milti-tool make sure you try and do some work on your bike at home. Discovering that you can't tighten your brake mount or your brifters is not really something you want to find out 70k from home.

I have ditched my multi-tools and I have gone back to a few hex keys a tiny screwdriver and a tiny adjustable wrench.

MobiBike

If you like the mini-ratchet kits, they can be super handy at reaching stuff no other tool can, and I have several of them in my "mobile shop kit", that get used on a regular basis.

Prestacycle (has the better ratchet that is toggle switch reversible, my most used tool like this)
This one has a built in tire lever, https://www.prestacycle.com/product/...-lever-handle/

Chapman tool is MADE IN USA and while I am linking to a "cyclist kit", you can add any of the bits and handles and so on to make your own mix. This tool is flipped over to reverse the action. I put tape on one side so I can feel which side is "drive in". I tin it up for carry in a credit card holder, or an Altoids mint tin...
https://chapmanmfg.com/collections/m...9-cyclists-set

GeneO 

This is the best but I think it is more than $100. It weighs nothing and can do repairs without getting off the bike.

GeneO 

I like the Lezyne SV multitools. Pretty solid an compact.

Lezyne - Engineered Design - Products - Multi-Tools - SV Tools

But I will think about that spurcycle kit.

HillRider

After three pages of recommendation and comments I've finally concluded the best multi-tool available to the bicyclist is:

A cell phone with a receptive person with a car at the other end.

Bike Gremlin

My choice is the following:

Set of tools at the bench (at the workshop) - they stay there.
Small bag of tools for on the road repair.
Custom bags/cases if I need to work off the workshop, but it is planned, not emergency by the road repairs of my own bike. Having the proper tools for each task pays off for itself with the time (and money) saved.

Riveting

The same could be said for any tool you don't use "often", but still carry, just in case. I've never used my multi-tool-chain-breaker on the road (nor the 10sp and 11sp master links I always carry), but I've been with 2 people in the last 12 months who have needed to use a chain break: broken link, and a badly twisted link due to chain suck and poorly trying to work it out (I also saw this a couple of years ago too).

I've been contemplating carrying one of those heavy metal circular nipple wrenches for truing wheels. But that's a tool I've never seen needed on the road, but I'll wish I had it if the time ever comes.

Bike Gremlin

Cassette removing tool and a nipple wrench. Packs small, I carry it.

canklecat

Tried one. Too expensive. All the tools were so skinny they snapped like twigs. And supposedly it was cheating.

cyccommute 

I hear you and that's why I continue to carry one even if I never use it. As soon as I leave it a home...

I've carried one and have used it many times on the road, although the Park Tool SW-7.2 has all the common nipple sizes and is a little nicer tool. Many multitools have spoke wrenches integrated into them as well. I carry a spline tool since all of my spokes are now splines.

This would be an interesting on-bike tool but they don't seem to have bicycle spoke nipple sizes. You could also 3D print a spoke tool but I have no idea how it would hold up.

RobotGuy

Interesting thought, but that tool is too flawed in its current design to be useful. As someone who’s 3D printed a gazillion mechanical robot components in a variety of materials, I can say that no way that spoke tool holds up in anything like nylon, ABS, and forget about PLA.

The bit holder is a cool idea, but I’d question the torque you could apply on those Allen bits with such a short lever. But if you made the lever any longer, even ABS would round over pretty quickly.

rydabent

While I carry both a Leatherman, and a good bike multi tool, the tool I have used the most is the 6" Crescent wrench I carry. I have used it several times to help out other cyclist with problems.

cyccommute 

Kind of my thoughts as well.

MobiBike

cool idea I would certainly put this in my mobile shop because it saves so much space and weight! --chain whip and whatever other tool I might normally use with it = left with the other big tools in the "big kit".
so thanks!

Bike Gremlin

There aren't many uniglide freehubs left going around so I think it would be a safe bet. It comes with a plastic adapter that prevents frame damage - they can be kept together with a rubber band - that's the way I pack them. Of course, any mechanic worth their salt uses only rubber bands cut from old tubes.

cpach

I really like the Crankbrothers m17 I've had forever. I know myself too well to carry many small, individual tools on rides; they'd definitely get lost. The shape isn't the most elegant but I've been generally successful getting to every bolt I needed. The chain breaker works pretty well. The spoke tools are reasonably functional when truing to make up for a broken spoke.

I also have a Park IB-3 that I like pretty well. It packs a little more compact than tools like my Crankbrothers. I like that it has an integrated tire lever. The leverage on the 8MM wrench is good and can be used to remove/install pedals pretty well. I wish it had a real phillips/jis screwdriver sometimes.

I like having a chainbreaker, because I've found them necessary on mountain rides. Aside from that 2-8mm, t25, and a screwdriver, and a 2.23mm and 2.45mm spoke wrench get the job done in almost all cases.

I've made cash on the trail fixing peoples bikes.