Road tools / multi tool
 

Hi all
For Vintage bikes it's very common not to have hex on all parts so common modern multi-tool is somewhat useless. What's your tools or maybe multi-tool to use on road? I really want to make my road toolbox light for long rides.

I think the CoolTool was the defacto multitool until the late 90s and everything was aimed at allen heads.

Since I still haven't found one, my "must carry" is some random brand 3-way socket, 8-9-10mm.

I found a CoolTool while hiking years ago. Never saw a biker, or I would have asked if it was theirs. Handy, but heavy.

DogBones seemed to be popular for a time. What tools do you need to carry?

I have tried various mini tools, but these days I always carry a local version of the BBB Scorpion tools. Have three sets of them: one on my bike, one on mrs non-fixie's and one in my car. The only thing missing is a 12mm wrench for old stems.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6e5f588257.jpg

The Park MT1 is a nice light simple multi-tool, 8/9/10 spanner, 3,4,5,6,8 hex, and a flat-blade screwdriver; I think it's an investment-cast single piece of steel. That is almost always in the kit, along with patches and glue and tyre spoons, longer trips get more tools...

I've still got an old CoolTool, which hangs out in the garage now and, yes, it is a heavy tool and not particularly small.

Here's the current road set, to accommodate my mostly 1970s/1980s fleet, without having to keep adding/replacing tools per bike or using different tool bags.

Clockwise from the left: VAR tire levers, small 3/4/5/6 allen keys (wrangled in a duct tape sleeve), Park 3-way spoke wrench (not visible here, but color coded with green/red/black Sharpie dots), a small no-name Leatherman type tool (mainly for the pliers), a plastic card with about 2 feet of duct tape wrapped around it, 2 small leather ear bud pouches to stuff everything into, 4 inch adjustable wrench (opens to 15mm), small bladed screwdriver (with a valve cap on the end to avoid poking my tube), Altoids tin with patches, tube of glue, small rag (that the spoke wrench gets wrapped in). Over a 2-3 year period, I'll find a reason to use each of these.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cc22aaa81d.jpg

Shrinks to this.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b84cef4aef.jpg

This stuff, a tube, my cellphone and keys all fit in my seat bag.

I used to carry a Topeak Mini 9 in place of some of this stuff. It works well, but is a bit awkward, like most multi-tools end up being.

That looks neat, but a Google search of "BBB Scorpion" results in... arachnids. :eek: Is there a part # or source for something like that? I'm carrying a multi-tool that covers some things but not the wrench sizes your photo shows.

If you want to stay vintage, the old standard MAFAC tool kits have the wrenches you need.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6eca4902c4.jpg

I just pick out the wrenches I need for a given bike and add them to my kit. The wrenches are small and don't weigh much. I've been using these tools for several decades, never bent, broke or rounded one out.

Back then, when touring, assortment of Cool Tool, freewheel remover (to fit socket), spoke wrench, dog bone, Mafac wrenches (especially the tire irons) as required.
Now I have tire tools and a chain breaker multi tool.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...53ebe153f1.jpg
I keep things forever.

I also like the Park MT1 since it is simple and light. I also carry a Campy T-wrench and tire levers.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0bdfb4a23d.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0ecee07f2d.jpg

Back in the '70"s the dog bone tool used to be the multi-tool. I have broke a few of them. They are usually made of zinc, so the strength is not that good. One tight bolt head and the tool cracks open. If they were made from a stronger material, it is a good design.

I like non-fixie 's BBB multi-tool. I don't know why multi-tool makers think they are giving us something of value when they provide a bottle cap opener. This could have been replaced with the 12mm wrench that non-fixie and probably the rest of us would prefer. We can always find something to open a bottle with. What is that serrated flattened tool. Is that a tire lever? Whey the serrations? Does it also serve to cut something? This tool looks good for vintage bikes. Here is the link for BBB multi-tools. The issue is I don't see the one with the hex wrenches.

BBB Multi-tools

Is this hex wrench tool discontinued?

I carry a small adjustable wrench.

This is the version I have. Bought it some ten years ago from HEMA, a local chain store. After trying them for a while I went back to the store and bought the remaining two sets. Never saw them again at HEMA after that.

Looking at the differences with the version I posted earlier, I believe I got the better deal. The 13mm wrench comes in handy with many old saddle clamps, and the flat blade screwdriver looks more useful than the bottle opener, even if it doubles as one (looks like it).

The bodies double as tire levers and they work better than I expected, i.e they haven't let me down so far. The chain breaker is the coolest bit, IMO.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cdf9336b00.jpg