Separate tools or a multitool?
 

Hi everyone!
I bought a thorn nomad mk2 a while ago and in a few months I'll leave for a long tour around asia. I haven't decided yet if I should buy a multitool or separate tools for bike maintenanc. What do you suggest?
What are the nessecary tools I should take with me?
Thank you very much!

Most multi-tools carry a lot of stuff you dont need BUT they have some compact specialist items like chain tools and crank removers. Sometimes you need to apply 2 tools at the same time. I carry an old CoolTool (with adjustable wrench) and a Leatherman Mini (for the pliers).
Also
Spokey spoke key
Cassette remover (NBT2)
One cone wrench (the Cooltool acts as the other).

The trade off is ease of use (or use at all) versus weight, singles versus multitool, respectively. I have a crappy multitool at the moment, but I am looking at the Topeak single set (supplementing it of course) or the Park Tool MTB-3. Can't make up my mind either. Most of the time the tools are in their bag - they always weigh you down.

My current tool list:

•Bolts, 4mm stainless steel: Rack bolts break.
•Brake pads, AVID BB7: Figure about 3000 miles per set.
•Cables (brake & derailleur, caps): Derailleur cables occasionally do break on tour.
•Cassette lock ring driver: To facilitate replacement of drive-side spokes. http://www.jastein.com/PDF/cassette%20lock%20inst.pdf
•Chain checker: To test if one needs to replace the chain.
•Chain lube: Oil-based rather than water-based, for rain fastness. http://www.progoldmfr.com/products/prolink.html
•Loctite: Keeps bolts from unwinding themselves – it happens!
•Multi-tool: Hope that if you need one of its tools, the targeted fastener will be accessible.
•Patch kit: Make sure you bring a fresh one. Dried up cement does one no good.
•Pliers, small needle nose: For digging out wires that have given you flats.
•Power links: To repair a broken chain.
•Spokes & nipples / spoke wrench: Take a couple of each length.
•Tape, duct: Fixes a lot of stuff until proper repairs can be effected.
•Thermarest repair kit: For the NeoRest. http://cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-re...ir-kit/product
•Tire: A spare isn’t necessary if you start with new tires and / or your trip isn’t too long.
•Tire boot: Might keep a cut tire functional. http://www.parktool.com/products/det...17&item=TB%2D2
•Tire pump: http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Pumps/RoadMorphG
•Tubes: Two.
•Vise grips: To extract broken bolts from drop-outs and braze-ons.
•Zip / cable ties: Nylon 66 cable ties are incredibly strong. Require scissors to cut, not teeth.

I like an older Alien 2 multi-tool. I think they still make them.

In addition to that I keep a small minimalist 3mm to 6mm allen wrench multi-tool with two screwdrivers in a pocket where it is handy for minor adjustments. All other tools are heavy and therefore in the bottom of a pannier.

I do not recall if that Thorn uses a Rohloff or a derailleur/cassette drive train. Thus, I am not making more specific suggestions other than to bring every tool that you might need and bring a second pump.

There are a lot of older postings on this forum for what to carry in a tool kit.

Here are 6 links to information about tools people take on tour.

One is about survival knives. The others are about tools.

Ray

I have purchased multi-tools over the years that had been so awkward to use that I got rid of them. Some are better than others.

These days, I carry a combination of single-purpose tools and one or two multi-tools. Multi-tools are great, as long as they get the job done. But if I have to struggle, I don't hesitate to carry the tool that makes it easy, or at least, easier.

For me, the weight "penalty" of not relying 100% on multi-tools is 100 or 200 grams. This difference is of no consequence in the bigger scheme of things! Or even in the smaller scheme of things...

try taking the whole bike apart with the multi tool, try every bolt,
that should help you decide.

I take a couple of multitools, one with a selection of allen Keys and screw drivers, one with a little wrench, a chain splitter and a couple of allen keys. I also take a crank remover, spoke key and cassette remover (though that's pretty useless without a chain whip, but I figure I could rig something with my chain and a tent peg or something if I really had to). I take a few spare bolts, patches, a couple of tubes, tyre levers (metal, the plastic one are useless), a small pump and a couple of spare spokes. I also have a few spare multi spanners and a spare little wrench which sometimes comes along, but goes with my friend (he borrows my other tourer).

I maintain my own bikes, for tours and general riding I carry a Park MTB3 Rescue tool. It does what I need. If I have to overhaul something on the road, I am going to find a fully equipped bike shop or cut the trip short and go home to my fully stocked shop. I realize this may not work if you are on a world tour a thousand miles from home. I have toured mostly in the US for 30 years off and on. I have only had one trip cut short by a component failure and that was a frame breaking. When I first started touring I used to carry a 15# penalty in spares and tools. Not anymore. In this day of overnight service, internet access and good quality equipment I can just about get a complete bike overnight if the need arises.


Aaron :)

I like to loose my tools one at a time.

If you are going to take a multi-tool, make sure you can take the allen wrenches completely off because sometimes where you need to use them, you can't get them in that space and/or rotate them when attached to the tool. One time a fellow rider in our group would have been screwed had I not had my loose tools with me because his multi-tool wouldn't break apart and it was useless for what he needed.

Multi-tools are great, but I also carry a shop-quality spoke wrench and chain tool.

It depends on the level of bike maintenance you intend to do. If it's just a few adjustments on a trip of a few weeks, then a multitool might suffice. If it is a major clean and replacement of key parts on a major trek, then a few more separate tools will be needed.

Essentially, start the trip with all parts on the bike in sound condition (ie, new or near-new). That counts for a lot in reducing maintenance.

There are many ways of cleaning a chain, but usually, taking it off the bike is the best. If you don't have a link that can be taken apart (a la KMC or Sram), then you will need a chain breaker. If you have a history of breaking chains, the chain breaker also will come in handy for those repairs.

What sort of headset does the Thorn have? If threaded, you will need something to service the headset bearings... but then, are you on a tour where you need to do that?

I gather bottom bracket bearings are very reliable these days, so you shouldn't need to worry about those. Wheels bearings? Well, again, it depends on whether you are touring or trekking, and the quality of the hubs.

Soooo... I think I would get something like a Topeak or similar quality multitool, check to make sure all the allen keys work on your bike* and go from there. Ensure you have tyre levers, and a patch kit irrespective of how many tubes you carry as spares. You might incorporate a spoke key that fits the nipples on your wheels (they do vary in size between bikes).

I've gotten by on many randonnees and tours with a Topeak Hummer that incorporates a chainbreaker (although I use the KMC missing link) and tyre levers with spoke keys.

On occasions, I have included a 6" shifting spanner/crescent wrench and a couple of small cone spanners, but that was back in the days when I was using lower-qualilty hubs. Topeak has some small ring spanners in some of their tool kits that can cover small fittings such as pannier rack ends.

*I say this because there are odd little things like the allen screws that adjust the tension on canti brakes and V-brakes that sometimes have been an odd size when I have gone to adjust them. It might seem a minor point, but there is nothing more irritating that a rubbing brake block because the tension on the brake arms is uneven.

my touring kit, which i'm still refining will have the following:

Bondhus
4, 5, 6mm individual allen keys (i'm on external BB type crankset)
gorillagrip set, with largest being 6mm.

Park Tool
FR-5G cassette tool with guide pin
SR-2 chainwhip (likely to swap for a lighter unit with a friend)
CT-5 mini brute chain tool
SW-13 rim tool for mavic rims (i'm on XM819 tubeless rims)
SW-40 4 sided spoke key for DT swiss nipples

Shimano
external BB 8-point "star" tool.

Unbranded
8/10mm socket wrench (free hinging type)
Adjustable wrench (use with FR-5G)

Pedros
Chain cleaner (lazy to check for part # now)

Trek/Wrench Force
Tire levers

SOG
Powerlock

FWIW, I've found that Park's compact CT-5 chain tool works every bit as well as a much-larger shop-quality chain tools. In fact, I'm not even sure where my shop-quality chain tool is these days! Luckily, I've got a CT-5 in every seat wedge...

Excellent! it's really helpful.
As i said, i just bought the Nomad so i didn't had any chance of fixing anything and still due to the fact I'll be leaving for a long time (more or less a year) I intend to be prepared. these are the specs of the bike:
Thorn Nomad Mk2 with s+s couplings.
Shiamno Xtr brakes
Shimano M540 pedals
Andra 30 CSS rims
and a rohloff Hub
so if anyone had any experience with one of those and can share it, I'll appreciate it.
Thanks again!

Just curious Danielsa, when you say you're taking a one year tour around asia, do you have a general route in mind?

On a tour, I took individual tools, and found that messing around with individual allen keys (which I needed to do more than I'd care to admit) wound up being more of a hassle than if I'd brought a multitool.

One problem with a lot of kitchen-sink multitools is that they put an allen key and a spanner on the same tool, so you can't use both at the same time, which could be a problem. The Park rescue tool (linked above) cleverly sidesteps this problem.

Snap-On OXIM8,9_ 6 point &10B (A 12 point short version) are lifetime quality tools
I always reach for them whether at home or on the road.

I'm totally with Aaron on this, including the specific tool: the Park MTB3 Rescue. As others have said, if you'll be waaaay out in the middle of nowhere you need more. But, for just about anywhere in the U.S., this tool can keep you going unless you get really, really unlucky.

I also carry a fiber spoke, a couple extra 5 mm bolts, a Leatherman and some zip ties.

Finally, I have a good bike dedicated for touring that I keep ready to go, and it is set up with reasonably easy to maintain components.

I like a very minimal multi-tool that is only allen keys and screwdrivers. Then I carry separate tools for the rest. My list is something like:

1. 2 - 8/10 wrenches
2. 1" stub of an 8mm allen wrench (turned with 8mm wrench)
3. Spoke wrench
4. Tire levers
5. Swiss army knife
6. Very minimal multi-tool (Ascent Bare Bones Multi-Tool)
7. Chain rivet tool
8. Cassette removal tool (Unior)
9. Pump
10. Tire pressure gauge (if pump doesn't have one)
11. Pedal wrench if need to unpack and pack bike (a 15 mm cone wrench may suffice I may mail it to/from home to avoid carrying it)

I Don't have a route yet because it depends on the seasons and the time of the year I'll finish working. But the main countries will be India, China, Mongolia and Laos. I guess I'll cary a lot of equipment with me because I intend to travel in areas which aren't too urban, so it's better to be prepared.
I think I'll buy a basic multitool for basic repairs (which can be opened up entirely and be divided to pieces) and extra tools for advanced repairs. And again, thanks everyone for the help!

I have a Park I-Beam something or other, with several Allen wrenches, a chain tool, spoke wrench and tire lever.
I also carry separate 3, 4 and 5mm wrenches, Fiberfix spoke, tiny needlenose pliers, a Sram Quick Link and zipties.

I don't carry a multitool on a solo trips. I look at the bike in detail, screw by screw, etc.... :

- What do I know how to fix:

- What exact tools would I use for all the fitting on my bike that relate to stuff I can fix;

-Then I review, and toss stuff out based on weight, the likelihood of it actually breaking, my ability to fix it on the road (or to find a missing tool like a really large wrench while on the road). I also look at stuff like whether I would need two of a kind of separate tools to do various things. And I look at whether particular tools have the guts to actually get the job done whether they fit or not. Pedal wrenches are required to use railway boxes around there, and they need to be substantial.

When making up a fancy bike where you get to choose all the stuff that goes on it, you can make the tool kit much smaller if you carefully choose the parts on your bike. Stuff like straddle cable holders can use several wrenches or one Allen wrench that fits a lot of other stuff.

Generic tools like a multitool, other than being pacifiers, might come into their own when riding in a group, where the stuff on them might actually be on someone's bike. Still I normally find individual tools lighter, and more useful, but then that would also depend on how closely a specific multitool matched your bike. You might have a near perfect fit and function match, and that could explain why some people like them.

I like separate tools,they do one thing well, instead of multiple things,not so well.

Tool kit:
2 tubes
patch kit
tire levers
3 allen wrenches
2 open end
combo screwdriver
small pliers
spoke wrench
mini chain breaker
brake cable
shifter cable
4 repair spokes strapped to my rack(only need spoke wrench to install)
Zefal HPX3 Frame pump
Master link
zip ties
duct tape
Couple pr latex gloves
2 cone wrenches
a couple of nuts and bolts

Been carrying that stuff everyday for longer than I wish to remember,hardly ever touch it,but sure nuff glad when I need it or can help some lady in distress....sorry gentlemen,if your in the city,your a big boy,find your own way home!

Chivalry is not dead in my part of town.

The issues I can foresee on a tour like the OP plans relate muchly to bearings, brakes and spokes. If you have the tools to cope with adjustment, cleaning and rebuilds in those areas, you will be OK. The rest really can be handled by a multitool.

You will, however, have to give thought to how you will remove the cassette in particular. Personally, I find replacing a chain whip with a piece of nylon strap (as used on bags and such) wrapped around the cassette and tied off on an adjacent spoke works well, and is compact and easy to stow, and has other uses if need-be. I am not sure of how readily available cassette cracker tools are these days -- mine was lost in a bushfire.

Incidentally, it is very easy to leave an item from a separete tool kit lying on the side of the road. I've done it with tyre levers and such, and it does take an organised mind to ensure you replace what you have used or removed from your tool pouch or whatever you are going to carry it in.

It can be said a multitool can also be left on the side of the road, but it is a relatively big item, compared with singles of its components, and really cannot be missed in a tool pack because of its weight.

And, I have stripped down and rebuilt bikes with multitools often in the past, with the exception, of course, of the bigger components such as quill headsets and BBs and cone nuts. I can't say that using single tools for the same work is any better, to be honest. The quality of the fit of the hexkeys is important.

Has the OP given any thought to what the tool kit shall reside in? I have found waterproofness is very desirable. I use a small Sea to Summit dry bag so that I can put the last fold of the openilng through the rails of my saddle and clip it off there. Handy under the seat, but out of the way, and waterproof. Obviously, the kit is small, and includes a multitool... ;)

On my first major tour, I didn't know much about bike mechanics, so I took along a nine-inch shifting spanner (crescent wrench), and various other sundry items. I survived but not without dramas.

Thanks for posting, as I am gong over the inventory for my extended trip, wondering what I need and don't. I must not have put the "right" key words in, as my search of the forum revealed nothing.

I have done small trips with a small set of tools, but branching out and extending the trip, I have thought of using Murphy's law and the old biker creed, if it can go wrong it will, and if I don't take an extra tube/patch kit, I'll have a flat. Out on an extended tour that could be anything, so one has to think practically, and what I can fix that would get me to where I can get the repair I need. That shortened my list a bit.