Tools
 

What do you carry for tools and spare parts when you're on a tour?

I'll usually carry a multi-tool with Allen wrenches and screwdrivers, a spoke wrench, a chain tool, tire repair supplies, needle-nose pliers with a wire cutter and an adjustable wrench. I can't fix every problem I'll encounter, but I'm ready for the more basic mishaps.

What's in your tool kit?

Cooltool (with allen keys, adjustable wrench and chaintool).
Spokey
Mini Leatherman with pliers and metal file.
NBT2 cassette remover
I usually leave the headset wrenches at home and hope nothing gets loose.

I go fairly minimal, but the list is very different from bike to bike.

Multi-tool, chain tool, two quick-links, two fiber-fix spokes, a couple of zip ties, two tubes, and a pump.

This

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/IMG_0114.jpg

This is more my commuting kit which has both mountain bike and road bike tools. For touring, I leave the shock pump and mountain bike tube at home and add a couple more tubes plus a bottle of White Lightning. I don't carry any extra parts nor cables. I make sure that cables and housing are in good shape before I leave.

I've carried a chain tool for 8 years. Never used. One should not tote a tool that hasn't been used in 8 years? I call it my 'peace of mind' tool. I have several in that category.

Most used: Needle nose, allen wrenches, cable ties, pedal wrench. Pedal wrench for boxing the bike.

For short tours: open jaw wrench (8/10mm), Allen keys (4/5/8mm), chain tool, spoke key, some spare nuts and inbus screws, pocket knife with screwdriver, tube, tube fixing set including tyre levers and a pump that fits both schrader and presta valves.

Pretty much what you have plus a cassette tool, and one spoke of each length. I've only used the chain tool for others' bikes, and the cool looks and appreciation are always worth the weight. I also have a repair link, never used, and a couple of bolts and nuts and some cable ties and duct tape, of course.

Stuart,
may I ask what are some of the less obvious items shown in your photo such as the red roll or cylinder towards the bottom and the red handled tool next to the pack with the circular opening? and the small grey item just to the right and superior to the air gauge?

A pack-it-in-a-box tour , I needed a pedal wrench, to put the pedal back on ..
Park used to make a short one , that is what I bring.. 15&32 combo, for 1"

Also, there is a 15&36 for 1.125" threaded headsets..

The red item is a velco cable tie. It comes in handy for various things. The silver cylinder is a roll of duct tape. The last thing is a small light that has an on/off switch. I once got caught out at night and had only a LED squeezy light. About 10 minutes of squeezing the light is enough to cause your hand to cramp. I had to use for about an hour. Ow.

I started carrying a chain tool after I had a chain break in rural Arkansas. I got a farmer to help me put the chain together and I gingerly rode into the nearest town, arriving at a bike shop just minutes before closing time.

The adjustable wrench is useful for removing pedals when I need to pack the bike for shipping. For those trips, I also have a roll of duct tape.

On a couple of trips, I carried vice grips, but I have never needed them and I couldn't think of any case where I would need them, so I don't bother carrying them anymore.

I'm planning to add a few bolts to fit bottle cage mounts and rack mounts. On one or two occasions, a bolt holding the rack in place worked loose and fell out. The rack still held, but I want to be ready in case something like this happens again.

Thank you and how about this one? Is that a spoke wrench plus?

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=287214

It's a Pamir Hypercracker.

Cyccommute

When did you get your Cool-Tool? I had one since the early 90s and lost it out of an unzipped tool bag traveling to the start of my 2009 Columbia River tour. I have had a call on Ebay for over a year for one with no replies. Through the grace of God the 8/10mm adapter was in the bottom of my pannier. Great tool!

I've taken to using a Topeak Survival Gear Box that has just about everything I need, including a means to remove the pedals if they are equipped with a hex key insert on the spindle.

http://www.topeak.com/products/Tools/SurvivalGearBox

The kit includes a chain breaker, three wrench sizes, spoke keys, and under normal circumstances, a pair of tyre levers (but I broke one, and now use a pair of Schwalbe ones that I attach to the box with a rubber band).

I'm sort of overloaded with tools on this current trip. I won't go into the details, but facing the prospect of a seven-month trip tends to cause too much speculation on what could go wrong. I will likely suck up the paranoia and just go with the Gear Box next time.

The worst tool I have on this trip is a BBB tyre pump... it won't achieve the pressures I need, and I should have stuck with the simple, narrow-bore Giyo pumps, of which have six at home.

In the past I've also had good service from several Topeak Hexus multitools, although again I have broken both tyre levers on one, and I found the tool a little difficult to use in certain places on the bike. I'd still use it again wtihout a qualm.

Here's my Tool Kit. I also carry a twenty year old Mini-Buck 350 multi-tool, which doubles as my kitchen knife. At 30 g (1.1 oz) it is a gram counters dream!

Over the years I have parred it down and cobbled together bits of kits like the 25 g pedal wrench from a 290 g Alien multi-tool and the two tiny tire levers (10 g total) from a Topeak 192 g Rocket Ratchet set.

I've had one since the 90s as well. They show up on E-bay occasionally but I haven't seen any for in the last 6 months or more.