texasdiver

Riding around home I just keep a small assortment of tools in a seat bag but I'm planning a month long tour this summer and plan to bring a much more comprehensive set of tools. I'm thinking that I'd like some sort of zippered bag where I can organize all my tools and spare parts in one place. That way when I go to make any repair I can unroll all my tools and parts and have them all laid out in once place.

Anyone know of a nice lightweight tool bag that will be useful for holding a good collection of tools that can then be dropped into a larger bag or pannier?

MMACH 5

Timbuk2, Park Tool and Chrome all make tool rolls. I think they sell some stocked with tools.

For my daughter's bike, I bought a zippered, pistol pouch and sewed velcro loops on two sides so it attaches to the frame in the main triangle. I didn't think anyone would recognize it as a pistol bag. I figured folks would think it was just a triangular bag, made for cycling. However, on several occasions, we've been out riding and had people mention her packing heat. "Is that your daughter with the gun?" and "Certainly, she can't be old enough for a CHL."

Cyclist0094

I use a bank deposit bag. They are usually 11" x 6" medium weight vinyl with a sturdy zipper. Used to get them free from the banks. I have seen them $4-5 each at Staples.

Erick L

I use these (small size) for my tools, toiletteries, first aid and batteries & chargers. They are tough and clear so it's easy to find things. I cut out the little plastic hook and tied a small string loop instead.

timvan_78

I took a heavy duty ziploc bag (not too big) and covered it in duct tape. I even made a couple tabs to make it easy to open, 'cuz I'm classy like that.

texasdiver

Thanks guys, I was thinking perhaps something along these lines. This is intended for motorcycle touring but the concept is the same:

https://roadgear.com/sport-touring-tool-pouch-p-46.html

But I'm open to ideas. I'll have to make a list of all the tools and parts that I'll want but definitely a couple multi-tools, spoke wrench, chain wrench, lube, spare tubes, patches, tire levers, hand wipes, along with a ziploc bag of essential spare parts. I'll need to go over the bike and trailer top to bottom to make sure I have every possible tool that I'll need.

GP

You can also make your own out of bottom weight fabric. I did and it took me several hours and cost twice as much as going to the store and buying one.

fietsbob

a shop towel , rolled up with a few rubber bands around it , both carries the tools .
and gives you some place, relatively clean, to lay the parts you take off, onto.


Hemp Canvas would be Hip.

DW99

That's what I used in my motorcycle days, now I use one of those little cheapo nylon fold over things that aggravates the pee water out of me. Don't know how, when or where I got the dang things, got two of 'em.

Hemp Canvas sounds good, a little bigger than what I have and actually folds over far enough so the tools stay in it, nice!

BigBlueToe

I just put my tools in a ziploc. It's lightweight, and the same one has lasted for several tours.

imi

That thing is evil!

texasdiver

Funny thing. Rivendell will actually sell you that: https://www.rivbike.com/product-p/ba-rito.htm

sstorkel

Agreed. How many tools to you need to carry, really? I've got a tool bag I can barely lift that contains all of the tools, and many of the spare parts, necessary to build a bike from the frame up. On tour? I leave most of that stuff at home! I carry enough tools to rescue myself from an inconvenience or mild disaster, but assume that if anything truly major happens I'll need to hitch a ride to a bike shop.

Bike Hermit

King Cage Cargo Cage
(disclosure: we sell these too at the Bike Touring News store, but I use them and love them)

Western Flyer 

I made my own tool roll to fit the tools I take. Park Tool has a tool roll for bike tools. The tool roll give me a clean visible surface to put tools and parts I am using. I put shadows on the pockets to keep thing organized and accounted for. I keep a spare tube and patching kit in a separate small saddle bag. It might have taken me an hour to layout the pattern and sew mine together.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/dire...size=large&v=3

Here's one called a bike burrito

PDX Reborn

When touring, I use an old water bottle with a wide opening to store all my tools and spare bits. It usually goes in the 3rd cage mounted on the downtube.

On commutes, I use a small tool roll inside my pannier.

Papa Tom

Don't forget to carry a small towel or rag or clean the grease off your hands after a repair. There are few things less disgusting than riding for several hours with that stuff all over you, your clothes, and the cheek you keep wiping sweat off of.

simplygib

Please supply your contact information so my lawyer can contact you regarding patent infringement.
Actually, mine is a superior design since it doesn't require the use of one of those h-e-a-v-y ziploc bags.

DEW21

The "Simplygib" duct tape roll with easy open tabs gets my vote!

texasdiver

So are those duct tape pouches a stealth way to carry a supply of duct tape for other repairs, or do you just like making junk out of duct tape?

Cougrrcj

As Red Green would say: "Duct Tape -The Handyman's Secret Weapon"

For me, I carried a sawed-down 10" crescent wrench (cut to fit the length of my seat bag), chain breaker, spoke wrench, 6mm Allen wrench, tire levers, patch kit, squeeze tube of white lithium grease, a 1.5oz aerosol can of WD40, flat and #2 Phillips screwdrivers, freewheel tool, crank extractor, a shop rag, and a spare inner tube, and most importantly my flipee-flyer (cloth frisbee-type thing with bead chain in the outer hem) all in my mid-70s 8" long and 5" diameter Cannondale 'Toot' seat bag. Spare spokes were taped to the chainstay with black electrical tape.

Medic Zero

I like the looks of that one. I picked up something similar from an Army Navy surplus store for about $5 IIRC. It holds: 8mm wrench, 10mm wrench, Sharpie, ballpoint pen, Fiberfix spoke kit, patch kit, tire levers (2), a small screwdriver and probably a couple of things I'm forgetting. I've seen something similar for the civilian market (Bucket Mates?).

I do need to pare down to something smaller now that I'm not running a clunker that needs constant repairs. I probably don't need to be carrying around full size box end wrenches anymore...

djb

makes me laugh, once on a motorcycle ride coming back from the states, my hands were freezing, so I duct taped some plastic bags into mitts to wear over my motorcycle gloves, worked a treat.

rodar y rodar

I don`t ride anywhere exotic or take megatours, and check my bike out before taking off, so just the "small assortment of tools in a seatbag" (probably very similar assortment to yours) plus a few extras, that still fits in a seat wedge. Sometimes, when a lot of dirt roads are expected, I carry an additional tube beyond the one spare already in the seat wedge. That second spare is a little too much to stuff in the wedge, so I just find it a home wherever I can.

simplygib

I saw an article about Teresa Scanlan, and I was sold.