Basic Tools to have on a bike trip

[happyslug]

3. I have used muti-tools including Topeaks but not their 18+

Last edited Fri Jan 30, 2015, 01:02 AM - Edit history (1)

My problem with them is they tend to be to small for any real repairs, or tend to have so many tools that are useless. Most of the Hex Head, screws heads and Phillips Head I have on my bike, I need something with more leverage then in most Multi-tools, thus I prefer the full size tools. My problem is I have used them AND used full size tools and in my old age I tend to go with the full size tools more and more).

Through when I looked at the 18+, its chain tool seems to be nice sized, the tool appears to be a chain tools with other tools added on, thus not a bad combination.

The 18+:

http://www.topeak.com/mediafiles/products/158/

Tools 18 total
Allen Wrenches 2/2-L/2.5/3/4(2 each)
5/6/8/10mm
Torx® Wrench T25
Spoke Wrenches 15g/14g
Chain Tool Cast CrMo Steel
Tire Levers Super Hard
Anodized Aluminum*
*The metal tire lever is designed for durability and for emergency use only
Screw Drivers 1 Phillips/1 Flat
Bottle Opener Steel
Chain Pin Tool Chain Pin Breaker
Tool Material Hardened Steel

Body Forged Aluminum
Bag Material Neoprene
Size (L x W x H) 8.2 x 4.3 x 2 cm
3.2” x 1.7” x 0.8”
Weight 185 g / 6.51 oz
Art.no. TT2518

This is typical, very short body and tool and some useless tools (for example I have NEVER had to use a spoke wrench for an emergency repair, even if I broke a Spoke. I could get the bike home, by riding it, it was would wobbler but usable. I did have to replace the SPOKE to get the wheel true, but that could be done at home OR in a proper repair shop.

As to the "Tire Levers" on such tools, they are way to small to be useful. When I use them they tend to bend, thus you will have to opt for other tire levers to get a tire off a wheel. I have broken many a full size plastic tire levels for some tires are a pain to get off the wheel. (I recently purchased and used some Park steel tire levers, ohh they are nice...., but to heavy to carry on the bike, through if I was maintence on a group trip I would carry a set along with some other full size bike tools).



http://www.parktool.com/product/heavy-duty-steel-tire-lever-set-tl-5

I also rarely need a Bottle Opener, very useful as late as the 1970s but then companies opt for twist caps on water and soda-pop (and pull off tabs on cans). As the 2, 2.5, 3, and 4 mm Hex, why do you need two of each??? One is generally sufficient. The T-25 Torx wrench is useful if you have brakes that require that wrench (which I do NOT have) thus useless for me (would be useful on a bike that requires such a wrench, but in my opinion the Park Tri-tool with a 4mm hex, 5 mm Hex and 25mm Torx end would be a better option):

4mm hex, 5mm hex and T25 Torx style set

Side note on Torx wrenches: Torx was invented for production line on an assembly line. This had also been true of Phillips and hex wrenches. Slot screws had been the standard for centuries but takes take to get into the slot and stay in the slot. Phillips opt for a cross that made getting the driver into the slot easier and faster. Hex drivers were even easier and faster, and Torx has been found to be the fastest and thus easier to make computerized machines to do the screwing. As such operations on assembly line became less and less human driven and more power driven, the advantages of using Torx became more and more cost effective. Now, given that Torx and Hex and Phillips were all developed for factory use, there is no reason to retain them on your bike, thus Hex are still the norm on bicycles, long after Torx have become the norm in automobiles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx

Hydraulic brakes use Torx for most came out of Motorcycle production that used Torx wrenches. Unless you are using a Torque Wrench to make sure the bolt is at a set torque, you can replace most Torx bolts with hex bolts (Torque Wrenches can be had in Straight, Phillips and Hex nut heads, thus unless they is some other reason to keep the Torx head I would get rid of it if Possible). I would also look into doing the same for any Phillips and convention straight bolts on your bike, hex bolts are the most popular thus easier to replace every other type AND try to replace any hex head with a hex head that is already on your bike, to minimize what you need as spare hex heads. I try to do this on my bike, but I still end up with a lot of different hex, straight and phillips head bolts. I am just pointing out that one way to minimize the tools you need to repair your bike is to make sure the bolts on the bike tend to use the least number of different bolt heads.

The reason I started this thread is to hear how other people view what they need on their bicycle AND and a place for them to make their choices known. This is a discussion group, we need to discuss and that means saying different things which is what I what. On the other hand part of discussing anything is also to make my position clear and that is what I am doing here.