I currently carry a small Topeak aero saddle bag with a spare tube, puncture kit, a couple of CO2 canisters and a multi tool. The tool is a Specialized MTB tool so has lots of bits on it I won't really need.
I am trying to cut out unnecesary weight and think this tool is fairly unnecessary - can anyone recommend a light weight multi tool? I ride 11 speed, so an 11 speed chain tool would be ideal, although I understand a 10 speed would do the trick.
Multi tool too damn heavy
Moderator: robbosmans
i have one of the lezyne carbon-10 ones, as with some others if you're really wanting to save every gram you can even undo the fastening and remove bits that aren't needed, downside is it has no 2.5mm key and no flat blade
the chain breaker is 11-speed compatible, it feels scarily light when applying force but it works ok
the chain breaker is 11-speed compatible, it feels scarily light when applying force but it works ok
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Why carry a multi tool? In 20 years of road riding I can count on one hand the number of times I've needed to adjust something with a tool. Take a look at your bike and what you would legitimately need assuming the bike is maintained correctly and a situation you could repair yourself with only the need to get home. For tools I carry (outside of flat repair):
-short 5mm hex. fits just about everything on the bike including shifter hoods if you crash or the quite hidden saddle rail bolts. Multi tools struggle there.
-short 4mm hex. Cable pinch bolts on my kit are 4s. My bike only has 6mm bolts on the back of the 5mm ring bolts so no need for a 6.
-T25 add on bit for the 4mm hex. Comes with the Zipp stem I use, they even sell them.
an oring holds the two keys together, the bit is magnetic.
Never felt the need for a chain tool on the road. Crank comes loose? Multi tool isn't enough leverage to get it tight enough but fall back to maintained correctly as the answer there.
Of course there will come a day when the phone is the way to get home but I've been resourceful enough to solve any issue so far. If an issue needs more than the very basics and some smarts then calling someone is likely a better plan.
Carrying a multi tool for me ended many years ago when not being able to reach the brake pad bolt after a broken spoke on a CX woods ride. Even when I used to guide MTB trips the carry was separate tools rather than a multi, a Leatherman excepted. Separate tools are cheaper, lighter and work better than multis.
-short 5mm hex. fits just about everything on the bike including shifter hoods if you crash or the quite hidden saddle rail bolts. Multi tools struggle there.
-short 4mm hex. Cable pinch bolts on my kit are 4s. My bike only has 6mm bolts on the back of the 5mm ring bolts so no need for a 6.
-T25 add on bit for the 4mm hex. Comes with the Zipp stem I use, they even sell them.
an oring holds the two keys together, the bit is magnetic.
Never felt the need for a chain tool on the road. Crank comes loose? Multi tool isn't enough leverage to get it tight enough but fall back to maintained correctly as the answer there.
Of course there will come a day when the phone is the way to get home but I've been resourceful enough to solve any issue so far. If an issue needs more than the very basics and some smarts then calling someone is likely a better plan.
Carrying a multi tool for me ended many years ago when not being able to reach the brake pad bolt after a broken spoke on a CX woods ride. Even when I used to guide MTB trips the carry was separate tools rather than a multi, a Leatherman excepted. Separate tools are cheaper, lighter and work better than multis.
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petromyzon
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:14 pm
I have had one chain break in 5 years but I've seen them in friends on group rides too. I'd be more willing to go without some of the hex keys than a chainbreaker and a powerlink.
Needing a tool is really about luck. In 2 years of riding, I've gotten a total of 8 flats. No one else in my group has ever flatted. So I have multi-tools and pumps in my saddle bag. My friends have smokes and lighters. Which category do you fall in!
There are some light mini tools but they tend to be on the premium side. As mentioned above, a 2-3 hex keys, a phillips, a chain tool and maybe tire levers if you run clinchers would probably do it. I have a Topeak multi-tool that does all the above. But one time I needed to adjust the speed/cadence arm on the Garmin sensor as it was hitting the spokes and the Phillips head was too big. You never know what you need!
There are some light mini tools but they tend to be on the premium side. As mentioned above, a 2-3 hex keys, a phillips, a chain tool and maybe tire levers if you run clinchers would probably do it. I have a Topeak multi-tool that does all the above. But one time I needed to adjust the speed/cadence arm on the Garmin sensor as it was hitting the spokes and the Phillips head was too big. You never know what you need!
Cosmo wrote:Why carry a multi tool? In 20 years of road riding I can count on one hand the number of times I've needed to adjust something with a tool. Take a look at your bike and what you would legitimately need assuming the bike is maintained correctly and a situation you could repair yourself with only the need to get home. For tools I carry (outside of flat repair):
-short 5mm hex. fits just about everything on the bike including shifter hoods if you crash or the quite hidden saddle rail bolts. Multi tools struggle there.
-short 4mm hex. Cable pinch bolts on my kit are 4s. My bike only has 6mm bolts on the back of the 5mm ring bolts so no need for a 6.
-T25 add on bit for the 4mm hex. Comes with the Zipp stem I use, they even sell them.
an oring holds the two keys together, the bit is magnetic.
Never felt the need for a chain tool on the road. Crank comes loose? Multi tool isn't enough leverage to get it tight enough but fall back to maintained correctly as the answer there.
Of course there will come a day when the phone is the way to get home but I've been resourceful enough to solve any issue so far. If an issue needs more than the very basics and some smarts then calling someone is likely a better plan.
Carrying a multi tool for me ended many years ago when not being able to reach the brake pad bolt after a broken spoke on a CX woods ride. Even when I used to guide MTB trips the carry was separate tools rather than a multi, a Leatherman excepted. Separate tools are cheaper, lighter and work better than multis.
most of the allen keys on my multi tool are made out of soft cheese (crank bros one), but the chain tool and with built in spoke key has saved me and friends on numerous occasions, I consider it an invaluable piece of kit, the slight added weight doesn't bother me.
I've also used short the 8mm allen key to tighten up cranks (more other peoples than my own) adequately to continue on a ride, I found you can apply more pressure by keeping your gloves on. I have been looking at new multi tools, but the chain tool on the cranks bros is really decent, never failed me and had the thing about 10 years.
I'm definitely don't take a weenie approach to what I carry, I carry a spare tube, levers, a patch kit, a pressure drive, some proper allen keys and the multi tool, but with that array I'm pretty self sufficient... I need to be, my GF wouldn't be driving out into the countryside to pick me up!
I agree with Cosmo. I've never needed a multi tool out on the road in 10 years of riding. I've gotten by with just the 4mm and 5mm individuals (though never used these either), and then tire repair stuff. Should I ever need more than that, I've got my phone. It's really just because for years that I carried it I never needed it, so I dropped it out of the saddle bag.
Last edited by angrylegs on Sat May 16, 2015 8:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Stolichnaya
- Posts: 2621
- Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2004 6:55 pm
- Location: Vienna, AUT
Ok, re: Lezyne, I have held my tongue for a while, but I have given that brand three tries (one item, a floor pump, exchanged 3 times alone before asking for a complete refund) and all three items (multi tool, floor pump and frame pump) looked great (great marketing too) but were complete garbage. For the money, these items are not well thought out and in the case of the pumps, they were laughably off from both a calibrated gauge and my 15 year old Blackburn. Their multi tool are no different in my experience. Form over function. Might as well just save the weight and not carry it, or chose another brand.
Ok, so I have weighed everything I tend to carry in my saddlebag:
Saddle bag : 123g
Patch kit: 21g
Inner tube: 103g
Tyre levers: 29g
2x CO2 canisters and inflator: 174g
Mini pen knife: 24g
Multi tool: 213g
So let's say I ditch the multi tool and pen knife and replaced with a lightweight multi tool circa 90g that's a saving of around 150g. I suppose that's a worthwhile weight saving. The rest is still worth keeping in the bag isn't it?
Saddle bag : 123g
Patch kit: 21g
Inner tube: 103g
Tyre levers: 29g
2x CO2 canisters and inflator: 174g
Mini pen knife: 24g
Multi tool: 213g
So let's say I ditch the multi tool and pen knife and replaced with a lightweight multi tool circa 90g that's a saving of around 150g. I suppose that's a worthwhile weight saving. The rest is still worth keeping in the bag isn't it?
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