Talk to me about multitools – what do you carry?

[Talrand]

Got my shiny new tools from Topeak:
I like the Ratchet Toolbar. It's incredibly lightweight, has decent ratcheting mechanism and magnets holding bits in place. I'm not sold on the second bit holder, I wish it was just a simple handle without the bulbous bit. Maybe I can use it as a holder for a secondary bit if I only wanted to carry 2?

The Nano Torqbar is less impressive. The handle is heavy for something that's only 2/3 the torque rating of the Ratcher Toolbar. It's a strange choice to use plastic for the bit holder but then include bits of metal on the handle and put the whole thing in an aluminum sleeve that's heavier (and stronger) than the handle itself.
I bought it mostly for the 5Nm bit, but that is also not too impressive. I haven't tested its accuracy yet but the clicking it makes after reaching 5Nm is barely audible.

Ratchet Toolbar Aluminium confirmed at ~15,5g


Nano Torqbar 5Nm piece by piece (21,3 + 15,1 + 17,5 = 53,9g without bits):
The 5Nm bit - 21,3g

The handle with 1/4" bit holders - 15,1g

The outer aluminum cover for the bit holder - 17,5g

[OtterSpace]

Got my shiny new tools from Topeak:

Thanks for the info.

Can you please post a zoomed in photo of the other side of the highlighted area? I'm curious if I can drill this area to support the long wera bits.

Thanks

[joebusby]

Got my shiny new tools from Topeak:

Thanks for the info.

Can you please post a zoomed in photo of the other side of the highlighted area? I'm curious if I can drill this area to support the long wera bits.
KyPlE5z.jpeg
Thanks

If this works we basically have a ratcheting daysaver.

At half the cost.

I will be grumpy about my recent daysaver purchase.

[repoman]

I recently bought one of these. Super cool in concept, first time I got it out to use it I was suddenly hit with reality. I'm not betting on having this thing for long as the odds of losing the bits out in the wild are extremely high. Really fumbly to get the bits out and they are super tiny. I'm anticipating dropping one and never seeing it again.

[Nickldn]

I'm reading this thread and very surprised you guys think messing around with ratchets and magnetic bits out of the road is realistic. Fine in the garage, but have you ever tried it out on a cold, dark and wet night? I wouldn't recommend it.

Get a good one piece multi-tool with the main hex bits, a t25 and screwdriver ends that are actually usable and not just for show. If it has too many then likely it's actually a paperweight. Try it out on some of your fasteners to check you're able to use it before committing it to your saddle bag.

[AFE]

....., but have you ever tried it out on a cold, dark and wet night?

[OtterSpace]

I'm reading this thread and very surprised you guys think messing around with ratchets and magnetic bits out of the road is realistic.

This was my take for ages before figuring out that there are light weight ratchets that can be used with the wera multi bits. Messing with tons of individual bits is the last thing I want out on the road after losing an essential8 4mm+t25 bit and having to reorder it for some insane price shipped from Switzerland. In a way I regret posting all the 2in1 and small bit options as I personally dont intend to run them but sometimes I try to be too thorough so others can leverage my research if there is a better option.

PB9d7.jpg (38.71 KiB) Viewed 1059 times

Two multi bits that can physically interface with a ratchet is way tighter held than the magnetic attachment used on essentail8 when using it in the ratchet. Also the other wera multibit can be loosely held in the magnet while the other is engaged with the tool for storage. If anything I'm thinking of drilling out the magnet so the Wera bit can engage deeper. A combo for these two tools is what I'm hoping for currently but it requires some modification which I will post about after I receive the longer ratchet.

Also personally I don't see a need for any phillips or slotted tools for field bike work but everyone should take the tools they need. There really is no one size fits all solution for a bike multitool.

Try it out on some of your fasteners to check you're able to use it.

I totally agree with this statement regardless of bike, tool used, or carry method.

[Talrand]

Thanks for the info.

Can you please post a zoomed in photo of the other side of the highlighted area? I'm curious if I can drill this area to support the long wera bits.
KyPlE5z.jpeg
Thanks

It's too small and dark to photo well but inside there's a small disc-shaped magned glued to the plastic part you've marked. The holder itself is hardened steel so you should be able to pry the magnet out and drill """safely""" from the inside but after you've done so there will be nothing to keep the bits in place.

[joebusby]

Thanks for the info.

Can you please post a zoomed in photo of the other side of the highlighted area? I'm curious if I can drill this area to support the long wera bits.
KyPlE5z.jpeg
Thanks

It's too small and dark to photo well but inside there's a small disc-shaped magned glued to the plastic part you've marked. The holder itself is hardened steel so you should be able to pry the magnet out and drill """safely""" from the inside but after you've done so there will be nothing to keep the bits in place.

Depending on how sharp your bit is and how well glued it is, you might be able to gently HSS your way through that magnet.

[OtterSpace]

Depending on how sharp your bit is and how well glued it is, you might be able to gently HSS your way through that magnet.

Current ETA for my shipment of 3 ratchets is next Monday. However, bikeinn shipments are always a mixed bag. At least I have tracking and the package is moving.

My plan as of now is to use a heat gun and a metal pick while clamped in a vice to remove the magnet and the glue then drill from the back so that the 1/4" hole is centered. I might also try a ~100% IPA or acetone soak in case some of the glue can be disolved. If I can't remove the magnet with heat or solvents I'll have to get a bit more creative. It should come out from just drilling the rear but I'd prefer a less sudden removal if at all possible. Regardless of if I can remove the magnet before hand or not I'll start with much smaller drill bits and work up to 1/4".

Here are some close up photos of a ratchet that can pass-through the wera multi bits

Its kind of hard to tell from the topeak photos if they have the bar to prevent bits from pushing through which would be very nice to have and would make the precision of the hole placement and size less critical.

Here are more photos of the bit dimentions that feed into hole size. Sorry for imperial but this is a 1/4" bit standard so that's the measurement system I'm using.

There is also a very slight chance that I can just swap over the ratchet internals after removing the compression ring. Many of these seem to be build from the same factory in Taiwain so there is the smallest of chances but this isn't something I'm banking on.

[sadisticnoob]

I carried the following tools and spares in my most recent cycling trip (approx 450KM)





Multi tool is the park tool ib2

[OtterSpace]

More options as my ratchet investigation continues.

This one is way more off the shelf, natively supports the wera multi bits, and is steel so no max torque issues for anything you would feasibly use it on. However, as used it is heavier than my Essential8 by around 10g.

O'Reilly part number: GM4315

Given this has more leverage for through axles I consider it a better option than the very short one and will use it long term if I cant modify the ~16g Aluminum Topeak ratchet. However, for now its a home use tool that I'll eventually keep loaded with 2.5mm bits.

[HannibalLecter]

More options as my ratchet investigation continues.

This one is way more off the shelf, natively supports the wera multi bits, and is steel so no max torque issues for anything you would feasibly use it on. However, as used it is heavier than my Essential8 by around 10g.

O'Reilly part number: GM4315
new option.PNG

Given this has more leverage for through axles I consider it a better option than the very short one and will use it long term if I cant modify the ~16g Aluminum Topeak ratchet. However, for now its a home use tool that I'll eventually keep loaded with 2.5mm bits.
home tools.jpg

You have a nepros rachet and you put a condom on it? For frame accident protection?

[OtterSpace]

You have a nepros rachet and you put a condom on it? For frame accident protection?

Mostly for color identification to match PBSwiss but also adds some grip thats way better than the slippery polished metal.

The color codes are very nice when you get used to them as you can just glance at a bunch of tools spread out and know which is the 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, T25 etc without having to pickup and inspect anything up close.



I've gotten so used to the PBSwiss colors since I bought their hex keys over 10 years ago. Unfortunately I can't move it to the wera bits for field use as I can't add more thickness here and unless I cerakote or something coloring will just rub off from repeated use. Also to my semi colorblind eyes some of the colors are harder to identify when right next to each other or small/far away. PBSwiss native 3mm & 4mm colors are fairly close so I just changed 3mm to be gound wire heatshrink (yellow with green strip) but that doesnt translate well to markers.

[jayjay]

Does anybody use this tiny PNW Pebble Tool?