tools

[Badger]

What tools do you carry on tour to work on your bike? I followed one list and it weighed about 5 lbs. just for them. I don't want to take to many but I don't want to be stuck because I left my adjustable wrench home.  

[RussellSeaton]

Depends on the bike.  On my old Trek 520 I took two 32mm headset wrenches (one with 15mm pedal wrench on the other end and one with a BB lockring hook on the other end) and a pin spanner when touring.  Frame problems caused the headset to loosen frequently.  On the new touring bike I put on a cartridge bottom bracket and threadless headset so I carry a 5mm Allen wrench for the headset and most other nuts.  I don't carry the BB tool since the fixed cup side is Loctited/teflon taped and the adjustable cup side is just plastic to provide some extra support and the plastic cannot possibly unscrew itself due to its inherent friction.

Figure out what tools are needed to fix, overhaul every part on your bike.  For newer bikes this may not be too many tools.  Then decide whether to take that tool along or not based upon the likelihood of the associated part failing and whether you could actually do anything if it did fail.  For the cartridge BB, I'm not sure having the tool along would make any difference.  You don't carry a spare BB.  Loose cups will wear out the ball bearings/cartridges but you will replace the whole thing cheaply at a bike shop that does have the tools.  I suppose if the fixed cup came loose the drive side crank arm could move far enough to the right to push the non drive crank into the bottom bracket shell.  To use the BB tool on the cups you have to also have a way to remove the crank arms.  So if you bring the BB tool, you have to also bring the crank arm tools.  Choice is both or neither.  An 8mm Allen is needed to tighten the crank arm usually.  I have a socket thing that fits over a 6mm Allen wrench so it does not add anything extra.

You may not need any more tools on a cross country loaded tour than you carry on a day long around town ride.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

I have several multi-tools to choose from, but my favorite is still the first one I bought, the Gerber "Cool Tool", and one of the reasons it is my first pick is the adjustable wrench on it. The Cool Tool has the adjustable head wrench (opens to 19mm), an emergency tire lever, a chain tool, Allen wrenches (sizes 4-5-6-8-10 mm), 14 & 15 mm sockets, Phillips (cross head) screwdriver, spoke wrench, and a bottle opener. Also available separately are 32, 36 and 40mm headset wrenches and a bottom bracket tool that attach to the Cool Tool wrench. I don't know if they makes them any more, as I could not find them, even on Gerber's website. They weigh about 10 ounces, or close to my second choice, the Topeak Alien. (The Alien is more MTB specific, while the Cool Tool can be used for either mountain or road bikes.)

When we were in Russia in '97, our guides from the local bike club were so impressed with the Cool Tool that we ended up giving them one of the two we had with us. Like me, they are still using it.

Ride safe,
Hans

This message was edited by Trailpatrol on 4-8-07 @ 11:01 AM

[tofubicycle]

Trailpatrol,

Sadly, Gerber no longer offers the Cool Tool. Incidentally, I happen to have one of the 32mm headset wrenches you mentioned. It's still in the packaging and at this point I don't expect we're going to sell it. If you or anyone you know is in need of this I'd be happy to mail it off free of charge simply for the satisfaction of knowing it's being put to use.

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i'd rather be biking.

[tofubicycle]

All sound advice given by Russell and Hans. What tools you take depend entirely on the bike and its parts, your route and the distance between bike shops, your own mechanical abilities, and your required amount of peace-of-mind.

Personally, I do not prefer multi tools and peace of mind is huge for me. On all trips I carry 3, 4, 5, and 6mm L-shaped allen wrenches, a 6" adjustable wrench two plastic tire levers, a spoke wrench, a compact Whipperman chain tool a Stein Mini Cassette Lockring tool and a Leatherman for the screw drivers and non-bike related camping needs.

   

--
......... __ o
.........-\<,
......(O) (O)...........
...........................
i'd rather be biking.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Tire tool! Oh yeah, I carry a Zip-stick tire tool. Almost automatically, I always have my Swiss Army knife on me. It is so much a part of me when I am biking (hiking, camping, fishing, etc.) that I forgot to mention it.

Thanks for reminding me.

Ride safe,
Hans

National Mountain Bike Patrol-MN
www.trailpatrol.org

[Sailariel]

I carry a Park multitool with a chain tool,the appropriate spoke wrench,three plastic tyre levers, patch kit.cone wrench,3"adjustable wrench,leatherman,four spokes taped to the chainstay,and a 1oz plastic bottle of sewing machine oil,and a 1oz plastic container (pill bottle) of silicone grease.I also have a frame pump,two spare tubes, and a folding tyre.A roll of black electrical tape and a dozen assorted wire ties complete the kit.

[bktourer1]

Apart from my patch kit I carry a Topeak Alien, a $5 version of the Leatherman, a fiberfix spoke, some wire, duct tape and a small tube of nuts & bolts.  I also carry a freewheel tool.  I have borrowed anything else I might need from garages and people who live along the route.  I have never been turned down in an emergency

Ed