The F15 isn't overly bulky, but it's also not so small that it's frustrating to use. The F15 has a similar feel – there's something about it that just feels right, and more than one rider handed it back to me with the question, “Who makes that?” after I loaned it out for a trailside repair. No, I wasn't a chain-smoking 12-year-old – my affinity came from the way the metal case felt in my hand, and how satisfying it was to open and close the lighter's cover. When I was a kid I used to love Zippo lighters. Here are 13 to get you started.A magnet in the center of the case holds the chain tool and the multi-tool in place.

That will help you decide which tool is best for you. Think about what you need, how in-depth you’re willing to go with repairs, how bulky of a tool you want to carry, and your budget. Screwdrivers are another standard feature, as are Torx bits (you’ll often find these bolts holding rotors to hubs). Every tool on our list features a selection of hex wrenches, though not all of them carry the larger 8mm hex necessary to tighten a pedal in a crank arm. That’s why we included multi-tools that offer only the bare minimum as well as those that can make just about any midride repair. We haven’t tested all the tools on our list, but we’ve used enough to know what you need (and don’t need). How We Chose These Multi-Toolsīicycling’s test team has certainly experienced no shortage of roadside and trailside repairs and adjustments-from loose cleat bolts to saddle-height tweaks to flats and more. Another has an integrated CO2 dispenser that works with both presta and Schrader valves. One of our favorites includes a small torque wrench to help prevent overtightening bolts and potentially damaging sensitive parts, like carbon handlebars. Some disassemble and reassemble in ways that offer more leverage or to keep the tool from flexing in use for more precision tightening. Some tools are magnetized to help hold bits in place on the tool itself, or to hold the tool in place on the bike. Join Bicycling All Access for more gear picks Cool Tech to Look For They are also high quality and comfortable enough to use on a regular basis-as at home on a workbench as they are in a backpack or jersey pocket. These are great set-it-and-forget-it options.īench-worthy tools tend to come in roll-up pouches and include removable handles that allow extra leverage. Hidden multi-tools attach to or slot into existing openings on your bike, so you don’t need to carry them in a pack, seatbag, or jersey pocket. (You likely could completely assemble or disassemble a bicycle with one if you wanted.) They can be bulky-likely best carried in a backpack or seatbag-but will let you ride worry-free. They are small, lightweight, and simple.Īll-in- one tools contain pretty much everything you need, including tire levers and a chain tool, to fix most any malfunction. You’ll likely need to augment them with a set of tire levers and/or a chain tool to have an all-situations fixer. Super-minima list tools contain the bare essentials-mostly hex wrenches.

Crank brothers multi tool 20