17 Responses to “Multi Tool - A Contest”

1. 1 Fritz  on Sep 24th, 2007 at 5:40 pm

   I like my Topeak Alien, although it’s a bit big. No amazing stories to tell about it, though.

2. 2 Aaron  on Sep 24th, 2007 at 6:54 pm

   I’m an enormous fan of the Topeak Alien XS. When buying a multi-tool, it seems that you are forced to choose on a sliding scale, trading off between size/weight and versatility (the number of toys on it). The Alien XS is a fantastic balance, being pretty relatively light and small, while having just about every tool that I can imagine needing on the trail. The XS consists of two interlocking halves that can separate, each having different tools that unfold. Why this is wonderful is that you are able to use the two halves together- for instance, one half has wrenches for holding a bolt, while the other has the hex tools and screwdrivers for tightening the screw. Furthermore, it comes with a chain-breaker tool, something that surprisingly few other small multi-tools have and is infinitely useful when your chain goes funk 15 miles from the parking lot. I have used the tool for a number of “off the trail” repairs when proper tools weren’t available- I’ve even tightened my crank bolts with this little beast! The Topeak Alien XS is definitely a worthy addition to your pack, from saving your own butt when your two-wheeled steed goes down in the mountains, to cracking open the beer of a thankful friend back at camp.

   As for tools I am unhappy with- Crank Brothers has gotten onto my list. While solidly built- of the two CB multi’s that I have dealt with (one my own, one of a riding partner’s), both have gotten rusty in less than a year. Maybe the Brothers should stick to pedals and pumps…

3. 3 Kerbouchaud  on Sep 24th, 2007 at 11:05 pm

   The best that I could come up with was a BELL Multi tool purchased at WalMart. I havent’ needed it yet, but have had the opportunity to pass it around at the trail head for other riders.
   I’m thinking the other guys that have posted so far don’t need another multi tool, and one of them doesn’t even like Crank Bros.
   I love Crank bros products but am too broke to buy one.

4. 4 Kerbouchaud  on Sep 24th, 2007 at 11:05 pm

   The best that I could come up with was a BELL Multi tool purchased at WalMart. I havent’ needed it yet, but have had the opportunity to pass it around at the trail head for other riders.
   I’m thinking the other guys that have posted so far don’t need another multi tool, and one of them doesn’t even like Crank Bros.
   I love Crank bros products but am too broke to buy one.

5. 5 KG  on Sep 25th, 2007 at 10:08 am

   I went from a cheapo tool to a Crank Bros. Multi19 and it is a huge difference. The pros are the nice “flask” it comes with to store it while it’s in your pack, the 8MM Allen wrench, and the chain tool (others said it was hard to use but I think its a great on trail tool). The cons are my Torx25 isn’t a real tight fit into screw heads so it has caused some minor stripping.

6. 6 Amblus  on Sep 25th, 2007 at 3:32 pm

   My favorite multi-tool is called “Kenny”. He can change a tire, adjust brakes, tighten grips, true a wheel, adjust a saddle and makes really good pancakes on Sunday. He’s not available in stores, I’m afraid.

7. 7 Sean  on Sep 25th, 2007 at 5:10 pm

   Unfortunately, I bought a Cannondale multitool 12 years ago. No matter how I abuse it, it steadfastly refuses to die, preventing me from buying another one of these hot new models which come out every year. Just as well it’s saved me from walking home on several occasions. Unkillable. It’s a long-term relationship (sigh).

   I do covet that Soma multitool with the wood sides, though. Desireable, in an eco-warrior kind of way. I’d be being unfaithful though. I’m such a tool.

8. 8 Allen  on Sep 27th, 2007 at 12:33 pm

   I try and ride once a week but haven’t had much money for tools as of late because I bought a new house. Anyways, I do have a Hex wrench foldup tool I bought at Lowes years ago that always accompanies me in my camelbak. I ride a 8 year old trek 4500 that I’m steadily upgrading but haven’t gotten around to upgrading the crappy seatpost that attaches in a half circle bolt type thing.

   I was riding one of the local trails around where I live and got about 3 miles in which was about at the furthest point away from my jeep and I decided to try and jump a ditch. Well I did jump it but when I came down on the other side, my back tire hit the edge and I hit hard on the saddle which caused it to actually come loose and point in a horrendously inappropriate position.

   I got off and repositioned my seat the best I could and thankfully used my hex wrench tool to tighten it and rode back to my car. Without that tool, I don’t know if I’d be able to have kids or not. I can’t wait to get an actual multi tool but for now, I’m carrying old reliable.

9. 9 Aaron  on Sep 29th, 2007 at 12:31 pm

   I’d like to retract some of of my previous comments regarding the Crank Brothers. Reading some reviews, it has come to my attention that rust was only a problem with the first generation or two of their multi-tools.

   Also- I was riding today and was reminded of the PERFECT example of a “blue collar” multi-use tool. A year ago, I was riding a trail called “Pancake Rocks.” From its name, you can get a pretty clear idea of what it was like- a series of slabs, going on for several miles. I was having a great time going back down, after labouring my way to the top, but I ride a hard-tail and my toosh was getting pretty sore. Finally, I decided to take a break from the pain (my legs were starting to go numb!) and got off the bike, only to see real cause of my agony- my seat had been nastily bent from all the trauma my poor pelvis had been inflicting on it. I couldn’t imagine riding the rest of the way back to my car (you don’t know how much this thing was hurting!) so I enlisted the use of the only tool I could find for the job: a good sized rock. Pulling my seat and seatpost off the bike and laying it on the ground, I beat my seat back into a reasonable shape using the rock and was able to ride back to the car with minimal pain.

   Obviously, the seat had to be replaced, but as far as trail-fixes go, I sure was thankful to have that powerful of a “multi-tool” that I didn’t have to lug around in my bag!

10. 10 Tom  on Oct 3rd, 2007 at 9:56 am

    I have used my Alien XS to Adjust my brakres more than once, I also have used it to re-attach pedals that came off and were stuck to my shoe. I have had partners use it to adjust their hubs as well. Good all around tool in a small package.

    I also seem to have a habit of once using them not zipping up my Camelback fully and losing them out on the trail.

11. 11 Joe  on Oct 3rd, 2007 at 2:00 pm

    My usual daily-riding toolset consists of a Park MT-1, a little Pedro’s 9mm/10mm open-end wrench/bottle opener and a Leatherman tool (pro tip: use the Leatherman pliers as a cheater bar for the other two tools).

12. 12 Anthony Jr.  on Oct 3rd, 2007 at 5:54 pm

    Having lost the following tools, in the following order, between 1998 and the present day–

    Topeak Alien
    Topeak Alien XS
    Topeak Macguyver
    Park AWS-10
    Giant Folding Tool (snappy name, eh?)

    –I have most recently bought what I consider to be the perfect lightweight tool: the Park IB-2.

    I look forward to losing it.

    Jr.

13. 13 Chicken Beast  on Oct 5th, 2007 at 10:53 am

    Let me start off by saying that I’m a complete newbie to the bike scene. When I found out that its usually a good idea to have some basic tools with you when you ride, I did what any newbie, blue collar, mountain biker would do, I went to Wal-Mart and bought the cheapest thing I could find.

    While I was totally unimpressed with the huge, clunky, seeming to weigh 5 lbs, $9 Bell multi-tool at first, it has since become a critical piece of my bike equipment. Sure I might like something sexier, lighter and more functional but then again would I want to take a fancy multi-tool, lay it on top of a bent chain link and then smash it with a boulder like I did last night to fix my friends chain and keep our epic (in our minds anyway) ride going? I think not!

    Chain repair with a $9 multi-tool and a big rock… If that’s not blue collar mountain biking then I don’t know what is!

    A link to an action shot of the aforementioned multi-tool and broken chain: http://picasaweb.google.com/billydunnic/FriscoTrailBikeRideWithLaBargeColleagues/photo#5117644212538246626

14. 14 Choke  on Oct 7th, 2007 at 4:04 am

    The Park MT-1 has saved me from a loose left crankarm on countless occasions. Why is it the left one ALWAYS gets loose? Feh! Today it saved me from being driven mad by my chainring creaking whilst on my afternoon ride. The thing isn’t the best in the world, but it’s better than getting a dedicated crankarm wrench. It’s got eight functions, but I’ve only used two because all the heads are too short to use on a lot of things & I don’t think I have any hex nuts on my Monkey. Prolly the best thing about it is that it comes with a handy neoprene pouch that has all the other stuff I might need on a ride.

    I have an old Avenir that I totally love. I think it has 8 functions. I’ve used it to fix all kinds of stuff. The phillips and flat screwdrivers are especially handy and the length of all the tools is almost perfect. Heck, I even broke off the 4mm allen and I still carry it with me.

    I also have a crank bros Multi-5 that is almost worthless. All the tools are too short to get a good grip on and they keep wanting to rotate out of my grip.

    I also carry a Gerber locking multiplier as well, just in case I have to kick it Survivorman style for a while or have to fight off mountain lions or hikers.

    I used to carry a Swiss Champ too, but I lost it on the trail. Saddle bags like to open up when you ain’t lookin’.

15. 15 Tiki  on Oct 11th, 2007 at 3:44 pm

    Personally I carry an assortment of tools purchased at the dollar store. The hardest part is riding with the large orange bucket that I found along side the trail. It might seem like I am making up the story. But whenever any one needs a hammer, a metal file or even a machete, who are you gonna call. I think one of the small multi tool thingys would make a nice addition to my bucket. Then again with the stuff I find while maintaining the trail, Maybe you should give it to someone else, because everyone seems to leave stuff on the trail.

16. 16 Tom  on Oct 15th, 2007 at 11:39 am

    Even though I posted earlier as number 10 yesterdays ride warranted another post-

    Replaced my disc brake pads at home on Saturday, trued everything up seemed good. 4 miles out i keep hearing some serious brake rub so I stop spin the rear wheel and it stops w/ in three revolutions.

    Turn the bike over rear wheel comes off, Secondly I musn’t have tightened the 5 mm bolts for the disc mount very well so it was dragging the disc bad.

    Remounted the wheel- quick alignment on the trail and good to go again (although my legs were spent).

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