Just out of interest. Who carries a tool kit with them on the bike and what do you carry?

I carry a 4,5 and 6mm allen key.

Small adjustable spanner.

Stumpy PZ2 and slot screwdriver

Flat bike spanner that I've never used but must be 30 years old

Pliers.

All in an old pencil case in the back rack bag.

1 hour ago, Wayners said:

Just out of interest. Who carries a tool kit with them on the bike and what do you carry?

I carry a 4,5 and 6mm allen key.

Small adjustable spanner.

Stumpy PZ2 and slot screwdriver

Flat bike spanner that I've never used but must be 30 years old

Pliers.

All in an old pencil case in the back rack bag.

Mostly, I don't take anything, but if I would go on a long trip and I wanted to be sure I'd make it, I'd take my bike multitool, that has all the allen keys, screwdrivers, chain repairer, spoke adjusters, etc., on it and a puncture repair kit that includes a mini-pump. Everything can fit in the small under-seat toolbag that contains my controller.

It's been about 10 years since I ever had to adjust anying while I'm out, and 10 years since I had a puncture on my electric bike. The only times I've had to fix anything was on a new build. I had to let some brake fluid out once because I'd over-filled, and another time a crank came loose.

Other than a couple of cable ties to fix loosing a front or rear carry box due to collisions (it happens too frequently in the city - tourist!!) and a carry bag which can double up as a 'glove' if i suffer a chain loss - less frequent.. - nowt.

Anything else would just end up extra luggage to lug about and watch over ie get left in the bank or wherever..

All my trips are however within an hours walk from home so while a pita not the end of the world should i get a flat..

A broken chain (unlikely) would be no problem thanks to the el cheapo cadence based pas sensor ;) yay e-bikes!!

Multitool with chain tool and quick links for 10 &11 speed, Co2 pump & patches, tube, tyre repair boot on MTB and tyre levers on roadie. Also carry glasses wipes and tissues for cleaning up, glasses wipes are just a convenient (small) way of carrying a wet wipe. All have been used at various times though not usually for my bike. Most of my rides include remote areas in the mountains where you have to be able to get the bike home.

This is interesting. I'm going collect a few of these items and carry.

I have some multi tools I could carry instead of a mix of separate tools, so I probably don't need screwdrivers. One has pliers built in. I'm thinking about the size and weight of all this stuff.

Bike locks are the biggest item I carry along with a chain for when I stop at supermarket.

This week's project sorted...

If I am going further than I would be content to push the bike, I take a bike mutli tool (like Dave mentioned), a pump and puncture outfit and plastic tyre levers, some tie wraps, and a small pair of pliers, not to mention a suitable spanner in case I have to take off a wheel. At times I might have a nice adjustable spanner for emergency use. I would never use an adjustable at home - you can't beat the proper sized spanner, but in a pinch an adjustable will get you out of many a hole as long as high torque isn't needed. They tend to slip and round off nuts, as I am sure you all know.

I don't often need any tools on my bike rides - it is pretty rare, but if you happen to be far from home, it's a bug ger not to have them and find you are stuck, and needing a rescue, or a long walk back.

The only recent failures I can remember have been a slow puncture caused by a thorn after the hedges had been cut. I got back with a number of stops and pumping the tyre; a screw worked loose and fell out on one of my front mudguard brace wires about three years ago. I managed to tie wrap that back on temporarily, and an electrical problem when the motor cut out after the little magnet from the brake cut off switch, fell out. I worked out what was wrong and unplugged the brake cut off from the motor harness. No tools needed there.

In the past before I got an electric bike, I had trouble with the crank coming loose. I fortunately had a suitable Allen Key to tighten it up because it happened about 20 miles from home.

Edited April 27Apr 27 by Tony1951

The one time I didn't carry the right Allen key, during a rare use of a cycle path late one dark and murky dangerous night, my bike hit a tree root pushing up tarmac... I went over the handlebars, landed on my helmeted head, and a pedal fell off when I started cycling again. It was too late at night to fold my bike into a bus, didn't want to spend money on a taxi so pushed my bike 4 miles home, mostly uphill. So now I carry one of these folding multitools, bought from Poundland when everything in Poundland actually cost £1 as advertised...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DIY-TECH-UK-Multitool-Screwdrivers/dp/B07NXVMCCK?

...plus this Scarab multitool:

https://www.trueutility.com/products/scarab

...and a small pump which fits my zippy £1 Poundland pencil case toolkit, along with everything else:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VeloChampion-Alloy-Mini-Glueless-Patches/dp/B076VNGDGY

A couple of quick links and cheapo quick link pliers - this is awful, cuts into your hand when a lot of pressure is applied...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/137056959751

...should have bought the longer plastic handle protector ones, and might have:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/389857636325

This decent quality Topeak chain tool, which unlike others I've tried isn't single use:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/316592089171

I also carry a couple of KMC X8 chain links. No puncture repair kit or tubes anymore, haven't bothered carrying those since I switched to Marathon Plus tyres. If necessary I'd simply fold my bike to some vehicle or other, if pumping tyres won't get me home.

Also this Swiss-Tech Utili-Key on my keychain is surprisingly useful, when I remember that I always have it to hand.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/406569324696

Mind the small but very sharp blade, almost cut my hand using it's bottle opener the other day. There's always a little screw somewhere which needs a little screwing. I've made a scabbard for it using self-amalgamating rubber tape and gaffa, to stop it poking holes in trouser pockets. It's small and doesn't lock, I believe it's legal to carry.

Also on my keychain, this very small Olight i3 EOS torch is bright for it's size, despite using a single rechargeable AAA.

https://uk.olight.com/store/i3e-eos

Also this:

https://www.police-supplies.co.uk/farb-gel-defence-spray-with-pouch

In case this happens or I feel like going all ASBO:

Spoke tools, small adjustable spanner, multispanner, even more small spanners, cheapo multiscrewdriver, plus more of the usual suspects mentioned, because my bike cares nothing about weight. Why should it? It's an ebike with a legal 720W motor driving small wheels with a bloody big battery.

Edited April 27Apr 27 by guerney

Just to add to the above and not yet mentioned and that I do carry (and have had to use):

• A tyre boot for splits in tyre walls - a piece of 'metalused' toothpaste tube or similar plus a craft knife blade which when wrapped together sits in the bottom of the puncture repair box - weighs just a few grammes

• A small first aid kit - mainly plasters, lint and sticky tape. Also a small tube of super glue for small scratches that won't stop bleeding (I've previously been on blood thinners and the glue came in very handy).

• A 6" length of dowel to get a dropped chain back on

• Tie wraps have been mentioned but don't forget something to cut them with

• 2 spare inner tubes (I loath Marathon plus and am happy to deal with the odd puncture)

• A decent frame pump or similar - those mini pumps can be hard work

• A part used roll of electricians insulating tape.

These and other tools fit into the side pockets on my Carradice saddle bag. Folks may scoff at my toolkit but inevitably on club rides I get asked to help out the unprepared 😏

on club rides...........

.........you were never allowed to fix your own problem because everyone else insisted on doing it...........

I have one of these fixed in the stem of my bike and for multi-day tours I also take a puncture repair outfit, pump and tyre levers and a spare tube if space allows. Other than that a Swiss army knife is more than sufficient.😀

Edited April 28Apr 28 by JoeCrow