Fit-out Your Cycling Toolkit

Be prepared without carrying extra weight

By Richard Trombly

I recently accidently left my waterproof panniers unclipped and slightly open while parked during a serious rainstorm. They filled with water so I had to take out my toolkit and dry the tools. I became curious about the inventory because my kit far outdated my past few bikes and has evolved over time. I really could not remember what tools remained and what I had abandoned.

It is important to be prepared for eventualities without carrying unnecessary weight, so I should say I have two different kits.

One basic kit for daily commuting and local rides (under 30 km or 20 miles round trip) where I know the local bike shops, it may be possible to walk it home or to the destination or, at worst, I know what options are available if I must lock it up and take an alternative transportation.

My other tool kit is for longer trips and touring beyond the comfort of normal daily rides where I may need to rely on my own repairs.

What you need for your toolkit depends on your own bike, the terrain, whether it is urban or wilderness and your own level of mechanical repair skills. In Asia, where I currently live, there are bike shops almost everywhere, even in small towns.

Now let’s inventory what is in these two different kits.

Quality improvements

With how much the reliablility of even very inexpensive bike comonents have improved, if you do regular maintenance, breakdown have become quite rare. I used to travel everywhere with what seemed like half of my dad’s workshop tool inventory to keep my old bike on the road. In the early days of 21-speed bikes, even higher quality road bikes seemed to need constant maintenance and adjustments while out and about on a simple ride. Brake quality and component reliability has increased dramatically. Also Shimano indexed shifting (SIS) was introduced in 1984 and became ubiquitous technology among all the derailleur manufacturers by the early 2000s. SIS allows precise shifting increments on the shifter itself so once the derailleur is correctly adjusted, it should work properly for thousands of kilometers without requiring adjustment.

The quality and durability of components, even on relatively inexpensive bikes, has increased so you can probably ride trouble-free for months whether commuting, cruising slowly about town, training or taking cross country tours.

An ounce of prevention

One must not get careless. To avoid unnecessary hassles, breakdowns or even dangerous accidents, you should always do a quick safety check. This involves at least checking that tires are properly inflated with ample tread and no visible defects, the wheels are properly attached and moving freely, the brakes are functioning normally, the frame is undamaged, the chain is lubricated, undamaged and travels freely, and there are no loose bolts on elements like the saddle and handlebars, drive components, and gear racks and other accessories. This seems like a tedious routine but takes just a few seconds.

The basic kit

When you head out for even the shortest ride, you need to be prepared at minimum to fix a flat tire, make a small adjustment, or tighten a loose nut or bolt. So my basic kit holds the following:

• A cheap and simple multi-tool can handle most of these incidental repairs and can fit in the smallest pack. It should include a variety of Allen (hex) keys that fit your bike, spanner wrenches that fit the nuts and bolts on your bike and both Phillips and flathead screwdrivers.
• A tube, tire irons and a portable pump. I just change tubes rather than patch flats. Flats are rare and I find it better to install a new tube rather than change a bad patch job.
• A small roll of tape and zip ties.
• Money, not just credit cards or smartphone apps. You may need something where only cash is accepted.
• Phone in case you have a serious breakdown or need other assistance (mounted in a cradle if you wish to safely check online maps.)
• A warm / or rain layer in case the weather changes (I keep a down vest that has its own stuff sack.)
• A few self-adhesive bandages, large gauze pads, medical tape and medical disinfectant

Keep these in a small pack that can easily be mounted and removed from the bike if you stop where theft is likely. There is no need for a backpack or bulky panniers and many bikes do not accommodate a rear rack. The above items can fit in small handlebar, saddle or frame-mounted packs.

These are just the bare minimums and you might choose to add more in your basic kit but I do not leave home without the above gear. Usually I have a drink and a snack as well rather than relying on convenience stores.

For longer rides

When I travel longer distances I find it is better to not only rely on a multitool so in addition to my basic kit, I add:

• A set of wrenches and hex keys for all the fittings on my bike. The most common hex sizes for bikes are  2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10mm and for wrenches 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17mm will fit most needs. You can remove any that do not fit your bike but I personally carry the full set in case other folks need some support. I have more often fixed other people’s bikes than my own.
• *Cone wrenches, if your bike uses them.

• Phillips and flat head screwdrivers. My screwdriver is reversible with a Phillips and flat blade on either side of the removable shaft. It therefore could hold the electric drill tools or the square end attachment for a mini socket set. I do not carry sockets but I know some riders do.
• Pedal wrench. On a longer ride, a failed pedal can happen. You might not carry a spare pedal but you do not want to have to pay high repair shop rates for such a simple repair. Lubricate your pedal threads with grease so you will not have a hard time removing them. (Remember the left pedal is reverse-threaded.)
• Pliers (needle nose are most useful.)
• Adjustable wrench.
• Vice locking pliers, small.
• Chain tool, replacement master link and a bent spoke (or other hard wire to hold together the ends of a broken chain during repairs.)
• Replacement spokes (not all shops will have the size you need.)
• Cable cutter.
• knife (follow local laws.)
• A tube, tire irons and a portable pump.
• Flat repair kit (I carry new tubes, but I carry the flat repair for others in need.)
• Lubricant (chain oil and a small tube of lithium grease – *not WD40 which is a water dispersant and not a lubricant.)
• Disposable latex gloves.
• Cloth rag.
• A first aid kit (*I will post an article about what I carry in my bike first aid kit.)
• Rain / cold gear (consider chemical warming packs when winter riding.)
• Chemical glow sticks.
• Spare batteries.
• Backup headlight if night riding especially in rural areas.

Including the tool bag, my cheap tools and medical kit I carry, it comes in at a whopping 3 kilograms (approaching 7 pounds.) These are normal workbench tools. If weight is a big concern, there are lighter bike tools but they often carry a much higher price tag.

I no longer carry some of the excessive tools I used to but, as a foreigner in Japan, I like to be the person to stop and offer aid. You likely will not need all of the tools on the list and if you are touring on a long trip, it is a trade-off of more camping gear, clothes and food or certain tools you probably will not need. Make the kit that is right for your mechanical skill and your security.

Be prepared. Stay safe. Enjoy the ride.