Following on from this thread:
I have a similar aim but different enough I don't want to derail that thread. I want to minimise what I'm carrying. Food and clothes can go in my pockets. But I want to keep both bottle cages for water.
What I'm looking to achieve is a minimum set of kit to leave attached to the gravel bike. I see this as multitool, chain breaker and tubeless repair kit. Already got a pump attached. Think I can do away with tube and therefore saddle bag. Having snapped my tool I'm looking for a better solution before I just replace it.
The granite stash kit would be ideal but my bars don't have a long enough straight end to take the tubeless repair kit and chain tool. Annoying because they plus the RCX steerer tool look perfect otherwise. I've got a carbon steer too, so smaller diameter and only a few tools fit that. And a Praxis chainset which I think precludes the hollow axle tools because Praxis's hollow axle is bigger diameter.
So I'm interested to know what others are using. What's out there in terms of neat little tools stowed on the bike?
Plan B is tool and tubeless kit in a minimal saddle bag, which is ok (recommendations for tiny saddle bag?), but I'm half considering a dropper and being short and desirous of lighting myself up like a Christmas tree, there's a lot of stuff there in a small space.
Dynaplug racer on a cage mount.
Specialized SWAT or Topeak Ninja water bottle cage with tools
I've a granite stash headtube multitool, and a 76projects piggy bag bolted to the downturn bottle cage for all the other bits (and a pump). I can still use two bottles with this.
I generally carry, tool, seperate chain breaker,tyre levers, tube and chain quick links, zipties in crank axel, some cash and a bit of duct tape. This Is always on the bike. If it's a bigger day ride I add either a handlebar bag or frame bag.
What's your rear axle? I've a Pedros Tulio - https://pedros.com/products/toolsfor-the-ride/tulio/ but it's 130mm & 135mm QR only. It would do the multitool and chain tool requirements.
For tubeless, something like the Sahmurai Sword - http://sahmurai-sword.uk/ - fits in the bar ends.
I use a 3rd set of bottle mounts under the downtube (and a velcro strap) for my tool bottle. Leaving two cages for water.
Sahmurai sword is what so far sits in the basket but I have a dynaplug racer in the shed so a cage mount for that could be the winner. Hadn't thought of that, idiotically. Can see it in Germany but I'm lost on the brexit buying situation.
Rear axle is out of the picture with Halo bolt on hub.
Hmmm that piggy thing might take dynaplug and a tool of my choosing...
Oh, and thank you.
Dynaplug racer
Valve tool
2oz bottle of Stans
Topeak Ratchet Rocket including chain breaker and 2-6Nm torque bit. (This is a nice set, but I found it cheaper to buy two of the smaller sets and I also got some spare bits that way)
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/226-Torq-Tools/1158-RATCHET-ROCKET-LITE-NTX+
And if on a non-carbon frame bike how about a King Cage cargo cage to hold it? Still allows you to use the water bottle position.
https://www.bikemonger.co.uk/king-cage-kargo-cage-10979-p.asp
I use one of these - it has a little chest of drawers under the bottle with a multitool, place for a chain link and a chain tool. Then I stuff tubeless plugs elsewhere on the bike.
I also have a Topeka Ninja Pouch cage which does a similar job. They do a larger pouch without a bottle cage so you can keep your preferred bottle cage.
Tool keg under the down tube
I have one of these in the crank.
Fits my Shimano cranks. So far so good (5 rides), but I've not used the chain breaker yet.
I always carry a tube whether the bike is tubeless or not. What pump do you carry? Can you really deliver enough air to seat the beads of a leaking tyre? Genuine question
Hmmm that piggy thing might take dynaplug and a tool of my choosing…
So inside mine is:
A tubolito spare tube (running tubeless so this is in case of emergency)
Tyre levers
A chain breaker
Quick links on the plastic carrier thing
& The electronic actuator for my rear mech which is made by cell cycling.
I've the standard zip bag in the gravel bike and the drybag on the fatbike which can carry more (bigger spare tube)
Following a thread on here where a chap used a kayak bung, trimmed to sit in the bottom of his fork steerer to stash a micro Lezyne pump, I have added a bung to mine. Yet to buy a pump though... This idea could be adapted for other bits and its cheap and light.
I have spent a lot of time refining mine and have got it to a point where i am very happy.
Specialized bandit swat thingy under saddle which holds the following,
tyre lever
tube
co2 cannister
co2 valve
glue less patches
Then I stick a Blackburn switch tool in my pocket and pump on the frame.
Lastly I have an empty high 5 hydration tablet tube with bacon strips, tubeless tool, spare chain link, emergency five pound note and a tyre boot. This also goes in a jersey pocket.
Slightly surprised that people would prioritise a chain tool over a pump, tube and levers. Must have been well over a decade since I broke a chain.
I thought he said he’d got a pump on the bike already.
If not then yes pump, the biggest one you can bring yourself to carry.
The value of carrying a tube depends on where you ride. In hawthorn country you’ll have a dozen sealed thorns in the tyre when you come to use the tube. And you’ll need pliers to remove some of them.
OneUp EDC tool and tubeless (plug and pliers) repair kit installed into the headset.
(My EDC tool is installed in the EDC pump which is a neat solution).
Hard to decide the best option.
A really neat way to attach some stuff in under a saddle might be as good an option as any but I think the Specialized Swat stuff needs a proprietary mount, so their saddle? I'd want something I could fit to a Brooks Cambium, which is most definitely staying on the bike.
I have a pump permanently attached to a bottle cage. I carry a tube now and would continue to do so for longer rides, maybe all rides. Do those tubolito things pack up really small compared with a normal tube?
Option 1: Mid sized saddle bag takes any tool with chainbreaker, Dynaplug and tube. Not far off what I have now
Option 2: I like the look of the RCX steerer tool and can add Sahmurai Sword, but I still need to put chain breaker and tube somewhere so I'm not sure it's worth the premium.
Option 3: Syncros matchbox, Sahmurai sword (or dynaplug in place of the Matchbox's pump if I can find the right bits), find somewhere to tape just a tube.
Must have been well over a decade since I broke a chain.
Broke one three times last year! But that was the first time in maybe twenty years that I've done so.
Broke one three times last year!
Clumsy oaf 😆
Dunno what was going on, had possibly changed gear under load and the outer plate got damaged. The chain was about three years old.
Now I think about it, I can't remember the last time I broke a chain either, although my tool has come in handy fixing other people's a fair few times. Maybe this bike could do without it, but it's always been just normal to me to have a multitool with one on. And it just feels like part of the package if the point of the exercise is to almost eliminate the failures that force a long walk home.
The additional weight of a chain tool in a multiple is tiny
so far
ive got a topeak ninja pump in my seat post
a 76 projects piggy wet bag/strap on one of my bottle cages, with a multitool inc chainbreaker, lightweight tube and co2 and tyre boot
i figure, tyre plugs arent going to be massively useful on thin gravel tyres
i guess adding some self adhesive patches might be a good idea.
Can someone please explain the logic behind pump AND co2 canisters?
my pump wont seat a tubeless tyre
i could be many hours walk from home, or on the way to work, having options greatly outweighs a small amount of weight to me
The additional weight of a chain tool in a multiple is tiny
True, but they are often shit, I tend to carry one and full sized allen keys after a multi tool snapped undoing my axle
I stopped carrying a chain tool and then bust a chain a few weeks ago. It was pretty easy to prise off the broken link with an Allen key and stick in a quick link. I won’t bother with a chain tool for general riding again.
Premier Icon
Blackflag
Full MemberCan someone please explain the logic behind pump AND co2 canisters?
I have both, I have a OneUp EDC pump that I swap between bikes so it has the integrated CO2 inflater head and I have a cartridge screwed into the bottom of the tool inside. CO2 is great for the instant rush to seat tubeless tyre (or when your hands are frozen in winter!) but a pump is much better for fine tuning pressure and also significantly less wasteful.
The other drawback of CO2 is that it really is a one shot wonder, so unless you're planning to carry a few spare cartridges a pump is far more reliable.