Just carry something like: https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Trend-Wp-Smp-35-5027654054376-Cranked-Short-Arm-Hex-Key-4Mm-5Mm-A-F ?
The lengths some folk go to, to avoid carrying a few grams on a bike ride just beggars belief really 😂
Now I'm not a scientist or owt, but I can confidently say that if I taped one allen key or two allen keys to your bike and told you to ride off, you would not be able to tell me how many were there by feel alone! 😉
All those who duck tape stuff to their bikes too, what happens when you need to actually use the thing taped to your frame?
Is that why we get inner tubes in trees?
Quite remarkable.
I carry a multitool. Never know, I might be able to help another rider out who's walking home because they were saving 11g 👍
Pedros Tulio.
Can't use it if you've got a thru' axle, but the tool itself is very good & really lightweight - worth buying just for the tool at this price :-
On sale at Merlin - £16
NS - Just bought two! Love a tidy gadget to minimise faff. Top post - Thanks.
If you have an x12 axle there is a end for it that has a 4mm and 5mm Allen key.
@kayak23 - it's not just weight but volume. Doing multi-day ITTs you don't want to be packing the kitchen sink. My toolkit and spares (but not inner tube) fits into less space than a multi-tool. The various "systems" making use of hidden spaces are great if a little expensive. That Pedros Tulio looks interesting.
Conversely in winter on fat bike races I take full sized Allen/Hex keys - you don't want to be faffing in -20C. I'm taking them anyway to put the bike back together after travel. Only need three sizes (2, 4 & 5mm) to cover everything on that bike.
As ever prevention is better than cure and a well maintained bike is less likely to go wrong. That doesn't preclude accidents of course. In the last year I've needed to use the tools out on the trail precisely once, on my wife's bike as it happens (my fault, I'd bled her brakes and not realigned one of the levers - doh!).
@seadog101 - quite often bolts are different sizes for a reason - replacing a bolt with one with a larger head means you could apply more force when tightening and either break the component or apply undue stress leading to failure. So if you do this, hold the shaft of the Allen key closer to the bolt so you can't over do things.
Wally - No problem.
They are neat little tools & as a standalone tool they only weigh about 60g & not a lot more than a standard QR when fitted to your bike as intended.
keeping your bike maintained works well and removes the need for some tools right up to the point that you crash or a stick/rock pushes your mech into your spokes (only time I've needed a trailside chaintool) and you need to adjust something to get your bike pedal-able again.
If you're always able to walk back to base then you can spend ages deciding what is worth 30secs of spannering to get you riding again and what isnt worth the extra grams and so cut your tools to the bone.
or just carry a multitool that covers all your bolts (including cranks, RF & SRAM I'm frowning at you), chaintool, pump & tube - extra plugs/patches/glue chainlinks at your discretion
former will appeal to some, latter to others, different strokes...
Topeak rocket ratchet.
Tiny and fixes ANY bike I, riding buddies or complete random strangers.
It doesn't need to be your bike that fails to spoil a ride.
If i did away with the wallet thing it would be tiny for it capabilities but the wallet makes it nice and flat to fall on.
Just received a Pedro's Tulio in the post. Looks like it's designed for road/gravel bikes as it fouls the "cowl" at the base of the seat/chain stays. 5mm of washers will push it far enough outboard that it engages.
This look interesting; https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/mini-tools/1298-ratchet-stick
As do their new powrlink pliers https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/mini-tools/1280-power-lever
