The Best Bike Tool Kits for Repairs on the Go
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It behooves anyone who rides a bike to know something about bike maintenance—and to have the ability to make basic adjustments and repairs on the go. It can remedy an unfortunate mishap and prevent a minor situation from turning your Sunday ride into a major catastrophe.
To make fixes with confidence, you'll need a decent tool kit—whether it's a simple multi-tool containing the most often used Allen keys (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6mm) or something more robust with a range of tools like a chain breaker and torque wrench.
Choosing the appropriate tool kit for your cycling outing involves weighing several factors including the type of ride you're taking, distance from home, and how much you want to carry along. With the diverse range in size and complexity, bike toolkits span a wide spectrum of prices. Expect to spend anywhere from $25 to $100 or more for a toolkit that can travel with you on every ride. (At-home tool kits may be substantially more.)
The best tools will last for years or decades, if not a lifetime, if you care for them properly. A worthy investment, a dependable bike tool kit could save you the hassle of getting stranded, help keep you safe, and provide peace of mind while riding your equipment.
Best Bike Toolkits
Best Overall: Fix It Sticks Compact Ratcheting Multi-tool
Best Budget: Park Tool I-Beam
Most Versatile: Wolf Tooth Components 8-Bit Pack Pliers
Best For MTB: Fix It Sticks Mountain Kit
Best For Tubeless Repair: DynaPlug Racer
The Expert: I’ve been riding, racing, and lovingly caring for all variety of bikes for over 30 years. Formerly the managing editor of VeloNews magazine and the operations director of DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co., where I cared for a fleet of nearly 100 bikes, I now guide gravel cycling and bikepacking tours with my company Alter Exploration.
My garage is filled with my family’s precious collection of bikes, neatly organized and maintained for daily riding, racing, and adventures. Follow me on Instagram at @chrisjustincase.
What to Look For in a Bike Toolkit
No matter how good your bike is or how well you take care of it in between rides, something’s going to give at some point—a flat most likely, maybe worse. Possibly it will be as simple as you need to make a seat adjustment on a long ride. But when something goes awry or needs a fix, the right tools will get you back on the saddle in time to enjoy the rest of your ride—or at least make it home safely.
Know Before You Go: Everything You Need to Know About Torque Wrenches ? How to Change a Bike Tire ? How to Use Tubeless Tire Sealant
Think of your bike toolkit like your bike helmet: essential equipment. So it’s not a question of if you’ll bring tools, but what specific tools fit the bill. Differences in distance, difficulty or terrain, age of your bike and components, and proximity to help will all help determine the tools that will be most handy.
From regular maintenance, fixing a flat, and adjusting your chain to making upgrades and geeking out even further on the finer mechanical details of your ride, having the right tool at the right time makes all the difference. But not just any tool or set will suit you the same every time. Going fast and light isn’t an excuse to leave your tools behind, but what you pick to bring on a light ride will probably look different from what’s necessary on a longer or more remote excursion.
Consider all the “what if’s” about what you’re riding, where you’ll be, who you’ll have around, and which equipment you’ll need to fix things up if and when things go wrong and use those factors as a guide in choosing a bike toolkit.
Size and Weight
If you've already got a bag full of books, notebook, camera, or lifestyle belongings for travel, you’ll want something small and efficient, micro even. The same holds true if you’re going for time or racing—the less weight you carry, the faster you are or at least the less you’ll suffer in the process. Longer and slower rides, especially ones that take you far beyond the range of easy assistance, might require heftier kits to cover all your bases.
Think about your goals for the ride and balance those with what’s at stake should disaster strike. Can you get by with the bare essentials for the sake of performance and comfort, or can you afford to add more bulk in exchange for more security?
End Use/Purpose
It might sound obvious, but the tools you bring on a ride should be different than the ones you keep in your garage. Repairs on the road and trail are meant to be quick fixes to get you back out there and home safely, whereas the tools you have at home allow you to dive in deeper. It’s good to have options at your disposal so you’re not stuck lugging pieces of your garage kit with you on a ride or trying to make serious repairs at home with a dinky miniature multitool.
Compatibility
Depending where your bike and its components were made, you’ll need to select tools that match the same measurement systems. Make sure your tools use the same units as the equipment you’ll be using them on. Tubeless and tubed setups obviously also call for different repair sets; you don’t want to be the person who brings a patch kit on the day you make the switch to tubeless tires. Furthermore, some brands produce full lines of compatible tools; others still work with tools and parts from other brands. Do an audit of the tools you already have that you want to keep before expanding your collection to ensure new additions will fit in well.
Compact Ratcheting Multi-Tool
The Fix It Sticks Ratcheting Multi-Tool combines the feel and function of a shop-level tool in a compact and portable design. The reversible, ratcheting two-piece T-handle wrench features magnetic holders on all three ends, accepting any standard 1/4-inch bits—16 are included with this kit, and other bits with various tools, torque limiters, and even handy items like a bottle opener and a flashlight adapter, are sold separately.
The spring-loaded magnetic locking collar holds the bits securely in place so they won’t fall into the dirt on the side of the road or trail. This is a well made, robust tool that has its place on the bike as well as in the shop.
I-Beam
Sometimes the simplest choice is best. For those on a budget or those looking for just the basics, the Park Tool I-Beam multi-tool is a no-frills, durable, and compact choice. Covered by Park Tools lifetime warranty, this tool could literally last you forever. It has only the tools you will need 90 percent of the time and nothing more.
8-Bit Pack Pliers
At only 70 grams, this compact tool from Wolf Tooth Components boasts 17 functions, all deftly designed to slip easily into a jersey pocket or saddle bag. It goes beyond the basics and includes tools for installing and removing master links, clearing tire sealant clogs from valve stems, and tightening valve stem locknuts.
While it isn’t the most robust tool in your hand, it still offers plenty of grip and durability. The one thing that can be fiddly are the small bits, which are magnetically held in place within the handle of the pliers. Otherwise, this smart design offers a highly versatile array of tools in a svelte package.
Mountain Kit
Made specifically for mountain bikers, this toolkit is small, light, and yet features everything you need on the trail, with room to spare for other essentials.
The innovative design means you get a T-handle grip for better ergonomics while using the various bits, as well as tire levers and a full-size chain breaker. It’s all neatly organized in a small carrying case that intentionally offers room for additional bits, sold separately.
Racer
For those who run tubeless tires, a specific tool for plugging punctures is a necessary piece of your kit. The DynaPlug Racer is a go-to choice for amateurs and professional gravel cyclists alike due to its compact design and ease of use.
The double-sided barrel (as small as a mini pencil) holds two pre-loaded plugs. All you have to do is find the hole and stick it in. At 4 ounces, it’s a small weight penalty to pay for a potential quick roadside repair.
Tire Patch Kit
For a quick fix-it-and-quit-it tire repair on tubed tires, add the Park Tool Tire Patch Kit to your bag. Six pre-cut patches fit different size holes and tears for a fix that will last much longer than just your ride home.
Consider this the ultimate tube-saver: Done right, these patches will keep your tube going for just as long as if it had never hit a snag in the first place. The rounded patches fit small punctures perfectly, and the oval patches handle longer or wider rips. Tapered edges ensure the patch sits right in line with the tube rubber, without loose ends or edges susceptible to peeling off. There’s even a square of sandpaper to help rough out the surface of the tube for better glue adherence.
Beyond that, this patch kit is simple and straightforward: Just what you need when you get that sinking feeling (literally).
Reflex Fixed Torque Ratchet Kit
The Reflex is both a modular multi-tool and a torque wrench all in one. The ratcheting handle works with a 25mm extension socket and a 5Nm click-torque extension socket (the most frequently used torque specification seen on bikes). Or, use the tool without either in a “screwdriver” configuration for tight spaces.
The kit includes the 10 most commonly used bits, which are securely organized in a plastic sleeve. It’s not everyday that you will need to tighten bolts to exact torque specs while on the road or trail, but it sure is nice to have the ability to do so for peace of mind. With the included padded case, this is a well-organized and compact package.
Team Edition Tool Kit
This mega kit is best for keeping in your garage or taken along on multi-day tours for bigger repairs on a stand, at the hotel, or trailhead.
It’s a handy companion for smaller tagalong kits that can get the job done long enough for you to ride back in one piece, then make more long-term adjustments using a wider variety of burlier tools. The kit contains tools handpicked by professional cycling team mechanics based on what they need for both regular maintenance and emergency repairs. It’s still portable enough to take on bike trips away from home, just not on the ride itself.
It’s specially designed to coordinate with Feedback Sports repair stands for a seamless work system. And because you’ll want to buy a kit like this for life, the case features TPU coating to keep the contents safe from wear, tear, and the elements.
Expert Chris Case Shares What’s In His Tool Bag Plus What Extras You Might Want to Add!
BI: What's in your bike toolkit?
C.C.: What I bring on any given ride varies based on how far and how remote I’ll be, as well as the type of bike I’m riding (road bike, gravel bike, or mountain bike).
For everyday road rides near home, I bring a simple multi-tool (something like the Pro Bike Gear Performance 13), some tire levers, and nothing more. For gravel I’ll add my DynaPlug tubeless repair kit. For bikepacking trips or mountain bike rides in rough, remote terrain, I’ll bring quite a bit more, something like the Fix It Sticks Mountain Kit, with a chain breaker.
BI: Are there any repairs that are not doable on the road?
C.C.: It depends how mechanically adept you are, and in some cases, how well you’re able to improvise. Most any repair can be done on the side of the road—even broken spokes might be repaired with a few simple items and some ingenuity. Hopefully it never comes to that.
Most often you’ll be fixing flat tires, adjusting derailleurs, raising or lowering your saddle—simple stuff. Anyone who rides bikes should know how to do these basic adjustments and repairs. Beyond that, keep the complex repairs for the home garage or hired mechanic so you know the job is done right.
BI: When it’s time to upgrade, what are the first extras to add to a bike toolkit?
C.C.: Out on the road, it isn’t often that you have to do sophisticated repairs involving torque wrenches and other advanced tools. However, with the advent of compact torque wrenches, it is a welcome addition to know that even in the field you can be tightening bolts to the exact manufacturer’s specifications. That’s why the Feedback Sports Reflex torque kit is a great option—compact, useful, and well designed.
At home, the most often used tools for bike repairs and adjustments are Allen keys. A decent set of keys with T-handles and long extensions are a superb upgrade for anyone who works on their own bikes.
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