John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.
He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.
Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.
John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.
He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.
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20 comments
I'm a fan of the 'Stique ML125CF (the one with the chain breaker included) http://stique.bike/collections/multilever . It's not the lightest but it is convenient to use, the tyre levers work really well and it's got spaces for chain links, spare battery (for HRMs etc) and a couple of pound coins.
The Jobsworth Get-You-Home Micro Chain Tool & Hex Key Set - the longest name for the smallest tool imaginable that does exactly what it says. For 90% of tasks, you only need a couple of hexs so this tool is striped right down. When I knackered my rear mech in a Bavarian forest I was able to shorten the chain and limp back to civilisation 15km away.
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJWSSMT/jobsworth-get-you-home-micro-chain...
Topeak Mini18+
Small, light, neoprene pouch means it can sit unoticed in jersey pocket. Have used it to true a wheel with a broken spoke enough to get home, free a stiff chain link, adjust headsets, adjust saddles, make a single speed, make an x1 and tighten a loose cleat. Just bought a 2nd one to replace the Park beam in my MTB bag.
I like the Serfas 17. It's not popular for some reason but here's why it's pretty great:
- light at 118gr
- has co2 inflator so you don't need a separate one
- has a spoke tool, chain tool, all common hex, etc.
- has a quick link tool (thats quite rare and very useful, so you dont need to break your chain if its not necessary)
- did i mention its light for all it packs? didn't find any better with the same feature set
Been using it for a couple of years now, no problems.
https://www.serfas.com/products/view/135/referer:products|index|bags-tools|mini-tools
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007S3P85Y
TopPeak Mini with the chain breaker and around 20 tools. It's the model from 2 years back, now replaced by the Mini 20 Pro. Bought two in the closing sale and they are the bees knees. Imagine the Pro is the same but slightly lighter
I have 2 of these older models though On on each bike, one over 10 years old now and still going strong. no brakages and the chain tools have been used and work well. I realy like to clip for holding the chain togeather while you fiting the missing link. Had good service of topeak as well.
Topeak Hexus II 16 Function Multi Tool
Crank Brothers 19 function multi tool (in gold). Looks great. Feels like it's going to last for years. The chain tool made short work of my brother's rusty broken chain. Plus comes with a metal case to keep it looking pristine.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/crank-brothers-19-function-multi-tool-gold/
I carry a Topeak alien III which has been faultless, other than a little heavy. However when my chain jammed in my rear derailleur today was grateful to a BMW driver who stopped and assisted with a pair of pliers! Which is somewhat ironic given that I carried a general multitool which converted into pliers for 4 years without needed them once, so decided to ditch them and save the weight, perhaps I'll start carrying them again...
I use the Xtreme FT03 from Rose bikes. Solidy built plenty of tools included inluding a mini chain breaker which I have used instead of my full size chain breaker on multiple occasion when working at home. Its never let me down so much so that I bought a second for my winter bike's saddle bag. Its small enough to fit in a small topeak wedge bag with 2 (28-35c) tubes.
https://www.rosebikes.com/article/xtreme-ft-03-mini-tool/aid:114175
Lezyne SV10 for tiny size and weight but works when you need it
It might not have all mod cons, but it's got a great chain splitter...and it gets used on the odd occasion when it's needed...like in Dec when I converted my 10 spd into a single (ish) speed in order to get home when I ...erm...ripped off my rear mech.
...it was also used on the infamous 'Blair Atholl Death Run' in my MTB days...but we don't talk about 'those expeditions' any more, too many mental scars...those who know, know!
Still using my Topeak Power 21 from around 1997.
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/tools/topeak/power-21/prd_353484_152...
How about total waste of money tools too. I have a Birzman multitool, that looked lovely, but the chain tool crumbled like cottage cheese on the first use and the allen keys rounded out or were loose fitting. now thrown away in disgust.
I have a Probikekit own brand one that I got for a fiver that is really good, weightier, but very solid and well made.
The Topeak Hexus looks excellent.
ParkTool MT-1 - keep it simple. Its cheap, leightweight, compact, lots of tourqe and supremely dureable.
I can fix anything on the road on a multi week roadtrip and asemple my bike in the airport useing the MT-1.
3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm hex wrenches
8mm, 9mm, and 10mm socket wrenches
Straight blade screwdriver
http://www.parktool.com/product/multi-tool-mt-1?category=Multi-Tools
The only thing it can't do is shortening the chain - which i have never needed (i cary a CT-5 for that when rideing offroad or century rides in desolate alpine arreas - a single michelin yellow tyre lever can be usefull as for a wide variety of purposes just like a very small tube of superglue).
I love the Richey 5nm torqekey with a selection of bits (hex, torx, phillips and straight) too thoug. Sometimes i bring that one with me instead of the MT-1 when weight and size is of less concern. I the homeshop the Ritchey is used when ever posible.
http://ritcheylogic.com/6-bit-torque-key-4nm-or-5nm
I use the Topeak Rocket Ratchet.
It does everything I need. Nothing more, nothing less. Perfect.
Sadly I lost my Cool Tool years ago, but this
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/crank-brothers-y-16-multitool/
is my current favorite. Crank Brothers Y16. It's relative un-cheap but it does include a CO2 inflator and a really good chain breaker tool as well as a good array of torx, allen etc.
Fabric Chamber - a fantastic, new interpretation of the multi-tool but one that sadly may not get a lot of votes seeing as it's fairly new on the market.
Check it out - http://fabric.cc/shop/tools/chamber/
I agree with the first comment. I still have my original Cool Tool which was purchased around 20 years ago. Its neoprene cover is a mass of holes, but that is because the cover and Cool Tool survived being run over several times when it dropped from my broken saddle bag (zip failure) onto the A4 two years back. And, it is still the chain breaker I use whether on the move or at home.
Topeak Hexus II for me, the tools you need and none of the ones you don't. Compact, lightweight, job done!
http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Tools/hexus2
I like my old Topeak Alien. Its well built and its split nature means you can use an spanner with a scredriver etc. The bits seem well made and I havent rounded any allen keys like some tools I have and out on my bike it hasnt let me or my ride chums down yet.
Like the above the chain tool hasnt fallen apart like it was made of cheese.
The original CoolTool was pretty much perfect for its time - three allen keys, cross-headed screwdriver, chain breaker (which worked), slimmed down monkey wrench which would do axle cones as well as other nuts, an adaptor for 1" headsets and a crank bolt socket - all in a compact package which fit easily into a pocket. I still have mine and use it from time to time.