In case someone find this helpful...
Blogs might be one of the last places people look these days for finding information, though, for a few if the search Gods stumble into this they may find it helpful.
Bikes: mostly always great to ride, but needing more adjustments, tweaks, maintenance & to a degree repairs than just about anything else in my life.
Also when out on the bike what's 2 or 3 major things that could awry mechanically disabling the bike to an un-rideable degree . What's your thoughts?
- Tire losses inflation
- Chain breaking
- Some bolt or attached item coming loose - front to back, top to bottom there's many
- Lastly, there's the things that entirely break that no amount of Macgyvering will rescue you, can't protect against those risks, so concentrating on the above.
Enter the multi-tool idea - clever Transformer like tools that for years & years have continually been re-worked, re-designed & tried over & over.
Simply put I ordered a bunch of them, tested them out, - looking for "perfect". While that doesn't exactly exist (yet). I'll throw out some ideas of what I found pretty darn good in my applications.
I was looking beyond the normal fold out hex wrench sets, which have been a forever standby because they just work, they have niggles & annoyances in my experiences but damn easy & simple, if not refined.
Simply put I ordered a bunch of them, tested them out, - looking for "perfect". While that doesn't exactly exist (yet). I'll throw out some ideas of what I found pretty darn good in my applications.
I was looking beyond the normal fold out hex wrench sets, which have been a forever standby because they just work, they have niggles & annoyances in my experiences but damn easy & simple, if not refined.
I dove into:
1)Ryder Pro tool
2)Fix-it-Sticks
3)Blackburn Mini-Switch
4)DaySavers - Essentials & incredibles line-up
5)Presta Pro T wratchet
I'm glad I ordered in each of them, to test how each felt in my oversized XL hands & in various applications. Feel of the tool is paramount to each person selection, some great tools for one person, might just not be the same coordinated process to another person. If your buddy likes one & you don't, don't sweat it. You do you.
5)Presta Pro T wratchet
I'm glad I ordered in each of them, to test how each felt in my oversized XL hands & in various applications. Feel of the tool is paramount to each person selection, some great tools for one person, might just not be the same coordinated process to another person. If your buddy likes one & you don't, don't sweat it. You do you.
So what did I like & didn't so much?
1)Ryder Pro tool - so badly wanted to love this tool. Great hand feel (to me), but used 6mm bit instead of 1/4" standard. The magnet wasn't quite as engaging to lock things into place as other designed.
--Wish list (to me) - make it slightly longer, use universal 1/4" bit holders, stick with the 1 1/2" bits but put chain tool inside accomodated by longer case).
--Just missing ever so slightly on the robustness again damn it was close to being everything I like personally.
2)Fix-it-Sticks - here's everybody's love it seems but I just couldn't like it enough. Something about the feel & fiddling around with them wasn't my thing. It can be jiggly, I like things solid, locked in. Sometimes it's hard to put in words why it's not quite right.
3)Blackburn Mini-Switch - this is the bomb for my needs, the way it feels in my hands & the clever thermo plastic rubber case for each bit & the tool - Huge Kudos' to Blackburn on this design over a case or bag, etc. Note this mini setup doesn't have a chain breaker, so if they tweaked something & made a better chain breaker. I don't like the way Blackburns Switch chainbreaker works, clunky, lakes the leverage how I like it. Funny how it's nearly identical shape form to Fix-it-Sticks - but uses a detent ball, groove lines instead of magnets to lock bits in place. Limited to just Blackburn specific bits to work well because of detent I presume. In any case the FEEL in my hand is so good, just a better match than fix-it-sticks feel. I like the longer fixed bits that are part of the design
1)Ryder Pro tool - so badly wanted to love this tool. Great hand feel (to me), but used 6mm bit instead of 1/4" standard. The magnet wasn't quite as engaging to lock things into place as other designed.
--Wish list (to me) - make it slightly longer, use universal 1/4" bit holders, stick with the 1 1/2" bits but put chain tool inside accomodated by longer case).
--Just missing ever so slightly on the robustness again damn it was close to being everything I like personally.
2)Fix-it-Sticks - here's everybody's love it seems but I just couldn't like it enough. Something about the feel & fiddling around with them wasn't my thing. It can be jiggly, I like things solid, locked in. Sometimes it's hard to put in words why it's not quite right.
3)Blackburn Mini-Switch - this is the bomb for my needs, the way it feels in my hands & the clever thermo plastic rubber case for each bit & the tool - Huge Kudos' to Blackburn on this design over a case or bag, etc. Note this mini setup doesn't have a chain breaker, so if they tweaked something & made a better chain breaker. I don't like the way Blackburns Switch chainbreaker works, clunky, lakes the leverage how I like it. Funny how it's nearly identical shape form to Fix-it-Sticks - but uses a detent ball, groove lines instead of magnets to lock bits in place. Limited to just Blackburn specific bits to work well because of detent I presume. In any case the FEEL in my hand is so good, just a better match than fix-it-sticks feel. I like the longer fixed bits that are part of the design
4)Daysavers - these guys have it dialed. THought I love love the blackburn mini style, What Daysavers put together in a tight compact tool. Is why it's the only one I'm carrying while out on a bike. Essential 8 & Coworking 5 is my preference, all the hex sizes, a few torque sizes & chain breaker & a tire lever (sure it'll work for core valve stuff too, etc). It's the most complete & functional in the tidiest package. The Russian Egg type of bit changes are the trade off, these are specialty items, but again to give you what you want in the smallest functional package I simply can't complain. Strong magnets, it's feel set in place better than Fix-it-Sticks or Ryder Pro. The Incredible X line up is also very good albeit lacking chain tool, Again feels great in ones hand, good leverage,etc. Incredibly compact. Will fit in handlebar.
5)Presta Pro T wratchet - has alot of uses & well regarded in it's reviews. I don't see myself ever carrying it along as a mini-tool for riding, but in the shop working on bike is more it's place for me. I wish it had tighter locking mechanisms of magnets, etc. it has some wiggle that is just not something I enjoy when it's something so small. If was possible to have tigher tolerances like DaySavers or lock in place like Blackburn, it'd be so much better.
Wrap up:
--I spent weeks trying these things. I sent back Fix It Sticks, don't take that as a slight for you. Just simply I was never getting the feel & I personally like.
5)Presta Pro T wratchet - has alot of uses & well regarded in it's reviews. I don't see myself ever carrying it along as a mini-tool for riding, but in the shop working on bike is more it's place for me. I wish it had tighter locking mechanisms of magnets, etc. it has some wiggle that is just not something I enjoy when it's something so small. If was possible to have tigher tolerances like DaySavers or lock in place like Blackburn, it'd be so much better.
Wrap up:
--I spent weeks trying these things. I sent back Fix It Sticks, don't take that as a slight for you. Just simply I was never getting the feel & I personally like.
--I love the feel of Blackburn & would only carry it if it had awesome chain breaker. but fast great handy tool to grab on the shelf
--Daysavers - if these guys keep making new stuff, watch out they will perhaps someday have the perfect Mini-tool. Their imagination to create something new out of decades of attempts is impressive. They check all the boxes as a carry along tool at the most convenient package. If you want something better than the park fold out hex wrenches & carrying a separate chain breaker. Spend the dough & get Daysavers. Period.
--If you want a handy great feeling tool for rides you're not concerned with chain breaking or you already carry something different, Get Blackburn Mini, even having it on shop shelf for quick repairs/adjustments you love. The presta Pro T wrachet is just behind it, larger size, not same tight feel in hand as Blackburn but you may love it.
--If you want a handy great feeling tool for rides you're not concerned with chain breaking or you already carry something different, Get Blackburn Mini, even having it on shop shelf for quick repairs/adjustments you love. The presta Pro T wrachet is just behind it, larger size, not same tight feel in hand as Blackburn but you may love it.
--Ryder Pro - like Daysavers excellent size, & one person may love it more than Daysavers. I simply thought it was awesome but would have made 2-3 things different & it would be top of my own list.
What I'm using in this order:
--Daysavers - on the bike carrying
--Blackburn Mini - spare for bike carrying but in the shop for a quick adjustment
What I'm using in this order:
--Daysavers - on the bike carrying
--Blackburn Mini - spare for bike carrying but in the shop for a quick adjustment
--Presta Pro T ratchet - lessor used but will have applications in time most likely
--Ryder & Fix-it-Sticks - sent back, but I'd encourage you to try them in case your feel for tools is different than mine.
--Btw: still have fold out multi-tools (Park & PNW) -- recently a PNW Pebble model made by but would send that back if I could, as Daysavers just works better for me.
Good luck, hope you find the tools that work fast & effective for you.
--Btw: still have fold out multi-tools (Park & PNW) -- recently a PNW Pebble model made by but would send that back if I could, as Daysavers just works better for me.
Good luck, hope you find the tools that work fast & effective for you.
