Recommended utility tool for road bike?

03-03-2005, 10:28 AM

Saw two at my local bike shop. One was $9. It had a flat head and a
Phillips head and I think a 3, a 4 and a 5. The other was $25 and had a
chain repair tool in addition to the other stuff. The one thing with this
one was that the guy said the chain tool might not work for my OCR 1.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Chris

03-03-2005, 11:04 AM

Well others may have different experience but for myself minimalist
works best. Over my cycling career of over 100,000 miles I have never
had to repair a chain on the road.
If you maintain your bike well the chances of something major happening
while riding are small.
I carry a multi-tool that has screw driver heads and allen wrenches. I
also carry two small tire levers, a tube, a couple of glue less patches
(never used) and a CO2 inflator.
Perhaps if I was doing solo long tours I'd carry more but for my normal
25-50 mile rides this works. On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots, CO2 cartriges, pumps and
tools available.

03-03-2005, 11:04 AM

Well others may have different experience but for myself minimalist
works best. Over my cycling career of over 100,000 miles I have never
had to repair a chain on the road.
If you maintain your bike well the chances of something major happening
while riding are small.
I carry a multi-tool that has screw driver heads and allen wrenches. I
also carry two small tire levers, a tube, a couple of glue less patches
(never used) and a CO2 inflator.
Perhaps if I was doing solo long tours I'd carry more but for my normal
25-50 mile rides this works. On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots, CO2 cartriges, pumps and
tools available.

03-03-2005, 11:47 AM

"gds" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:1109880247.565561.226230@l41g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> Well others may have different experience but for myself minimalist
> works best. Over my cycling career of over 100,000 miles I have never
> had to repair a chain on the road.
> If you maintain your bike well the chances of something major happening
> while riding are small.
> I carry a multi-tool that has screw driver heads and allen wrenches. I
> also carry two small tire levers, a tube, a couple of glue less patches
> (never used) and a CO2 inflator.
> Perhaps if I was doing solo long tours I'd carry more but for my normal
> 25-50 mile rides this works. On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots, CO2 cartriges, pumps and
> tools available.

Thanks, I was also thinking along minimalist lines. I'm not a hard corps
rider (not yet at least) and was thinking the chances of me needing a chain
repair tool would be small. Lemme knock on some nearby wood.

03-03-2005, 11:47 AM

"gds" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:1109880247.565561.226230@l41g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> Well others may have different experience but for myself minimalist
> works best. Over my cycling career of over 100,000 miles I have never
> had to repair a chain on the road.
> If you maintain your bike well the chances of something major happening
> while riding are small.
> I carry a multi-tool that has screw driver heads and allen wrenches. I
> also carry two small tire levers, a tube, a couple of glue less patches
> (never used) and a CO2 inflator.
> Perhaps if I was doing solo long tours I'd carry more but for my normal
> 25-50 mile rides this works. On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots, CO2 cartriges, pumps and
> tools available.

Thanks, I was also thinking along minimalist lines. I'm not a hard corps
rider (not yet at least) and was thinking the chances of me needing a chain
repair tool would be small. Lemme knock on some nearby wood.

03-03-2005, 12:52 PM

gds wrote:

> On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots,
> CO2 cartriges, pumps and tools available.

Oh, I love this logic: Let the other guy carry my load.

I can't remember how many times someone with a mini pump wanted to
borrow my Zephal HP "cuz this little thing doesn't work worth a damn."

Art Harris

03-03-2005, 12:52 PM

gds wrote:

> On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots,
> CO2 cartriges, pumps and tools available.

Oh, I love this logic: Let the other guy carry my load.

I can't remember how many times someone with a mini pump wanted to
borrow my Zephal HP "cuz this little thing doesn't work worth a damn."

Art Harris

03-03-2005, 01:32 PM

Art Harris wrote:
> gds wrote:
>
> > On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> > so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots,
> > CO2 cartriges, pumps and tools available.
>
> Oh, I love this logic: Let the other guy carry my load.
>
> I can't remember how many times someone with a mini pump wanted to
> borrow my Zephal HP "cuz this little thing doesn't work worth a
damn."
>
> Art Harris

Your logic not mine and not what I said.
Fact is that in all my cycling over 99% of on road problems I've seen
are flat tires. So, if everyone carries minimal equipment- which
includes a tube and a way to inflate it- then it is unlikely that the
group- as a group- will run out of either tubes or ways to inflate
them. In the area where I cycle-Tucson- flats are very common as a
result of thorns all over the road. So, tubes and air are the thing to
have. Most of the folks I ride iwth have abandoned pumps altogether in
favor of CO2. And while it is not rare for an individual to have more
than one flat on a ride there is no need for everyone to carry multiple
tubes and cartidges as the cahnaces are slim (I've never seen it
happen) that the group as whole will run out of tubes and/or CO2. This
isn't having others carry your load. It's called sharing the load.
Of course, everyone contibutes to this group situation and as a result
each has to carry less. Kind of like synergy.

Gee, you're cynical.

03-03-2005, 01:32 PM

Art Harris wrote:
> gds wrote:
>
> > On longer rides I'm ususally with a group
> > so there are always a bunch of tubes, boots,
> > CO2 cartriges, pumps and tools available.
>
> Oh, I love this logic: Let the other guy carry my load.
>
> I can't remember how many times someone with a mini pump wanted to
> borrow my Zephal HP "cuz this little thing doesn't work worth a
damn."
>
> Art Harris

Your logic not mine and not what I said.
Fact is that in all my cycling over 99% of on road problems I've seen
are flat tires. So, if everyone carries minimal equipment- which
includes a tube and a way to inflate it- then it is unlikely that the
group- as a group- will run out of either tubes or ways to inflate
them. In the area where I cycle-Tucson- flats are very common as a
result of thorns all over the road. So, tubes and air are the thing to
have. Most of the folks I ride iwth have abandoned pumps altogether in
favor of CO2. And while it is not rare for an individual to have more
than one flat on a ride there is no need for everyone to carry multiple
tubes and cartidges as the cahnaces are slim (I've never seen it
happen) that the group as whole will run out of tubes and/or CO2. This
isn't having others carry your load. It's called sharing the load.
Of course, everyone contibutes to this group situation and as a result
each has to carry less. Kind of like synergy.

Gee, you're cynical.

03-03-2005, 03:15 PM

How many containers of CO2 do you bring with you? We had a guy have 5 flats
one day. I only bring along 1 CO2 container, but I also carry a Road Morph
pump.

On the other hand, what you said about the group helping out---one day I
completely forgot my Hydrapak (left it in the trunk of the car) and another
guy gave me one of his water bottles for the day. It was MUCH appreciated!

Pat in TX