skycomag

What tool does everyone carry while riding streets or bike paths or trails?
i have a leather man style tool with a flashlite with it,a giant multi-allen wrench set wth a stright blade /philips head screw drivers, chain link repair tool with extra links and a mini pump and a couple of wheel wrenches and a patch kit for wheels and tires.also a cell phone.
this is a not tool but i do carry a small first aide kit just in case( JIC)

So whats in your bike bags/trunks?

thanks for your replies

Steely Dan

- CO2 pump with a couple cartridges
- tire levers
- hex wrench multi-tool
- 15mm wrench for axle nuts
- spare tube
- patch kit

i don't bother with a chain tool and extra chain links. i've had a chain break on me only once in 5 years of daily bike commuting. that one time that it did happen, i just walked my bike over to the nearest el station and rode the train home with my bike. on my commute route, i'm always within a half mile walk of an el station.

MK313

Exact same toolkit as SD. Nowhere near a train, but if I did have some kind of catastrophic failure, I wold pull out the cell phone & get a ride.

canyoneagle

-PDW 3Wrencho tire lever/15mm wrench
- spare tube
- patch kit
- pump
- topeak alien mini-tool
- cut spoke for IGH
- LED light (with headband)

Yo Spiff

- Alien multitool, includes tire levers
- Double L shaped allen wrench
- spare tube
- Patch kit (in case I have more than one flat)
- Front & rear blinky lights
- House key
- Frame pump

squirtdad

Frame pump
Spare tube
patch kit (not the instant patches and check it out ever so often to make sure the glue has not all dried)
Tire irons (2 plastic, one steel)
small multitool with hexrwrenches and screw driver
nitryl gloves
wet wipe

skycomag

taking the "el" is not an option for me. i live in r.i. we have no el trains.

thanks

scroca

We don't have them here either. Besides, doesn't walking to one seem like cheating?

I know I should carry spare links, but I don't.

Steely Dan

how so? i love living in an area where i know i have complete self reliance. even if my bike explodes into a million tiny pieces out of the blue, i have a plethora of train, bus and taxi options that i can utilize instead of making the dreaded "can you come pick me up?" phone call.

if i have to walk my bike to a el station once every 5 years because of a chain break, that's totally fine with me.

ThermionicScott 

- Topeak Mini-Morph pump
- spare tube
- patch kit with fresh glue
- tire levers
- 3-6mm allen wrenches
- small cable ties
- small velcro strap
- dollar bill that is no longer fit for circulation

When riding my fixed-gear Diamondback:
- 8mm and 10mm wrenches (for the front canti)
- adjustible wrench (for the axle nuts)

scroca

I was just kidding. I should have put a smiley in there so it was obvious I was teasing you.

Steely Dan

^ gotcha, my humor detection unit must be on the fritz.

Transformer

Folding bike:

Park MT-1 strapped under the seat
(if I get a flat, I'll walk or catch transit)

Non-folding bike:

Qwik-stick (tire lever)
Small allen-key multi-tool (One23 MT4 or Lezyne SV5 )
Small pliers/knife multi-tool (Mini Bear Jaws)
Spare tube
Co2 Cartridge + inflator
15mm wrench

On long rides, I add a patch kit, extra Co2 cardridge & a presta/schrader adaptor

no1mad 

-Frame mounted mini-pump
-Park MT-1 tool
-3 plastic tire levers
-spare tube
-patches
-cell phone

If I can't fix it with the mt-1, odds are it's beyond my realm of understanding anyway...

cycle_maven

- Combo CO2/ mini pump
- 2 CO2 cartridges
- Spare Tube
- Patches
- Topeak Alien multi-tool (yeah, I know--- overkill)
- Cell Phone

I have not yet needed the last item (knock wood).

Seattle Forrest

I have a tire lever or two, some CO2, and a multi-tool in my water bottle.

Yeah but it's like 20 feet from one end of your state to the other.

usndoc2011

Hands down, best tool I have owned so far is the Topeak Ratchet Rocket. This tool has almost everything I need, and not a bunch of extra crap like some of the multi-tools I've owned, dull knifes, bottle openers (ahem, alien?). In addition, I carry around a small adjustable wrench, spoke wrench, a CO2 inflator, tire levers and a patch kit (glue tube type). I should be carrying around a spare tube, but I've been feeling lucky ever since I put Stan's No-Tubes in my tires (presta and schrader types), which is clearly hubris and now I'm just asking for 3-4 flats on my next ride.

A word about the Rocket Ratchet (I love this thing): it solves the one problem that has seemed to elude every other multi-tool. When you crank on a nut with a standard multi-tool (the ones where all the tools are threaded together and sandwiched between two plates by a screw), that force inevitably and imperceptibly loosens the screw holding the whole thing together. So you use your tool, and put it away till the next time you need to adjust something, and the vibrations from the bike and the torquing (can't believe that word made it past spell checker) you did earlier, the screw came loose and all the individual hex wrenches are floating uselessly in you bag until you can find ANOTHER hex or screwdriver or whatever to repair your tool so you can repair your bike. I don't know about anyone else, but it's happened with every multi-tool I owned. The solution for me was either: a) buy a set of mini hex-wrenches, which was kind of a pain and not as cheap as you'd think, especially if you need a T25 wrench or b) get the Rocket Ratchet, which is self contained, cheap as any other multi-tool and has a ratchet! It's the only multi-tool that seems designed to do what it was intended to do. It's got a couple neat features, like a socket on the non-ratchet end of the wrench part, so you get as much/more reach than a standard multi-tool. Downsides: you have to switch out bits like a normal ratchet, so they can get lost if you have butter-fingers, and no flat head bit, but I haven't needed one, but it could easily be bought and carried along side.

Oh, and a pair of latex gloves. Those are nicer to have than you might think...

usndoc2011

also, after reading my post, I should probably say that I don't take money from topeak, I just really like their tool. And I am obviously avoiding doing real work.

nashcommguy

Starting out at 5:15 AM it's dark here for about an hour and change. Flatting during that window would be not to my liking. When I worked 2nd shift I bought one @ Wally World and have had it ever since. In addition I carry:

Topeak Road Morph w/gauge frame pump
Park MTB-3 multi-tool
Pyramid metal tire levers
Un-opened patch-kit
Spare tubes

On my fg commuter I carry the same kit and a 15mm open and box end wrench as well.

no motor?

Multi tool
CO2 inflat r with spare cartridge
minipump
exam gloves
hand cleaner
spare tube
patch kit
allen wrench that came with the mirror
plus maybe some more stuff I've forgetten about

DJ Shaun

Leatherman Kick multi tool
Lezyne CRV 4 multi tool
Tire lever
Spare tube
Lube
Lighter (I've had to thaw my rear derailleur once already this winter with it.)

That reminds me, I need to get a new pump since my last one broke.

treebound 

I'm going to have to compare that Ratchet Rocket to the Alien II.

The tools I carry often vary depending upon what I'm riding, where I'm going, and a few other variables.
But usually a multi-tool of some sort, something to patch and pump tires/tubes, something to cut things with ( shopping bags wrapped up in cogs ), tire levers, and probably a few more things. Several decades ago I used to carry a freewheel tool in case I broke a drive-side spoke.
I also sometimes have duct tape and bailing wire in a limited amount.

SuncoastChad

When I commuted in Okinawa and Italy I carried a patch kit, tire irons, and two spare tube.
Now I carry a patch kit. I can walk home if I have to and with a cell phone someone is just a call away.
I don't worry about being stranded anymore, just inconvenienced!!

frpax

On my commuter, I have:
a mini pump
patch kit
tire levers
spare tube
multi tool

On my "go fast" bike, I carry:
Co2 with 3 cartridges
patch kit
tire levers
multi tool

I always take my cell phone with me in case something catastrophic happens. Once, on a training ride, I had a chain explode on me, which also trashed my rear derailleur. Cell phone to the rescue and my son got in my truck and came and got me. In my 26 years of riding, that's the only time I had a chain fail me.

gerv 

I carry a few tools. A multi tool is essential. One of the other tools I carry is a bus token.. saved my bacon a few times.