Trail Tools Guide
Trail tools are an essential item to all cyclists, whether you are riding the trails or cruising the tarmac, every cyclist needs tools with them to repair, maintain and sometimes to lend to friends who forgot their own! A good multi-tool will have everything you need for your bike, add in a repair kit and you'll be able to keep rolling along all day.
Multi-Tools
A multi-tool is a small and compact swiss army knife style collection of tools that allow to work on your bike. They range in size from the most simple collection of Allen keys to those that include absolutely everything packed into a small package. Usually, more tools does mean a little more weight, but you'll be glad you have what you need for every eventuality.
The best multi-tools will include a good range of Allen keys, Torx keys, screwdrivers, a chain tool, spoke keys and even a tyre lever. Some more comprehensive versions include things like a bottle opener or a chain hook.
The best will also come with some sort of case, like a neoprene cover or a metal sheath that the tools fit into. This protects the tool from water and muck while helping to stop any annoying rattles or sharp exposed edges that might damage things like a spare inner tube.
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Repair Kits
Along with a multi-tool and any other spares you should carry a repair kit with you on your rides. Tyre and inner tube repair kits can come in a few different styles, but all will repair a puncture. For those that ride with inner tubes, it is best to carry a puncture repair kit as well as a spare tube, after all, you might have a second flat and puncture your spare, it will need patching to keep you rolling.
Most inner tube repair kits will include the patches themselves, often with different sizes and a small patch of sandpaper to prepare the tube for the included glue and patch. Some will even include some chalk to mark the area and some tyre levers to remove and install the tyre after repairing the tube.
Tubeless punctures can be repaired by plugging the hole in the tyre that the sealant cannot seal. A tubeless repair kit will consist of some plugs, that are strips of sticky rubber. Sometimes these plugs are known as bacon strips or slugs. The strip is fed halfway through the forked end of the tool and then pushed into the hole on the tyre, holding the excess and swiftly removing the tool leaves the plug in place and fixes the puncture. Any excess can then be trimmed off.
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