What should be in the toolbox that is headed to the trails, on a size, weight and price budget...

J

jerseyjeffr

New Member
I am bringing the whole family to the trails now, and with 4 or 5 bikes depending on the number of mammals going with me that day the odds of me needing more than a multitool, tirelevers, and a spare tube are definitely going up. I keep a cheap(er) track pump in the truck, and was thinking about the other must haves to bring with. I am thinking a better chain breaker, 2-10 nm torque wrench, and a proper set of L allen keys, maybe a 7 inch knipex... and then I watch a few more toolbox wars videos on youtube, and am thinking I need 40lbs and 2k of abbey tools for each day trip...

What do you bring on road trips, and what gets left home?

In my camelbak is a Crankbros m-17, tubolito, pedros levers, Israeli bandage, cat torniquet, and some bandaids too. and now some cable ties too.
 
Karate Monkey

Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
Like, tools to complete common repairs? Set of L-keys, a T-25, T-30, chain whip/cassette tool (bottom bracket, too, if centerlock rotors are being used in said bike). Multi-tool chain breaker is acceptable. A cross-tip screwdriver, maybe.

For everyday riding? A pump, maybe a set of L-keys.
 
extremedave

extremedave

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Think of items that may break but could still be fixed in the parking lot.
Loose parts: make sure between your multi tool and toolbox there’s not some weirdo fastener you can’t deal with.
Tubes and quick links (make sure each chain size is covered). Plugs/patches whatnot. Spare derailleur cable can’t hurt.
Zip ties, tape, maybe a few common sized bolts.
Spoke wrench?
I’d keep a decent phillips and an Allen set in the vehicle. Maybe a good pair of pliers or vice grip if you bend a hanger. Multi tools are fine but if you have to drag something back to the car I’d have legit tools waiting.

Multiple bikes are tough to prep but if I’m traveling for a ride I’ll do a night-before check. Easier to tighten a loose pedal at home than deal with a stripped crank arm on the trail.
 
ryderX

ryderX

Well-Known Member
I’d recommend having a good pre and post ride maintenance routine. My nearly 30yrs of riding has taught me that most trailhead issues can be spotted and prevented before arriving at the trailhead. That’s not to say that a good floor pump, a few select hand tools, a master link or 2 and some tubes aren’t needed but that a workbench of tools is probably overkill and not needed.
 
Cassinonorth

Cassinonorth

Well-Known Member
This is what lives in my SWAT box along with the tiny multi tool in the steerer tube.

PXL_20210412_114358244~2.jpg


And this lives in the trunk.

PXL_20210412_115033725.jpg


Which is well beyond overkill for 95% of people, obviously. COVID provided ample time to curate that box. I can make a full list of what I have in there if you do care. It was a fun project and I use it quite a bit.
 
Ian F

Ian F

Well-Known Member
I think it depends a bit on the trip. When I was racing DH 20+ years ago, I would bring a small bike shop's worth of tools and spares with me to a race weekend. My tool box is set up to allow for the drawers to open with parts bins stored on top (it's a modified 3-drawer "mid-chest", with an MDP top and side handles added).

Now I rarely take more than a good set of hex wrenches and chain lube (which just live in my van anyway) along with the tools I keep in my pack:
extensively modified/augmented old Park tool roll kit (no longer sold and the model has worn of; chain breaker, tire levers, Wolf quick-link tool, custom 1/4" hex-drive ratchet set, tire boot, patch kit, Park plug kit).
spare derailleur hanger
spare derailleur cable
Stan's Dart plug kit
Leatherman
Swiss Army knife
pump
CO2
...probably a few more things I'm forgetting.

Eventually, my plan is to have some tool that just live in my van along with some spares common to all of my bikes - which is one reason why I'm building up all three of my bikes to run Shimano 12 speed and Shimano brakes in an effort to keep the spares collection to a minimum.
 
MadisonDan

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Just order this and you'll be good.



kidding..

I keep all my bike related tools in a kit I can just throw in the trunk. I started doing this for a few weekend long CX races a few years ago. Everything I have aside from spare tires, pump, and extra wheel sets is in there.

On bike I carry: spare hanger, Dart, CO2 (2x) with inflator, Wolf chain tool w/spare link, and multi tool.
 
E

ebarker9

Well-Known Member
cassinonorth said:
And this lives in the trunk.

View attachment 155591

Which is well beyond overkill for 95% of people, obviously. COVID provided ample time to curate that box. I can make a full list of what I have in there if you do care. It was a fun project and I use it quite a bit.
Click to expand...

I've been tempted to do something similar, just for the coolness factor. Do you use that same setup when working on stuff at home or two sets of tools?
 
J

jerseyjeffr

New Member
cassinonorth said:
This is what lives in my SWAT box along with the tiny multi tool in the steerer tube.

View attachment 155590

And this lives in the trunk.

View attachment 155591

Which is well beyond overkill for 95% of people, obviously. COVID provided ample time to curate that box. I can make a full list of what I have in there if you do care. It was a fun project and I use it quite a bit.
Click to expand...
it might be overkill, but it is right sexy, and my mind keeps telling me I need a setup like that in my truck... I think I can get away with a little less, but, also think I want more than just allen keys. I would be pretty excited to hear about what made the cut to live in the box, what did not, what kind of box it is, and how you secured your allen keys. I am thinking either magic or magnets.
 
J

jerseyjeffr

New Member
MadisonDan said:
Just order this and you'll be good.



kidding..

I keep all my bike related tools in a kit I can just throw in the trunk. I started doing this for a few weekend long CX races a few years ago. Everything I have aside from spare tires, pump, and extra wheel sets is in there.

On bike I carry: spare hanger, Dart, CO2 (2x) with inflator, Wolf chain tool w/spare link, and multi tool.
Click to expand...
That would be perfect but it is out of stock. And a bit more stuff than I would ever use. Across the bikes we have a mix of sram, shimano, tektro (brakes) grip shift and paddle shifters, so it gets pretty crazy quick to have spares for all of them... oh and 24, 27.5+ 29, and 27.5 tubes too... at least my daughter is off the 20 and on to a 24...
 
shrpshtr325

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
jerseyjeffr said:
That would be perfect but it is out of stock. And a bit more stuff than I would ever use. Across the bikes we have a mix of sram, shimano, tektro (brakes) grip shift and paddle shifters, so it gets pretty crazy quick to have spares for all of them... oh and 24, 27.5+ 29, and 27.5 tubes too... at least my daughter is off the 20 and on to a 24...
Click to expand...
27.5 tube will stretch to a 29r, hell so will a 26in tube, so if you are only carrying tubes for catastrophic failures (sidewall cut ect that sealant wont seal) you dont need all the different tubes.
 
Cassinonorth

Cassinonorth

Well-Known Member
jerseyjeffr said:
it might be overkill, but it is right sexy, and my mind keeps telling me I need a setup like that in my truck... I think I can get away with a little less, but, also think I want more than just allen keys. I would be pretty excited to hear about what made the cut to live in the box, what did not, what kind of box it is, and how you secured your allen keys. I am thinking either magic or magnets.
Click to expand...

Yep, super glue tiny magnets to the carbon is how I did it.

You can get one of these boxes done on a semi budget if you don't go all high end stuff.

Ridgid 22" tool box- $30
Kaizan Inserts- $26 (57mm and 30mm)
Utility knife set for cutting the foam- $9
Bondhus L- wrench color guard set- $15
Wolftooth Pack Pliers- $32 (tire lever, master link storage, master link pliers)
Park TWS-3 (T10, T25, T35) $11
Channel Lock HD-1 Set(Cutters, long nose, slip joint and tongue/groove) $45
Icetoolz pedal wrench/chain whip $20
Park Tool CT-5 chain tool $18
Crank brothers Speedier Lever (seriously the best purchase I've ever made) $6

So about right around $200 +/- total and that's going to be almost everything you need to do. The other stuff like stans dart, Co2 inflator, should really live with your pack/bike whatever system you have there. I bet you can fill in the rest with what you have at home too...adjustable wrench, tape measure, shop hammer, couple screwdrivers. If you really want to make one of these boxes, definitely do it. It's pretty fun and people get a kick out of em.
 
shrpshtr325

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
mwlikesbikes said:
Apparently the best thing to bring on a ride is friends. I’m pretty sure the pump & multi tool in my camelbak has been used more by other people than myself...
Click to expand...
this right here, my pump seems to be the favorite in the group i ride with.
 
gmb3

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
Shock pump is something that always comes up on a group ride that someone wants, and nobody has. Me, i only mess with my fork/shock pressures every few months so no big deal to me but some people/bikes are finicky. I wear a Camelback and carry a multitool, minpump, spare tube, old piece of tire for a sidewall boot, tire levers, chain breaker, quick links, bacon strip kit, glueless patches (if bike's not tubeless), and a few Jorbands.
 
Cassinonorth

Cassinonorth

Well-Known Member
gmb3 said:
Shock pump is something that always comes up on a group ride that someone wants, and nobody has. Me, i only mess with my fork/shock pressures every few months so no big deal to me but some people/bikes are finicky. I wear a Camelback and carry a multitool, minpump, spare tube, old piece of tire for a sidewall boot, tire levers, chain breaker, quick links, bacon strip kit, glueless patches (if bike's not tubeless), and a few Jorbands.
Click to expand...

I was on a ride the other day and the dude flagged me down for what I assumed was a tube or something. Yeah, he needed a shock pump. I had to tell him unfortunately I don't carry a shock pump on the trails lol.
 
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