Every mountain biker likely carries a multi-tool on the trail, and these handy little items pack a surprising amount of functionality into a compact and portable package. This spring we tested six different tools of varying sizes to see which ones worked best.
If this is your first multi tool, the Crankbrothers M19 is a good choice since it’s well priced. If you’re looking to upgrade your current multi-tool, I recommend the Topeak Mini P20 which has an excellent selection of useful tools in a small package. Regardless of which one you buy, having any multitool is better than not having one, so pick the one that suits your budget and needs. Keep in mind that you will probably still need to carry other tools with you like an air pump, CO2, tire levels, tire plug tool, Zip ties, etc., so remember that one multi tool won’t ever solve all your mechanical problems…yet.
| Multi-tool | # Functions | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crankbrothers M19 | 19 | 174g | $36.99 |
| Park Tool I-Beam | 14 | 179g | $33.95 |
| PNW Pebble | 6 | 51g | $37 |
| Silca Italian Army Knife | 20 | 176g | $55 |
| Topeak Mini 9 | 9 | 92g | $21.95 |
| Topeak Mini 20 | 20 | 130g | $49.95 |
Crankbrothers M19 Multi-Tool
The Crankbrothers M19 multi-tool comes with nineteen tools built in. Included are 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8mm Hex wrenches. Unlike the other tools in this article, the M19 has its own dedicated 8mm wrench, rather than a socket. A Philips #1, #2 and flat #2 screwdrivers are included along with T-10 and T-25 Torx tools, an unscrewable chain breaker tool with an 8mm/10mm open wrench, and sizes #0, 1, 2, 3, spoke wrenches.
All the tools articulate smoothly and tuck away nicely. There is some non-slip texture on the body for added grip making it easy to work with and without gloves.
The Crankbrothers M19 multi-tool was actually my first ever multi-tool. At the time, it was actually my only tool. This tool was very handy as I used it around the house and when wrenching on the bike.
The only gripe is that over time the tools would become loose and I had to tighten them often. This tool is not perfect but I have grown to love it over the years.
Coming in at 174g on my digital scale, The M19 can be a great buy for $36.99. This might be the best bang for your buck out of the six multi-tools featured here.
ParkTool I-Beam Multi-Tool
Park Tool is known for their plethora of bike tools available to the masses. We decided to check out their I-Beam Multi-Tool (IB-3), which has a unique I-beam design that integrates a tire lever tool. Buyers get fourteen tools in a rather bulky package which includes 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm hex wrenches. The 8mm is a removal hex socket on top of the 6mm that sits firmly in place. There’s also a a T25 Torx, flat blade screwdriver, and chain breaker tool with an 8mm bolt end.
The composite-wrapped tire lever has an 8mm box wrench to help tighten the chain breaker bolt. Additionally there are two spoke wrenches that are 3.23mm(SW-0) and 3.45mm (SW-2) built into the tire lever.
The I-Beam weighs 179g on my digital scale.
I’m a huge fan of Park Tool home mechanic tools, but the IB-3 just didn’t wow me. It’s an interesting design and the tire lever integration is pretty nifty, but for the weight, awkward in-hand feel, and $33.95 price tag, I’d consider checking other multi-tools out before committing to this one.
- Price: $33.95
- Buy from Backcountry and Moosejaw.
PNW Pebble Multi-Tool
The PNW Pebble Tool is the smallest, lightest, and simplest in this roundup, with only six tools, and weighing only 51g on my digital scale. With the least amount of bits, it includes 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm hex keys, a T25 Torx, and a Dynaplug accessory. Although that doesn’t sound like much in one multi-tool, it is really almost every hex and Torx you need to make quick adjustment on your bike while out riding.
With this one tiny tool, I was able to adjust my stem, top cap, grip, remote lever, shifter, brake lever, saddle, seat post, rear shock, brake caliper, fork axle, rotor, rear axle, frame, and water bottle bolts. The smooth pebble-like shape feels great in the palm when wrenching and the integrated Dynaplug tire plug is a plus. The Dynaplug only has one insert, so it’d be a good idea to carry a few more in your pack as some punctures can be stubborn at times. I like to use this tool on short rides and it’s also perfect to use on my camera gear.
One gripe I have is it does not include an 8mm hex like other multi-tools, and this was sorely missed when I needed to tighten pedals. In future iterations, it would be great if PNW added a 8mm hex socket bit somewhere. Another smaller gripe is taking out a hex with gloves on is not the smoothest operation. You will need to really dig the tip of your finger to get them out, or remove your gloves altogether, which although not a huge deal, is still an extra step.
With a retail price of $37 and four colors to choose from, the PNW Pebble Tool is for minimalist riders out there who can easily walk back to their car if they run into bigger mechanical issues. Considering that the price of a Dynaplug Racer Pro tool on its own is around $60, having a Dynaplug built into the Pebble surely justifies the price of such a tiny package.
Silca Italian Army Knife – Venti
Silca went ahead and called their tool an Italian Army knife, though with twenty emergency tools built in, it does not have an actual knife blade (unlike the Topeak Mini P20 below). With that being said, let’s break down the built-in tools.
The Silca Italian Army Knife – Venti is equipped with 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8mm hex wrenches. (The 8mm is a removable hex socket on top of the 6mm.) I really like multi-tools with this 8mm socket, as it comes in handy to tighten pedals.
There is a #2 Philips and SL4 flat driver, although I personally cannot remember the last time I needed a Philips screw driver when out on a ride. In addition there are Torx 8, 10, 20, and 25 bits, a 7mm box wrench, 8mm flare nut wrench, 10mm open-end wrench, a disc pad spreader, a valve core remover, and a pair of 13g and 15g spoke wrenches.
The Italian Army Knife – Venti is made from forged and plated steel and it feels high quality in the hand. Silca even implemented finger moldings and a non-slip texture on each body plate for better ergonomic grip when wrenching, which made the tool easy to use with and without gloves on. Every tool articulated in and out smoothly and firmly. Like the Topeak Mini P20, you only need to tighten one bolt on each body plate, though oddly enough Silca decided to make these two bolts a T15 but a 3mm hex fit and did the job.
Some nifty features I found to be my favorite include the disk spreader, the 8mm socket hex, the two hidden magnetic slots for a masterlink, the valve core remover, and spoke wrenches.
The Silca Italian Army Knife – Venti is a well thought out multi-tool with some built-in tools that I personally haven’t had a need for yet. All the included hex tools are of course welcomed and the T25 is much needed, although I rarely see myself using an 8, 10, or 20 Torx tool. The same goes for the Philips/SL4 and the nut wrenches.
I would have preferred to have a tire plug tool, a tire lever (I think one could fit!) and definitely a knife blade or two. It would be nice if other companies integrated finger grooves and non-slip texture on the body like the Italian Army Knife – Venti, especially since these tools are small. The disk spreader multifunction metal piece slides into the body and magnetizes itself into place. Unfortunately, the magnet wasn’t strong enough to hold the piece in place, and the disk spreader easily fell off multiple times, so be careful not to lose it!
Silca’s website claims a 160g weight, but my digital scale said 176g and 120g without the magnetic detachable disk pad spreader tool accessory.
If you see yourself needing these exact twenty emergency tools and are willing to pay $55, then the Silca Italian Army Knife-Venti might be the tool for you.
- Price: $55
- Buy from JensonUSA and The Pro’s Closet.
Topeak Mini 9 Multi-Tool
The Topeak Mini 9 is another mini tool for those minimalist riders. It comes with nine emergency tools made of chrome vanadium steel in a small and sturdy aluminum body package. Included are 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm hex keys, a #2 Philips, and a T25 Torx. You also get a nifty tiny neoprene bag to stash it in.
The Mini 9 is a great option for those who may already have a tire plug tool. All tools articulated smoothly and they can always be loosened or tightened at the 4mm clamp bolts at the four sides. My favorite thing about this tool is the 8mm hex socket on top of the 6mm, which I can use to easily and quickly tighten pedals.
Weighing 92g on my digital scale, this simple to use mini tool can help you make quick adjustments on the fly.
The Topeak Mini 9 is small and mighty at a reasonable $19.95.
Topeak Mini P20
The Topeak Mini P20 is the real Swiss Army knife of this roundup, due to the fact it actually has a knife blade included for when you need to get cutting. This 20-function tool has a sleek forged alloy body that is still compact enough to call mini. You’ll get a decently sharp blade with a serrated half end, a master link tool, a chain breaker, a #2 Phillips screwdriver, 14g/15g, Mavic M7, and Shimano 4.5mm spoke wrenches, T15 andT25 Torx wrenches, and of course your 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6mm Allen wrenches with an 8mm hex socket. This is an excellent variety of tools in such a compact package that weighs 130g on my digital scale.
It’s worth mentioning the Topeak Mini P20 is the only multitool in this roundup with a master link tool. And a nice feature is that the knife blade locks so it won’t open while riding.
I found the tool articulation stiffness to be ideal right out of the box. If you need to tighten or loosen the articulation of the tools, there are only two 3mm hex bolts to mess with.
Topeak missed adding a magnetic master link cutout inside the body (like the Silca Italian Army Knife – Venti); adding this feature would make sense since this multi-tool has a master link remover tool. I would have also preferred the body to be a bit longer with a non-slip texture for a better hand grip.
The Topeak Mini P20 offers an excellent variety of emergency tools for $49.95, all with a tiny neoprene bag to neatly stash it. The Mini P20 is my favorite out of the six and will be taking this one with me out on rides for its versatility.
- Price: $49.95
- Buy from Topeak and Backcountry.
Final Thoughts
I am by no means an engineer and I know creating these tools can take a lot of R&D. But maybe the actual engineers will hear and understand our feedback and improve later iterations of these tools. A small sharp blade can be essential, and each of these tools can easily fit one. I would like to see non-slip grooves on all bodies and tools for easy grip with or without gloves. All tools should only need one tightening bolt on each side and I don’t think any multi-tools like these should pass the $50 mark.
A pair of pliers comes in super handy. Would be cool to have a leatherman-style multi tool with hex and torx folded into the handle. Or does this exist?
Hey, I have that Topeak Mini 9. It’s fine, but as noted, minimal, so I also have to carry a Gerber Dime and a spoke wrench. Maybe I should upgrade. The Dime isn’t a bike tool but its pliers and knife come in handy surprisingly often.
The philips head screwdrivers are probably included mostly for adjusting hi/lo stop on the front derailleur. Obviously not an issue if you only ever ride 1x bikes, but it’s something I’ve needed it for, particularly when I’ve broken my front shifter cable.
Good analysis. Definitely hard to beat the Crankbrothers tool for the price. I’ve always had one in a pack somewhere since I’ve started riding. Good point on having a knife blade too. If you want non-bike tools for out in the backcountry, riders will end up having to carry a bike tool and multi-tool. Makes sense for someone to integrate them.
I won a Crankbrothers at a festival when they first came out. Have carried it on just about every ride since and used it several times… on other people’s bikes. Now I may not be typical; most probably ride more aggressively than I do. But check your gear before you go!
Anyway, why the emphasis on the 8 for tightening pedals. Aren’t they made to be self tightening. I sometimes loosen mine just so they aren’t jammed tight when I do need to get them off. I’d really rather lose that and the flat blade screwdriver (what does it fit?!) for other size torxs and a chain breaker. As far as a blade I prefer something stand alone for that. But what I’d really like is a pick your adventure custom tool! Pick your parts, they get sent along with an appropriate chassis and you put it together (if anyone is listening).
Nice round up tho, thanks.