touring tool kit

[beeb]

Looking for advice from more experienced tourers. What do you take as a tool kit with you?
Aware that tools are rather heavy ? Thanks for any advice.

[irc]

Separate Allen keys.
Spoke key
chain tool.
screwdriver
spanner to fit mudguard nuts
puncture kit
2 tubes
cable ties
piece of duck tape
spare SPD cleat screw
couple of M5 bolts
chain lube
pump
spare chain quicklink
spare spokes.
1 set spare brake blocks

[jamesgilbert]

It does depend what type of touring you're doing and where you're going. I have plagiarised irc's list, here's what I take for a month or two cycling slowly round Europe, mostly on-road:

Separate Allen keys.
spanner to fit mudguard nuts
puncture kit
tyre levers
1 tube
cable ties
piece of duck tape
couple of M5 bolts
chain lube
pump
spare chain quicklink

[simonhill]

That is almost exactly what I take.

No cleats as I use clips.

Also a small adjustable wrench ie a multi size spanner, useful for stubborn pedals (usually flying). It was recommended by CJ for removing broken chain link before repair.

Pretty soon those who take enough tools for a complete rebuild will be posting. I like light, take your pick.

Finally, I have 2 bottle cages on my bike. I can get most of above in a bottle shaped container. This means I always carry my tools even when riding without luggage.

[shane]

P1010236 by Shane Cycles, on Flickr

This is about it for me, the crank puller was a one off as I was over the 10,000km mark with my BB at the time.

[pwa]

I would take spare spokes, especially for the rear drive side, and the tools to allow you to use them. Very little weight is involved. The spokes can be taped to the back of your seat tube. You will need a spoke key. And you will need a cassette lock ring removing tool, but not a normal one that needs a chain whip and spanner. Instead you need a NBT 2 (Next Best Thing) that allows you to use the frame dropout as a spanner. They are available from Spa Cycles for about £17. They are not as easy to use as your normal, heavy garage tools, so make sure the lock ring is not too tight before you set off. With this kit you should find replacing a broken spoke not much more time consuming than a puncture.

[simonineaston]

Simple Topeak multitool, tyre levers, pump, 1 spare inner tube, patches, sandpaper square, rubber glue, a J cloth, 1 film canister with detergent in it and 1 film cannister with talc in it. Have never needed anything else in the last 15 years of touring, although I did have the occasional spoke break, back when I used bikes with larger dia. wheels. 406 wheels seem strong enough to be immune to spoke breaks or rims going out of true, but I still take my red Spokey.
That's it. Can't beat going round the bike, checking everything, before you go!
But then, I only ever go for a week or two, tops...

[meic]

Small bottle chain lube in rag and bag.
Topeak Hexus minitool (includes levers and chaintool)
Spare very light tyre or normal size if I think a tyre is approaching the end of its life.
NBT2
Spokey
Tiny adjustable spanner up to 13mm.
2 spokes taped to rack leg.
Spare inner tube.
Puncture repair kit, including spare joining link.
8mm/10mm open end spanner.
Topeak Road Morph pump.

Sometimes I may also take

Second inner tube. Spare gear and brake cable.
Brake blocks if some are near end of life.

I also have but not as tool kit
Swiss Army knife, cable ties, wipes.

I do notice that my allen keys on the multi tool can not reach certain bolts as the tool itself gets in the way and I may carry a separate Allen key of a specific size for them.

My lesson from the last tour was that some bolts which never get used were corroded up and needed workshop help to remove. So a strip and regrease of everything (not immediately) before a tour would help. I couldnt remove a mudguard which was rubbing on a severely buckled wheel. A tight allen bolt between chainstays was too much for the minitool.

[gaz]

Check your cycle for any unique fittings. I will rarely leave the county without my cone spanners .

[foxyrider]

I've been refining things for many years both toolwise and bike to make things simple so here's the parts/tools i take on tour:-

2 tubes
Park self adhesive patches
Tyre boot
SKS Micro tool - 2 tyre levers and spoke keys
Pump of course!
Emergency spoke - no need to remove cassette to use
Multitool with chain tool - all the hex bolts on the bike are covered - my pedals included
Spare computer magnet - lost several over the years!
1 spare nipple - have had one break
1 pair brake pads
1 each gear/brake cables
Leatherman Micro - pliers, blade, screwdriver, bottle opener, file, saw blade
2oz bottle of lube
pair of latex gloves
'j' cloth for cleaning

Bike has self extracting crank bolts so if needed i can remove the cranks. Sealed BB unit, Campag hubs that don't need cone spanners if they needed attention.

If my tool kit can't do the job its a workshop thing ie replacing BB/headset/cassette

All fits into an Ortlieb Micro seat pack - total weight 495g

[hamster]

Mudguard nuts I have replaced Allen bolts and large washers saving the need for a spanner. Likewise a few Shimano mechs take a spanner on the cable clamp and I'd switch to an Allen head. Pedals which take an Allen key are available too.
I'd go for a small adjustable spanner over a fixed one if I needed to carry it, simply because it is more versatile.

I would always take a couple of chain links and two fast links on multi-day tours and I like a Leatherman tool as it has several screwdriver bits, knife and pliers in a compact package.

[andrew_s]

Tubes x 2 or 3
tyre levers (unbreakable steel)
Tip-top puncture kit, plus box of Park instant patches
proper pump
bits of old tyre for boots
spare folding tyre sometimes, depending on bike weight and state of wear of existing tyres

Victorinox Bit Wrench and a set of bits - 2,3,4,5,6,8 allen, T25, 8 & 10 mm socket, screwdriver
1/4 inch combination spanner (for when the bit wrench is too big to give access - i.e. inward facing upper rack bolt)
Park mini chain tool
Spokey
NBT2 cassette remover
Leatherman Juice CS4 (sometimes)
pair cone spanners (sometimes)
Swiss Army Knife (not in tool kit)

film tub with spare bolts (rack/bottle, SPD, crank self-extractor, mudguard stay etc), chain powerlinks (2 pair), bits that don't fit in the holder, spoke nipple.
Small bottle of chain oil
zip ties
gaffer tape
electrical tape
pair brake pads
spokes (half a dozen or so, taped to the saddlebag dowel)
rear brake & gear cables (sometimes)

[m-gineering]

Many recent parts now feature Torx heads instead of the more sensible Allen bolts. Chainring bolts, Magura HS33's fittings , db caliper adapters etc etc could all be affected and are easy to change out

[mrjemm]

P1010236 by Shane Cycles, on Flickr

This is about it for me, the crank puller was a one off as I was over the 10,000km mark with my BB at the time.

Seems such an obvious thing once I've seen it...

i) Cut down Brooks spanner. Never stiff, so shorter plenty. Like.
ii) Allen keys from a multitool thingy seperated and put on a carabiner. Nicety.

[pwa]

Somewhere in my garage I still have a Kooltool from about 1990. It is a tiny adjustable spanner with a chain tool integrated neatly into the handle, and holding a few detachable allen keys. I still dig it out when I need a very small adjustable spanner, a feature that is absent in later multi-tools.