Bicycle Toolbag

Carry essential tools and spares to ensures common repairs can be completed quickly and easily.

Mini versions of common workshop tools are perfect for carry on a ride.

My Saddle bag

A mini saddle bag is useful to keep inner tubes separated from other tools to avoid potential damage and makes tubes are easier to find 😄

A bag with pockets is useful to keep smaller items like patches and wedges.

• 2 TPU inner tubes – RiderNow 36G tubes which fit 18C-32C tyres
• 4 TPU specific patches (came with RiderNow tubes)
• 1 RideNow Bicycle Tyre Lever – fancy tyre lever to help fit very stubborn tyres
• 2 Standard tyre lever (as a back up of the fancy ones – maybe superfluous)
• 2 Disc break piston wedges (keep disk brake pads open when the wheel is off)

I could only fit one butyl inner tube in my saddle bag and that tube weighed as much as my mini tool kit.

My Top Bag

I regularly ride long distance routes, so carry a few more tools in the top bar bag. This helps distribute the weight to the front of the bicycle.

• Coospo X1 Mini Electric pump with extension pipe (creates a tight seal)
• Hand pump (when electric pump runs out of battery)
• Rear derailleur hanger, specific to my bicycle frame (highly recommended for long distance riding, multi-day trips)
• Mini Allen key ratchet set (removing thru-axels, adjusting handlebars, seat post, saddle, etc.)
• Quick Link Pliers & 2 spare Quick links (fix a snapped chain)
• Parktool Spoke nipple tool (rebalance a wheel if a spoke breaks or comes loose)

Inner tube

Carry at least one spare inner tube on a ride for an efficient way to repair a puncture.

Butyl rubber inner tubes have been used for decades and are cost effective. A typical tube weighs around 130 grams.

TPU Inner tubes are considerably lighter, between 19 to 50 grams. TPU tubes with an aluminium valve stem are more durable than a plastic stem.

RiderNow Official Store - AliExpress

Pump

Hand pumps that fit in a top-tube bag or attach securely to the bike are convenient options. A jersey or jacket pocket can also be used.

An Electric pump with pressure setting & display are increasing in popularity. They way a little more than than a typical hand pump, but require very little effort to inflate a tyre to the correct pressure.

Mini Tool Kit

A mini tool kit or multi-tool is used to remove wheels (throu-axels), adjust saddle hight, and generally tighten bolts that are loose.

A ratchet tool is the easiest to use as it stays in the bolt whilst you tighten or loosen, making the work faster too.

A mini tool kit should include a range of sizes suitable for your bike, typically 2mm to 8mm Hex shaped tips or Allen keys.

Quick Links

Modern chains are joined together with a quick link (also known as a split link). The quick link allows joining of a chain without the need of tools.

Fit the chain (of correct length) to the bicycle and insert the two parts of the quick link to each end of the chain. The force of the peddle should be sufficient to fully engage the quick link.

Removing a chain is very easy, with a pair of quick link Pliers (or small tipped pliers).

Quick link pliers can also be used to join a quick link.

Chain Splitter

If a chain should break when riding, then one of the existing links may need removing before joining the chain together with a quick link.

The chain splitter removes the pin that connects two links.

The chain splitter can also insert a pin in between two links if there isn't a quick link available. Fitting an existing pin is a very tricky process and the pin has to be lined up accurately.

ZTTO Mini chain splitter is a very small tool, although it does require 2 Allen keys or similar shaped tool to work

Rear Derailleur Hanger

The rear derailleur hanger is designed to bend or break during a serious accident, to prevent the frame or derailleur becoming damaged (which would be harder to repair and a lot more expensive).

Although every bicycle has a hanger, there is little standardisation between bike manufacturers and even models of bicycles.

It is highly unlikely that a bike shop will have a spare hanger that fits your bicycle and ordering a new hanger can take a few days or more.

Hangers do not take up much space, so carrying a specific hanger will help you get going again should the original hanger become damaged.

Spoke Wrench

A spoke wrench or spoke key is a small wrench or tool used to adjust the tension in the spokes of a tension-spoked wheel. A spoke wrench is sometimes called a nipple wrench, as it is the spoke nipple – not the spoke – that is turned in the process of changing the tension of a spoke.

Wheel spokes are held in place on the wheel with a 'nipple'. Wheel manufacturers do not use a common standard size of nipple, although most road bikes will uses a similar size.

Bicycle nipple tool sizes vary, the most common are 3.23mm (for 14g spokes), 3.45mm (13g), and 3.96mm (e-bike/cargo bike/Shimano systems), with variations like 3.3mm for black brass nipples; you need to measure the nipple's square part (across flats) with calipers to find the precise size, as some nipples have specific diameters for different brands or spoke gauges.

Common Sizes by Gauge/Type

• 14g (2.0mm spoke): Often uses 3.23mm (0.127") or 3.30mm (0.130").
• 13g (2.3mm spoke): Often uses 3.45mm (0.136").
• E-Bikes/Shimano: Can use 3.96mm (0.156").
• Black Brass Nipples: May need a 3.3mm wrench, as standard 3.23mm wrenches fit too tightly.

How to Find Your Size

• Measure: Use digital calipers to measure the flat-to-flat (across flats) dimension of the nipple's square part.
• Check Gauge: The spoke wire gauge (e.g., 14g, 13g) correlates to nipple size, but variations exist.
• Consider Brand: Shimano, DT Swiss, and others have specific sizes.

Miscellaneous

Bone conducting headphones can help with motivation of the toughest part of rides and help keep motivation on long distance rides.

Shockz headphones are the high end brand for bone conducting headphones. Lower cost alternatives can be found on Amazon, Temu and AliExpress.

– PARAMITA Dv68 Pro New Night Running Sports Headphones (21 GBP AliExpress) – Sanag A5X True Bone Conduction Headphones (15 GBP from Temu)

Tools to avoid

C02 canisters are very ineffective ways to refill tyres and very bad for the environment. If used incorrectly a C02 canister can cause physical injuries such as freeze burns. Incorrectly fitted canisters can fly off and cause serious injuries.

A C02 canister can rapidly fill an inner tube but this also means it is harder to manage the resulting air pressure in the tyre.

There is a high risk of valve damage, especially with TPU and Latex inner tubes. As the C02 is released the air becomes very cold, which can weaken a valve. Using a pump after a C02 canister can cause the valve to snap.