SIX OF THE BEST

An essential bit of kit for emergency repairs & trailside tinkering

Multi-tools – one piece of kit you should never leave home without, essential for emergency fixes and trailside tinkering

SILCA Italian Army Knife – Tredici £40

SO GOOD… Despite its light 100g weight, it feels well made and solid. Its 13 tools include most Allen and Torx keys, and the latter have an accurate fit. The 8mm Allen key undoes tight pedals easily, and the tool body doesn’t flex under high loads. NO GOOD… You don’t get many tools for the high price, making it better for set-up tweaks than repairs. The Allen key tolerances aren’t that good, with the 5mm bit feeling loose in all the bolts we tried. Their short length (25mm) makes it tricky to reach some bolts. We’d prefer one of the screwdrivers to be replaced with a bike-specific tool, ideally a chain breaker. www.saddleback.co.uk

Topeak Mini P20 £34.99

SO GOOD… Packing in 17 tools, it feels solid without being weighty, at 135g, and resists rust well. The Allen key tolerances are good and, along with the Torx bits, they’re long enough to reach most places. You get a chain breaker and serrated knife, which work well. The pivots didn’t undo. It comes in a neoprene pouch that helps protect your other kit from knocks. NO GOOD… The T15 and T25 Torx keys weren’t as sharp as we’d expect for this price. While it’s a handy addition, the quick-link tool isn’t that intuitive to use, requiring the chain to be manipulated to seat it correctly in the tool, which is fiddly and dirty work. www.extrauk.co.uk

Birzman Feexman E Version 10 £19.99

SO GOOD… This simple design remained tight and rattle-free during testing. At 120g, it’s fairly light as well as compact. The Allen and Torx key sizing is spot on, and the bits are long enough to reach most recessed bolts.

NO GOOD… There’s no 2mm Allen key. You can’t apply much pressure with the L-shaped 6mm Allen key without the tool folding. The chain breaker doesn’t have the leverage to split stubborn chains. We struggled to find uses for the two screwdrivers and would happily swap one of them for a 2mm Allen key, a knife or more Torx keys (it only has a T25). www.silverfish-uk.com

Crankbrothers M20 £39.99

SO GOOD… The M20 has an impressive 20 tools – including a brake rotor straightener, valve-core remover and spoke keys, plus five tubeless tyre plugs and a plug installer stored in a separate plastic case. With a lifetime warranty, the anodised aluminium body and steel tools feel great. Allen and Torx key accuracy is spot on, and most are long enough to access recessed bolts.

NO GOOD… There’s no tool for splitting quick-links, which could be integrated into the chain breaker as per other designs. The chain tool doesn’t have the leverage to remove stubborn pins. It’s the heaviest here, at 206g, but has the most functions. www.extrauk.co.uk

LifeLine Essential 10 in 1 £5.99

SO GOOD… Considering its low price, the Allen and Torx tolerances are impressive. The length of the bits lets you reach fiddly bolts, and the tool body doesn’t get in the way. You get an 8mm Allen adapter bit, which is useful for some pedals and robust enough to exert plenty of leverage. The pivots stayed tight during testing. NO GOOD… It’s quite big, at 34x25x 73mm, and is heavy too, considering it only has 10 tools (136g). These include just one Torx bit (T25). We’d rather have more Torx keys or a chain breaker than the two screwdrivers, if the cost could be kept low. It rusts easily if left wet. www.hotlines-uk.com

Blackburn Tradesman £29.99

SO GOOD… With its all-metal design, 18 tools and 179g weight, this is great value and can handle most trailside jobs. The straight Allen keys are long enough to access most areas and the heads are sized accurately for high-torque use without rounding-out bolts. You can use the chain breaker with the back wheel in place and it removes pins easily. There’s a brake pad separator with quick-link storage, plus a quick-link tool, which is easy to use with the 4mm Allen key. A thick rubber strap prevents any rattling. NO GOOD… The Torx bits require care to avoid slippage and some of the L-shaped Allen keys are fiddly in tighter spaces. www.zyrofisher.co.uk