The best bike multi-tools: Function-packed bicycle tools for every kind of ride

Most cyclists wouldn't dream of leaving the house without a bike multi-tool, a quality bike pump, and a set of tyre levers stashed in their back pockets. As bikes have become more reliable but also a lot more complicated, and many are now running tubeless tyres, our requirements from multi-tools have had to evolve in line with these demands.

Simple Allen key-based multi-tools like the classic Park Tool AWS-11 are still valued staples of many people's toolboxes and saddlebags, but it is worth considering what work you might need to do on your bike before making a purchase.

Rachet tools like the Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite or even one of our best torque wrenches are ideal for hard-to-reach bolts and carbon fibre components. A multi-tool with a compatible chain tool for your drivetrain, like the Blackburn Wayside, might be more valuable to some. For those running tubeless by all means, carry a separate tubeless repair tool or you could consider the Crankbrothers M20 with its built-in plug tool.

In this guide, I have outlined eight of the best multi-tools the team at Cycling Weekly has put to the test. I have also made an honourable mention to the Wolf Tooth Encase pump as part of the emerging trend towards alternative tool storage and integration.

The Quick List

Our top-rated of the best bike multi-tools

Best bike multi-tool

An annoyance when using many multi-tools is that it can be awkward to access some of the smaller bolts on a bike. The tool’s smaller heads tend to be on shorter stems and the tool body can get in the way when trying to adjust small bolts like derailleur limit screws.

The Blackburn Wayside 19 gets around this problem by having separate L-shaped hex keys with ball ends for the 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm and 5mm heads. These clip securely to a plastic insert on the tool body and there’s a rubber retainer band that sits around the whole tool to ensure that they stay put.

Torx heads are limited to the larger size T25 and T30, so it’s worth checking if these are useful for you.

The chain tool clips into the opposite side of the plastic insert to the hex keys, which avoids the rattle that’s often a feature of multi-tools which include a chain tool, while the extra-long chain retainer clips over the two ends of the tool.

I didn't use the serrated blade, but it’s an extra that doesn’t contribute much to the already hefty 196g tool weight.

Verdict: Separate hex keys make for easier use

Best Lightweight Multi-Tool

The PNW Pebble multi-tool is one for the minimalist. It’s tiny and at 50g is by far the lightest tool in this test. As you’d expect, it omits many of the less-used tools and there’s no chain tool. Despite that, it provides a good range of the essentials.

Having been stranded due to not having a suitable hex key to remove a wheel to fix a flat, I appreciated the inclusion of the 6mm hex, which is the standard size to unscrew a thru-axle without a lever.

This has a hollow core which holds in place the brass nose of a Dynaplug tubeless repair worm. Tubeless repair is the new frontier of multi-tool function and many tools now include reamers and plug inserter forks, but the PNW Pebble’s all-in-one inserter and worm is a neater, more compact solution. There’s a Torx T25 head sitting below the screw-on inserter.

The selection of other tools will allow you to perform many duties, including tightening headset bolts. The smaller-sized hex keys will tighten cleat bolts, but note that some parts including derailleur limit screws and Garmin mounts require smaller sizes still that are not catered for.

Despite its small size, the PNW Pebble tool’s rounded edges made it comfortable to use. It comes in a tasty range of colors too: Blood Orange, Fruit Snacks, Golden Daze Bronze and Blackout Black.

Verdict: A great tool for the minimalist, but not enough tools for all eventualities

Best multi-tool for travelling & bikepacking

Topeak Ratchet Rocket tools include a nylon pouch rather than housing the tools in a one-piece metal body. The flat profile and soft pouch make them a good option to carry in a pocket.

The Ratchet Rocket Lite DX is the lowest price Ratchet Rocket tool and includes two tyre levers as well as the Ratchet drive and a comprehensive range of hex heads, alongside three Torx options and a Phillips number 2 screwdriver. The heads slot into the ratchet itself, but there’s also an extender rod to make it easier to get to hard-to-access bolts.

The ratchet bar gives good leverage and is reversible via a tiny lever on its head. It makes tightening and loosening bolts a lot easier than a multi-tool, where you need to turn the entire tool’s body or repeatedly insert and remove the head when a bolt needs more than a small tweak.

While the Ratchet Rocket Lite DX has just the tool and bits included, the DX+ adds a separate chain tool, while the NTX tools also include Topeak’s TorqBits, so you can ensure that you’re tightening bolts to their correct torque value.

Verdict: Easy to carry format with a good range of hex and Torx options

Most durable bike multi-tool

The Birzman Feexman E-Version 15 multi-tool has a quality look, with forged tools, rather than the cheaper-to-produce wrap tools. It's relatively compact and at 126g is lightweight as well. The flat profile means that you can fit it in a ride pack or slot it down the side of a saddle pack, making it easier to carry than more bulky multi-tools.

Despite its size, the Feexman has a comprehensive range of hex heads from the tiny sizes needed to adjust derailleurs and pedal release tension through to an 8mm for pedal axles – usually the largest size you need on a bike. There’s only one Torx head, a T25, but there is a Phillips and a flathead screwdriver included.

The chain tool is sleek, smooth-edged and provides good leverage. It does rattle against the tool when not in use though, which might prove irritating. You could always tape it to the tool or put an elastic band around it, but that would spoil the aesthetic of what’s a sleek-looking tool.

Verdict: Flat format makes for easy carrying

Best bike multi-tool for tubeless repairs

The Crankbrothers M20 multi-tool is another option that looks to do it all but at the expense of weight and bulk.

There is a full range of hex heads, from 2mm to 8mm, so no hex bolt on your bike should be unadjustable. The T10 and T25 Torx heads, two Phillips heads and a flat screwdriver should take care of most other things that might need adjusting.

But the most useful feature of the Crankbrothers M20 is its tubeless repair tools, with a one-piece reamer and fork included in the array of tools.

It’s the only tool besides the PNW Pebble to include tyre plugs, but in its case, there are five of them in a plastic box that clips to the side of the tool, rather than the PNW tool’s one-hit design.

The box also provides space for a chain split link if you want to carry more spares. The chain tool sits below the box of plugs, which stops it from rattling. Although the small handle has grips stamped into it, there wasn't a lot of room to get a good hold for leverage when breaking the chain though.

Verdict: Wide array of tools including tubeless repair, but bulky

Best-equipped bike multi-tool

The Unior Euro 17 multi-tool is a large, comprehensive tool. As its name suggests, it’s made in Europe in Slovenia rather than the more typical Chinese manufacture. Unior says that it uses a variety of high-quality steels for the tools to ensure durability, with the black tool ends hardened to ensure that they continue to work efficiently.

There’s the full range of hex keys to work on everything from derailleur limit screws up to pedal axles, a pair of Torx heads and Phillips and flathead screwdrivers. There are also three spoke keys and it’s one of the few tools to include DT’s proprietary design.

The small chain tool body has a slot that allows you to screw in the valve core tool to use as a handle, so there’s adequate leverage to remove chain rivets, although we found that the slots for the Schrader valve tool do tend to dig into the hand when using the chain tool.

It’s quite a large, heavy multi-tool, but should prove durable and it provides most tools you're ever likely to need.

Verdict: Quality, comprehensive set of tools, but quite heavy

Best bike multi-tool for off-grid adventures

The Topeak Mini PT30 multi-tool has a comprehensive range of tools, even after discounting the less useful ones such as the chain hook and the four spoke keys.

Hex keys stretch from the 8mm size, which slips over the 6mm hex, right through to 2mm, so there are all the hex heads you’d need to adjust everything from pedal axles right through to the small limit screws on derailleurs.

In addition, there’s a full range of tubeless repair tools, a reamer, a plug inserter and a serrated blade, obviating the need to carry a separate tubeless repair kit, although you’ll still need to carry a selection of worms. The plug inserter/reamer and the knife blade lock in place in the tool to make them easier to use.

There’s an array of three Torx heads as well. Tool makers don’t seem to have settled on which sizes are useful, but if your bike does have Torx bolts anywhere, the main options are covered here.

The chain tool screws into the multi-tool body, so to use it you have to unscrew the punch to release it. The multi-tool’s 4mm hex head then slots into the end of the punch for leverage when in use. It’s slightly fiddly, but we found that there was adequate leverage to work on the chain and the chain hook helps keep everything in place.

It’s a well-made tool and comes with its own padded soft pouch, but the comprehensive array of tools does make for a weighty piece.

Verdict: Pretty much every tool you might want, including tubeless repair

Best chain tool equipped bike multi-tool

Rather than two side plates, the Park Tool I-Beam tools have a central spine in Park Tool’s signature blue, with the tools bolted to the outside. This makes them significantly easy to access, although it does result in a lumpy profile that dug in a little when carrying or using.

The smaller hex head tools are quite short as well, which can make getting at small bolts awkward. There’s a good array of hex wrenches though, right down to 1.5mm and up to the 8mm size required for most pedals.

The chain tool is very robust and sits well away from the tool body. The punch is operated using the separate tyre lever, which gives plenty of leverage when in use, for easy chain rivet removal.

The tyre lever clips onto the side of the tool. It stays in place well, but nevertheless, the two-part design does mean that it would be easier to lose than a single-piece tool.

The Park Tool IB-3 has the quality feel of other Park Tool products and should prove durable, but it is a little hefty to carry around, particularly if you intend to use your pockets for on-bike storage.

Verdict: Quality tool although central beam format can be uncomfortable to carry

Honourable Mentions

Our honourable mention for bicycle multi-tools goes to the Wolf Tooth EnCase Pump 85cc. Yes, I know what you are thinking it is not a multi-tool. You would be right there, it is in fact a pump. However, while not in use the Wolf Tooth 'encases' a very comprehensive range of high-quality tools that can be customised to your needs from a range of tools that Wolf Tooth offers.

It's not the perfect solution by any means, as James found out when he tested it. It does however solve the the problem of having to carry a tool and a pump separately, as it can be mounted directly to your bottle cage mount.

Bike multi-tool specification comparison table

How we test bike multi-tools

Luckily, at Cycling Weekly, we are constantly assembling, disassembling and adjusting bikes, making every bike review an easy way to test several tools. The tech team also finds itself travelling a lot to press camps and shows, where inevitably we will want to get a leg over a bike at some point.

Aside from testing the basic functions of the tools, roadside emergencies are inevitable when you are constantly testing new components and bikes, these present themselves as excellent opportunities to put multi-tools through their paces.

The team will also perform a series of more controlled workshop tasks to really understand each tool's strengths and weaknesses. You can learn more about how the Cycling Weekly team selects and tests products via our full How We Test guide.

Bike Multi-Tools FAQs