Tool Time

Tool Time

Not much fun, is it, lugging around a heavy-as-a-bowling-ball toolkit in a backpack or a fannypack during a trail ride? But you just know that the first time you ride off without it, that’s when you’ll end up needing it most. Which is why I am always on the prowl for trail-worthy tools that can lighten the load.

Once again, Motion Pro (www.motionpro.com) answers the call, this time with its TiProlight titanium wrenches. These ultra-light combination wrenches are available in five sizes: 8,10,12 and 14mm (part #08-0466, which includes a five-pocket carrying pouch) for Japanese bikes; and a 13mm wrench (#08-0464) that can be added if you ride European. These tools are unbelievably light, with the smallest, the 8mm wrench, weighing just .3 ounce, while the largest, the 14mm, is only one full ounce. All five together, including the 1.5-ounce pouch, weigh a mere 5 ounces. And as if titanium doesn’t make these tools light enough on their own, all the wrenches even have lightening slots to reduce their weight even farther. TiProlight wenches are made of tool-quality titanium alloy that will never rust or corrode. Because of their lightweight construction, they can’t handle quite as much torque as steel wrenches, but they nonetheless should be able to turn any fastener that isn’t corroded or jammed. The packaging lists the maximum torque specs for each different wrench.

Even though these featherweight wrenches are expensive ($111 for the basic fourwrench set, plus $36 for the 13mm wrench), they have found a permanent home in my off-road fannypack. They won’t be leaving there any time soon.i

Most of the time, installing a clip-type masterlink on a chain is an absolute no-brainer. You either grab the ends of the lower run between the sprockets and slip the link in place, or drop the ends onto the teeth at the back of the rear sprocket, which should hold them in place until the link is installed.

Should. But sometimes, the chain just won’t cooperate, either because you don’t have enough hands to hold both ends of the chain while inserting the link on the lower run, or because the sprocket and/or the chain is worn just enough that the holes in the ends won’t line up with the link.

If either scenario sounds all too familiar, the Master Link Pliers (part #MLP-1; $15) from Park Tools (www.parktool.com) may alleviate the pain. Essentially, these are simple pliers with little hooked tips that grab and hold each end of a chain by its last roller so you can just pull the ends together with one hand while inserting the masterlink with the other. The MLPs also work just as well when you’re attempting to remove a masterlink, a task sometimes made difficult by wear, dirt and corrosion. Once again, just slip the pliers around the two end rollers and squeeze until the link can easily be pushed out of place. No rocket science involved here, just a lesson in mechanical advantage.