Strip away the excess. Pare things down to their most basic and beauty will follow. Not as an intention, but as a result.
This Blackburn multi-tool is a representative of that principle. It has a 3, 4, 5, and 6mm hex, flat head screwdriver and 15mm wrench built into the one piece aluminum body. Exactly the right amount of tool for 90% of riders.
On most bikes, the Toolminator will allow you to do the following:
- Adjust your saddle height and saddle angle.
- Tighten a water bottle cage that has come loose.
- Adjust the limits on your derailleur to fix a chain that keeps dropping.
- Rotate your handlebars or flip your stem for a more comfortable ride.
- Take the wheel off of your track bike to change a flat.
- Adjust your caliper or cantilever brakes and brake pads for sure stopping.
- Adjust disc brake position as well as brake and shift lever position.
- Loosen dropouts to tighten the chain on a single speed bike.
- Other things that I haven't thought of.
Simple. Uncomplicated. Lightweight, and sufficient for anything outside of catastrophe. At $15, the Toolminator is a great buy.