Sometimes, bike shows have a way of shedding light on items that you may’ve never seen until that day – even though they’ve been around for a while. Such is the case for the Equipt Sardine and Cucumber multi-tool. Right when I think I’m “in the know” on all things related to bikes, I run across these cool tools. They’ve been around for a while, and we even wrote about them a few years back, but seeing them in person reaffirmed that they seem like good ideas.
And, back then, the Cucumber wasn’t available, so…
Equipt Cucumber
Retail: $90 (Velo Orange)
The Equipt Cucumber is basically a really clever pedal wrench that is small enough to pack away on your bike. It features an 8mm and a 6mm bit that is part of a rotating head. It reminds us a lot of the Abbey Tools pedal wrench, just without the 15mm open end wrench, and a more compact design.
You can use it for pedals, cranks, thru-axles, or anything that the bits fit. It features a palm-friendly handle that is long enough to provide a good, comfortable grip on the tool, but not too long that it doesn’t fit in your tool roll.
Equipt Sardine
Retail: $70 (Velo Orange)
This tool is pretty neat. The Sardine is a stick-shaped multi-tool that has a claimed weight of only 38g. The head swivels like on the Cucumber, so you can use it folded for big leverage, or straight, for quick spins. The thin design also allows it to get into tight spaces that may be more challenging with traditional, blocky multitools.
The bits move freely, so you can use them from any angle. It comes equipped with the most commonly used bits: 6, 5, 4, and 3mm, as well as a Torx T25. It even comes with a dedicated mount.
Equipt multi-tools are available online at shops like Velo Orange, Blue Lug, and Bikes Not Bombs.
