Having successfully gotten through Kickstarter and launching their modular mini tools, Fixit Sticks is expanding their offerings and showing off a few prototypes of things to come.
Above are potential color options they may offer, or can be ordered in small (but reasonable) quantities as custom orders. A few of the highlights are the tire lever sleeve, socket bit for fixed gear/dirt jump/BMX axles and a chain breaker. The original Fixit Sticks use an alloy body that’s plenty strong enough for most bike repairs in the field. But, to get the strength to crank an axle bolt loose, they had to go to steel.
Tool past the break for more news on Fixit, plus some great new options from PrestaCycle…
The new steel bodies have something like four to five times the strength of the alloy models, letting them crank more than 40nm of torque. Plenty to break loose an axle or any other stubborn part. They’re also durable enough for shop use…which leads to the next innovation: removable, magnetic bits. By going to removable bits, the tools open up their usefulness while still carrying just two “sticks”. The magnets inside the shaft pull double duty, too. Not only do they keep the bits in place during use, they keep the handles stuck to each other well enough that you can hang it on the shop wall same as you would a tri-tipped three way tool. Check ’em out at FixItSticks.com.
PrestaCycle’s new PrestaRatchet Multitool is a new version that combines the PrestaLever with a mini ratchet and 20 bits, covering every size of Torx and Allen bolt you’re likely to encounter on a ride, plus multiple flat and phillips head screwdrivers. The bits are held in silicone sleeves, letting you break them apart to smaller collections if you only need a few bit sizes for your bike and want to travel extremely light.
Retail is $24.95. They’ll be packed in a standard blister pack, so for now you’ll need to procure your own little pouch…for now. A section of mountain bike tube whose bottom is stitched together works great, just leave a bit extra at top to fold over before stuffing it in your jersey pocket.
The current PrestaRatchet (with a normal handle) will continue to be sold in shop tool kits, but not as an individual tool on its own.
The PrestaLever II replaces the original. It has a smaller overall shaft diameter, and the rim hook has been reduced in size by about 40% and about 15% for the tire bead head. That combines with an enhanced curve shape to the head to provides better compatibility with a wider range of tires and rims. This new head is also incorporated into the PrestaRatchet, too. They’ll come as singles for $4.95 or a set of three for $12.95.
Look for both items to be available on Black Friday (November 28th for those of you in sane countries) at Prestacycle.com. They also recently updated their PrestaFlator with a new head on the hose that threads onto Presta valves. It adds a button that lets you press it to test the pressure inside the tire. Push a second button at the same time to let air out. To fill the tire, just squeeze the trigger.
