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IB13: Slick New Mini Tools from Fixit Sticks & Presta Cycle

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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…

Fixit-sticks-shop-tools-and-prototypes

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.

New-PrestaCycle-PrestaRatchet-mini-tool-and-PrestaLever-2-tire-lever

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.

New-PrestaCycle-PrestaRatchet-mini-tool-and-PrestaLever-2-tire-lever

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.

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mudrock
11 years ago

Nice idea because they give you the leverage you don’t get with most minitools, but the steel will make them heavy. 4-5-6 and small phillips is all you need 90% of the time.

fleche
fleche
11 years ago

Mudrock
i disagree, you dont really get much leverage from small multi tools but for the most part when you are using them you can make plenty of torque with them. In the case of mountain biking, not saying you all do it but i see it more there, i have seen people strip bolt and round out allen heads on the trail side trying to tighten a seat post or a headset. To me i dont see why you need more leverage.
The only part i have seen people need a tool like the for, as of late, are through axles that dont have levers, ala the S-works Epic, but lets be real on how often that bike is going to need a tube in it and rider not able to get at it with a multi tool.

goathead
goathead
11 years ago

Fix it sticks are the shit. Interchangeable modular tools!

RUSTYDOGG
RUSTYDOGG
11 years ago

That chain tool looks interesting.

Anthony
Anthony
11 years ago

Glad to see they went to steel. I backed the original project but stripped my 5mm bit out almost immediately trying to tighten a crank pinch bolt out on the trail. So mine have gone into a drawer.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
11 years ago

” disagree, you dont really get much leverage from small multi tools but for the most part when you are using them you can make plenty of torque with them.”

Interesting in that you say you don’t really get much leverage but for the most part…you can make plenty of torque. Why is that interesting? Because the the leverage is applying the torque, so what you’re saying is like saying “you don’t get much cake, but you get a lot of cake.”

DaleC
DaleC
11 years ago

I have had a TON of multi-tools over the last decade. Fixit Sticks are the best and their customer support is exceptional!

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