It’s incredible how many repairs you can do on a bike on the side of the road with a surprisingly limited number of tools. For as light as it is and how little space it occupies, there’s no reason not to have the WOWTOW 16-in-1 kit stowed away in an under-the-seat bag to get you or one of your riding buddies out of a tight spot on long rides.
One mile seems like nothing when you’re riding, but it’s much longer when you’re walking with or carrying a disabled bicycle. I like to ride through Amish country (which is just a few miles away from our house), which are mostly chip sealed roads. This type of surface is more likely to hold onto things that can pierce a tire or a tube, so I’m extra conscious about being prepared on my rides.
While it doesn’t have everything you would want in an auxiliary tool kit, it has all the critical components for a small tool kit. It comes with three nylon pry rods for removing and installing tires to change blown inner tubes. There are sockets and allen wrenches in the most common sizes, as well as a flat head and Phillips screwdriver. Don’t worry about the small size of this tool—the majority of bike repairs or adjustments that you would be making while you’re out riding don’t require high torque values.
The quality is more than fair for the price when you consider how much this tool could do for you when you have a problem out on the road or on the trail. I would want higher quality tools in my shop to stand up to day-to-day maintenance and repairs on my vehicles and equipment, but this set is more than adequate for occasional use. I liken it to the cheap ratchet and socket set you keep in your trunk in case you need to change a battery in a parking lot.
In addition to this kit, I suggest carrying a spare tube (if you haven’t gone tubeless yet), a small pump or a C02 inflator, small needle nose pliers, spoke tool, chain tool, and a couple of zip ties. Between the WOWTOW 16-in-1 tool kit and these additional items, you’ll be well-equipped to handle all but the most serious mechanical problems while you’re out riding.
