Even if you wouldn’t exactly describe yourself as a mechanic I bet you’ve got a favourite tool. It might be the multitool that sits at the bottom of your Camelbak, or it could just be your trusty old tyre lever. A good tool is always a pleasure to use, mainly thanks to the simple fact that it makes life easier, but there’s always something special about using your favourite tool. To be honest the love of one tool in particular is more often than not completely irrational, but the more time you spend tinkering on a bike the more you appreciate the qualities of a tool. That’s why we thought we’d ask some of the best mechanics in the business what their favourite tools are.
These World Cup mechanics spend their days tweaking bikes to perfection, and if there’s there’s a tool that can do the job better or faster they’ll know about it. You’ll have no doubt seen a few of the selected tools before, but I’m sure there will be at least a couple that you haven’t, and I was so struck with tool envy that I’ve already gone out and bought a couple of the ones featured. So, get prepared for that tool envy and then get clicking away below to see the selections…