The Fabric 16 tool, has, funnily enough, sixteen tools to choose from. Mostly quite common, and with a few more niche choices. It hits the middle ground in the number of options, and is svelte and works well as a get you home tool.
Multitools are often a compromise in options or spoilt for choice type affairs, and finding a tool that works for your needs and bike is often a bit of a trick. The most striking thing I found was the very compact size of it, and how it had a nice smooth shape to it when all folded in. When stashed in a jersey or shorts pocket, its was quite stealthy and unobtrusive and didn't have the weight to bounce around and cause mischief by escaping or bruising me.
With an obvious leaning to light weight and small size, I did have concerns to how useful the Sixteen would be out on the trail. All the tools work - Hex key (mm): 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8,
Spoke gauge; 13,14,15,16, Phillips head: 2, Torque: 25, Mavic spline, Bottle opener, Chain splitter where all tested in the workshop and trailside. The 8mm is slotted onto the 5, and is bit of a liability for getting lost in grass or offroad locations. They all perform fine, and are tough enough to take some rainy-ride-broken-things-ham-fistedness that can occur at times.
The tool is just the right side of small yet useful - its also really well made and finished. I feel like it's best served as a backup tool - it has enough to get you home or fix well enough, but the lack of length on the parts reduces access to certain parts, and if wearing gloves is harder to grasp and use easily. You may need something more substantial for a multi day trip or longer rides further from civilisation, but for most on the fly adjustment, it's got you covered.
Whilst being compact is good for low weight, being too small to hold easily can be an issue - if you have smaller hands, this will present less of a problem, but I found it just about usable. Obviously, this is a case of context - you won't use this as a workshop tool, but it will help you get home in a jam.
As a tool to chuck in a pocket for a trail centre loop, it is perfect, and it's got enough parts to solve most trailside issues - and if it can't, chances are you are pushing anyway.
Low weight and well made, as I've come to expect from Fabric in general, it's a well-made tool for your pack.
1 comments
Why has no one devised a multitool sysyem you can taylor to your bike and likely trailside mechanicals?