Topeak’s BB Hide ‘n Tool might not be a one-stop shop for all kinds of bike repair; rather, it’s a powerful addition to an existing on-bike tool roster that’s primed for minor get-me-home tweaks and chain repair. As it stealthily hides in such a small space, it is a compromised tool but one you can't do without. However, the chain tool's pin driver is easily lost.
- Best bike multi-tools 2024: top-rated tools for mountain and gravel bikes
- Pro Starter Toolkit review
- Mountain bike multi-tools: everything you need to know
Topeak BB Hide ‘n Tool - Technical details
The Topeak BB Hide ‘n Tool joins a few options designed to sit within the space of many crank spindles. In the case of this tool, the brand says it works with SRAM DUB, Shimano GRX, Deore XT, SLX, and FSA Hollow cranks. While that’s not a huge number of models, they make up the bulk of what you would see on new bikes. It won’t gel with e-MTB cranks or any cranks where both arms join to a spindle – one end needs to be open.
To be precise, the crank must have a hollow BB spindle at least 124mm wide and the tool can fit internal diameters of 19 to 25mm.
For the asking price, you’ll get Topeak’s Nano 7 which is a seven-function folding multi-tool that’s home to 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8mm Allen keys, a T25 Torx key, and a flat-head screwdriver, all of which are made of chrome vanadium steel. That sits inside an engineering-grade polymer holder along with a 13-speed chain tool and a steel wire chain hook.
Also included in the box are two rubber bungs to allow fitment into a straight bore, or stepped bore hollow spindle.
As for weight, Topeak says it weighs 82g and that's accurate on my scales.
Topeak BB Hide ‘n Tool - Performance
I’ve tested the Hide ‘n Tool with SRAM’s DUB crank and a Shimano Deore and, in both, it’s run quietly under the radar, only to make itself known when needed. Rather than employing a magnet, like other crank-based tools, Topeak has chosen to use a rubber chuck that compresses and pushes against the inside face of a crank’s spindle when the mini-handle is screwed down.
While it’s perhaps not as quick as the magnetic variant, it’s impressively secure and still as simple as it can really get to insert and remove. The carrier slips into the spindle and you wind up the head until there’s a bit of friction and that’s only as it gets to finger-tight. Removal is equally as straightforward.
But what’s important here is the compression-style action it used to secure itself in place, it’s super quiet while riding. There’s not even a hint of rattle. It’s even stayed put after one of the more severe crashes I’ve had in my riding career that left the bike cartwheeling down the hill a couple of times before settling.
In use, some might complain that it’s not as feature-rich as other stealthy tools on the market but that’s part of its charm. And, of course, the fact it fits in yet another bit of usually empty space on the bike. Its range of seven bits covers all but the most intensive trailside bike repairs but even then, the 5mm Allen and flat-head screwdriver combine to create the 8mm Allen, keeping the tool compact and capable enough for most get-me-home repairs.
The tool is well-built with a sturdy frame that can be tightened using a second tool. However, when a tool is this small, it is compromised, to a point, as it simply can’t provide the leverage that a larger multi-tool can. So it’s important to make sure your bike is properly torqued and mostly set before you head off, as the included Nano 7 is a tool that’s best reserved for smaller on-trail tweaks and emergency repairs rather than being a single multi-tool that can be relied upon 24/7, not than any portable multi-tool should.
With that limited leverage comes minor difficulty when it’s time to break a chain but, again, this is a purposely small tool. On the other hand, in such situations, the chain tool is built directly onto the carrier which provides plenty of purchase for more stubborn chain links. The chain tool pivots on the carrier, too. It just takes a little more effort to undo more stubborn bolts but that’s a compromise with any miniature-sized multi-tool.
Pushing the Nano 7 in and out of its cradle takes a bit of finesse, and it needs to be nearly perfectly in line as it’s pushed in. That’s because the tolerances between the carrier and tool are so fine. To help keep the tool in place, there are a couple of magnets inside the carrier, however, these have since fallen out. It is a shame that these magnets are now living a life of their own hidden somewhere deep in a trail’s loam, the multi-tool is still secure and has shown no signs of breaking free, thanks to the close tolerance of the carrier. To be honest, I failed to see their use anyway.
The BB Hide 'n Tool is a tool that I quickly fell in love with for all of the points above but disappointingly, there's one key failure – the chain tool's driver pin can work loose and get lost. This happened when running the tool inside a Shimano Deore crank where the pre-load cap has quite a large hole. It happened while riding too and I had no idea it had happened until I came home and removed it. Of course, this isn't an ideal situation but Topeak does provide spare parts for the tool so if and when you need to pick up a new pin, it'll be wise to apply a dab of thread lock to keep it in place. This would make breaking chains trickier, but as an emergency solution, I would prefer to have peace of mind that the chain tool will be able to function when I need it.
A saving grace is that Topeak's UK distributor, Extra, will supply a new pin driver under warranty, so all's certainly not lost.
Topeak BB Hide ‘n Tool - Verdict
At £55, the price does throw some questions as to the tool’s usefulness but rather than being a one-tool-fits-all bit of kit, it fits into an existing tool roster, or acts as a covert carrying method that utilises unused space within an already laden bikepacking rig. After all, for an extra tenner, you can go for Topeak’s Ninja Master+ Toolbox PT30, which carries my all-time favourite multi-tool in a very adaptable little box that can bolt to the back of a Topeak bottle cage, or a bike’s accessory mount if your bike has one.
If you already have a multi-tool like OneUp Components’ EDC, which will set you back north of £100 in one of its many configurations, you’re already sorted for most bike repairs. However, if you’ve exhausted your multi-tool storage options by choosing to use them for something else, that’s where the BB Hide ‘n Tool makes its case.
But then there’s also the simplicity of permanently storing the bare essentials on your bike, which takes some thinking out of pre-ride prep and boosts the opportunity to ride without a pack. In this case, Torque’s Covert 7 Crank Multi Tool will set you back £40. This is a crank-stored multi-tool that uses a magnet to secure in place and it gets pretty much all of the features seen on Topeak’s competitor.
To start with the positive, it provides much more leverage and improved ergonomics but in comparison, that’s where things end, apart from the price. The Torque tool is rife with sharp edges, it rattles in the crank’s spindle and I’ve found that the chain tool’s pin driver can also work its way out. In comparison, it’s more complicated and not as well-refined.
However, the real competition comes from Granite’s excellent Stash RT. It doesn’t come with a chain tool included, but it addresses the leverage that the Hide ‘n Tool doesn’t have. Ease of use isn’t quite as straightforward though as the plastic carrier can get stuck.
If your bike doesn’t have an accessory mount and you’re looking for a new, convenient, and secure method of storing a handy multi-tool and can forgive the lack of leverage, the Topeak BB Hide ‘n Tool is a super useful little bit of kit. Through its small size, there are compromises but, for the aforementioned points, they’re well justified. Better still, as long as you’ve got the right crank, your bike requires no modifications to install the tool.
Add comment