Because Stuff Breaks

WHAT: Crank Brothers m17 Multi-Tool WHERE: crankbrothers.com HOW MUCH: $25

Shit happens. I don’t know who coined that phrase, but it’s a truism that comes to life on many of my rides. Nine-speed chains snap more than their 8-speed ancestors, low-spoke count wheels seem to snatch at sticks, rotors warp at the weirdest moments and many of the things that you thought were tight seem to wobble loose of their own accord. That’s why I’m a fan of multi-tools in general and the m17 in particular.

Crank Brothers outfits the m17 with just about everything you could ask for: a full complement of allen wrenches (from a miniscule 2-millimeter wrench to a mighty 8-millimeter model), both flathead and Philips screwdrivers, 8 and 10-millimeter open wrenches, a chain breaker, numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 spoke wrenches, and, best of all, a t-25 torx wrench to help snug up all those loose rotor bolts that you forgot to Loc-Tite.

The m17 features a 6061-t6 aluminum frame and 6051 high tensile steel tools (with the exception of the chainbreaker, which is stainless steel). At 168 grams, it’s not the lightest tool available, but then again, this is a much more complete tool than most. I’ve used the m17 out on the trail more times than I think my Karma demands and it’s saved me many a walk back to the trailhead.

What could be improved? I do wish the 8-millimeter allen wrench was a bit longer (it’s short length makes properly seating the wrench and giving it a good torque a bit of a challenge), but that’s really my only complaint to date. Crank Brothers has created one of the most user-friendly multi-tools on the market: at twenty-five bucks, the m17 is also one of the more reasonably priced models available.