Any recommendations on multi-tools that have a chain breaker which works well? Not just can it pop out the rivet, but is it easy to control and does it hold up well?
Also any thoughts on compatibility for tools rated for 10 spd being used on 11 or 12 spd chains? I'm curious what makes a tool 11 or 12 spd compatible???
On a road ride this week a friend snapped his 11 spd chain. Fortunately he had a master link. Unfortunately we had to use that link in one spot and remove a badly bent link in another spot so I used the old school method of pushing a rivet part way out and then pushing it back in after the bad link was removed.
Since we assumed the chain was compromised he was very gentle for the remainder of the ride and we got back to the vehicles without any more issues. But for future rides I don't want to leave home without a breaker and a spare master link.
FWIW, we borrowed a Crank Brothers M19 from a woman who happened to be riding by. It's a beast of a tool and worked so maybe that's the way I'll go...
I would be inclined to use the M19 since you know for sure it will get the job done. Maybe take a couple of master links along also....You would have peace of mind knowing you can fix the problem should it arise again and be back in the saddle quickly. Maybe there is a reason it is a beast?
I've had a M17 (little bro to the M19, same chain tool) for 10 years now, used it many times, works like a charm. There's heaps of new multitools that have come out since then so there may be other good stuff out there, but I consider the M17/M19 the go-to standard.
The M19 is a pretty good choice. Obviously it shouldn't be used for shop tasks, but the couple times I used the chain breaker on somebody else's bike the last few years it worked exactly like it should. It's my favorite multi tool with a chain breaker. The newest Silca multi tool looks promising as all of their stuff just simply works and it also hides a quick link in the body.
Edit: I meant M17 instead of M19. The Crank Brothers M17 is what I have owned for a couple years and used the chain breaker twice.
Thanks everyone - I went ahead and ordered the M17 as I didn't need the couple additional tools of the M19 so I figured I'd save a couple $$ and a few grams. I usually spend money to save grams. :-)
Since I also wanted a multi tool for the wife I splurged and ordered a Lezyne Stainless 12. I had read some favorable reviews of the Lezyne stainless so we'll see how this one works out.
Once I get the multi-tools I'll give 'em a try at the local bike Co-Op where I'm a volunteer mechanic. It'll be fun to see how the tools compare to the shop tools on the work benches. I figure if I can do bike repairs in the shop the tool will work just fine on the road. So check back in a few weeks if you're interested in a more detailed review and feel free to ping me if you have a specific question on a tool's capability.
