An Ode to the Multitool

Few things delight more than a good ground score? Don't know what that is? In essence, its something that is forgotten or abandoned on the side of the road (or trail) that is ripe for the picking and isn't able to be returned to its previous owner. Here's a local Instagram account devoted to ground scores if you're curious. Though I've had bigger ground scores, my favorite ground score is my multitool.

Multitools, perhaps more than anything else tell the story of a cyclist. Sure, you can have a bike that you've ridden tons but your multitool has probably been on every ride for all of your bikes. That's impressive stuff. If anything it could've even been used by multiple people. Contender Bicycles is, in my eyes, a darn great shop. We have myriad multitools for every little tool you might need. Something lightweight that isn't much thicker than a smartphone? What about something that'll heal the wounds of a weirdo german bike with a Rohloff hub, belt drive, and Torx bits galore? And the enduro keep-everything-off-me type of multitool hidden in a steertube? We have that too. My main multitool was found on the side of the trail sixty miles into a ride. Total groundscore, especially when I consider how much I use it. In the world of multitools, mine is about as bottom of the barrel as it gets. Six hex keys, one flathead screwdriver, and one T25 Torx bit. That's it. The thing has rust on it. That's a feat unto itself. My 30-year-old steel touring bike I leave out in the snow doesn't even have rust on it (that I know of).

The thing is turfed but it is with me on every ride I go on, from riding my e-bike to the grocery store to riding Lotoja earlier this year. I've built bedframes with it. I've even repaired my car with it. Basically, every time I've needed to turn some bolts my multitool is the first line of defense. I can't imagine what the life of my was like before, but I'm sure it has stories to tell. With me, it has stories about how it fixed a bike after a wild accident. Stories to tell about how it saw the coast on a two-week trip, stories to tell about braving the cold. It's there, even when I forget about it. I think of my bike as one of the most consistent parts of my life, but that multitool I found on the side of the road? That's been there with every bike ride I've gone on since 2013, through about a dozen different bikes. You can't beat that kind of longevity.

When I look for stocking stuffers this holiday season, I'm not sure one can find anything with the longevity of a humble multitool. It is a boring bit of kit, but it could be one of the best gifts you give this season.

Have any questions about the multitools we have in stock? Pass by our Park City shop or our Salt Lake shop; you won't be disappointed by what we have on offer. Otherwise, give us a call during business hours or send us an email at any time to [email protected].