What recommendations does anyone have for storing tools and other gear such as chain lube, oil, and what not whil traveling? My current method is to have the tools in canvas rolls and the other hard things in plastic grocery bags. My problem is that the tools are slowly wearing through the canvas and the hard stuff in the grocery bags don't even make it through one trip. I'm worried about hardened tool steel wearing through my expensive and soft aluminum panniers.
bubble wrap small towels rags from heavy cloth 1/2" thick foam pieces carpet pad Foam-Core 1/4 & 1/2" Velcro ties and blue tape I know what you're saying ... I had a bag of bits, sockets and assorted parts in a plastic bag, wrapped with a rag, in a tool bag on my dirt bike. Everything was polished like they had been in a bead blaster. Wrap the tool rolls and loose stuff tightly in padding. Tape or tie them. Even a thick rag like from a sweatshirt works well. I use foam sheeting too. Foam-Core board is very useful under and between items. You can make dividers and shelves in panniers. I try to tie or wedge things down so they can't bounce or vibrate. Sealed plastic containers are convenient for tightly packing the small stuff. Yada, yada. My $.02 .
I keep all my tools in a shaving bag, and I also have a small towel that I lay on the ground and put the tools on. I've never had a wear problem, but if I did I would simply wrap the towel around the shaving bag and wrap it firmly with a piece of cord or bungee strap.
I should get a decent tool roll, but I probably never will. I've worn through a few a few zip-closing bags, even one that was a tight, stiff canvas. A heavy (Courdura type) nylon bag has been holding up...so far. The laying a cloth on the ground idea is a good one. I wind up just dumping the bag, finding what I need, then refilling it after I'm done. Sometimes I'll have a couple of tools on laying each side of the bike - axle removal, etc. I've also left a few tools out in the boonies. A tool roll helps with organizing, and also helps keeping them to use another time. A flourescent tape or paint spot on the tools might also help.
For long rides: Tool set #1 Water-tight case fits in one side of Aerostitch pannier, with room enough for some bug spray and visor cleaner. Tool set #2 Fits in other pannier pocket: Room on top for small air compressor (in freezer zip-lock bag): No torque wrench, but this lets me do just about anything that could reasonably be expected to be handled on long trips, including valve adjusts, oil changes, etc.
I've got a small MSR roll, they are less than $10, holds all my tools. For misc. stuff and spares I keep them organized in these http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00948426000P http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00948426000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0 As you can see the big pouch has two pockets, the small pocket holds my motopump, a cigarette plug to SAE adapter just in case and a 6" bungee cord (to hold up the pump while its running so I don't have to). The large pocket holds a small can of WD40 a full sized set of reamers\pluggers that store inside its own handles which I never used and my tire patch kit (in an altoids tin) which includes patches, worms, valve cores, valve core removers\valvecaps, reamer and plugger with the handles sawed off (use vice grips to hold em) and two tubes of liquid cement, oh and a small folding razorblade. Yes all that fits in the altoids tin. The mid sized bag holds my electrical and misc. stuff which includes 20ft of dual conductor zipcord wire (14g speaker wire) small set of ez outs in various sizes quick steel blue loctite sm, m, and l wormgears\hoseclamps zipties test light mylar bladder folded up (spare fuel carrier) 6' 3\8" siphon hose credit card sized multimeter Motion Pro fork seal cleaning thingy wire stripper\crimper and a small electronic plastic box with dividers for 20ft electric tape (rolled over itself to about the size of a 14mm socket) 3 different sized heatshrink cut into 3" sections wire taps male and female spade crimps in 8-12g and 14-18g ring terminals in 8-12g and 14-18g assorted posilocks (the case is a posilock case) mini DPDT switch with wire and male spade connectors soldered on extra set of battery bolts and nuts the small bag replaces the cheap OEM toolkits in all the bikes and in it are oddball OEM tools for all the bikes. Also rarely used tools. In it are spark plug sockets for various bikes large and angled 22 and 27mm axle wrenches handle for above which doubles as chain slack guide for certain bikes. shock adjusting tool Torx bits MSR tool roll contains channel locks 6" needle nose vice grips 6" craftsman beak nose adjustable wrench (opens to 32mm) 6" craftsman prybar with fuse pullers on the ends to keep it from tearing anything needle nose pliers dykes 8-17mm box and double ended wrenches 6" hex bit extension with hex bit-1/4" adapter on the end husky 1\4"x5\16" ratchet in the pouch on the tool roll are spark plug gapper motion pro tire buddy motion pro 3" extension driven by 1\4" ratchet or 14mm socket\wrench or a screwdriver and it drives a 3\8" wobble 3\8" to 1\4" reducer for the above extension and an altoids tin which contains 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 sockets (1/4") 8, 10, 12 deep socket 3" locking extension 10mm wrench\socket driven 1\4" hex bit holder 1\4" square driven magnetic 1\4" hex bit holder 1\4" magnetic hex bit (just a magnetic picker upper) 3, 4, 5, 6mm hex, 00, 01, 02, 03 phillips, s, m, l flathead bits and yes all that fits into the altoids tin tire irons are on their own, along with some custom jumper cables
I take a lot of tools with me on trips but I have found when I pack my panniers, if my tools are to bulky, it takes up to much room. So I use a couple of bicycle rollup packs for the heavy tools and ziplocks for the smaller fuses, wire, tape, etc. This way I can pack my stuff in voids.
thats why I use the small bags, depending on the bike I will put all those little bags in a military medic\mechanic bag thats a small 6x6x10, or I will keep them seperate, putting the pump bag, 'lectric bag, and misc. bag under the seat and the tool roll either in a pannier or tankbag pocket. jumper cables sit in the cruiser.
I keep meaning to go to the large tackle store in town and get some of those small plastic boxes they use for hooks, lures, etc. Would be good for things like valve cores, patches and glue, and other small stuff you don't want meshed in with the heavy things.
You probably won't find a small one, the little ones I have are from containers that once housed either posilocks, nuts\bolts, electrical parts, e.t.c. Next time you need those types of things find ones that come in a "mini" tackle box. Also, hit an autoparts store if you ever need any tire repair stuff, they make a "tire tackle" kit, which is a small tackle box thingy with tire repair stuff, costs about $2.99, worth it just for the box and maybe a couple of items in it.
***** This is what I use for the little stuff. There's a lot of room when you utilize the dividers. You can get them at Target for $12.49. The only problem is that it takes about half of the space of my HT panniers. Definitely worth the price and the piece of mind. http://www.target.com/DBL-LOCK-DOUBLE-COVER-LOCKJAW/dp/B000HJ9514/sr=1-19/qid=1226713689/ref=sr_1_19/177-7922748-8565310?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3APLANO&page=1
I'm not riding a Wing with trailer. I know what you're saying, but I stuff my tools and other things.
Sears and other home stores always sell "Tool bags" most are a duck type canvas, but a heavy material that wont wear thru easy. I use an aviation headset bag made of nylon and is padded, the bag works great for me. The small "pelican" case is also a great idea, they are impossible to break, we use them for shipping items at work. the bonus is they are weather resistant too, so all your tools wont rust if the box gets wet.
I just got a set of these. Their stuff seems to stand up to a lot of abuse. I guess I'll see how these stand up. Go to www.duluthtrading.com and search for item 28094. :slurp
I carry 2 bicycle tool bags made by Bell, found at Walmart. They have a hard plastic bottom with a large and small pocket area. Very tough and about ten bucks each. One in each tank panier is enough tools to take care of just about anything on the road.
I found my tool bag at Bass Pro Shop. It was a soft sided tackle box. It is very sturdy and had side pockets. It cost less then $15.
Everything you wanted to know about tool kits but were afraid to ask! http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262998
Found a great canvas bag at a G.I. surplus store (camp supplier) It has held of for over 10 years of use. It is rubber coated and keeps things dry. Very flexible. Another idea (have you ever been caving) They use build a pig. They take old gas cans. Cut the tops off each. One will fit into the other. For you cycle, think of using plastic qt oil bottles. They will hold your tools, Wont wear thru like your soft canvas/cotton/rags/socks and if it does not work. You have tried your part at being green and recyling a used product.
