Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 Multitool

The Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 Multitool is the larger of the brand's multi-tool offerings. I say larger, but at less than 1cm thick and with a 4.57 x 7.11cm frame it's anything but big! Pro Bike Tool might be a relatively young brand, starting in just 2015, but it's already made a name for itself with some solid and dependable tools – so much so that its torque wrench set made it into our 2019/2020 gadgets and accessories awards.

In most scenarios the Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 will have you riding again in no time. The range of functions is enough to make nearly all the necessary repairs or adjustments you might ever require when out on the road.

The 17-in-1 is so well equipped, in fact – the tools are listed in the Test Report section below – that literally the only bolts on my bike that it won't fit are the T30 chainring bolts, but I've never come across a multi-tool that includes this, and neither have I required one out on the road.

Each tool bit is CNC machined from steel. They're robust, hard, and unlikely to round off; it's chalk and cheese between this quality product and some cheap multi-tools which, ironically, also feel like they're made of cheese.

> Beginner’s guide to bike tools

The whole thing feels solid and well built, and the inclusion of a T25 Torx tool is a nice addition that I appreciated.

One of my few gripes with the 17-in-1 is that the 8mm Allen key is an adaptor that sits on the 5mm key. As with any of the multi-tools designed this way, it's rather easy to lose the adaptor or even get it trapped in a slightly overtightened bolt head.

A further niggle is the size of the Phillips head: it's quite large. I tend to only require a Phillips for limit screws which are pretty tiny, and if stubborn, the size of the tool included could have struggled with these.

The aluminium casing/body keeps the overall weight down to just 125g and this combined with the slimline design means it's easy to stuff in a saddle bag while taking up minimal volume. Also included is a slim pouch to keep any sharp edges away from tubes and so on.

It's also easy to forget in a jersey pocket.. and put through the washing machine. Ahem.

In use, the stubby keys and drivers work as well as you'd expect. Some bolts are a struggle to access, such as bottle cage bolts, but that's common across all tools of this sort of design, and equally the shortness occasionally plays to their advantage in claustrophobic places.

As with all tiny tools there's also going to be a limit to how much force you can apply through them because of the short lever arm. Thankfully, the 17-in-1 is easy to grip, which certainly helps, and I was quite impressed with its ability to undo some pretty stubborn and corroded bolts.

The chain tool is functional and easy to use, and although it isn't as pleasant an experience as using a specialist tool it's certainly enough for emergencies out on the road. I've pushed plenty of pins in and out of odd lengths of chain I had lying around the garage; the body of the tool itself is big enough to put the required twisting force onto the rivet pusher and it seems well up for the job.

> How to replace a chain

The chain tool attachment can be screwed right off, at which point it also serves as a surprisingly competent nipple wrench. Unlike on the similar but more expensive Vel Slim-17 Multi-Tool you get spoke keys that are far more likely to be useful, including a 13, 14, 15, 16 gauge and a Mavic spline spoke tool. For me, a 14 gauge is suitable for my 3.23mm DT Swiss nipples and the others should cover the vast majority of wheels from Shimano, Sapim and Mavic.

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There are cheaper options, such as the Cyclo 20 function multi-tool, but that isn't as slim. It's very similar to the £3-cheaper Fabric Sixteen tool, but you do get the addition of a flat head screwdriver.

Overall, considering the craftsmanship and high-quality materials, I think the Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 offers good value for money and is a no-nonsense, lightweight and slim tool with all the features you're ever likely to need in a well-packaged unit.

Verdict

Slim yet functional multi-tool capable of fixing most mechanicals you're likely to encounter out on the road