So our new OneUpComponents EDC tool systems have arrived and I couldn’t wait, I went straight out to the garage to fit them.

To save you reading this long winded rambling post I’ll cut to the chase. Based on a weekend of riding I love them, they are fantastically innovative and work spectacularly well. I’d recommend one to any cyclist (mountain biker, roadie, bikepacker and/or commuter) with a tapered steerer.

There, done. But if you want to know why I like it you’ll have to read on.

This review follows on from previous posts Ditching the mtb backpack – research notes and OneUp EDC – now available

As soon as I had them installed we had them on the trails straight away and almost immediately had a real world scenario to use mine. My rear brake pads had worn to the metal and I only realised on the climb up to the top of Mt Narra. The front ones were on their way out too but had a bit of life in them so I did a trail side brake pad shuffle. I popped both the front and rear pads out, chucked the fubarded pads in Nat’s pack, old front pads in the back, brand new pads in the front, done! All was sorted for a great mornings riding with the gang.

Once we’d finished riding I had a bit of time so replaced the temporary ‘on their way out’ rear pads with the extra new pads I keep in the car.

All in all a pretty good test for a new multi tool. I’d needed to loosen the pinch bolts and remove the axle of my Fox 36 forks, remove the small ‘pad securing pin’ on the Guide calipers, lever the pistons back into the calipers to make room for the new pads and then loosen and readjust the caliper mount pads.

 

So after a first ride my evaluation is:

The system is very very neat. It carries in a way you don’t even know its there but is really really easy to get at when you need it. Its right there, no need to dive in a back pack etc, its just there.

The system is very light, lighter than other tools I’ve used.

Its ok to fit but needs more than just a multitool. To tap the steerer (using the OneUp tap & guide tool I brought with the system) I had to remove the forks from the bike and mount them in the bike stand. I used a long allen key as a lever for the tap tool and a cassette tool to adjust the headset. All fine for a reasonably confident home mechanic with a half decent tool kit.

There were no instructions of any sort in the package of 2 tool systems & tap tool I received from OneUp. I had read the information available online when I brought it but despite this it took 2 of us a bit of messing around to work out how to get the tool out of the holder. I’ve just reviewed the information I collated together in my previous post here (OneUp EDC – now available) and no where does it show how to do this. We managed to get them apart the wrong way first of all and put a nick in the plastic holder as a result. OneUp should include this tit bit of information in the info they have.

The hex heads on the multi tool arent finished as nicely as many of the other tools on the market. Nowadays riders are spoilt as the quality of multi tools is pretty damn good with the finish on the likes of Specialized and Topeak tools very high indeed. If I could give one bit of feed back to OneUp it would be to improve this, the ends of the larger hexes just need finishing off to make them feel nicer to engage.

The quick links aren’t held in place firmly enough. This means they tend to fall out when to tool is not holding them in place which is annoying. I’ll go and have a look in a moment at seeing if a bit of electrical tape solves the problem.

The tool fits the the systems plastic holder in a very specific way. This is not immediately obvious but does mean it is completely and utterly rattle free when in the steerer. Mt Narra was an excellent test for this, lots of rattly corners and rock gardens puntuated with drops and jumps. I was bottoming out my suspension at both ends but not the slightest peep from the EDC in the steerer.

The range of the tools in the system is what it needs to be (NB having a chain tool included is a HUGE plus for this system and one of the main reasons I think its a complete solution). On my bike it will solve 90% of normal trail side repairs. If going right off the beaten track there are some tools I will add into my back pack (e.g. 8mm hex, T10 torx key, leatherman style tool with knife and pliers). I haven’t tried the chain tool yet, its a slightly different design to others I’ve used so I want to learn exactly how it works at home with a cup of tea rather than frustratingly trailside in the back of beyond with the sun setting . The only addition I’d like to see is a CO2 inflator to go with the canister on the base. I can see this would be very difficult to do though but I think it would be awesome. (I appreciate that product engineers must get really frustrated with comments like this “oh, wow thats awesome, could you please just add this feature though” ha ha)

I really really love how neatly the system fits in the steerer. Its truly a beautiful solution very very elegantly executed. I know its a bit nerdy but products this good actually make me happy right to my core. This system is going to to get lots of awards, magazines and testers around the world are going to heap stars and thumbs up icons aplanty on reviews of this system. With the integration with the pumps too there is layer on layer of genius here.

The product designers and engineers involved at OneUp all deserve at least a gold star on the wall chart for this one, well done all.

Let us know what you think in the comments below, we’d appreciate your thoughts