The Crank Brother’s Multi-tool is an indispensable tool that every cyclist should have at their disposal – which is something many of us have found out from personal experience.
We’ve touched on the importance of this tool before in an article about bike commuting, but we’d like to expand our review of the M19 here, considering how much we like and it and how many well deserved positive reviews this item has on Amazon.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
  | Crank Brothers Multi Bicycle Tool - 19-Function Our Rating  |
Sometimes it’s hard to resist that clearance rack at your local bike store or online and be sucked into thinking “wow what a great deal!”, instead of “hmm…there might be a good reason this tool is so cheap!”.
If you have ever had the experience of buying one or more different multi-tools only to have them break or be difficult to use just when you needed them most – you need the M19. We’re sure that once you try this one out, you’ll never need or want another multi-tool!
Here are the tools the M19 includes:
– Hex Keys/wrenches: 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8)
– Flat Screwdriver: 1
– Torx: T-10, T-25
– Philips Screwdrivers: 2
– Open wrenches: 8mm, 10mm
– 4 spoke wrenches (0, 1, 2, 3)
– Chain Tool: 8/9/10 speed compatible
Why We Love Crank Brothers So Much: A Reputable Well-known Company
This company is well-known in the biking community for being synonymous with quality, style, and durability. Crank brothers have risen from humble beginnings out of a Laguna Beach garage in 1997 to become a globally recognized brand leader for biking accessories – especially for those with mountain bikes.
A Company that Gives to Charity
To add to their stellar reputation for creating great cycling products is the fact that this is also a company with a big heart for community service. Crank brother’s offers brand-loyal riders in races around the world the option to sport their stick-on logo tattoo. This tattoo is a symbol that rider is raising money for the biking related charity of their choice, with help and support from Crank Brothers.
To date, this campaign has raised over $50,000 – most of it going towards giving bicycles to people in poverty in 3rd world countries, to ease their access to essentials like food, clean water, and medical care.
A Company the Pro’s Know and Trust
Many famous cyclists are all die-hard fans of crank brother’s products. Some of the professional competitive bikers that depend on Crank Brothers to help fuel their competitive, high-octane lifestyle include such names as: Cécile Ravanel, Joe Barnes, Rachel Atherton, Marco Fontana and many more.
Features and Benefits of the Crank Brother’s M19
Light-weight but Strong
This multi-tool includes tools to fix almost any problem – but they manage to do this is in one neat and tightly folded package that weighs just under 200 grams. Although this tool is quite light, it is still really strong with a 6061-T6 aluminum frame and 6150 high tensile steel tools.
Offers a Lifetime Warranty
Although one Amazon reviewer noted that the torch wrench on his unit broke, we feel this is an anomaly or a rare factory defect. Out of 1,139 reviewers, only 2 or 3 claimed that they experienced a broken tool, and many of us have had ours for several years and they are all still going strong!
In the unlikely event that your M19 breaks, Crank Brothers offers their customers a limited lifetime warranty. We don’t think you’ll need to make use of this, but it’s important to mention that the company includes this, as it indicates that they stand behind their products and value quality.
Use the Tools in Any Environment and Any Temperature
It would be nice if every day had pleasant sunny weather – making biking anywhere a breeze. The reality is that most of us live in areas where there is rain, snow, mud, and freezing temperatures for at least part of the year.
Although no one is likely to attempt biking in deep snow, many of us use a bike as our primary source of transportation and/or exercise, so it’s not possible or practical to only ride in nice weather.
With the M19, you don’t have to worry about being stranded somewhere in inclement weather with a broken bike. The high tensile steel means that this tool is durable enough to withstand extreme temperatures without breaking, and since it also has textured grips on the side, you can still use it even with gloves on!
However, many reviewers do suggest that since the metal is not corrosion resistant, it is important to store the M19 properly in its case. Since the main complaint about this tool was it’s poorly designed and difficult to open storage case, we’ll tackle that issue next.
One Small Draw Back – The Carrying Case
Some reviewers stated that the case on the M19 was not their favorite aspect of this unit – even though the tool itself is fantastic. Several reviewers found the stainless steel and polymer carrying case both heavy and difficult to open.
Since the metal on this tool is not rust and corrosion resistant (as it is meant to be stored in the weatherproof case), this creates a challenge to the practical functionality of this tool.
Home-made and Store-bought Solutions
We have two suggestions to get around this issue. First, you can consider wrapping the M19 in a small washcloth and then store it and the cloth inside a freezer grade ziplock bag. This is a smart, easy, and homemade way to keep the tool dry and free of rust.
If you don’t mind buying a different case, are looking for something a little sleeker and more stylish, and you want a system that is a bit easier to use than the ziplock bag idea, we have one for you.
We suggest that you check out this case as a good quality alternative carrying case for your M19. A great bonus to this case is that it’s also a lot lighter to cart around than the M19’s original case.
Summary
Overall, this tool makes our list of favorite gear because its small, lightweight, high quality and durable! It will last for years and save you from many potential trip-ruiners like broken spokes, loose bolts, broken chains and other minor issues while you’re out on the road and trail!
The Crank Brothers M19 Multitool can be found here at Amazon.
The Speed Sleeve is here if you like the seat post idea mentioned above
– https://www.crankbrothers.com/
– https://www.facebook.com/crankbrothers
