E-Bike Tool Kit

Bobw

10 mW
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
28
Location
Edmonton, Alberta
I’ve now finished my first season on my conversion ebike, it has about 500 km’s of use so far. Maybe it is just me, but I felt better setting out with a collection of repair tools, especially as I ranged further and further from home and the prospect of pushing the heavy bike home became more of a worry. On two occasions the bike went “down” in the field... a flat tire and a phase wire disconnect being the culprits.
More about my bike... a 90’s no suspension MTB with a front 9C hub, 44V battery I built myself, rim brakes but mostly use regen braking. Been very reliable so far and I check things frequently to help reliability.
Insofar as carrying repair tools, I had two pouches that were attached to the rear rack but hitting bumps on the road would sometimes dislodge them so I would need to stop and retrieve them from the road. Another problem was their exposure to theft when I ducked into a store for even a few minutes.
I’ve decided to come up with something that will enable me to carry these essentials in a more secure way and I was wondering what you experienced guys would recommend around tools and supplies that would cover off most repair situations. I have wrenches for wheel removal, tire levers, spare inner tube, multi tool, spare fuses, rubber gloves, hand pump, knife, electrical tape, head lamp, some cord and bungee straps already assembled. On the other hand, I don’t want this kit to get overly bulky or heavy, so obviously there are tradeoffs to be made.
Most of my riding next season will be done on cycling trails with little to no access to roadways, so a good field repair kit is required for confidence and peace of mind. I am going to upgrade my tires at the beginning of the season in an attempt to mitigate flats.
I’d appreciate any comments or advice you guys care to offer.
 
I would add a chain tool and replacement quick links to your list. This may not be critical on hub motor since the motor can take you most places without pedaling, but its still nice to have and certainly very important on a mid-drive.

I've always carried one on my bikes - long before I had one with a motor. In two decades, I've never needed it. But this Tuesday I did finally break a chain. Unfortunately, I had no replacement quick links. This was a Taya chain and I don't think their quick link (Sigma link) system is as well designed as the KMC system since it connects/releases through the application of sideways flexing. It was the quick link that broke. Regardless, I was able to remove the busted link and repair the chain using existing pins and links. Re-using pins is generally not recommended with modern chains (I'm assuming that's good policy, but don't really know), but this was a not very modern 7-speed chain. It has solid pins and I was able to ride my repair for thirty miles or more until I had a chance to press that re-used pin out and put in the Taya quick link today. I could be wrong, but I think I have more confidence in my solid pin repair with that chain than in the Sigma link.

Someone else mentioned possibly carrying a few wire nuts. I also carry a patch kit - especially for long trips where a second flat is more likely. A few zip ties probably would be nice even if a tad redundant with your electrical tape. I might trade the electrical tape and zip ties for 1" Gorilla tape.
 
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