TESTED CRUZ ROADTECH TOOLSET
C RU Z TO O LS RO ADTECH T RAVE L K I TS BY: JIMMY LE WIS
ROOST - One-stop shopping - No questions tool replacement guarantee - Some smart and unique choices ENDO - It will never have everything - Some stuff you’ll never use W H AT I T I S Cruz Tools makes what they claim is the right mix of combination wrenches, an adjustable wrench, locking pliers, a 6-in-1 screwdriver, a mini ratchet and sockets, cable ties, mechanics wire, duct tape, thread locker, and a tire gauge all organized in a durable roll-up pouch with special torx keys, hex keys, and axle wrenches to fit each individual brand application. Price is $99.95.
HOW IT WORKS We have been using Cruz Tools in travel kits, fanny packs, and in our trail-going backpacks for years now and to say they have been helpful is, as in any time you really need a tool, an understatement. The kits are an excellent starting point at an affordable price. It takes some of the thinking about the items needed in a tool kit and usually comes out priced the same or better. The tools are decent quality and the kit is about a 90% match for most common needs just short of the tire-changing parts. We have used specific kits for Japanese bikes (metric), KTM or European bikes (has torx and a 13mm), and have had a generic kit packed into a fanny pack, and they are all still kicking. From being left wet, we have had tools rust a bit and the small ratchet and crescent-style wrench gets sticky, but nothing a little penetrant didn’t fix. In the current kit, for example, we like the tiny flat-head screwdriver tip. And the axle wrench is more robust than the ones that come with most bike’s included tool kit these days, if you get one at all. Tie wire, duct tape, and zip ties all got used though and we haven’t had a trial need for loc-tite just yet. Yes, our locking pliers have been used as a shift lever and a brake pedal. The only failure was the tire pressure gauge biting the dust after a few years and it wasn’t worth the time to call in a warranty. In use, we took one of these kits, added a few specialty items based on the bike we were riding and never worried about
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it. We have trusted them enough to be the only tools we carried on long rides. Good tools, fair price, and the comfort of knowing you have the stuff to fix the usual issues. And it can be a great gift idea!
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