Blackburn‘s Grid 13 Multi-tool hits a nice sweet spot between having what you need for a longer biking adventure, and portability. The tool is compact and will fit great in the bag of your choice or even your pocket. It weighs in at 142g (5oz.), so you‘ll barely notice it is there at all. The satin finish is clean and easy on the eyes. As the name implies, the Grid offers up a baker‘s dozen of tools. There is a complete breakdown of the tools at the end of this review.
Of the more widely needed tools when wrenching on a bike, the Grid 13 includes a generous number of common hex (allen) sizes from 1.5mm to 8mm. The 2mm, 2.5mm and 4mm hex wrenches are “L” shaped which help get into tight spots on your rig. Good thinking on that Blackburn, my knuckles really appreciate it. It also features both T25 and T30 Torx wrenches and is finishes it out with a No. 5 flat head screwdriver.
The Grid 13 features a couple of nice specialty tools as well. The first is a disc pad spreader for those of you who have hydraulic disc brakes. We‘ve all been there once. You have your wheel off while changing a tube and you accidentally squeeze the brake handle. Nothing sucks more than having to separate brake pads without the right tool. Now you have it with you. The Presta valve core remover is another handy tool included in the Grid 13 for those longer bikepacking excursions. The last “tool” is the ever-important bottle opener so you can enjoy your favorite frosty beverage.
While this tool certainly has the common selection of tools covered, I would have liked to see the hex wrenches with ball ends. Having the ability to swivel in weird areas really makes a lot of difference.
Complete tools included:
- 1.5mm hex
- 2.5mm hex
- 3mm hex
- 4mm hex
- 5mm hex
- 6mm hex
- 8mm hex
- N0. 5 flathead screwdriver
- T30 Torx
- T25 Torx
- Disc pad spreader
- Presta valve core remover
- Bottle opener
Overall, the Grid 13 delivers as a great multi-tool with nearly every basic tool you‘ll need as well as a couple you won‘t realize you need… until you do. And the MSRP is only $19.99 blackburndesign.com
– Andy
A big thank you to Blackburn for providing the Grid 13 for this review.