Bike Perfect Verdict
Really neatly packaged small-sized essential tools with a bonus tire plugger. No chain tool and is to reload the tire plugger though.
Pros
- +
Cute, colorful, compact design
- +
Quality essential tools
- +
Dynaplug tubeless plug
- +
Light weight, tough feel
Cons
- -
Dynaplug is sticky to use
- -
Dynaplug increases cost
- -
No chain tools or 8mm
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PNW components has been around for a few years now, starting with dropper posts and grips before gradually growing its range and reputation for excellent no-nonsense products from cockpit equipment to clothing. The Pebble is its small but typically neatly-designed entry into the crowded world of multi tools. It’s a really nice piece too, but not perfect.
Design and build
The Pebble name comes from the nicely rounded, no pointy edges form of the slotted rectangular shape. It’s small at 64mm long, 20mm wide and 15mm deep. It comes in four different anodized colors: Blood Orange (tested), Bronze, Black and Purple.
The tools include a 3, 4, 5 and 6mm Hex and a T25 that hides under an unscrewable ‘rocket’. This is the removable tube for the included ‘Dynaplug’ – a brass-headed tubeless tire plug. You can buy the Pebble with just the single Dynaplug inserted and ready to go, or with a pack of five spare plugs for an extra $12 / £12.
It comes in a neat recycled cardboard packet and you can now find PNW gear in some shops, not just direct from PNW online, which widens buying options.
Performance
The Pebble feels really nice in the hand, discreet in a pocket but with just enough weight that you’re not going to forget it or it’s not going to fly out accidentally. While it comes set stubbornly stiff you can loosen the four small Allen bolts at each corner to adjust how easily the tools extend from the body. And while the tools are short the whole design has a really solid, quality feel that meant I was happy putting a full lean into it. Or a foot when it came to loosening pedals with the 6mm key.
The 6mm also has a small pocket in the top which the tip of the Dynaplug sits inside keeping everything secure and safe. In fact the security of the Dynaplug is one of the few grumbles about the tool. The rubber ‘plug’ is by design very soft and sticky so it molds into the carcass and tread of the tire once the brass head has been pushed through the hole. However, that makes it very hard to actually release the plug from the slim tube it sits in on the tool. It makes it even harder to slide a replacement Dynaplug back into the tool once you’ve used your first. The Dynaplugs themselves are really expensive too which pushes the overall price higher.
There’s no 8mm or chain irons of any description on the tool either. I get that’s part of keeping it small and ‘essentials only’ and I can’t think of a tool at this price/size that includes a full kit and a tubeless repair element. But if PNW was thinking of making a ‘Cobble/Pave’ or whatever you’d call a bigger ‘Pebble’ then it’d be good to see them added.
Verdict
PNW’s Pebble tool is cute and colorful, feels surprisingly good to use considering how small it is, and the essential tool list is boosted with a bonus Dynaplug tire fixer. The stickiness and price of the Dynaplug elements add their own complications though and you’ll need to add a standalone chain tool for a full trailside repair setup.
Tech specs: PNW Pebble mini-tool
- Price: $37 / £33
- Size: 64mm long, 20mm wide and 15mm deep
- Colors: Blood Orange (here), Bronze, Black and Purple
- Weight: 51g
