The backpack is dead. Long live bumbags, bottles, and tools and tubes attached/taped/stuffed into every nook and cranny on your bike. So enduro™.

While the sweaty back and sore shoulders may not be completely obliterated from mountain biking, there has been a definite movement away from carrying water and a heap of god-knows-what in usually too-big-for-the-ride-you’re-on packs. They are still the most practical and useful way for bigger rides and multi-day adventures, but as most rides and races aren’t going to see you in need of a pup tent or enough provisions and tools to build one, riders have discovered that riding pack-free is bliss and bikes can do most of the carrying for you.

Utilising the bike’s various nooks and crannies for tool storage in particular has spawned a whole new industry in itself. Steerer tubes, axles, even the frame itself have all been called into duty to house various combinations of chain-tools, pumps and multi-tools, and now the hollow spindle of some cranks gets into the action with the All In Multitool. Why not, usually it just sits there collecting mud and water, so…

If there’s something the Italians know a bit about, it’s style and design. Practicality not so much. Think Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo; all icons of style, but not much chop for picking up the groceries or even being reliable. All In have managed to meld functionality with clever design, but like a classic car it’s not perfect. There is no chainbreaker to be found here, probably because of the space restrictions due to its required location in the crank spindle, although if it’s possible to fit one in the steerer then it should be plausible here too. It seems that a chain tool version is in the works, but for now the basic array of tools covers most of the fixings on a modern mountain bike.

I say mountain bike specifically because although I was excited about slipping it inside my Campagnolo road cranks’ hollow axle, I was soon reminded that said axle joins in the middle and the tool wasn’t going to get in there. Most mtb cranks though will accommodate the All In without any issues or mods. Once nestled in, it stays put thanks to its seven small round magnets that hold it to the steel axle. Removing it for use would sometimes leave behind one or two of the tiny but powerful magnets stuck to the axle, so checking that they were all in place became second nature. I’m not sure why the magnets aren’t fully integrated into the tool, but it’s something to be improved upon.

The four Allen, T25 Torx and Phillips bits can be added to if something you have on your bike isn’t covered, as the bits are of a standard drive size and replacements or extras can easily be found at a hardware store.

All in all (not sorry for the pun, no) it’s a neat idea for alternative storage, pretty well executed, and when complemented by other well-stashed essentials can handle most situations encountered on the trail that need fixing.