one of the things that a fixed-gear rider can never find on a multi-tool is a proper 15mm box-end wrench. another is a lockring wrench. so PEDRO’S made the "trixie" a few months back, and i immediately picked up two — one for me and one for WR.

now i’ve never been one to see the real need for a lockring wrench while you’re out on the road, unless you’re WAY out on the road — that’s when things always go pear-shaped. but i only had a HOMEGROWN LOCKRING WRENCH, so with the addition of the 15mm box-end for the road, in addition to all the other little wrenches on that trixie (note the three "steps" in the center cutout, which are 8mm, 9mm, and 10mm wrenches, in addition to the 5mm allen stub there at the bottom left, and of course, the bottle opener), i thought … vy nott!?

and then yesterday, my whole drivetrain failed. i was hop-skipping to a stop at a light and when my rear wheel landed one of the skips, i felt the back wheel let go. the cog slipped and there i was on a fixed gear, rolling forward with my pedals level. NOT GOOD. i took a crank forward, which re-tightened the cog on the hub, and was therefore able to pedal forward, but back-torquing (a main braking method) was no longer an option. i did NOT want to ride all the way home like that.

so, before i left work, i busted out the trixie and removed my back wheel. then, using the lockring wrench, i LOOSENED the lockring. (counterintuitive, i know, but bear with me.) with the lockring loose, i ROTAFIXED the cog on there good and tight. then i used the trixie to TIGHTEN the lockring back on. re-assembled the whole thing and rode it around the building’s garage a few times, jamming hard into the cranks to see if i could tighten the cog anymore, and then jamming hard BACK on the cranks to see if i could pop it loose again. nothing came loose.

BIG.
WIN.

i have to say this, too, i’ve also used the lockring wrench on here to help a neighbor with his BOTTOM BRACKET lockring, which makes the tool even MORE useful.

overall, because of it’s small size and multiple use applications, this tool could be the best $30 you’ve ever spent in your shop. it totally saved my ride home yesterday, ALL BY ITSELF. that’s sayin something. it takes up like ZERO room in your bag, it’s long enough to get proper leverage out of either end of it, and it’s strong as hell.

APPROVED.

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