Ever wonder what you could attach to your mountain bike using the water bottle mounting points? Pivot did. It looks like they have partnered with Topeak to develop a collection of accessories you can mount to you bike to help you carry what you need and get all that extra stuff out of your bag, or even better, leave your bag at home.
I am completely obsessed with leaving my backpack and awkward hip pack at home. So these tools peaked my interest. I found the Phoenix Dock Ninja Tool Box Mini 20 Pro at my local bike store Salt Cycles.
Watch the video review here: VIDEO
Let’s go over the key bits and pieces:
According to Pivot’s Website:
- 23 function tool: 2-L / 2.5 / 3 (2 pcs) / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8 / 10 mm Allen, T10 / T25 Torx®, #2 Phillips / Flathead, 14G / 15G / Mavic® M7 / Shimano® spokes, Chain tool, Secondary chain link fence, Chain pin breaker, Self-tightening tool, Hardened steel bottle opener with spoke holder, Super hard anodized tire levers
- Bolts to any standard water bottle boss frame mounts for integrated tools on almost any bike
- Lightweight low-profile design
- Locking tool case rotates 90 degrees for easy access
- Solid, secure mounting
- Engineering grade weatherproof hardshell polymertool case
- Durable high-quality Chrome vanadium steel tools
- $59.99
Product dimensions: 1.75 x 4 x 1.5”
Weight: 8 oz or 228 grams
They certainly packed in a ton of tools into a small package, but you pay a price in weight for all that functionality. To be fair, they do have a smaller version of this kit. The Phoenix Dock Ninja Tool Box T16+.
Unboxing:
Opening the box, you find an install guide, tool overview chart, pair of screws and the toolbox. On first glance the toolbox looks solid and super well built. The integrated mounting bracket turns with a satisfying “clunk”. On the top of the case is a latch that opens the end allowing you access to the tool.
Overview:
It’s a tight fit, the tool sits inside the case very snugly. A rubber strap keeps all the tool arms nicely in place and keeps the tool silently sitting in the case. The frame of the tool is black with shiny chrome tool arms. It feels nice in the hand, compact, and all the tools can be easily accessed.
The engineering team must have had the Boy Scout Motto, “Be Prepared” in mind when designing this thing. It seems to have a tool for almost every part of your bike.
Install/ Set-up:
I’m not normally an instruction follower. But for the sake of this article I will at least glance at the instructions. It looks like the install is pretty simple. Twist the mounting bracket perpendicular to the box, unscrew the water bottle screws and attach the case to the bike. Once done, turn the case so it’s aligned with the tube you installed it on and boom. Good to go.
Initial Thoughts:
Before I mounted the tool box to the frame all I could think about was the weight of it. It’s a half a pound. I recall paying extra for certain bike build parts to save a few grams here and there. So my inner-weight winnie was protesting a bit. There haven’t been a ton of occasions when I needed to do trail side repairs, but when I have they have been for things like reattaching shifter paddle that worked lose from matchmaker brake lever attachment. So tools can be handy, if not for yourself, maybe for someone else you see out on the trail. Good karma and such I suppose.
First Test:
I threw the tool on and hit up a quick ride. To be honest during my first ride I didn't even notice the box. It didn't interfere with my pedaling or get in the way at all. I also didn't physically noticed the added weight during the ride.
Pros:
The toolbox and tool are high quality, and easy to use. The integrated mounting bracket looks like it will last, I don’t think there’s much of a chance the case will come off even on the roughest trails. The tool is easy to use with just about everything you could need to get you back pedaling.
Cons:
I know I already said it, but this thing is heavy. If your on a quest to reduce the stuff you attach to yourself and your bike like I am, adding this much weight is a hard pill to swallow. I noticed the rubber band strap that keeps the tool arms in place is easy to lose track of and hard to get on. The tool is a very tight fit getting it back in the case. All the arms have to be completely down for it to fit.
Who Would I Recommend This To:
If you already carry a tool with a ton of features and want to move the weight from your bag and let your bike frame carry it, then this tool is for you. The freedom of removing as much as you can out of your bag is worth it. If you feel more comfortable being prepared for whatever or being able to help out others that might be in a pinch, then this tool is also for you.
Conclusion:
For myself, I don’t need all the tool functionality this device has to make the weight penalty worth it to me. I love the idea of a case to stash the needed items on your bike and off me. This tool and case has inspired me to look for other storage solutions the mount to your bike using the water bottles screws. So I will be leaving this robust tool at home and sticking with my much smaller Topeak Mini 9 for now.
If you’ve found great tools or storage options that mount to you bike using the wattle bottle screws I would love to hear about it. Leave me a comment below.
That's all for now.
Thanks and Adios!
El Roo Bike