Craig's Tool product review: 40 years in the making

Photo: TROY TEMPLIN

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When you see a product and its name, you immediately make assumptions and try to guess what it might be for. So when you see Craig’s Tool, it is easy to guess that it’s a handheld implement used to carry out a particular function, or in this case multiple. However, the real question is who is Craig and why does he matter?

Before we get into the tool review it’s important that we highlight Craig Edwards. I have known Craig for many years as a local rider who seems to have an endless set of cogs on his cassette while he keeps the group ride on the rivet. Essentially, Craig is a badass on the bike, but better yet, he is a talented visionary off the bike. Lucky for us, he has been focusing his talents for nearly 40 years on cycling.

It’s hard to sum it all up quickly, but here we go. In the late 80s and 90s, Sweet Parts was a company he started with a friend, Kent Carlson. The Sweet Wings Crankset and Sweet Parts cromo stem are 2 products he invented, developed, and manufactured back then.

One of my favorite products for many years is from Craig’s second company, eecycleworks, which he founded in the early 2000s. The eebrake is a product that he invented in 2005, developed, and brought to market starting in 2008.

While this is all impressive, I should point out that it wasn’t until 2012 that he finally had to make a choice and left his “day job” as an architect doing custom residential projects to focus on eecycleworks. In 2016, he licensed ee to Cane Creek, including the brand, the eebrakes, and what I had done on cranks to that point. I entered into a 5-year exclusive design deal as well. During that time, the eeWings, eeSilk post, eeSilk stem, eeTop, eeBarkeep were added to ee. To bring it full circle, the eeWings crank is a TI version of the old Sweet Part Wings Crank.

So why is having his name on a tool impactful? In my opinion, and having ridden and known Craig for over 15 years, he always seems to balance simplicity, function, and quality perfectly.

With that out of the way and a better understanding of where Craig’s Tool comes from it’s time to put it to the test. Craig likes to market it as a roadie tool because it is light and compact, but I think it is a solid choice for gravel and MTB too. The L-shape handle is 4 inches long by 1.25 inches and made out of high-strength aluminum.

The handle accepts 1/4 hex tool bits and comes with three double-sided 440C heat-treated stainless steel bits that are retained by magnets in the handle. A 2.5mm/ torx 25, 3mm / 4mm, and a 5mm/6mm. There is an included plastic bit holder that clips onto the handle. Also included is a 6/4 titanium tubeless tire plug insert bit along with 15 thin repair plugs. On my scale the whole thing, minus the plugs is just 33 grams

Unlike the tool bits, the titanium plug bit threads into the tool bit opening on the opposite side of the L. The plug bit is much smaller than a traditional plug tool of this style, and that is because it is designed for the thinner plugs normally used for tubeless road tires. The titanium means it is strong, and incredibly light, all while maintaining a sharp pointed tip.

Using the tubeless plug function is easy as the thin gauge is more fitting for the type of puncture you get on the road. I did try it on a puncture that was larger, and by using two of the thin tubeless plugs at the same time, I was able to get the tire to hold air and finish my ride.

The other functions of the tool are pretty basic. With the tool bits fitting into both ends of the handle, it is easy to reach almost any bolt that might need a roadside adjustment. The handle is longer than most saddle bag tools and is great for loosening thru axles that may have been installed by Thor (the local shop mechanic with a crushing grip.) Stem bolts, saddle height, water bottle cage bolts, and even brake caliper bolts are all common types of adjustments that Craig’s tool is perfect for.

When speaking to Craig about the tool, he pointed out that for most people, the saddle bag tool is either never used or used constantly. That is because there are, in very general terms, two types of riders when it comes to maintenance. Those who take care of their bike and maintain it, so it is rare to need to tinker with anything. Then there is the crowd that is always changing things and making adjustments to compensate for a lack of routine maintenance. Either group will be pretty satisfied since Craig’s Tool is so light but offers lots of versatility.

Tire punctures happen to everyone, and since road tubeless is the way of the future for performance bikes, having the plug makes it quick and easy to keep rolling. For me personally, it has been all I have needed for the road bike.

While I know Craig will debate me on this all day, there are a few opportunities. The first is that his tolerances are so tight that I couldn’t use most of the other hex tool bits in my many other cycling tool kits. It seems that the metal plating on those tools adds just enough material that they can get stuck in the handle. While this isn’t a big deal since it comes with pretty much everything I need, it is something to consider before using a bit that wasn’t supplied.

There is one function that Craig’s Tool doesn’t offer that I personally won’t leave home without, a chain tool. If there is one thing that can stop a ride in its track, it’s a broken chain. I will admit it is more of a gravel and mountain bike essential, but we have all been on a ride that came to a screeching halt due to a failed chain link.

Overall, Craig’s tool has been all I have needed. I will point out that I have also been using it a lot at home while the bike is in the work stand. It could be the only tool needed for many. Since the heads of the bits do not have a ball end, you need to be perfectly aligned with the bolt. Not having the ball end minimizes the chances of stripping the head of a bolt and is ideal for most circumstances.

At $60, it is not a cheap tool, nor does it feel like one. Craig’s Tool uses premium, high-strength materials to ensure durability along with minimal weight. This is not the Swiss Army knife of bike tools, and honestly, it is more than most people need. If you are on the side of the road and need more than what Craig’s Tool offers, you likely have made some bigger mistakes that have led to your delay that no saddle tool would resolve. For me, I think I’ll get one for each of my personal bikes. Now I’m on a hunt for a compact chain tool to accompany it.

Price: $60Weight: 33 grams

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