Secure On Bike Tool Storage.......?

Stuart Ablett

Member
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15,917
Location
Tokyo Japan
Need some help here with ideas.

I want to be able to store some tools, just the very basic items a tube and some patches etc on the bike.

I used to ride from where I lived in East Vancouver to UBC there and back every day, that is a 32 Km round trip, I had a basic bag of stuff I took with me in my backpack. I could leave nothing on the bike, as it would be stolen for sure.

Here in Tokyo, this is not such a big problem. I don't carry a backpack everywhere I go, so I am worried that one day I'll have a flat and not have the means to fix it. The other day I went to my chiropractor and then to a close (ish) Super Viva Home, the trip was about 18 miles total, and I was thinking that if I did get a flat, I'd be in dutch. I want to store the tools etc on the bike, but not in the typical soft under the seat pouch, I want a hard plastic locking box, not too big either. I figure I'll attach it to the side of my rear rack, as I don't plan on using Panniers any time soon :rolleyes: :D

Something that I could even put a small padlock through would work.

Should be watertight, not 100% but it will be exposed to rain on occasion, so the drier stuff stays the better.

Any ideas?

I've looked at small toolboxes, but could not really find something I liked. I did find one that is about the right size and is sealed but has no means of locking it. I'm thinking of putting on the bike, and then locking it with big zipties, the ones you have to cut off. The tools inside will not be worth a lot of money, and I know I cannot make it absolutely tamper proof, but making it a lot of work for some cheap tools, well that should be good enough, here in Tokyo.

Small, about 5" long, by 3" wide and maybe 1 1/2" deep
Sealed
Lockable

Thoughts?

Cheers! :wave:
 
Your pretty good with the metal work Stu, why not just bend up your own box out of some sheet steel or aluminum?

A bottom, an overlapping top, a simple hasp and you'd be in business...

I'd bet you could even fashion some sort of mounting bracket to attach to the seat post pretty easy.
 
Stu given you are prone to making your own have you ever thought of trying your hand at vacuum forming some plastic sheet. Its easy to do with a simple shop vac and for what you want you could make your own mould and be pretty specific as well as have some fun doing something you may not have tried before. No big cost to get going and who knows you might find some other uses for it in the L store or the Dungeon.

Here is Yu tube link to get you started.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhajk_IDTUo


I cant think of anything other than a battery pack for a bicycle light that i had once that fitted on the cross bars. Remove the batteries.

Best of luck.
 
Option 1 - carry a cell phone and call your wife when stuck.

Option 2 - since you want water tight (ish) I've heard good things about Pelican cases. Or I'd look at places like mec or rei to see what they've got.

I don't like things on my back so I use a pannier for when I go back-n-forth to work, and I use a small rackmount bag for when I go on my Saturday morning rides with friends. Neither one is a hardshell, though.

Option 3 - just thought of this -- how about a wide-mouth metal water bottle. you should be able to get a tube + patch kit in there, and some tire irons. And it'll be stealth mode tools, no one would think about it, and who wants to steal a water bottle? Fits in your bottle cage too, so easy to mount.
 
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Art, calling my wife is what I'm trying to avoid :rolleyes: :D

Rob, that is interesting, but I have no oven to cook the plastic in, and there is now way I'm using the one in Emiko's kitchen :eek:

Brent, I know I could make one up, but I was hoping to find something a bit easier, just buy it and bolt it to the bike, time is not something I have a lot of lately. :(
 
I like PVC pipe with an end cap or plug on one end and a screw cap on on the other end. I have used this for shipping mercury thermometers and things like that. The Lock would take some thinking...

Another thought if you have it over there would be a short section of plastic down spout for gutter(roof eves)

Also over here they have white posts for Vinyl fences that would make a great starting point for something like this. Any round or square extruded plastic about 3-4 inched diameter or on a side if square would seem to be an ideal starting point..

Garry
 
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I like PVC pipe with an end cap or plug on one end and a screw cap on on the other end. I have used this for shipping mercury thermometers and things like that. The Lock would take some thinking...
Garry

A bolt through the cap with a hole in the end of the bolt where the padlock goes?
 
Carol, thanks for the generous offer, but I have something similar already, and the expense of sending anything to Japan is rather high, I do appreciate the kind offer :thumb:

Tom, on of those Gun Safes would really be the top drawer answer for sure, but it would be expensive with shipping, and I don't think I'll find them here in Japan at any price:rolleyes:

Thanks for the info Rob, I did not know you could do that with a heat gun only.

Cheers!
 
I'm still prototyping, so keep that in mind please :rolleyes: :D

IMG_0456.jpg IMG_0457.jpg IMG_0458.jpg
This is what I came up with so far, the plastic box is actually a little large, but might be OK:dunno:

IMG_0459.jpg
here it is open, lots of room for a patch kit, tire levers, a multi-tool, tire gauge, a wrench or two, spare tube and a rag to wipe my hands afterward:rolleyes:

IMG_0460.jpg
Closed up with zip ties, it is OK, but not really that secure, so I'm going to get a desk drawer lock, something like this......

Cabinet-Lock-82872-.jpg

.... so I can lock it easily.

We shall see how it works out.

Oh yeah, I'll most likely paint it black, so it blends into the bike better, out of sight is out of mind, so to speak.
 
I rode around today in the heat, and bumped along and the box did not move, and the stuff inside did not rattle around so I think this is a partial success :thumb:

here is a pic of it loaded...

on_bike_kit_contents.jpg

.... minus the towel that I wrap the one wrench I carry and the Swiss Army Knife that goes in there too.

Tomorrow my cabinet lock should arrive, so then I'll just lock the thing, instead of a zip tie, I'll also take it off and paint it black, less conspicuous, I think.

I also bought a new pump today, my old one was knackered, and while it was a good pump, a "Silica" the gauge was broken on it a long time ago, and replacing it was not cheap, so I'll get a new seal for it, and use it, but on other things. The new pump I got is nothing special, but it sure pumps these tires up to full pressure in a hurry compared to the old pump, or the hand pump I have!

I'm sure enjoying my time on the bike, hot and sweaty this time of year for sure, but I'm having a blast! :thumb:
 
Stu I have a suggestion to make. Why not tie a little cord on either side from inside the lid on the edge to inside the box on the side. Do it both sides and then stop the length such that the lid dont fall down past horizontal. That way you have a was of stopping things tumbling to the floor when you first open. Just an added extra for pretty little effort.

As to the whole locking thing, well I would think a thief would sooner want the whole bike, its pretty neat, why stop at the tool box. :D Trouble is the box is too good looking and enticing to find out whats inside if the crook is that way inclined.:(

Looks like a normal bike accessory.:thumb:
 
Yeah Rob, good suggestion about the string holding the lid, I've thought of that, maybe I'll do it :dunno:

I've owned this bike since 1988, and I lived in Vancouver and at UBC bikes go missing faster than beers in the Pit Pub on the weekend. I know that if someone really wants the bike, they WILL get it, the only thing you can really do is slow them down, which usually makes some other bike an easier target.

Bike theft is also a big deal here, but most of those are left in not the greatest spots for a long period of time, not a good idea, my bike should never suffer that fate.

What does get stolen a lot is the accessories on your bike, pumps, computers, lights etc, all things that strap on easily and just as easily come right off, gone in 5 seconds, or less.

Putting this small tool kit on the bike is mostly for my peace of mind and convenience, so I won't be with out the tools and patch kit when I need it. I hope that by doing this I'll never need it, you know how that works.

My buddy Tim who rides a lot, and has not had a flat in over a year proved this, he keeps a little bag of tools, patches and a spare tube in his back pack, but he has two back packs, one small and a larger one, depending on his day, he will take one or the other, and he is constantly swapping the tool bag between them. The other day he forgot, and you guessed it, he got a flat. He was quite a way from home, and it was later in the evening, no bike shops open, you cannot take your bike on the train, so it was either a very long walk home, to his tools, or take a taxi. The taxi ride cost him almost $50, but at least they would take his bike.

I am trying to avoid that circumstance. :rolleyes: :D

We will see if I'm successful.

My pump is held on by a Velcro strap, which a thief could unhook in seconds, so I backed that up with two zip ties, not said thief would have to have a knife and it would take more time to take the pump, hopefully I just made that not worth the effort, but if the pump does get nicked, it was only about $15 :dunno:

I hope the lock comes tomorrow, the case is painted, so we shall see how it looks in the morning :D
 
I got it done, I'm pleased with it :thumb:

bike_toolbox_1.jpg bike_toolbox_2.jpg
Here it is all locked up tight

bike_toolbox_3.jpg
Open, and I did put the string on it Rob, good suggestion :)

bike_toolbox_4.jpg
There is all the stuff that goes in there, should be enough to get me out of trouble on the streets of Tokyo.

Time will tell if this is a waste of time, but I don't think it was, I know that maybe in other countries this would be a waste of time, but here in Tokyo, I think it will serve me well.

Cheers!
 
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