The Torque Covert 7 Crank Multi Tool is cleverly designed to hide away inside your bike’s hollow crank, held in place with strong magnets. It’s reasonably light and totally unobtrusive – you wouldn’t know it’s there unless you were looking. You get fewer tools than on conventional multi tools at less than half the price, though, and it only works with certain types of Shimano and SRAM cranks.
We’ve previously seen tools that fit into bar ends, fork steerer tubes and even hubs, but this could be the smartest place for one yet – provided you have a hollow crankset that’s at least 21mm diameter internally. If so this slots straight in and stays put thanks to a strong neodymium magnet. Both on and off road, on rides that were particularly bumpy in places (though not involving any big jumps), the Covert 7 didn’t budge.
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If you’re going to add weight to a bike this is probably the best location for it – low down and central, where it has the least effect on handling. Also, it’s really easy to get to, so you don’t waste time searching around in bags.
The Covert 7 has six steel tools (3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm hex keys, a T25 Torx and a cross head screwdriver) and a chain tool made of 7075 aluminium alloy. The body is 6061 aluminium alloy, and cleverly, each tool is held in its slot magnetically. A bit driver is located at the end of the tool’s shaft.
There’s also a recess in the main body for a spare master link, and I found some 10 and 11 speed links fit perfectly, but a kidney-shaped 10 speed KMC master link proved slightly too big. However, putting them in the wrong way round – not in the recess, but hanging out towards either end of the multi tool – works. It’s not ideal, but definitely usable.
Due to the standard size of the bits you can easily replace them with alternatives, though the slots probably won’t fit anything bigger than a 7mm hex key.
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The Covert 7 is very easy to use, and particularly effective. Due its design, you can get a decent hold on it to tighten or loosen stubborn bolts, and if you need a bit more purchase, the bit driver rotates 90 degrees, allowing you to apply a decent amount of torque.
The chain tool is easy to use too – just unscrew it from the main shaft, insert the chain, and screw it back in to break the link.
Torque says the Covert 7 will fit in hollow cranks at least 21mm wide inside, which is true but overlooks any length issues – it slotted perfectly into a Shimano GRX 600 crankset, but proved too long for my mountain bike’s SRAM GX crankset.
Torque may have missed a trick with the colour-coding crowd by not offering the endpiece in a plethora of hues, but the black is very stealthy. Covert, you might even say… bright purple, please!
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The only issue I had was the main shaft unscrewing itself from the chain tool, presumably thanks to the rotational forces. Perhaps I didn’t have it tight enough, or maybe it’s an inherent issue, but either way there’s an easy solution – threadlock.
An anti-corrosion spray such as ACF50 might be a good idea too, simply because if where these steel bits are sitting, but to be clear the whole thing sealed well throughout the test. After several wet rides with some decent puddles thrown in for good measure, there wasn’t a drop of water inside.
Value
At £39.99, this looks expensive in terms of how many functions it offers, but then you’re getting that clever design. If you just want loads of tools, Pedro’s RX Micro-20 has more than twice as many (20), including tyre levers. It’s around 30g heavier than the Covert 7 though, and bulky to tuck away.
Alternatively, The Granite Design Stash RCX fits neatly inside your fork steerer and offers the essentials too, though it lacks a chain breaker and is slightly more expensive at £49.95.
Overall
If you typically carry just the bare essentials, this is a really great option – in fact, it’s probably one of the best solutions out there. It’s discreet, easily accessed, and very effective.
Verdict
Clever, effective and unobtrusive, if not quite comprehensive in its functions – and it won’t fit every crankset
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Torque Covert 7 Crank Multi Tool
Size tested: n/a
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Torque says, “The Covert 7 Multi Tool discretely fits inside hollow cranks greater than 21mm diameter, including Shimano and SRAM.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Key Features
* Fits hollow cranks >21mm
* Neodymium magnet for secure retention
* Strong 7075 aluminium alloy for the chain tool head
* Lightweight 6061 aluminium alloy tool for the body
* Shimano and SRAM compatible
What’s Included
* 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm hex keys
* Cross head screwdriver
* T25 Torx key
* Chain tool
* Chain link holder
Overall nice build quality. The steel bits are fairly basic, but strong and easily replaceable.
As a multi tool it’s very effective with good leverage.
Although it’s not as light as similarly-featured multi tools, the weight is low down and central to the bike, so you don’t notice it.
Easy to access and use.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It stows away easily, stays firmly in place, but is easily removed and used.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The way it magnetically attaches to the crankset.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Regular multi tools at the same price generally have many more tools, such as the Pedro’s RX Micro-20, though of course they lack the clever design which is what really makes the Covert 7 stand out. The Granite Design Stash RCX multitool is another neat stash-type multi tool, but is more expensive.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It works very well, and the crank-mounted design is clever. It might score higher if it had more tools, but it covers the basics and is very good.
About the tester
Age: 39 Height: 6’4 Weight: 175lbs
I usually ride: Condor Italia RC custom build My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, mtb,
1 thought on “Torque Covert 7 Crank Multi Tool”
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