Granite Design’s Stash Tool offers everything you need for a quick fix, but it’s lacking one thing: a chain breaker. The Granite Design Stash Chain Tool is a chain tool that hides away inside your bar-end, and is their solution to the Stash’s lack of chain breaker. When combined with the Stash Tyre Plug and Stash Steerer Tool, it gives you the ability to carry everything you need on the trails, integrated on your bike.

The Stash Chain Tool consists of a few parts: the breaker body, the driving pin and a steel handle. All of the parts are stored within the tool body itself, which also features a spot to stash a quick link. Something that had impressed me with the Granite Design products I’ve tested so far, is the build quality – and the case is no different here. All the threads are well formed and secure, and the actual material used feels nicer in hand than some multi-tools out there. The Stash Chain Tool is secured inside your bar by a 3mm bolt. Tightening this bolt compresses, and therefore expands, a rubber bushing on the tool that wedges up against the bar, providing a solid, rattle-free fit.

When it comes to operation, the Stash Chain Tool is a breeze and partners up well with the Stash Steerer Tool or the RocknRoll (both of which you’ll find reviewed in this issue). Undo the 3mm bolt on the cap until you can remove the tool from your handlebars, unscrew the handle from the tool body and screw it into its mount, then break out the 5mm on your multi-tool to drive the pin. There ya go, ready to break any 9-12 speed chain that finds its way into your tool.

Emergency chain breakers are exactly that, meant to break chains in emergencies. As a result, they are often just good enough to get the job done, so I was surprised by the amount of leverage provided by the Stash Chain Tool, and how solid it felt in hand. The teeth that retain the chain in the tool are smaller than a typical chain breaker, so you do need to spend some extra time making sure everything is lined up before you go cranking on the tool. As far as a compact chain breaker you can carry with you on the trails goes, it’s about as good as you’ll get.

It’d be nice to see another handle integrated somehow, to drive the breaking pin, but this is by no means a deal breaker and I can say that whether you intend on using the rest of Granite’s Stash range or not, the Chain Tool is definitely a worthwhile purchase. Especially if you want a solid chain breaker that you can leave on your bike and forget about.

Distributor: Everoutdoor / RRP: $49.99

Words: Cam Baker