OneUp EDC Tool and Pump Review + New Plug & Plier Kit

compose Logan Watts
time Jul 10, 2018
comment 6

OneUp Components, a relatively grassroots business based in Squamish, British Columbia, was founded in 2013 by three former RaceFace engineers. They launched the company with a single 42T cassette cog. Over the last couple of years they’ve been on a tear, releasing several innovative components of interest to bikepackers and backcountry mountain bikers alike. These include the 50T Shark Kit, which we recently reviewed here, composite platform pedals, a universal fit dropper seatpost, and a stowable tool line called EDC. We got our hands on an EDC Tool System and Pump, and have carried it on a few bikes over the past year for this review.

EDC is an acronym for Everyday Carry, a popular term among gadget heads and folding knife aficionados. Generally speaking, it refers to stowable implements that assist in dealing with everyday needs and potential emergency situations. While it’s not really a ubiquitous term within the bike industry, if there ever was a bicycle product befitting of the label, it’s this small engineering marvel. Because the EDC Tool System contains the essential trailside utilities you might need—for the most part, which we’ll cover later—and it nests into your fork’s steerer tube or in the handle of the OneUp EDC Pump, it’s made to be readily accessible and easy to carry any time you’re out on your bike.

Tools like the EDC are becoming increasingly popular as creative engineers rewrite the rules of how bike accessories are stored. Within the past year alone, we’ve reviewed a few other tools that stash in bikes’ forgotten nooks and crannies. These include Industry Nine’s Matchstix, a convenient multi-tool built within the front thru axle and the All In Multitool that slides into the crankset tube. Similarly, the EDC Tool is designed to be used in conjunction with either the EDC Top Cap, which fits into the bike’s steerer tube, or one of two EDC Pumps, both of which have a hollow recess to stow the system. The Top Cap requires the EDC Tap (tap and dye) to install, whereas the pump can be tossed in a bag or mounted to the bike using the EDC Bottle Cage Mount that ships with the EDC Pump. There are currently 12 components and replacement parts in the lineup.

OneUp EDC Tool system

While it has many components, the heart of EDC is the Tool System. The Tool System is based on a cylindrical, puzzle-esque module made up of four interlocking components. On the whole, it measures 7.5” (19.05cm) long with a 0.88” (2.24cm) diameter and weighs 114 grams. The system is “unlocked” by bending the plastic frame, freeing the tire lever end from the cap and releasing the individual parts. The glass-filled nylon polymer Tool Frame has a rubber O-ring and pull tab on one end, and a threaded male end at the other. The frame also has two small holes that store a pair quick links. The threaded side attaches to a 3.38” (8.57cm) hollow Sealed Storage Capsule with a .56” (1.75cm) interior diameter, perfect for storing tire plugs, patches, and a tire plug tool. The third component is the integrated chainbreaker and tire lever, which also features 0,1,2,3 spoke keys and a Presta valve core tool. And the last piece of the three-dimensional puzzle is the EDC Multitool, which is a relatively small (2.38 x 0.88” (6.05 x 2.24cm)) folding tool housing 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8mm hex keys, a T25 Torx key, a flat-head screwdriver, an EDC Top Cap Tool—which unlocks the EDC Top Cap, if you have one—and an odd little quick link breaker (10 and 11-speed). We’ll get to how it all works, but first, here is a list of all the included tools and features for reference:

So, how does this set of features stack up to what you might actually need? Let’s start with the EDC Multitool. The seven main hex keys are covered, but OneUp only included a single torx bit, a T25. The missing two that might come in handy are the T15, which isn’t super common, but is used on some brakes and controls, and the T30, which is often used on aluminum chainring bolts. Even more obscure, the T20 might be needed for Rohloff twist shifters and other random bits. When preparing a toolkit for any multi-day adventure, it’s best to inspect your bike to check all the bolt sizes you might need to access. In addition, the EDC Multitool doesn’t have any box wrenches or a Phillips head screwdriver, neither of which are common, but if you have racks or other oddball peripherals, you might need these utilities.

The other strange implement on the EDC Multitool is the EDC Top Cap Tool. Not only is this flat-shaped utensil used to tighten or remove the EDC Top Cap, it also serves as a quick link removal tool when used in tandem with the 8mm hex. Admittedly, I tried it, but after creating a greasy mess, I gave up without having any luck. If I were desperate, I’m sure I’d figure it out. It’s also worth noting that it does not work on 12-speed chain links. Here’s the demo video:

Ultimately, the Multitool is pretty solid for such a small piece. It could be challenging to reach certain places and probably impossible to use on high-torque bolts, given its size. Otherwise, the EDC multitool is well made, solid, and covers a lot of bases.

As far as the full EDC Tool system, we love the fact that it packs in a lot of extras, such as a Presta valve core wrench, spare quick link storage, spare chainring bolt, and chainbreaker. They’re all tools you’ll rarely need, but having them available helps provide a little peace of mind. The storage capsule is also fantastic. It easily fits a couple patches, tubeless plugs, and a plug tool. Again, these are things that are great to have on hand, and ones that otherwise get lost in a bag of spares or a tool roll. Having all of these tools in one place with the pump is a handy solution. What’s more, OneUp recently released the EDC Plug and Pliers set. This includes a tire plug tool that threads onto the storage capsule, as well as a proper pair of Quick Link Breaker Pliers that work on 10-, 11-, and 12-speed chains. And all of it fits within the storage capsule.

OneUp Components EDC Pump

As mentioned, we tested the EDC Tool with OneUp’s high volume 100cc CNC-machined aluminum pump. They also offer a smaller 70cc pump, but it doesn’t fit the Storage Capsule, which is one of the EDC’s more interesting features. According to OneUp, typical mini-pumps have a volume between 30-60cc. The 100cc EDC Pump measures 1.25″ dia x 10″ (32mm dia x 254mm) and weighs 149 grams, as tested. OneUp claims their 100cc EDC pump has the highest volume to weight ratio on the market. That would take a bit of data aggregation to debunk, but we did pit it against one of our favorite pumps, the Lezyne MicroDrive Floor Pump (238 grams), which doesn’t have a cc rating.

In comparison, the Lezyne features a threaded valve head, where the EDC Pump has a Presta-only “Fast-On Pump Head.” This requires you to firmly push the pump head onto the Presta valve until it bottoms out before pumping. OneUp states that this securely supports the valve stem so there’s no chance of bending, breaking, or unseating the valve, and no risk of unscrewing your valve core when you remove the pump. We had no problem with it, but it’s worth noting that it takes more of a steady hand to pump up tires with this style of pump. And once you reach higher pressures, it can be a challenge to keep the pump head from leaking air. Overall, it seems this pump is best suited for lower pressure applications, which is fine by me as I rarely run tires over 25psi.

In use, it took the 100cc EDC Pump about 130 strokes to inflate a 27.5 x 2.8” Maxxis Rekon from flat to 20 PSI. The same tire under the same circumstances required around 150 strokes from the Lezyne, which was very surprising. Along those lines, the EDC Pump also has an integrated CO2 inflator head as well.

OneUp Components EDC Top Cap

We didn’t review the OneUp EDC Top Cap ($25), but here are some basics. The system is installed by removing the star nut and threading the steerer with the EDC Tap Kit ($35). The integrated top cap then threads onto the steerer and tightens to preload the stem. All in all, it looks fairly straightforward. See full specs below, followed by an installation video and pricing at the bottom of the review.

All OneUp EDC Tools and Accessories

Here is a full list of the main EDC components. Note that you can also pick up seal kits, as well as each individual part and piece, just in case something were to break.

• OneUp EDC Tool System (tested) $59 USD (114g)
• OneUp EDC Pump 70cc $55 USD (132g)
• OneUp EDC Pump 100cc (tested) $59 USD (149g)
• OneUp EDC Top Cap 25 USD (-12g vs star nut/top cap)
• OneUp EDC Tap Kit $35 USD
• OneUp EDC Plug and Pliers Kit $35 USD (17g)
• OneUp EDC Gear Strap (x2) $15 USD (8g)

Recently, we received the new Plug and Pliers Kit, which is a nice little addition to the EDC Tool. The kit comes with the tire plug fork, which has a threaded end that fits into the tool frame, three five-packs of “bacon strips” tire plugs, and a pair of OneUp’s new compact Quick Link Breaker Pliers. The pliers seem really well made and are compatible with all 10-, 11-, and 12-speed quick links. The pliers and one set of tire plugs fit neatly into the storage capsule with the tire plug tool.