Three hex sizes on one compact tool covers most mid-ride adjustments and trailside repairs. The Park Tool AWS-3 puts 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm hex wrenches in a Y-shaped configuration that fits in a jersey pocket or saddle bag without taking up much room. These three sizes handle the fasteners you're most likely to encounter: stem bolts, handlebar clamp bolts, bottle cage screws, brake caliper mounts, and seatpost binders all typically fall within this range.

The Y-shape design gives you leverage that straight L-keys can't match in tight spaces. When you're reaching around brake calipers or working between frame tubes, having two arms to grip means you can actually apply meaningful torque without skinning your knuckles. Each arm is long enough to provide decent leverage but short enough that the tool stays compact for carrying. Park Tool stamps the sizes into the steel near each head, so you're not guessing which end is which when you're standing on the side of the road with a loose saddle.

The AWS-3 uses hardened steel construction with a bonded grip coating on one of the three arms. That coated arm gives you something to hold onto when your hands are wet or greasy, and the bonding process means the grip won't peel off after a season of use like rubber dip coatings tend to do. The hex profiles are machined to tight tolerances, which matters because a sloppy-fitting hex key rounds out bolt heads over time. If you're building a portable tool kit or stocking a saddle bag, this covers the essentials without carrying three separate wrenches.... Read More