Wolf Tooth EnCase System Bar Tool Kit

It’s always good to have bike tools at hand. You never know when you’ll need to tighten an Allen bolt or insert a plug into a tubeless tire. But where do you put such tools so you don’t have to fuss over them and they’re always within reach? Wolf Tooth came up with a special kit that can be carried inside both MTB and road handlebars.

The EnCase System is a set of two tools:

• The multitool includes a 3.23 mm spoke wrench, a valve core tool, 3.5 mm flathead screwdriver, Phillips #2 screwdriver, hex bits 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm, and Torx T10, T25, and T30.
• The second, auxiliary tool serves as a chain breaker and a tubeless puncture repair kit.

There is a sleeve for each tool that slides into your bars. Your bars must have a minimum inner diameter of 17.5 mm.

I’ve ridden tens of thousands of kilometers with both tools, and they look the part (there’s even some rust on a few bits). The wear doesn’t affect function at all, and I still rely on them. Everything is made in the United States—this is not a product from a cheap factory.

One sleeve weighs 16 g, the multitool with all bits 50 g, and the chain breaker with tubeless repair (without plugs) 44 g. Both tools together are 94 g, and installed in the bars 126 g.

Compatibility

Even though you could theoretically carry the tools in your bars without the sleeves, that doesn’t make much sense given the price. Wolf Tooth claims compatibility with most MTB and road bars, provided they aren’t unusually bent.

I broke a sweat installing them in Bontrager carbon bars. The sleeves include extra material so they can fit bars with a larger inner diameter. You can trim it for smaller diameters.

Getting the sleeve in wasn’t too hard; getting it out was worse. In the end, I trimmed off all the extra material, and I still had trouble pulling the sleeve out—it would bind. I solved it by tying a rubber band to the end so the sleeve stuck out a little, giving me enough leverage to pull it.

After buying SQ Labs bars I found the inner diameter was even smaller, and I couldn’t use the sleeves at all. They do fit nicely straight into the aerobars, and that’s where I carry them now.

I’d definitely be careful about compatibility. Besides the tools, the sleeves can also hold a few small items like a master link or a valve core.

Multitool

The multitool approach has its pros and cons. I like that it uses replaceable bits and, in theory, I could carry only what I need, or swap some out. In practice, though, I always carry just what came with the original order. And it’s been enough for all my repairs.

I like that the whole multitool works as a sufficiently long lever and in two positions:

• In the straight position you can quickly spin in hex bolts.
• Bend the upper part of the tool to get more leverage and tighten the bolt down.

The whole tool also works as an 8 mm Allen, which I’ve used to tighten crank arms.

I’d venture it’s not entirely ideal for bikepacking because:

• If you’re fixing something in grass or gravel and you drop a bit, it’s very hard to find.
• Seating bits requires fine motor skills—which you might lack if your fingers are cold. Sometimes it’s tricky to pull some bits out of the holder.

That said, I still carry it and haven’t regretted it.

Chain breaker and tubeless repair kit

To use the chain breaker you need a 4 mm Allen (which is, of course, part of the multitool). If I don’t carry it in the sleeve but just in a bag, parts sometimes work themselves loose. Thankfully I haven’t lost anything yet. Otherwise, nothing to add—it works as it should.

The puncture repair kit consists only of:

• A storage cavity for plugs.
• An insertion tool into which you can pre‑load a plug.

Using it is straightforward—unscrew the tool and shove it into the tire. I know other kits include a reamer/file to clean up the hole, but I’ve never needed one. It works perfectly.

Final verdict

The kit is pricey—even compared to competitors who have already copied the system. That can be attributed to manufacturing in the USA. The product itself is high quality and will last for years, so the investment can pay off.

Compatibility may not be as rosy as the manufacturer claims, so it’s good to verify before buying. The chain breaker and tubeless repair tool work excellently. The multitool is also great to work with, even if getting some bits out of the holder can be a pain. What makes me happy is that Wolf Tooth also sells spare parts if needed.

Get EnCase System on Amazon

Overall rating: 3.9/5

Published September 28, 2025 | #Bikepacking

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