Thomas Smafield wants to see his invention be the third wheel for every cyclist.
That's the hope the 24-year-old NIU graduate has for Repair Rebel, a 24-in-1 solid titanium bike tool he successfully funded on Kickstarter. With many cyclists conscious of every ounce they carry with them on a bike, Smafield -- a cyclist himself -- said he set out to create a multi-tool that attaches under the seat and can function for almost any bike that finds itself in a jam.
"You can adjust the brakes, move the bike seat up and down, if your pedal comes off, you can tighten it," he said. "All the common (hexagonal wrench) sizes on a bike you can adjust with this tool."
The $25 wheel shaped tool is smaller than an iPhone and about as heavy as two golf balls, and includes a Phillips and standard head screwdriver, wrenches and keys to adjust a bike's spokes. He said he came up with the idea while working for a moving company, frequently needing different sized tools but not wanting to carry a cumbersome device.
Smafield has enlisted the help of his former fraternity brother, Josh Wilson and actual brother, Tim Smafield, in the venture. In just weeks, the $10,000 goal for the project was reached, with 21 days still remaining in the funding period. He said he was surprised by the international support for the project, in part because he majored in health science and has no engineering background -- it was simply the result of a lifetime of tinkering that led to the invention.
"I've always tinkered around with things, always enjoyed thinking about new ways to minimize things," he said.
The trio plans to paint and ship the tool from Wilson's Wrigleyville apartment, where Repair Rebel calls home. Smafield said the orders will ship by the end of September.
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