LifeLine is one of CRC/Wiggle’s in-house brands, and it offers this comprehensive 39-piece tool box as a one-stop home repair solution. There are some really good tools here, but also some pieces that won’t see much use on a modern trail bike. Tools like seven different cone spanners, a crank pulling tool (that looks lacking in leverage) or a chainring bolt tool.

• Buyer’s guide to the best home mechanic tool kits for mountain bikers

The tools come loose in an old-school tool box with no specific recesses or compartments for each individual item, so it quickly becomes disorganised. Being deep does mean you can add your own tools later, as well as lubes, cleaning products or rags. So while not the tidiest, it can work well if you like to take your tool kit with you to the trails. 

The sturdy plastic box does lack compartments for organising the tools.

Overall quality is good. There are a lot of tools included, and most of them are well made and well finished. We really like the nine different allen keys (2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10mm) and the Torx key being proper T-bar designs with ergonomic cushioned handles. 

The chunky chain pin extractor is solid too, and drives smoothly so you don’t accidentally push rivets all the way out, but it’s only rated up to 10-speed chains, which isn’t much use in this day and age. The old-school fat chain whip looks like it’s for 10-speed drivetrains too, but does actually work/fit on a 12-speed cassette.

The tape measure is useful, as is the small magnetic parts dish for holding stray bolts.

There’s an included plastic roller bath chain cleaner, although it’s not  essential for mountain biking. By leaving it out you could get the £99.99 kit and save yourself £30. It’s not a tool we use regularly and if you really need one, CRC sells a LifeLine Pro version separately for £12. 

The external bottom bracket tool handily has the Shimano star tensioner for Hollowtech cranks built in, but in common with all the BB wrenches in this test; you’re basically out of luck with more exotic outer BB sizes like Hope or E*thirteen.

Chainring bolt tool, spoke key, magnetic parts dish, cable cutters and tape measure are all included.

Having only one T25 Torx key is fine for adjusting brake levers and controls, but if you want to delve into bleeding brakes or have a modern MTB with smaller Torx bolts knocking around, you’ll need to add additional sizes too.