Topeak Alien II 31-Function Folding Bike Multi-Tool, Compact Two-Piece Design with Chain Tool, Tire Levers, Bottle Opener, Carry Bag, Chrome Vanadium Construction

Kinda like a Leatherman multitool, but specifically made for bikes, this high quality tool is a great asset to any bike kit. I went through my bike to determine what tools I'd need on the road/trail and this tool set more than meets those requirements. There are more tools than most of us will ever use, and it's heavier that some weight conscious riders will accept, but for those of us who ride without vehicular backup, this tool set provides peace of mind. The tools are made well with enough metal to provide the strength necessary to prevent damage to the tool or the nuts and bolts it is used on. The chain tool is impressive, too. The design is well thought out, such as placing the allen for the chain tool on one half and the chain tool on the other so there is enough leverage to make it work. Some chain tools provide a small holding tab that is quite insufficient for the torque required to remove or install a chain pin. Even the adjustment nuts for the tool are different sizes so that the opposite side has a hex wrench to tighten or loosen the deployment of the tools. The pedal wrench will easily snug down a loose pedal, but as expected, it certainly shouldn't be used to try to break one loose. I like the added quality of etched labels on the tools, too. All in all, a great, well engineered and built portable tool set.

I'm fairly new to the riding world (purchased a bike this year for the first time since I was 12 -- which means it's been a long time). But I've been able to use this for minor maintenance (seat adjustments, etc.) and installations (installed simple stuff like cup holder, rear rack, detachable child seat, etc.). It's also small enough to fit in my wedge bag under the seat, and perfect for quick tune-ups. I had to make a minor adjustment mid-ride to my seat height as it was too low and had to tighten some of the reflectors that loosened and were rattling, while out riding. It's nice to be able to have something relatively light that you can take with you to cover most general bases. It's not featherweight though, but shouldn't kill you unless you're going for minimal weight for speed (I'm riding more for commute/fitness). I like the feature that the tool can split in half for easier hand-holding. It also came particularly in handy when I had to use the hex wrench side on one hand, and the allen wrench on the other in order to tighten a screw and hold the bolt at the same time. All in all, I recommend it, and feel comfortable that it can handle my general needs. I've heard others need much more sophisticated tooling, but as I'm not re-building bicycles generally, this has been perfect for regular maintenance and needs.

When I read the description for this multitool, I initially thought it had too many unnecessary parts. It turns out my roommate has this exact same multitool, so I've been using it a bit. I've found that the location of each little tool is actually very well thought out. The two halves come apart not only for simple convenience, but also for you to use the tools from one half to give you extra leverage turning a tool on the other half. Examples: When using the chain pin tool on a stuck pin, the 5-mm Allen wrench is on the other half so you can use it to give you extra leverage. When using the mini pedal wrench (which is quite short, about 75% the length of the whole multitool), you can give yourself extra leverage on the pedals by inserting the 8-mm Allen key from the heavy half into the smallest hole on the pedal wrench. This gives you more than double the original wrench length, a much stronger lever. Note on the mini pedal wrench: The material seems to be the same as the 8-10mm wrenches, but different from the Allen wrenches. I would have felt better with a steel pedal wrench, but that might have just been too heavy and this one seemed to work just fine for tightening my pedals a bit before I could make it over to my bike shop. So after all this, I ordered one for myself and it came today. I noticed my roommate's tools would fold out without resistance (except the knife--that one uses a locking mechanism so it never accidentally deploys). My new one was much tighter. I found out that on the sides of each half, there are different sized hex holes so you can use an Allen wrench from the opposite half to tighten or loosen the folding resistance to your liking. The 4-mm on the smaller half adjusts resistance on the heavy half, and the 2.5-mm on the heavy half adjusts the resistance on the smaller half. The knife is indeed VERY sharp and seems highly durable, and requires considerable manual effort to unfold. (Or maybe that's just my weak girl hands.) This is a good thing. I am zero percent worried that it will ever accidentally open. Folding likewise requires manual effort, but just be careful not to fold it onto your fingers because that blade is quick. Overall, I feel much better having one for myself. If you want to pack light and aren't wandering far from civilization, you can probably just take the smaller half alone. If you're going on a camping trip, absolutely take the whole thing. Another note that I think a lot of people will miss about these tools is that each half's black plastic base is actually a plastic tire lever. They're identical. The plastic is hard and rigid, and won't scratch the rims or wheel. I didn't see this at first when I was using the tools, I thought the plastic shapes were just aesthetic and for fitting the halves together. They don't really show this off in any pictures or diagrams but it's a really nice touch! Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please feel free to comment.

This kit has everything you could need in a emergency, and somethings you need for regular maintenance. The almost all of the tools are durable and reliable in a pinch (excluding the pedal wrench which the manufacturer themselves say to not use it unless you're really desperate). I say almost b/c one of the Allen wrenches is actually a goofy ass slip on cover for a smaller wrench. If you need an Allen wrench in that size, you better hope you don't lose that tiny adapter thing. Another knock I have to give this thing, which I like a lot, is that ITS HUGE. Like the size of a grown woman's fist. I got around the size problem by strapping it to the pouch under my seat, but if your some crazy aero cat 1 racer dude you may run into problems putting this somewhere. That being said, if you're in anything less than race and/or are someone going really far from any support, you would be crazy and irresponsible to NOT have this thing or something like it. I give this tool my full recommendation to anyone who isn't currently in a race because it has everything you need in one, so its easy to be prepared. Trust me, you don't want to change a tube using a can opener and a keyring because the nearest real tools are at least an hour away.

I have had this tool for about six years. I use it when I go on bike tours. It has almost every tool I need to do a roadside repair that gets me back on the road. If you have disc brakes, this is a great option because it includes the star torx heads you need to get the job done. The tool occasionally needs to be tightened up at home to keep the pivot solid, but this is not a big deal. I've read through a number of reviews here and just want to point something out to those who dock this tool for its sturdiness: This tool is not intended to be used in a home shop setting! It is great for a quick emergency repair to get you to the bike shop/back home. If you are trying to crank down the pedals on your bike with this tool's 15mm wrench, you will be sorely disappointed in its capabilities. Home repairs should be done with full size tools. Buy sets of hex wrenches, open ended wrenches, a chain tool, some tire levers, and maybe a cassette tool and you are good to go.

Several years ago, I became serious about mountain biking again after not riding a bike since acquiring my driver's license. I had an older version of this tool back then and with the upgrades they made to it, including a chain tool, I decided I had to have the newer version. I have used this tool to fix all kinds of trail-side problems with my (and by buddies') bike. All of the tools are useful and well thought-out. I keep this tool in its nylon pouch on the waist strap of my Camelbak with several quick links in the small flap on the Velcro closure of the pouch. I ran into one problem with it though, which would have brought the tool down to 3 stars, but the way Topeak handled the issue put it back to 5. I had to use the pedal wrench to fix an issue trailside. In the literature about this tool it says that the pedal wrench is for emergencies only, not general use, and man were they right. The tool did its job, but after using it (and having to crank on it pretty hard) the pedal wrench flexed to the point that the wrench would no longer fit properly on a pedal spindle. I called Topeak and the customer service guy asked what the broken part was, asked for my name and address, and told me he was shipping a new wrench part to me immediately! He didn't ask for receipts, where, or when I bought it, how I was using it when it broke, or anything. No kidding, I received the replacement part, in factory packaging, three days later! That, my friends, is the way companies should stand behind their products! Well done Topeak! If you want a tool that allows you to fix just about any trailside problem, from a company which stands behind its product, you need a Topeak Alien II multi-tool!

This is a very handy compact multiple tool kit. I've owned one before but left it in storage in the isles.Now I have to buy another one since I now live on the west coast. I am basically duplicating and buying the same tools that I left at home.So I can pretty much speak from experience why this Topeak Alien tool is so awesome. Yes there are many other multitools out there such as the Crankbrothers, Specialized etc. I prefer the Topeak Alien as it has a good assortment of tools to do repairs when I am far away from civilization. Yes the other tools can do the same but the Alien has a few more tools than most others brands. It is slightly heavier but it stands to reason its only because it has a more diverse tool selection as opposed to say a 15 function tool that weighs less. Probably those who race XC would be justified in carrying a lighter tool. Weight doesn't play a role as to what goes into my hydration pack but having the right tools to make it out of a bad situation pretty much justifies the weight which in my opinion is not heavy at all. It comes with a nylon pouch to put the tool in and I believe the tool is a winner at its given price point.

This thing is incredible. I know there are lots of similar items available, so I can't say this particular brand or configuration is indispensable. However, I can say that this one has served me well for about 25,000 miles now! Allen keys in all the required sizes, a few wrench heads, a nifty little detachable wrench that can also be used to brace nuts on the backside while screwing the bolt in from the front, a pedal wrench attachment that saves you from having to carry a whole separate unit, a chainlink breaker (hope you never have to use that one!), and a knife for just in case. Carry this, a patch kit, and an kevlar emergency spoke and you are just about ready for a world tour! One note: be sure to dry it off if you've been riding in the rain. I messed up and left mine in its sheath inside my saddle bag, which got totally drenched. I must have left it in for a few weeks after that. Now there's some staining and corrosion. I'm sure if I had taken care of it promptly it would have kept its sheen. In any case, it still works great and I wouldn't buy anything else!

Serves for most cases, fits for riding alone and for small adjustments at home. quality of tool is not excellent but enough for couple of years of using. heavy because of many functions

Excelente herramienta, supero por mucho mis expectativas en material y calidad de producto, muy versátil definitivamente voy a usar todas las herramientas en mis dos bicicletas de montaña y urbana.

Ich habe das Multitool schon mehrfach zu Reparatur genommen und bin zufrieden. Es ist alles dabei, was man am Bike braucht. Die kleine Tasche zum Multitool ist ebenso nützlich.

Ben fatto

La verdad es que ocupa poco y parece de calidad. Todavía no lo he probado (por suerte), así que va en su bolsita. El único posible 'pero' es el sistema de enganche de ambas partes. Parece un sistema endeble, de plástico y seguramente la parte más debil de todo el conjunto. Aún así totalmente recomendable