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Reviews 1 - 15 (51 Reviews Total)
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Submitted by
Bob Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Anchorage, AKDate Reviewed: June 29, 2006
Strengths: Are there any??Weaknesses: Chain tool broke on first use. The two parts of the tool don't come apart without being pried apart with something like a stick or tire wrenches. Cheap.Bottom Line: I agree with many of the other reviewers, the cheap metal makes for a lightweight tool, but a crappy one. The chain tool broke after one use, now I have to drive to work tomorrow. Enough said.
Favorite Trail: many
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: The Bike Dept. at the Motorcycle Shop
Similar Products Used: none
Bike Setup: k2 zed 3.0 frame, mostly shimano xt components, yeah it's crappy
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, CADate Reviewed: August 12, 2004
Strengths: small, lightweight, reliable
Weaknesses: small flathead screwdriver tough to fit inBottom Line: This tool has worked great for me for over three years. I see that others have had problems w/reliability and I'm shocked. I'm pretty demanding on my bike and tools. I have:
used the chainbreaker probably 30 times w/o any problem.
used the tire levers over 50 times, at least (pinch flats)
used the hex wrenches in hard to reach places because they have versatile ball ends.
This tool has worked out really well for me on my Cannondale SV2000 and my Heckler, having just what I need and nothing else. I bought one as a gift for a friend and he swears by it too.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: Wheelaway
Similar Products Used: Ritchey CPR-13
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Heckler
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Knightmare
a Cross Country Rider
from KentuckyDate Reviewed: August 21, 2003
Strengths: Tire levers workWeaknesses: Chain tool and allen wrenches are cheap and break after the first use. Wrench is too small to use and spoke tool rounds off nipples.Bottom Line: I had to think hard to find anything of value about this tool. The only thing I could come up with was that the tire levers haven't broke. Everything else about this tool is cheap and breaks the first time you try to use them. The chain tool part broke the first time I tried to use it and the T allen wrench broke taking a water bottle cage off. The wrench park is too small to use and the cut outs in it for adjusting spokes are too big and round off the nipples.
I have never own a tool that was so pathetic. I bought it on clearance and now I know why. It had a lifetime warranty but wasn't worth the time, effort, or cost to send it to Blackburn.
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At: LBS
Similar Products Used: Crank Brothers
Bike Setup: Trek Fuel
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Racer
from Los Angeles, CADate Reviewed: December 13, 2002
Strengths: looks like a great toolWeaknesses: reliabilityBottom Line: I bought this tool, used it once, it broke, I threw it out.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Similar Products Used: various
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Serge
a Racer
from La Mesa, CA, USADate Reviewed: October 26, 2002
Strengths: Lightweight and small. Fits in saddle bag nicelyWeaknesses: Lightweight and fragile. I dropped the thing in dirt and the metal on the chaintool broke rendering it useless.Bottom Line: Piece of junk.
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Similar Products Used: Alien.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
David Rome
a Cross Country Rider
from sydney, australiaDate Reviewed: July 4, 2002
Strengths: ultra light weight, very compact, strong and has only useful toolsWeaknesses: it could use a phillips screw driver but nothing elseBottom Line: It great tool for an emergancy and even better if your a cross country rider. It fits easily into your back pocket or seat pack and has as much tool as something twice its size and weight. But i do repeat its an emergany tool, its not made for a home workshop. So if you need a tool with lots on it than this is your one its small, light and very useful.
Favorite Trail: oaks
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At: cranks bike shop
Similar Products Used: cheaper allens key sets
Bike Setup: gaint yukon
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Tampa, FLDate Reviewed: February 11, 2002
Strengths: Small, light and has just about every tool you need for on-the-trail adjustments.Weaknesses: The chain breaker: the pot metal is VERY weak and cracked the first time I used it. Also, the plastic body flexes a bit when using the wrenches.Bottom Line: Buy another tool. I would gladly accept a couple more ounces of weight for a stronger tool. I thought this was the perfect carry-along multi-tool for about a week. Then I used the chain-breaker.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At: University Bicycle Center
Similar Products Used: Cannondale multi-tool. No chain breaker though.
Bike Setup: Specialized Stumpjumper M4
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
The Notorious R.O.B.
a Cross Country Rider
from New JerseyDate Reviewed: January 11, 2002
Strengths: Light, Blackburn warranty, the way the tire levers and all attach to the main bodyWeaknesses: The chain tool part of this thing.Bottom Line: Overall, this tool blows goats. I've gone thru 3 of them. That's because I work at a shop and the Blackburn rep keeps giving me new ones. One of these days I'll buy something real. The aluminum body is so soft, that when you try to use the chain tool ara, it bends or breaks the little holding tabs.---What good is a full replacement warranty when you keep getting the same crappy product? I give 2 for value and 1 Flamin' Osama Bin Ladin for an Overall. DON'T BUY IT!
Favorite Trail: Fair Hill, Md.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At: LBS
Similar Products Used: Topeak Alien, Park mini tool kit.
Bike Setup: 2 wheels, a seat, and a Lefty!
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Beau Johnston
a
from Moscow, IDDate Reviewed: December 7, 2001
Bottom Line: This is a great emergency tool. Taking up very little space, it has every tool you would need for a minor trail adjustment.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a
from CADate Reviewed: November 23, 2001
Bottom Line: This little tool has worked wonderful for me. Granted, I've only used it for emergency trailside repair work so... oh, wait, that's all it was intended for. Go figure.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ville Lekholm
a Cross Country Rider
from SwedenDate Reviewed: August 5, 2001
Strengths: Light weight, compact size, lifetime warranty (use it!).Weaknesses: The 4,5 and 6mm allen wrenches are completely useless. Way overpriced. No no.2 phillips screwdriver.Bottom Line: Buy something else. If you already own this goodlooking peice of scrapmetal, use the lifetime warranty and trade it in for something else (such as the toolmanator). The allen wrenches bend or break at the slightest pressure. Includes some superfluous tools such as a 6mm hex wrench, but no phillips screwdriver. Sure, it's light weight, but it's 70g you don't need on your bike
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At: Velodrom Stockholm
Similar Products Used: Topeak Alien, Park tools allen-set, Blackburn toolmanator
Bike Setup: F2000 '98
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dominic Guinta
a Cross Country Rider
from Lake Zurich, IlDate Reviewed: June 10, 2001
Strengths: Light weight.Weaknesses: OK so this product is light, but that's not going to do you a lot of good when you are pushing your bike out of the trails. The few times I have had to use it the tool has always broken on me. First it was the tire levers, then the hex tool broke. I put this tool in the trash and went out and bought a Topeak Alien. The Alien is great! Yea it weighs a lot more, but now would I rather put an extra pound on my bike and ride out of the trails or save a pound and push it out? Do your self a favor get the Alien!Bottom Line: The bottom line is this product sucks! Blackburn is great about their warranty and the product is light, but what good will that do you when you are pushing your bike back to the car?
Favorite Trail: Kettle Moraine
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At: tailwinds
Similar Products Used: Topeak Alien
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher Sugar 2
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy
a
from Washington, DC, USADate Reviewed: June 9, 2001
Strengths: small, light, many toolsWeaknesses: its a POS, not enough leverage on the tools, box wrenches hard to use in tight places (all stacked together, so they wont always fit)Bottom Line: dont buy, it seemed good to me at first because of its size and different tools, but the only part of this tool that has actually helped me was the tire levers, i needed the allen wrenches many times but didnt have enough leverage to move any of the screws and what not one bit, so that really annoyed me, now im gonna go buy a ToPeak Alien tool, seems that will actually do the job for me when i need it, rather than having to take it to a bike shop every time i need a minor adjustment, bottom line is dont buy this tool, it may seem good but when its needed, it doesnt help!
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: Hudson Trail Outfitters
Bike Setup: 2001 Gary Fisher Tassajara
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Weekend Warrior
from NJDate Reviewed: April 26, 2001
Strengths: Don't know of any, got rid of it right away.Weaknesses: Rounded allen wrenches.Bottom Line: Tried to use this for the first time over the weekend while out on the trail to tighten up a loose cleat on my SPD shoes. The ends of the allen wrenches have little rounded balls on the end that are supposed to prevent puncturing anything. They may serve this purpose, but they completely suck for tightening anything. I tightened the cleat the first time, and the allen wrench started to get stripped. I also couldn't get enough leverage, so when I tried to stop 10 min. later and get my foot out of the pedal, the cleat just twisted and I fell on my ass. After a second attempt at tightening the cleat, the end of the allen wrench got COMPLETELY stripped and was worthless. Not only was the rounded edge on the end of it horrible, it seems to be made of a really soft metal that easily gets stripped. It's a good thing I was with my friend who had an Alien tool with real allen wrenches and was able to tighten the cleat the way it should've been the first time.
As soon as I got home I took it right back to the store and switched it for an Alien.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Similar Products Used: None
Bike Setup: '00 Gary Fisher Kaitai
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Michel Slakouvski-Richard
a Weekend Warrior
from Québec, Qc, CDNDate Reviewed: September 14, 2000
Bottom Line: I've used this product something like 10 times. But the first time I used it in wood, it was to fix my chain and the product broke at place. Result: 30 minutes to walk to the nearest road!
Favorite Trail: Mont Ste-Anne
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Purchased At: Fournel Bicycles
Bike Setup: Giant Iguana SE
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