Submitted by
wanderinginhel
a Cross Country Rider
from Plattsburgh, Ny, USA
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2011
Strengths: Alot of tool options and the strength of the material is good.
Weaknesses: The release that attaches the two halves has a weak spring, I intend to replace the spring myself with a better one.
Bottom Line:
Tool is a good do all tool. Other good points are materials they used are good. Weak point is the design of the connecting mechanism for the two halves.
Similar Products Used: Multiple crankbros multi-tools
Bike Setup: Custom Specialized Rockhopper 29er
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Clones123
a Weekend Warrior
from Marietta, GA
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2010
Strengths: Nice design, compact size and quality materials.
Weaknesses: At 290g this thing is WAY too heavy.
Bottom Line:
I could easily do without all the box wrenches - I don't even have a single hex nut on my bike! Buy something smaller and with only the tools you need for half the weight of this. If that multi-tool doesn't include a chain-breaker, then get a Park CT-5 Mini-Brute Chain Tool (72g).
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Greenville, SC, USA
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2009
Strengths: contains about all the tools you could need for a trail-side repair
Weaknesses: heavy & bulky
Bottom Line:
I've been happy with this tool so far. It has only been used a few times (which is what you want for an emergency tool!) but each time it had just the tool for the job. I would like to see Topeak include the frame mounting bracket with the tool & case. It is so large that the Alien II and a spare tube fill my saddle bag.
Submitted by
Professzore
a Cross Country Rider
from Budapest, Hungary (Europe)
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2009
Strengths: Wide selection of useful tools, very well built with (almost) industry-grade materials and quality.
Weaknesses: Weight.
Bottom Line:
I used my Minoura for almost 17 years with complete satisfaction, but sometimes I found its range of tools not enough. I found Alien II a good way to upgrade, and ordered on on eBay. It's far more useful than any other similar pruduct I've ever seen in local stores (mostly with poor quality and/or too narrow selection of tools and/or extremly high price). It has only one real weekness: weight. If you can make this "deal", I mean, a lot of features with very good quality versus the extra weight, I recommend this product.
Strengths: it has lots of tools, pretty solid, good design
Weaknesses: has some completley obsolete trail-tools (like a bleed nut wrench: when are you gonna bleed your brakes on the trail, right?), it rusted and I have never needed to use more than 5-6 of the tools on it. it's overkill
Bottom Line:
its a good tool if you are hard on bikes, but other than that, don't get one. if you want something to use as a tool to fix the basic problems you usually occur on the trail or if you aren't an excellent bike mech, go for something smaller. it will mean less weight and less space taken up, and I guarantee you, you will not use all the tools on it.
Submitted by
Stumpy_Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from SF Bay Area, CA
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2007
Strengths: Wow, this thing has everything! Chain breaker, all the allen keys, wrenches, everything! And it all fits in the nice carrying case, which has a pocket for my smart links!
Weaknesses: Can't find anything yet. I guess you can say it's heavy, but for what it does and is meant for, I can't complain.
Bottom Line:
Had a recent trip at Downieville including 3 flats and a torn tire. Unfortunetly, I forgot my tire levers until I noticed this bad boy had two of them! Chain got jammed inbetween my granny and middle ring too, so I had to unbolt my granny to get it out after splitting my chain two minutes before! This tool did everything in an emergency time fashion with ease. I love it so much, Im buying another to put in my road seat bag.
Just picked up the Alien 2, and have a question on the chain breaking tool. At the end of the allen screw, the post is 2 seperate pieces with a small ball bearing behind em in the Read More »
Today, while riding, I came across of group of people, and one of them had some chain links bent on his chain. I offered them my help, even though I've never done field repairs(or Read More »
Rode Alien Run near Aztec last weekend. It's a fun and scenic trail. We got 12 hours of rain the day before so a lot of the trail felt like fly paper. The sand stone formations and Read More »
Hi
I've recently bought a Alien II multitool. I have my eye on the Lazyne L-Caddy.
Does the Alien II fit in the multitool pouch of the L-Caddy? It looks a bit flat. Read More »
