Price paid: Not much .
Score (out of 10): 7
Some on bike storage solutions from GRANITE. I didn't buy the head stem tool as it seemed too pokey and with the fitting system it's then expensive and pokey. It's a shame wolftooth or someone don't make a stem version of the Encase Hex bit wrench with some extra features. At least that design gives you most of the bit sizes you'd ever need unlike most of the compromised stem tools.
So firstly .. The TALON Tyre Levers.
These sit together for storage (but don't click together, so they just fall apart if you let go of them, there's no clever magnet or anything here).
With one lever one way and one the other, they slide together to make a quick link removal pliers.
The two holes in one lever let you click in the two halves of a quick link. These click in securely.
When joined together, they don't line up exactly, but they still work as intended.
As tyre levers they seem substantial and like you could swing on them like an angry gorilla all day. As a clever multi tool to do as many things as possible whilst trying to keep size and weight down with your gear, they're a bit sh1t really.
Something like the Topeak Power Lever "X" - it has to have the "X" (the none X has plastic teeth which snap off) - is a far far better tool for less money :
Next Up, The STASH chain tool.
This can be stored in a handlebar end or a hollow axle crank.
Doesn't do anything more than it says. If they'd had a second beer when designing it, they could have made the chain section large enough to squeeze a link in. Then, you could have wound in the chain breaker to break a quick link if you dropped the link in flat on the toold and had the two next links vertical - in a U shape.
Interesting, unlike many handlebar tools, these can be used with open ended or closed ended grips. You just slide them in, tighten them up with a 3mm allen key - which squishes the rubber collar and forces it to expand, trapping the unit in the bars. If you're on closed end grips, just slide the grip back over and it's safely protected in there.
The main thing to watch for here is the "T" bar. On mine I needed pliers to release it the first time. Once lubed and re-inserted several times it was fine to store and remove by hand, but if you'd tried it out on the trail in an emergency, you'd be swearing a lot.
The two holes either side enable you to store a quick link, whilst the o-ring slips over them to hold them in place.
And finally .. the Stash Tyre Plug ..
A clean and simple little tool for emergencies.
Comes with a reamer and fork plus, in my case 5 strips of 1.5mm bacon and 5 strips of 3.5mm bacon. Or facon, or whatever takes your fancy ..
You can't actually fit them all in the tool though. I managed all the 1.5's and a cut down strip of 2 * 3.5's. In fairness, the instructions say it only comes with 2 of each, so who's complaining !
As you can see, the tool itself is a little short to easily re-assemble with bacon on board. If you screw the middle tube on and then try to screw on the fork end, it hits the bacon. So you have to screw the middle tube onto the fork end, slide that over the bacon and then wobble, twist and screw it onto the reamer end so the strips get forced into the fork end past the wider threaded section. Or I guess you could cut you bacon 5mm shorter.
One nice touch is the o-rings on the ends so air can't get in and you bacon should stay nice and moist ...
EDIT : Snapped the levers trying to remove a particularly tight quick link. Sent a picture to Granite and they're sending a replacement
- So good after sales support !!!
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