Wednesday 3 December 2008
Personalise
Help

Read or Write User Product Reviews | Find Your Nearest Shop | Find a Brand | Buy a BM Jersey

Joining prize

Join BIKEmagic now

Join today & you could win one of five Joe's no flats tubeless conversion kits from Hotlines

why join?

Members Logon

Email:
Password:
forgot your password?

Premium Shopping Partners

Are you a retailer?

	Merlin Cycles
	Cycle Surgery
	Rutland Cycling
	D2 Leisure Group
	Chain Reaction Cycles
	Wiggle

Travel Partners

	Snowdonia Charity Challenge
	Responsible Travel
	BikeVillage
	Explore Cycles
	Skyline Events
	Ticket2RideBC
	The Mountain Bike Chalet

Shopping Partners

	Dales Cycles
	Sprockets.uk.com
	Kudu Bikes
» More Shopping

Latest Reviews

17827 Total Reviews

	Freeride Spain Sierra Nevada Mountain Range by Paul Iddon 2
	Specialized Low Pro Magnesium Pedal by Barry McCauley
	Ergon GX2 Magnesium Grips by Barry Robinson
» Loads More Reviews

Get your RSS now

Get bikemagic.com straight to your desktop with our RSS feed.

- All articles feed

Other feeds are available.
Need RSS help?

Get the bikemagic newsletter

Home > Product Reviews > Tools > Topeak Alien 22 Multitool Reviews

Topeak Alien 22 Multitool

Summary|Reviews|Start a discussion

Bookmark this

Topeak Alien 22 Multitool
More about Topeak

Average Rating: 4 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 11
Weight: 271g
RRP: £34.99

Description: The Alien's 20 tools fold neatly into its engineering grade resin body for easy carrying. Tools include 2/2.5/3/4/5 (2pcs)/6 mm allen keys, 8/9/10 mm (2pcs) box wrenches, Phillips and flat blade screwdrivers, a universal chain tool, spoke wrenches, etc.

REVIEWS

1 to 10 of 11 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.Page: 1 2

Dave Ebling

Posted: 07/02/01

Strengths:
Lots of good quality tools. Spoke keys work well, as do spanners. Normal Allen keys are robust. Pivots haven't loosened much. Two part design. Small size.

Weaknesses:
The chain tool mangles even brand new chains. There is a chamfer that should not be there that allows the plates to bend instead of forcing the pin through the hole. I snapped one of the tire levers. The cross headed screwdriver is a bit on the large side for most bike applications, though it's great for working on your PC! :) The crank bolt allen key should have a longer hex section to allow using a spanner for leverage. If you use a lot of force on an allen key when the two halves are connected, you can damage the mating slots.

Overall:
Generally excellent, but with a few serious faults. Good value as buying all the seperate bits would be about the same price, but a lot bigger and more awkward to carry.

Performance		60%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

60%

Craig Furber

Posted: 08/02/01

Strengths:
Good to have all the tools in one place for the trail. Split design allows more flexibility in application.
All the tools function well.

Weaknesses:
Cumbersome and heavy for trail.
Allen keys do get worn.
Lack of leverage to get a really good tightening on a bolt.
Access can be a problem as the tools are all short handled.

Overall:
Good quality product. Well made with most of what you need for the trail.
Durable but needs a little more in terms of useability.

Performance		60%
Reliability		60%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

67%

Will Greswell

Posted: 13/02/01

'Great all round tool'

Strengths:
Two piece, compact, well thought out design.
Solid.
Adequate selection of tools.

Weaknesses:
Spoke wrenches a little shallow, but that is getting pernickerty.
No adjustable spanner, which can be good for those bodge jobs.

Overall:
Decent tool, with just about all you need when you are out on the road/trail. I really like the two piece, slide away design as it aids compactness. Topeak have thought about this tool and come up with a good product.

Performance		80%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

67%

Graham Stewart

Posted: 27/04/01

'Top quality trail tool'

Strengths:
Great design with good quality tools.
Feels a lot more rugged than other trail tools.
Self-servicing - the pivot bolts at each end can be tightened using the other half of the tool.

Weaknesses:
Be nice if the pouch could be easily attached to the frame (perhaps an after-market product?)

Overall:
Great tool - got me out of many potential walk home situations without complaint. I wouldn't go any further than the shops without it.
Perhaps a little expensive compared to other trail tools, but very durable and useful.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

73%

Tim D (Oh My God!)!)

Posted: 09/01/02

'HIGH QUALITY TOOLS AT A HIGH PRICE'

Strengths:
strong allen keys, handy tyre levers, very compact size for space saving

Weaknesses:
i got mine second hand and the chain tool pin was bent!
the allen keys aren't quite long enough for easy use
the screwdriver (posi) doesn't fit mech screws properly
the saw is bloody dangerous!

Overall:
a very expensive tool, but is a lot better than the halfords multitool i use to have.
if you have a lot of money to buy flash toys then this is a great, convenient spacesaver that gets you out of most jams.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

73%

Lee Priestland

Posted: 10/01/02

'TOP TOOL'

Strengths:
A good range of tools, easy to use, indestructable, flexible and well designed for use both on the trail and in the workshop.

Weaknesses:
Quite heavy although it packs in loads.

Overall:
I bought a cheap multi-tool and after that broke the first time I used it I went straight out and bought this. I haven't been disappointed and keep using it more often.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

93%

den payne

Posted: 23/11/02

'WORKS WELL I GUESS'

Strengths:
handy size to carry

Weaknesses:
torque bit keeps falling out
doesnt make the tea no matter how much i tell it to

Overall:
better than carrying a tool kit

Performance		60%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

67%

Guy Swarbrick

Posted: 05/12/02

'CHUNKY, BUT HANDY TO HAVE AROUND'

Strengths:
Almost everything I need (by son's 24" wheeled Peugeot road bike doesn't have QR, so 15mm and 17mm spanners would be useful - if not entirely practical), well made and the gap between the velcro and the material is exactly the right size to keep a Park self-adhesive puncture kit.

Weaknesses:
OK, everyone else has said it, but the damn cross head screw griver is at least one size too big. And the pedal spanner's about as much use as the saw...

Overall:
Lots of Americans claim to have been probed by Aliens. No wonder they were disturbed by the experience if this is the Alien they were probed with. Having carried a chain tool, spoke key, allen keys and sundy other stuff around with me for years, I now make do with the Alien, the Park patches and a CO2 pump. Covers almost any eventuality.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

73%

Danny dosn Jones

Posted: 03/01/03

'CHUNKY MONKEY THAT FIXES THINGS'

Strengths:
Has most things you will ever need but not more!
the security feature on the razor sharp knife is well sorted!
allen keys have still lasted (I use a home set for at home)
I have managed to successfully use the chain tool

Weaknesses:
bottle opener is hard to use (sorry been picky)
erm I have lost the torx bolt allredy without even using it!
Philips screwdriver will not fit in the front/rear mech which is the most common needed place for a philips.
They have a pedal spanner bet they say do not use it on pedals hmmm

Overall:
This is the best tool out there with some major minor niggles that do need addressing. This is getting a five for relaibility as it has not let me down yet.

Performance		80%
Reliability		100%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

80%

roy harper

Posted: 17/01/03

'GOOD COMPACT TOOLKIT'

Strengths:
lots of tools that actually work, splits in two which is handy, compact

Weaknesses:
screw driver is to large.

Overall:
I'm very pleased with this tool, gladly had not had to use it to much in situations but when I have it's had the correct tools for the job, out of all the compact tools out there this is one of the better ones.