Skip to main content

Lezyne Allen Block multi-tool


Gripping the Lezyne Allen Block, the first thing you notice is its high quality, reassuringly solid feel.As the name suggests, the focus here is on Allen keys. Ten are included, all of a decent enough length to let you tackle the fiddlier jobs many multi-tools just won’t reach.

Sizes range from 1.5 to 6mm but there’s no 8mm, which is needed to remove certain pedals, pivot bolts and rear axles. The 1.5, 2 and 2.5mm bits are L-shaped, which comes in handy for some awkward to reach bolts.After months in a non-waterproof hydration pack pocket, none of the steel bits are showing any signs of wear and the anti-corrosion treatment has kept rust at bay too.We’re big fans of the unfussy design, and at a reasonable 130g and 96mm in length, it’s easy to find somewhere to stash it in your pack. It’s a touch bulky to just throw in a shorts pocket though.

Price 22$

Popular posts from this blog

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge

Merida Big Nine 100

Wit the bikes swapped over, we head out on the same loop again, this time on the 29in Big Nine 100. Whereas the Big Seven was snappy off the line, the 29er takes a couple more pedal strokes to get up to speed. That said, once it's up there, it's easy to keep the big wheels rolling, allowing us to cover ground with ease. The fire road is at times a little rough, and the bigger wheels roll over the imperfections so we barely notice them.

Anthony Messere’s Morpheus Vimana Slope

A flying chariot built with one thing in mind – slopestyle domination