I'm impressed by some tools from a new company called Lezyne.
The Lezyne Alloy Levers are constructed of polished, aerospace-grade aluminum for an high strength-to-weight ratio. Aggressive geometry design equips the Alloy Lever with ideal leverage for handling even the tightest of tire beads. These are, in short, the best tire levers we've ever seen. The, admittedly high, price includes two levers and a neoprene sleeve (so they don't rattle in you tool bag. I think this may be the only lever we stock in the future.
Another product I like is Lezyne's stainless steel multi-tool. It features forged, CNC-machined stainless steel bits have a solid and centered pivot base. This makes them very strong and resistant to folding during use. The aluminum side plates are also forged and high-polished. Even the hardware is custom forged and machined, then heat-treated. And a neoprene sleeve is included.
Finally, we will be stocking the Lezyne Pressure Drive pump. Its a sleek, and compact (216mm) pump that delivers up to 120psi. A feather-weight (103gm), CNC machined aluminum structure features an oversized piston that houses a reversible Presta/Schrader hose. The advantage of the hose is that it does not stress the valve stem and it allows you to hold the pump at any comfortable angle. Our Quicker Pro pump may be faster and easier to pump, but the Lezyne is smaller, lighter, and superbly made.
The tool seems a bit over the top. $34 for a pocket tool is steep. What I'd love to see is for someone to reintroduce the Finish Line/WTB tool. That tool was was ultra compact but still had everything you'd need. It was the rare example of simple, light and cheap all being attained.
ReplyDeleteIf you buy a good tool it will last forever. So that $34 might be a lifetime investment. That's why Snap-On tools are so popular with professional mechanics despite being stupidly expensive.
ReplyDeleteIs there a place on the pump to attach the unthreaded hose? I assume the given length does not include hose?
ReplyDeleteThe hose slides into the pump handle and the little rubber plug on the stalk covers the hole.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Lezyne owned by somebody who previously had another company in the cycling business, and sold that company? The name escapes me at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThe Lezyne pump looks nice, but the flip-out foot and pivoting T-handle on my Topeak Morphs have spoiled me for all other on-the-bike pumps forever. Being able to
ReplyDeletea) attach pump to tube via a hose,
b) hold the pump with a foot, and
c) pump using one or both hands
marries something close to track-pump ease of use with on-the-road portability. The combination is hard to beat, IMHO.
But those tire levers look sweet...
The topeak alien retails for about 40-50 bucks. The Lezyne tool is right there. The Finishline Chain pup was too small to be of any use. Not enough leverage with the short allen wrenches to tighten anything up without gouging your hand.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I like the Pedros tire levers- strong plastic, wide at the tire edge, long enough to leverage off most tires, and there's a lifetime warranty on em. Who pust a lifetime warranty on a tire lever??
You said that the Lezyne pump is smaller than the Quicker Pro, but according to your store website the Quicker Pro is 180mm and the Lezyne is 216mm. So which one is shorter?
ReplyDeleteOf course, I never get flats or mechanicals, so I don't need pumps or levers or tools.
ReplyDeletemburdge
"If you buy a good tool it will last forever. So that $34 might be a lifetime investment."
ReplyDeleteIt's a pocket tool - not the sort of thing that's going to see a lot of use. I have wrenches that saw daily shop use and are still going strong and cost only a couple of bucks. Some tools - like crescent wrenches or truing stands - are worth spending good money on but not a pocket tool for roadside repairs.
"The Finishline Chain pup was too small to be of any use. Not enough leverage with the short allen wrenches to tighten anything up without gouging your hand."
I never had that problem with mine. Of course I also avoid over tightening bolts. The one issue with the WTB tool was if you had a recessed stem bolt or some other need for a longer reach wrench.
The Lezyne stuff is all CNC, which means you're using a block of metal and a computerized milling machine to pop out a tool. This is a good process for making just a few items. For real production, you want the dies so you can cast things. Less raw material wasted, and you don't need machinists as often. A good machinist is *not* cheap.
ReplyDeleteSo... they're actually pretty reasonable prices since they're doing mass production in such a wasteful way. I just hope they're paying their machinists enough.
yeah, regarding the CNC machining, its amazing american made hubs like Phil's are as cheap as they are. they start with a huge cylinder of aluminum. as a guy who has attempted to machine his own chainrings from 7075 stock, i know that raw aluminum aint cheap.
ReplyDelete@zman: Lezyne was started by the german Truvativ founder Michael (Micki) Kozuschek. when he sold Truvativ in 2004 to SRAM, he signed a non-compete clause, so he produces things SRAM doesn't make. the non-compete clause expired in october 2007.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Lezyne makes good quality, well engineered products: reminds me of Syntace (or Nitto for that matter), which sells some of the best engineered products out there. pump with hose, like the Brompton pump, is a fantastic retro idea. I'd be hesitant of putting aluminum levers on my aluminum rims, however: plastic/vinyl doesn't scratch, and might even be 3g lighter . . .
I've broken enough tire levers that I'll only use metal levers. I even have a steel pair. If you're worried about scratching your rims, which is not really an issue, put a band of tape around the lever.
ReplyDeleteI'm amused by these lifetime guarantees. When a lever breaks on some back road in France just before dark it's good to know you can eventually get your $5 back, that is if you haven't thrown the broken lever into the middle of some vineyard in frustration. Then you can walk up to that farmhouse guarded by a crazed dog the size of water buffalo and try to ask in broken French if they have a tire lever you might borrow.
I'll spend a bit more and just not worry about it, thank you
older shimano and new campy hub QRs work just fine as tire levers in a pinch. salsa qrs work like its thier primary purpose, but they dont have the clamping power (in their intended role) that the shimano and campy design has...
ReplyDeletebasically i am saying, if you break your tire lever, you probally dont have to borrow one.
Johnson, That's true, but then the story would not have been half as amusing.
ReplyDeleteindeed. when is someone going to make beryllium tire levers? thats what i want! 2,000 dollar levers that weigh .07 grams. anyone remember american beryllium frames? they were lugged! although the lugs and glue weighed more than all of the tubing...
ReplyDeleteHey, yeah, berillium tire levers; just what you need when fixing flats in explosive gas-filled rooms! No spark, no explosion, no melted tires! Cool...
ReplyDeleteYou just HAVE to try one of these pumps to appreciate the quality.
ReplyDeleteIncredibly smooth, real easy to use, seperate presta/schraeder sides of the hose. Replaceable, normal, O-ring seals found at your local hardware store...
First time I got to check one out, I was determined to buy one soon thereafter.
Good stuff.
i haven't had a single problem with the soma steel core tire levers, and they're a bit cheaper. and machining a tire lever does seem like awful overkill...
ReplyDeletecan't wack a rabid dog with it! i'll stick with full sized frame pumps. good at warding off overzealous dogs, retro nuts, and proponents of trickle down economics.
ReplyDeletetom, the Soma steel core doesn't extend all the way to the tip. I know a couple of shop mechanics who have broken teh tips off. That said, I own one, and haven't had any issues with it either.
ReplyDeletejohnson,
ReplyDeleteI actually have tubular titanuim tire levers. Don't remember where they came from, but it's a silly use off amterials.
didnt king (cage) make ti levers? i dont think ti is as wacky as beryllium, but you do have to strip ye ole wetlands to get to it. personally, i like my steel mafac levers. they are great. and light. and have wrenches on the other side.
ReplyDeleteBeryllium tire levers? While we're at it, let's bring back drilled-out parts--including tyres and water bottles!
ReplyDelete@C - managed to fix two broken chains the other week with a Finish Line Chain Pup.
ReplyDelete