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Topeak Ninja C bar plug chain tool

5
£27.99

VERDICT:

5
10
Not a bad chain tool but as bar end plugs it's not secure enough for taped, drop bars. Oh - and, just...why?
Weight: 
80g

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Topeak's Ninja C Chain tool sets out to solve a problem you never knew you had. Unfortunately, while it's a pretty decent chain tool, it's a duff way of plugging your bar ends, on drop bars at least.

'The Ninja C chain tool stores inside your handlebar to keep the uncluttered lines of your bike', says Topeak's website. It's an old advertisers' trick: worry you into thinking you have a problem that only this product can solve. Just as Listerine convinced 1920's Americans they had halitosis, now you might understand why nobody in your cycling club wants to ride alongside you. It's because your chain tool is cluttering your bike's lines.

Buy Topeak Ninja C bar plug chain tool
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Never mind, Topeak to the rescue with this two-piece tool (chain breaker on one side, hex wrench and chain holder on the other), which takes the place of your bar end plugs to keep it up tight and outa sight. Except it didn't, or at least not on any of the road bikes I tried it on.

Topeak Ninja C - in bar 2.jpg

The tool relies on two squashy rubber bungs that sit between the business end and the bar-end plug to keep it in place. By twisting the knurled, carbon fibre-weave end plug, you can compress the band to force it against the inside of the bar to hold everything tight.

The problem is, your road bike almost certainly requires bar tape. There's a good reason why those cheapy plastic end plugs supplied with your tape are a tight fit. Some even need a mallet to drive them home. More expensive ones use an expanding plug that's tightened by means of a bolt. That reason is that the end plug is there to keep your bar tape under tension and tucked away. Loose plugs are soon pulled free by the stretch of the tape. That's what happened with the Ninja C. No matter how much I adjusted the compression on the rubber ring, I couldn't get it to stay in place.

Topeak Ninja C - in bar 1.jpg

You can learn quite a bit from the kinds of warnings companies print on their instruction sheet. 'Periodically check that NINJA C is seated in handlebar properly', is the advice printed in bold under a yellow and black exclamation mark. Imagine what happened in product testing to make Topeak think that was a necessary precaution. Well, it happened to me, too. In my case, 'periodically' meant every six miles, which was how far I'd got before the tool itself fell out for the first time, and for every six miles after. The other part, with the hex wrench, stayed in better (probably because it isn't as heavy) but even so, both tools rattled annoyingly inside the bar ends for the duration of the ride.

Topeak Ninja C - tool 1.jpg

You might have better luck if you ride a road bike with flat bars. I fitted the Ninja C to my mountain bike where, because the rubber bungs press against the bare metal of the inside of the handlebar, it stayed secure. This only works if your grips are the sort where the end plug is a separate piece. Even then, if your grips are the lock-on sort, you will need your multitool to get at your chain tool. I hope your multitool isn't spoiling the clean lines of your bike.

Topeak Ninja C - tool 2.jpg

It's a pity because, as an emergency chain tool, it's pretty good. Breaking a chain is, for good reasons, a difficult job and one that many smaller tools struggle with. This one pushed out pins from a variety of chains, old and new, without snapping or bending the pushing pin or the teeth that the chain sits on. The 90 degree hinge gives you a usable handle (though the knurled end cap is a bit hard on the palm of the hand) and the 4mm hex wrench you use to turn the tool is long enough and strong enough for the job, though if you are carrying a multitool anyway it's questionable as to whether it's needed at all. A plastic bracket on the hex tool holds a nice aluminium chain hook, which is useful but, I fear, all too easy to lose. You can also store chain pins in it.

Topeak Ninja C - in bar.jpg

The 4mm socket on the end of the chain tool pusher can be used to snap off the pins, though I think a quick-link is a better answer to on-the-road chain failures. When pushing pins in, I found the teeth on the tool a bit low-profile for holding the chain completely straight, requiring a one-finger-pressing down-on-the-link technique. If you do insist on joining your chain with a pin, the tool has a fold-out 'anvil' which you can use to peen the end of the new pin, as required by Campagnolo chains.

Read more: 10 of the best multi tools — get the right bits to fix your bike's bits

My preferred chain tool for on the road is the Park CT-5, which is strong, simple, weighs less, is £13 cheaper than the Ninja C and slips flat into a pocket or saddle pack so nobody knows I'm carrying it and I can do all the things I normally enjoy doing without embarrassment – even riding a bike.

Verdict

Not a bad chain tool but as bar end plugs it's not secure enough for taped, drop bars. Oh - and, just...why?

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Topeak Ninja C

Size tested: Fits in to bars with 16.5-20mm internal diameter

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Topeak's website says:

The Ninja C chain tool stores inside your handlebar to keep the uncluttered lines of your bike, yet can be easily accessed when you need it. This 11 speed compatible chain tool includes a chain pin compartment, chain hook, and 4mm Allen wrench for easy operation.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

ADDED FEATURES Rivet anvil for 11 speed Campagnolo® hollow pin

Secondary chain link fence, Chain pin breaker

Chain pin compartment

ALLEN WRENCHEs 4 mm

BODY Lightweight aluminum

CHAIN HOOK Hardened steel

CHAIN TOOL Hardened steel

LIMITATIONS Road handlebar with minimum 70mm straight section end

Fits inner ø16.5 - ø20 tube

MOUNT Handlebar ends

SIZE8.6 x 2.3 x 2.3 cm / 3.4' x 0.9' x 0.9' (Chain tool)

8.5 x 2.3 x 2.3 cm / 3.3' x 0.9' x 0.9' (Chain hook)

SPEED Multi-speed chain up to 11 speed hollow pin chain

WEIGHT 77 g / 2.72 oz

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Clearly well-made and finished piece of kit. The actual design, though, is another matter.

Rate the product for performance:
 
5/10

Actually quite good as a chain tool, pretty useless as bar-end-plugs. You could just stick it in your pocket, I supose.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Seems strong and had no problems pushing out tight pins.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
5/10

Fair for a chain tool. It could be lighter if Topeak assumed everyone already carries a few hex wrenches.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
7/10

Reasonaby ergonomic in use. The knurled bar-end plugs are a bit rough on the palm of the hand when using the chain tool.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

Quite a dear way of solving a not-very-significant problem.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

As a chain tool, not too fiddly and certainly strong enough not to let you down when you need it. As a set of bar end plugs, only really suitable for flat bars with grips.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Attractively machined and finished; pretty effective chain tool and the chain hook is a nice touch.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It wouldn't stay in the ends of my handlebars and rattled inside.

Did you enjoy using the product? Not really

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? No

Use this box to explain your score

It's a perfectly decent chain tool made worse by someone being too clever. You could just carry the business-end of the tool in your pocket, but there are cheaper tools that are just as effective.

Overall rating: 5/10

About the tester

Age: 52  Height: 6'2  Weight: 73kg and holding steady

I usually ride: Cannondale CAAD10   My best bike is: Tomassini Prestige

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

Add new comment

11 comments

Avatar
Hypoxic | 6 years ago
0 likes

WTF??? What will they think of next?... What about a bum plug multi-tool? Technically it would also be weightless to the bike... always a good selling point!!!

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 6 years ago
3 likes

So it doesn't solve a problem that doesn't exist.

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to Mungecrundle | 6 years ago
4 likes
Mungecrundle wrote:

So it doesn't solve a problem that doesn't exist.

...but never fails not to do it with a 100% success rate

Avatar
bobbypuk | 6 years ago
2 likes

Who carries a chain tool on a road bike? 30 years and I've snapped a chain once and that was a badly set up fixed wheel machine. If you're snapping chains regularly that £28 could be better spent on a couple of new chains.

Avatar
antigee replied to bobbypuk | 6 years ago
0 likes
bobbypuk wrote:

Who carries a chain tool on a road bike? 30 years and I've snapped a chain once and that was a badly set up fixed wheel machine.....

not enough people? 10 years ago would have said the same but on a few events been on in recent years seen plenty of broken chains on 10 and 11 speed roadie machines - usually sat waiting for mechanical help to arrive

PS I have a mirror in one bar end and wouldn't be without it but can see the benefits for those that hate underseat bags but want to be self sufficient

Avatar
srchar | 6 years ago
2 likes

I don't see the obsession with trying to repurpose bar end plugs as some sort of novelty receptacle for a chain tool/tyre levers/tubeless reamers/bottle openers. By definition, if it fits in a bar end plug, you could fit ten of it in a jersey pocket.

Avatar
kil0ran | 6 years ago
1 like

Their 11-speed folding chain tool is very compact, includes a chain hook and peening anvil for Campag, and works perfectly well. I struggle to see how it wouldn't fit even the tiniest seat pack.

Avatar
kev-s | 6 years ago
2 likes

If you really want to carry a chain tool on your bike then look at Specailized's Swat top cap chain tool

 

It even has space to carry a spare split link in case you cant repair your chain and at £25 its cheaper than the bar one above

 

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialized-SWAT-Top-Cap-Chain-Tool_84275.htm?s...

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
1 like

I've had one of these for a while and it can be an issue to get it to fit. I found it was too small, so I ended up shaping some Sugru to make the rubber a bit bigger and now it fits perfectly. The other issue I found was if it starts rattling against the inside of the bars - I solved that by using a bit of old inner tube to cover it.

Avatar
Welsh boy replied to hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
7 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

I've had one of these for a while and it can be an issue to get it to fit. I found it was too small, so I ended up shaping some Sugru to make the rubber a bit bigger and now it fits perfectly. The other issue I found was if it starts rattling against the inside of the bars - I solved that by using a bit of old inner tube to cover it.

So, basically, you have made a good, functional well fitting tool whereas the manufacturers couldn't!  Good on you Peter, shame on you Topeak.

Avatar
cyclisto | 6 years ago
0 likes

This space is devoted to my q-lite barend lights

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