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review
Tools - workshop
Lezyne Chain Drive 11-speed chain toolLezyne Chain Drive 11speed

Lezyne Chain Drive 11-speed chain tool

8
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Oct 2, 2012

2
£27.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Effective tool for splitting, joining and peening a Campagnolo 11-speed chain at a fraction of the price of other options.
Weight: 
120g
Contact: 
www.upgradebikes.co.uk
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This is a solid, easy-to-use chain drive for a Campagnolo 11-speed chain, which comes with the rivet peening function you need and also, as a bonus, four spoke wrenches.

When you put a Campagnolo 11-speed chain on your bike, you first press the connecting rivet (or 'pin' if you prefer) into the link, snap the end off, then you have to 'peen' it – flatten the end off a touch by squashing it down to prevent chain failure. This last bit is something that you don't have to do with a Shimano chain, for example.

Campagnolo tell you to use only their own chain tool, called the UT-CN300, warning that 'use of another tool could result in failure of the chain, an accident, personal injuries or death.' Gulp!

Okay, fine, but the tool in question is going to cost you over £100. It's £160 if you pay the full RRP. Another gulp!

If you ignore the warnings and go to Park Tools, you can get a Master Chain Tool (£59.99) and then you'll need a rivet peening tool on top of that (£49.99).

This offering from Leyne is an all-in-one tool at a fraction of those prices, and it works well.

The steel body section has been CNC machined and it's large enough to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand without too much pressure. The breaker pin and backing bolt are both made from hardened steel so they're certainly tough. That breaker pin is replaceable and you get a spare one included.

A long handle means you get plenty of leverage on the chain breaker itself and it's easy to hold the chain stable while you wind in the rivet peening section from the other side.

There's not a great deal more to say.

Oh, there are those spoke wrenches integrated into the body too: two Mavic splined, two square (3.45 and 3.22)... a bit leftfield for a chain tool, but handy all the same.

The other option, of course, is to go for a chain that comes with a connecting link, like the KMC X11L Gold. But if your chain does need peening, this tool does the job well and it's relatively cheap.

Verdict

Effective tool for splitting, joining and peening a Campagnolo 11-speed chain at a fraction of the price of other options.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Lezyne Chain Drive 11speed

Size tested: n/a

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?

It's for splitting, joining, and peening the rivet of Campag 11-speed chains.

Lezyne say, "The Lezyne 11 Speed Chain Drive is a shop quality chain breaker designed for use with 11 speed Campagnolo chains. The steel body is CNC machined for precision and contoured for improved ergonomics. The replaceable breaker pin and backing bolt are made of hardened steel and designed for flaring 11 speed chain pins; a spare pin included. A guide pin removal tool and spoke wrenches (2 Mavic splined, 2 square) are integrated into the body."

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

The important parts are hardened steel and the pin is replaceable.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

The body is large enough to fit into your palm without much pressure, and it's not at all fiddly to use.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

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

It did exactly what it's supposed to do. The chains I've used it on have all lasted fine with no danger of braking.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The price

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, in that it does a good job

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Definitely

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

Lezyne
chain tool
11-speed
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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2 comments

Avatar
lolol | 12 years ago
0 likes

I have one of these. I was a bit concerned at first, only because its so much cheaper than the Campag one, you doubt it can as good. It is fine, I have been riding on a chain fitted with one all Summer. At fist I was carrying it with me just in case, but now I trust it.

Avatar
Bexleyhillbilly | 12 years ago
0 likes

I've got the 10-speed version of this chain tool, which has worked very well for me.

When I wrecked it by shearing the pin during an inept roadside repair, Upgrade Bikes (the distributor in the UK) were brilliant, responding to my email almost immediately and sending me a replacement tool in a day.

The spoke keys are also very useful and give you good leverage through the tool's wide handle.

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