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review
Tools - workshop
B'Twin Chain Whip B'Twin Chain Whip
BTwin Chain Whip

B'Twin Chain Whip

10
by dave atkinson
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published May 25, 2015

36
£11.99

VERDICT:

10
10
The simplest and most effective chainwhip i've ever used
Weight: 
519g
Contact: 
www.decathlon.co.uk
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Every now and then someone sends in a thing that's just brilliant and you wonder why you've never had one before, and you can't imagine ever being without it again - the B'Twin chain whip is one of those products.

It's not a chainwhip, in that there's no chain. instead you get a double-sided tool with two holes, and on each set there's a set of three pegs that locate into your small sprocket. It works with 11, 12, 13 and 14 tooth sprockets so there's not any I've ever fitted that it wouldn't deal with. once the pegs are engaged you stick your chain tool through the middle and undo the lockring. because there's no chain it works equally well with any type of cassette from 11-speed all the way down.

Honestly, it's brilliant. I've never had much trouble taking off cassettes with chain whips but they do require a little bit of finesse. This B'Twin tool you just slap on and go. The only thing you need to know is how many teeth your little sprocket has. The handle is plenty long enough to get plenty of leverage even for the wheel with the alloy freehub that you have to do up *really* tight to stop the cassette eating its way through it.

And it's only twelve quid.

My only niggle, and this is really picking hairs, is that it's a pity the 11 – the most common one you'll use – isn't on the hole furthest from the handle to maximise leverage. But I can't really mark it down for that because I've not struggled getting any cassette off. I can't really mark it down for anything.

Verdict

The simplest and most effective chainwhip i've ever used

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road.cc test report

Make and model: B'Twin Chain Whip

Size tested: Black

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?

stopping the cassette turning while removing it, for easy removal of the cassette lockring. Used with a cassette remover wrench.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
10/10
Rate the product for value:
 
10/10

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

The best chain whip i've used

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

It's great

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

nothing

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 10/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 189cm  Weight: 91kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Kinesis Tripster ATR

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

 

B'Twin Chain Whip
B'Twin
B'Twin 2015
Dave Atkinson

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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