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Silca Italian Army Knife Venti Multi Tool (20 Function)

7
£45.00

VERDICT:

7
10
User-friendly multi-tool with plenty of options for the roadside, if you are willing to pay for it
Weight: 
174g

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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The Silca Italian Army Knife Venti has pretty much every tool you should need at the side of the road, and more importantly it is very user-friendly thanks to its shape. There are a few little niggles here and there, but on the whole it's one of the better ones I've used – though I'd expect it to be at this price.

  • Pros: Good selection of tools, impressive quality
  • Cons: Magnetic holder for the chain tool isn't strong enough, pricey

Venti is Italian for 20 and, surprise surprise, that's how many tools you'll find at your disposal, made up of:

* Hex 2/2.5/3/4/5/6/8

* Torx 8/10/20/25

* PH2/SL4

* 7mm box wrench

* 8mm flare nut wrench

* 10mm open end wrench

* Disc pad spreader

* Valve core remover

* Spoke wrenches - 13G / 15G

There is also a forged chain breaker too; we'll start with that.

The pin extractor part of the tool is part of the main setup, but a large plate threads onto it which holds the chain in position to allow you to push the pin out. Its size gives you plenty of leverage to pop the pin and it also contains the spoke keys, 10mm open wrench, disc pad spreader and valve core removal cutout.

The only thing that irritated me a little is that when it is not in use you slide it onto the tool and then it's held in place by a magnet. The magnet isn't really that strong, so it falls out easiy when you get the tool out of your bag or pocket. Not something you are going to want to happen on a dark, wet evening with a mechanical on your hands.

The same could be said for the 8mm hex bit, as it's a short piece that sits on the end of the 5mm, held in place by a little ball bearing. It's pretty secure but it is easy to drop if you need to use the 5mm on its own.

The tools are made from hardened tool steel which is then coated with Silca's high-grip chrome plating apparently, which provides better torque transfer. I can't confirm whether it does or not, but it seems to stop any corrosion.

Silca Italian Army Knife Venti Multi Tool.jpg

The tolerances of the tools are tight and there is no slop between the tool itself and any hex key or Torx bits.

The downfall of many multi-tools is that they can be fiddly to use and not give you much leverage from the short body.

The Silca has steel side clamps of a decent size and they are shaped to accept your fingers to provide better grip. I found it comfortable to use.

> Buyer's Guide: 12 of the best multi-tools

You can pick up multi-tools from a few quid, depending on how many attachments you want, but no matter which way you look at it the Silca is right up there at the top end. At £45 it is quite an outlay. The 21-tool Topeak Hexus X, for example, costs just £22.99 and scored very well. Or there is the Vel Slim 17 tool which was pretty good, but we still reckoned it was pricey at £34.99 – so the Silca is up against some tough opposition.

It is a good tool, though, and feels durable, so it should last plenty of years I reckon.

Verdict

User-friendly multi-tool with plenty of options for the roadside, if you are willing to pay for it

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Silca Italian Army Knife Venti Multi Tool (20 Function)

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?

Silca says, "The ultimate in functionality, durability and ergonomics, the Italian Army Knife Venti builds on the flat design, forged mid-length tools and Stainless Steel hardware of our award winning Italian Army Knives, while adding new tools including the most ergonomic and functional chain breaker ever featured in a portable multi-tool. Italian for 'Twenty' the Venti packs 20 high precision, hardened steel tools into an incredibly compact space through a unique layout and design"

It's a solid tool that packs down slim, while being comfortable to use.

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

Metal injection sidebars with knurled grip surface and stainless steel hardware

Forged chain breaker for 10-12 speed chain

Magnetic storage for 10-12 speed compatible chain connectors

Forged and plated tools:

Hex 2/2.5/3/4/5/6/8

Torx® 8/10/20/25

PH2/SL4

7mm box wrench

8mm flare nut wrench

10mm open end wrench

Disc pad spreader

Valve core remover

Spoke wrenches - 13G / 15G

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

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

Nicely designed for use out on the road. You can reach any nut or bolt that you might need to and it's comfortable in the hand.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

You can get a good grip on the tool to do up and undo stubborn bolts.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The magnet for the chain tool isn't strong enough.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's more expensive than a lot of the tools we've tested with a similar number of add-ons. The Vel Slim 17 multi-tool was considered pricey and it's a tenner cheaper than the Silca.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? There are cheaper options to be had.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a nice bit of kit that should cover most of the mechanicals you are likely to find out on the road, but the magnetic chaintool constantly falls out, and it is a lot of money for what it is.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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1 comments

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arichman | 3 years ago
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I found this review a bit off the mark in its criticisms. The proper comparison for this multitool is a top line Lezyne multitool, and the Venti pricing is really not out of line. Yes, the chain tool does come out rather easily, but it doesn't bother me. The fact is, having the chain tool separate makes using the main body of the tool much easier than others where the chain tool is captive. I find the Venti to be the ideal multitool for the road disc bike, one which errs on the side of completeness. It has a certain heft which the Lezyne tools lack. But the Lezyne has a terrible, wimpy chain tool and doesn't really fold flat. The Venti is much neater, and has everything you need and maybe a bit more besides. Maybe you'll be able to rescue some stranded cyclist whose shiny stainless Lezyne tool just came up short?!

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