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Giant Quick Fix Kit Road

7
£34.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Good, compact emergency road bike kit that has most of the basics for roadside repairs
Weight: 
386g

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 Giant Quick Fix kit is a nicely thought out set of tools to get you going again on your road bike, neatly packaged in a case that'll fit in your jersey pocket. The only thing you really need to add is a spare tube, and maybe some patches.

  • Pros: Has the basics you need, mini-ratchet is good with fiddly bolts
  • Cons: You need to be careful not to lose bits

In the case you get a mini-ratchet tool with nine bits. There are 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5 and 6mm hex keys, a flat head screwdriver and T10 and T25 Torx bits. That should cover most of your road bike needs, although a Phillips head bit would probably be a more useful inclusion than the T10 bit will be.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The benefits of a mini-ratchet are that it's a very compact way of carrying tools, and it can get to and tighten or loosen even really awkward bolts. Sometimes you struggle to fit a multi-tool into the gap you need to, or rotate it when it's in place. That's never really an issue with the mini-ratchet; the only time it struggles is when a bolt is recessed deeper than the length of the bit but I didn't have any bolts on any of my bikes that it couldn't get to.

The downside of the ratchet and bits is that they're a bit more of a fiddle out on the road. If you're wearing gloves then pulling a bit out and fitting it to the ratchet without taking them off is a tough ask. If you drop a multi-tool you just pick it up again, but my advice would be not to do a roadside tweak with this kit near an open drain or long grass. If you drop a bit, you're going to lose it. You need to be a touch more considered.

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

The bits are a tight fit in the ratchet, so sometimes it's a struggle to remove them to fit them back in the holder. I'd expect them to loosen off a bit with use.

The kit comes with two tyre levers which are perfectly functional, if unexceptional, and a CO2 inflator with two 16g canisters. Giant hasn't included an inner tube as there's a range of sizes you might need to have with you, but there's room enough in the neat case for a single tube. I'd add at least some instant patches to the mix, so if you do puncture a second time you can actually use that second CO2 canister. The CO2 head is nicely made, with a good valve so you can regulate the flow to the tyre to help it seat.

Giant Quick Fix Kit Road-2.jpg

For what you get, £34.99 is good value for the kit. Some ratchet multi-tools on their own cost more than that.

The case is small enough to fit in any jersey pocket I've tried, even on aero jerseys with little pockets.

> Emergency essentials: 10 things you should carry every ride

When I'm out on longer rides I tend to go a bit belt and braces, but for something like a sportive or the club ride, this kit has enough in it to fix the most common roadside issues quickly and efficiently, and it's compact enough to chuck in a pocket and forget about until you need it.

Verdict

Good, compact emergency road bike kit that has most of the basics for roadside repairs

road.cc test report

Make and model: Giant Quick Fix Kit Road

Size tested: One

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?

Giant says, "Simply add your choice of spare tube and you have everything you need to fix a puncture and minor issues on the road fast, all packaged up in a sleek case. Includes a 9 bit Mini Ratchet tool, tyre levers and a CO2 inflator with 2 16g cartridges."

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

Giant lists:

Use: Road

Tool: Mini Ratchet with 9 tool bits, tyre levers

Inflation: CO2 inflator, 2x 16g cartridges

Bag: Pocket bag (0.7l)

Feature: Designed for jersey pocket

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

£34.99 is good value for the kit. Some ratchet multi-tools on their own cost more than that.

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

Well – a good basic kit for road excursions.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Good quality bits in an easy-to-stow case.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Mini-ratchet can get a bit fiddly.

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

There's enough in the kit to make it good value for £34.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a good kit. If you're looking for something to chuck in your pocket for a road ride then this, along with an inner tube and maybe some patches, will sort you out.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 45  Height: 189cm  Weight: 92kg

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

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, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

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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