Topeak Alien II Multi-tool

For those of us that take the path a little less traveled by, you may find yourself in some mechanical trouble with no help in sight or possibly miles. At those moments a good multi-tool always come in handy to get you out of a jam. Topeak’s Alien II has 26 tools on the ready to help you out in many situations. To find out more info on the Alien II, check inside.

Topeak has packed the Alien II with just about every tool you’d need to perform light maintenance, tune, and repair items on your bike. It’s more or less a miniature toolset that Topeak has took and packaged them into a compact multi-tool that can be taken apart so that it is easy to work with and carry. While the Alien II may be a bit portly by some multi-tool standards at 336g (with pouch), it more than makes up for this in sheer number of tools and thoughtful features. This isn’t to say that the Alien II will get you out of every situation or that all the tools are designed with utmost strength you’d find from garage tools but it does work well for emergency issues and mild repairs.

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Tool Construction:

• Tool Material: Hardened Steel
• Body: Engineering Grade Plastic
• Bag: Heavy Duty Nylon
• Dimensions: 8.6cm x 4.3cm x 4.1cm

Tool List:

• Allen Keys: 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm
• Knife (stainless steel with straight and serrated sections)
• Metric Wrenches: 8mm, 9mm, 10mm (2 of each)
• Chain Pin Tool and Spare Compartment
• Screwdrivers: Phillips and Flat head
• Spoke Wrenches: 14g, 15g
• Mini Pedal Wrench (15mm)
• Schrader Valve Release
• Universal Chain Tool
• Bottle Opener
• Chain Hook
• Tire Levers
• T25 Torx

Features:

Both sides of the tool perform equally important roles and were designed to be used in conjunction with each other. A clear example is that the Universal Chain Tool is on one half of the tool while the 5mm Allen key it takes to operate it is on the other. This is the same for the folding tension adjustment Allen screws on each tool. One side takes a 2.5m Allen key to adjust it, while the other takes a 4mm. Both of these tools are attached to the opposite side for easy adjustment and tool maintenance.

notice the chain hook on the side of the chain tool (click to enlarge)

The Universal Chain Tool is made out of cast chromoly steel and functions in the same way most chain tools work. The chain tool has a primary and secondary chain link fence which are for removing/installing chain pins and loosening stiff links respectively. The chain tool also carries a steel wire chain hook to make chain repairs easier.

The tool was designed to help keep the user safe while working with the tools by using a simple spring locking mechanism. Once a wrench is fully extended it is locked in place. The tool doesn’t even need to split into two pieces to operate the lock for quick ease of use. The knife is double locked (to open and close) to make sure it doesn’t cause any harm to the mechanic in case of a slip.

wrench fully extended and locked (click to enlarge)

wrench unlocked, ready to be folded in (click to enlarge)

The knife itself is fairly sharp out of the box and is of adequate size for most trailside needs (1.5″). Having a knife in a multi-tool can come in very handy and lessens the amount of extra separate items to put in your pack.

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Topeak has included a mini pedal wrench for emergency purposes only. The wrench fits onto the 8mm Allen key and can be seen below. Topeak warns not to use the wrench to remove secured pedals from the crank as the wrench and 8mm Allen key have limited strength.

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The Alien II has a full array of Allen keys as well as a T25 Torx. The 6mm and 10mm keys share the same key base with the 10mm head piece sliding up and down for use.

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The Alien II comes with a nice storage pouch that has a velcro closure and clip on the back. The clip can be used to mount the pouch on Topeak’s seatpost or stem cap brackets for easy storage while riding. The Alien II also comes with Topeak’s 2-year limited warranty.

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If you’re in the market for a new multi-tool and you don’t want to be left out on the trail wishing you had packed more tools, give the Alien II a try. It may be a little larger than other products but it packs a lot of features. As mentioned earlier the Alien II is more suited as a light duty and emergency/trail side tool.
MSRP: $39.99

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If the size and amount of tools is too much for your needs, Topeak also has several other options that offer various amounts of tools and sizes.

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[Topeak Alien II Gallery] [Topeak Website]

Previous Coverage

• Lightweight Mobile Toolkit Guide
• Comprehensive Mobile Toolkit Guide