For 2011, Blackburn Design haas introduced a new line of Toolmanator multi-tools for the occasional adjustment or emergency that all of us encounter at some point while cycling. There are three different models in the Toolmanator series, but the one that caught my eye was the Toolmanator 3. Having been actively cycling for over 20 years, I have accumulated quite an assortment of multi-tools and I really did not need another one. The feature that persuaded me to purchase the Toolmanator 3 was the built in Mini Shock Pump… essentially eliminatiing the need to carry a shock pump in my pack.
Upon receiving my Toolmanator 3, I played around with opening the tools, making an assessment of the types of tools and checking to see the number of tools that would work with my bikes. The Toolmanator 3 does not have to most tools in a multi-tool on the market, but the 17 that are included seemed as if they should take care of most roadside issues that might be encountered. I found that flipping open the tools was a little difficult, but after a few minutes I figured out a way to hold down some of the tools while lifting the ones that I needed.
Blackburn managed to pack a decent number of tools in this small package, but there is a downside to this compact package. Most of the tools are fairly short and the overall size may not allow you enough leverage to remove stubborn parts. For example, on my single speed mountain bike I was unable to remove the Chris King Fun Bolts on the rear hub using the 8mm hex key in this tool. The Fun Bolts need to be fairly tight in order to keep the wheel from sliding forward in the dropouts. If I was in a real pinch, I could have probably stepped on the tool or used another method to avoid walking, but it felt as if damage might occur to the tool.
I went over my bikes using the tool to evaluate how well Blackburn constructed the Toolmanator 3. The chain tool is solid steel, not a mix of aluminum and steel as seen in other tools, and it performed as well if not better than some shop chain tools. Blackburn states that it is a 10 speed chain breaker, but it had no problems breaking a wider single speed chain. On the backside of the flat section on the chain tool are the 14/15 sized spoke wrenches. These too are on par with shop grade spoke wrenches and held tight on the alloy DT spoke nipples used in my wheel. The other hex wrenches and tools all felt snug in the hardware that I was testing them on and none of the tools had any issues adjusting the bolts except where a decent amount of leverage was required or the hardware was located in a tight space.
The one tool that had convinced me to purchase the Toolmanator 3 was the Mini Shock Pump. This shock pump is not designed to replace your current shock pump as the air chamber is tiny and it lacks a gauge. This pump is designed to get you home. The Mini Shock Pump’s housing is constructed of aluminum and machined well for a multi-tool. It tightened onto the valve of my Fox F80 and the only initial negative reaction to the pump was that it did not feel smooth when pumping. I figured that if it does the job, it really does not matter how it “feels.” Testing side by side with the Fox pump supplied with my F80 fork, I wanted to know how many pumps it would take to raise the air pressure 10 pounds per square inch (PSI). This could be valuable information on the trail while using this pump to approximate the PSI while using the Mini Shock Pump since it does lack a gauge. I tested each pump multiple times and found on average it takes the Mini Shock Pump 10 times the number of strokes to raise the air pressure 10PSI. It took 70 strokes of the Mini Shock Pump to raise the pressure the same amount as the 7 that it took the Fox pump. Each time I used the Mini Shock Pump on the Toolmanator 3, it worked flawlessly and there was no observed loss of air pressure when removing the tool from the valve.
Included with the Toolmanator 3 is a Neoprene sleeve. This sleeve does not offer any protection against the elements; it appears to be included to help keep the tool together while in your pack. If you encounter your fair share of mud and muck, this tool should probably be enclosed in a Zip-Lock bag to protect the Mini Shock Pump.
Overall the Toolmantor 3 is an excellent mulit-tool to carry with you while riding. It is not meant to replace the tools that you have at home and hopefully you will never need to use it, but each of the tools evaluated performed as they should. There are some issues with the tool not being large enough to offer adequate leverage and care should be taken to ensure that none of the tools will get damaged while applying pressure during use of the tool (especially the shock pump). If you evaluate these issues before you ride, as should be done with all multi-tools, the Toolmanator 3 should have no problem helping you get home.
The Toolmanator 3 retails for $39.99 and is cover by Blackburn Design’s no questions asked lifetime warranty.
The Toolmanator 3 features (from Blackburn Design):
•One-piece aluminum frame & ultra slim design
•Mini Shock Pump for trailside adjustments
•Hardened, forged and drawn chrome vanadium tool bits
•1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm and 8mm Hex Keys, Torx T25 and T30, Schrader Valve adjuster, Bladed and Philips #2 Screwdrivers,10s chain breaker and 14/15 gauge spoke wrenches