Road Cycling - Speed Lever, Wow!

You've probably seen Crank Brothers Speed Lever at online stores or catalogs. I finally decided to give one a try and all I can say is "Wow!" You know how the biggest pain of a flat is getting the tire off the rim and getting it back on. This thing does the job almost as easily as unzipping your jacket. You insert it under the tire bead like a regular lever, extend it, snap the other end on the axle, then literally unzip the tire off the rim. Getting it started does take a little effort, but not much. I tried it on a fairly tight tire/rim combination, and it worked like a charm. To remount the tire you get it started by hand, slip a hook over the rim, extend and snap to the axle, then zip the tire on just like it came off. Another amazing thing is that it telescopes down to a little thing only a little longer, hardly wider, and just a gram or two heavier than two regular plastic levers. $6.50 from Nashbar, but your LBS probably has them.
FWIW,
Raymond

Sounds good, Raymond!

Your product reviews are always appreciated.

Hey! I've got one of those! Ever since I got it (as a gift), I've had a grudge against regular tire irons. This this is so much better!

Nice idea bringing this up, I didn't think of it. :)

I love my speed lever! It is especially great for tight road bike tires. I've actually bought several, and sold even more. Whenever someone sees me change a tire with one, they want to know where to buy it for themselves. :) One small caveat: they CAN pinch tubes while installing tires. Make sure you have some air in the new tube and you should be good as gold.

Thanks for the tip, RegularGuy. I was a little concerned about the possibility of pinched tubes. This seems like one of those rare products that actually exceeds my expectations.
Regards,
Raymond

Great Tip!! Gonna order two today! Thanks for the info!

I replaced my tires today with help from the speed lever. It took a few tugs to get it started, once moving, it only took a few seconds to replace the tube. I tried to mount the tire with the speed lever as well, but it didnt really work, i ended up doing it by hand.

Well worth the $6.95 from the LBS!

Anyone know if they're available in Australia?

Originally posted by MediaCreations
Anyone know if they're available in Australia?

Check with your LBS or someplace like nashbar.com or performancebike.com to see if they ship to Australia.

I have found on tighter tires I use the Speed Lever along with a regular lever makes it easier to get things started. I haven't had any difficulty getting a tire on with the Speed Lever alone.
FWIW,
Raymond