General Cycling Discussion - Topeak tire levers are crap.

In my mountain bike saddle bag i carry a Topeak Hexus Multi tool. Yesterday was the first time i tried to use the tire levers that are part of this tool. Holy Cow!!!!!!!!!!!! I broke the levers trying to get the tire off. What POS tool!!!

Maybe I could understand if these were belted tires, but they're just run of the mill Bontragers.

As a qualifier, i own 4 bikes and have changed flats dozens if not hundreds of times over the past 30 years. Never had a tire lever problem before. this was a first. If you own Topeak tire levers as part of a multi tool, carry another set. You're gonna need them!!!!!

I will point out that it is possible to have a 'lemon'. Can anyone confirm this, or has anyone had positive experience with these tire levers?

I believe my last multitool was Topeak. I also had the tire lever snap in two.

I have had no problems with my Park Tool multitool levers though.

I have a Topeak alien multi tool and the tire levers for that tool work just fine. But I have only had 3 flats in recent years.

After looking around, I settled on Pedros tire levers--tough and only takes two for most tires.

I've had a number of levers break; I presently use Park and have not had a problem. I fix a lot of flats maintaining 25 patrol bikes....
I never use more than one lever, and that only to remove the tire.

I used to have a Hexus tool but looked at the levers and decided to keep carrying a Pedros lever.

http://www.lezyne.com/products/tire-repaire/alloy-levers.html

Multi-tool tire levers are generally crap.

Best tire levers I have ever used are the curved Trek (black) tire levers. Nowadays, you have to buy a soft bottle cage tool kit to get the levers (no longer sold separately). And it looks like they may not sell the kit anymore.

http://store.trekbikes.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1125&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C15%2C411%2C476&iProductID=1125&bShopOnline=1

The levers in the bags for the other bikes i ride are so old I've forgotten what brands they are. None are part of a multi tool. Just simple reliability.

Usually, one lever is all I need to get a tire off. Then again, those Conti Top Tourings were three lever tires. And, even with that it was a struggle! And, getting them back on? Ouch, talk about sore thumbs!

Tires/wheels are now harder to get on and off. I got a couple of Soma Fabrication levers with steel cores.

My tire tool kit includes 3 tire levers now.
I set all 3 of them under the bead of the tire and pull all 3 down at once.

it pulls enough tire bead over the rim to make the rest of the job straightforward.

I got a bunch of VAR tire levers back in the day, they are mini tire jacks that work well to get tight tires back on.
I use 2 and work them towards one another.

they came with one extra lever fitted in them , and had one molded in, on the top .

that one on top of the forked tire jack broke, and got smoothed over, by filing the plastic down after it broke off,

but I augmented it with 2 Michelin Hi-lite tire levers , that came with their tires when they were introduced,

so that got me up to the more useful trio.

have a snap together trio of Park tire levers too, and 3 steel Eldi levers in the Brompton tire spares kit.
those high pressure 349 tires are a **** to remove..

Anyone try calling the company and see what they have to say?

Changed a tire last weekend on the fly. Bought a tube at Wal Mart but didn't have levers. I found a better substitute: paint stirring sticks. From now on I'm gonna cut a couple in half and carry them. I found out 4 is much better than 3.

I used the tire levers that came with my Topek Hexus several times. They worked ok and did not break. But they are only plastic, and I can see that they certainly could break. I have been gentle with them.

I'm thinking of getting some metal levers to carry along. Otherwise the Hexus is a nice multitool.

I have a Topeak Hexus but always carry metal tyre levers, I wouldn't trust the plastic ones, 26" can be a swine to get off and i've broke every single plastic lever I've ever had. The Topeak ones have metal inserts (the spoke spanners and the hex head), but I doubt if they go right to the end of the lever, does anyone know or have an x-ray machine?