Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Lezyne Caddy Kit S

7
£24.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Neatly keeps your puncture equipment together; effective patches but there are better CO2 inflators
Weight: 
196g

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.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

Lezyne have taken their Caddy Sack (updated since we reviewed it in 2010) and stuffed some goodies inside, giving you all you need to sort a puncture when you're out the road: a "Smart" patch kit, a simple CO2 inflator with a couple of 16g cartridges and Lezyne's effective Power levers.

It's not doing anything terribly clever, but it makes life a bit simpler by keeping those bits conveniently all together, so you can grab the pouch and go, rather than looking for them all individually. You save a fiver or so over buying it all separately, although this is less true if you've already got a CO2 inflator, say.

The Caddy Sack is sized to fit comfortably in a jersey pocket, and also has space for some other small bits and bobs if you want. I stuck small 4mm and 5mm Allen keys in there. With some careful packing you'd just fit a 19-23 tube in too.

Obviously it's doing a pretty similar job to a saddle pack, so it comes down to a question of personal preference whether you'd rather use one or the other. You could put one inside the other, which isn't as daft as it sounds if your saddle pack is as basic as mine and offers zero weather protection.

Some folk don't like spoiling the lines of their bike with something as gauche as a saddle bag, so this could be just the ticket if that's you. Equally, if you've a stable of bikes then it could make sense, saving the time of switching a saddle bag from one to the other.

The CO2 inflator included is the Twin Speed Drive, which is the entry-level model in Lezyne's range of tiny CO2 devices. It uses threaded cartridges and an insulating jacket is included to slip over the cartridge; things can get quite cold when you release the CO2 into the tube. The head is a simple push-fit onto either Presta or Schrader valves, and the o-ring which makes the seal is replaceable when it wears out. There are a couple of 16g cartridges included in the Caddy Kit, but clearly you're going to need more. They're pretty easy to get hold of anyway, either online or in bike shops.

Unlike the more pricey Control Drive, there's no knob or trigger to control the flow of gas, so the procedure is as follows: screw the cartridge fully home, push the inflator on to the tyre valve and then unscrew the cartridge a half turn or so, allowing the gas through into the tube. It's a bit counter-intuitive and I wasted a cartridge trying to figure it out before looking online to find out how to use it. Sometimes the gas starts leaking as soon as you've screwed the cartridge in, but when this happens you can still easily get it onto the tyre valve in time that you don't lose much.

You've less control than with a turn- or button-operated valve, it's true, but most of the time if you've got a 16g canister you're just going to want to dump all of it into an empty tube, typically giving around 100psi in a 700x23 road tyre or around 30psi in a 26in mountain bike tyre. So it works, but I'll admit that once I'd used it enough to write this review, I took the Twin Speed Drive inflator out and replaced it with the Hammerhead which I much prefer.

The Smart Kit comprises six of Lezyne's glueless patches, a stainless steel scuffer to rough the surface of the inner tube before applying the patch, and an emergency tyre boot (which is basically the self-adhesive backing to the instructions), intended to give you a chance of limping home should you get a really big gash in your tyre. Generally speaking, I'm old-school when it comes to patches, favouring the classic Rema Tip Top and some vulcanizing solution (not least because it works out a fair bit cheaper), but Lezyne's glueless patches are a really good alternative.

As VecchioJo found a while back, these patches stick strongly and reasonably permanently to the tube. They're quite a bit thinner than Rema patches but the synthetic rubber they're made of is pretty strong, and it stretches as the tube inflates, helping it stay in place better. I've used them on and off over the years and found that they work fine unless your puncture is right near the seam of the tube, when it can be harder to get a good seal than when using traditional patches and glue. Unfortunately, unlike Tip Tops, it doesn't look like you can buy these Lezyne patches in bulk, so once you've used up the six included here you'll need to get another Smart Kit if you want more, working out at a steep 50p per patch.

The levers included are the Power Lever model, made of what Lezyne describes as a "fibre-reinforced composite matrix", which is tougher than mere plastic while managing not to gouge chunks from your posh rims or destroy an inner tube like metal levers can. I was a long-term exponent of the careful application of a metal tyre lever, right up until the time when I got some really nice wheels - now these are definitely my levers of choice. We recently tested the hormone-enhanced Power Level XL which is essentially the longer brother of these levers; for most tyre/rim combinations the standard length lever is more than adequate. There's a well-positioned hook at the other end of each lever, which hangs onto the spoke, while you work on the next bit of the tyre. Anecdotal evidence suggests that if you try hard enough, those reinforcing-fibres won't prevent you snapping these levers, but I've used a set for around four years on a huge range of road tyres and rims and not managed that, so I imagine you'd need to be pretty brutish.

Should you be in the position of already having all or most of the contents of the Caddy Kit, but lacking something to put them in, the good news is that you can still buy the Caddy Sack, empty like a stocking on Christmas Eve, for £9. Lezyne describe the Caddy sack, carefully, it seems to me, as being water resistant (rather than waterproof). I found that on a typical rainy ride it was more than capable of keeping the rain out, but I probably wouldn't trust it enough to intentionally immerse it with something delicate inside. There's a simple rolled opening which is held in place with a strip of Velcro. As may well be pointed out in the comments below, £9 would buy you any number of ziplock bags which would be as or even more effective at keeping their contents dry. You pays your money...

Furthermore, (Lezyne are really keeping all bases covered here), should you have a bag, pocket, saddlepack or bumbag but nothing to defend against the puncture fairy, Lezyne's distributor Upgrade Bikes also lists the Lezyne CO2 Repair Kit, which has all of the parts of this Caddy Kit bar the pouch, priced at £16.99.

The market for the Caddy Kit as reviewed here is likely to be those who don't already have a CO2 inflator, and if that's you, then it's a nice upgrade over just getting the inflator on its own. The patches and levers are of good quality and while there are definitely better CO2 inflators out there, this one works well enough.

Verdict

Neatly keeps your puncture equipment together; effective patches but there are better CO2 inflators

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Lezyne Caddy Kit S

Size tested: Black

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?

The Lezyne Caddy Sack is a simple, reusable sack that can be used to carry all necessities, even smartphones. It has been redesigned with PVC fabrics, welded seams and a rolled velcro closure making this new sack extremely water resistant. The wide opening makes it quick and easy to see and extract contents. It is available in two sizes to accommodate a wide range of accessories.

Twin Speed Drive,

A compact, 100% CNC machined aluminum CO2 inflator. The simple Theaded Valve Operation allows for easy inflation. The Twin Slip-Fit head presses onto Presta and Schrader valves for fast engagement. The two piece head design allows O-rings to be replaced when needed. It is compatible with threaded CO2 cartridges only and comes with an anti-freeze jacket to protect hands during inflation.

A Threaded 16g CO2 cartridge for use with all Lezyne CO2 inflators. It inflates 700c road tire to 120psi (8.3bar) or one 26' MTB tire to 30psi (2.1bar).

Power levers

Large handle provides high leverage

Thin hook slips easily under tire bead

High-strength composite matrix

Spoke hook

1 Pair

Smart Kit

Six glueless patches

Emergency tire boot

Stainless steel tube scuffer

Low-profile pouch

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

It's nicely put together and the CNC machining on the inflator is well-finished.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

I like the patches, the levers and the pouch. The CO2 inflator works but I prefer one with more controllability.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

I had no issues. I've heard some complaints that the Velcro used for the roll-top closure can come loose but that didn't happen to mine.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

It works out a bit less than buying the bits separately, and you get all of this for the price of some CO2 inflators. You can get other basic CO2 inflators for a fiver, though, so it's only really value if you don't have any of the bits included here.

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

It's handy being able to grab the pouch and go - I'm always transferring these bits from a commuting pannier to a jersey pocket for the weekend, and this makes it a few seconds quicker. The CO2 inflator works for dumping all the gas into a tyre - if you want a bit more control then there are better options out there.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Patches are quick, simple and effective. Pouch keeps everything together which is handy.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

CO2 inflator sometimes leaked when the cartridge was pierced, and there's pretty limit control over how much gas is expelled.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yeah I guess.

Would you consider buying the product? Probably not - I'd want a better CO2 inflator.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Maybe.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 190cm  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Boardman CX team for the daily commute  My best bike is: Rose Xeon CRS

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

 

Jez spends his days making robots that drive cars but is happiest when on two wheels.  His roots are in mountain biking but he spends more time nowadays on the road, occasionally racing but more often just riding. 

Add new comment

4 comments

Avatar
dafyddp | 9 years ago
0 likes

Personal choice but I always use a saddle bag - having come off on ice recently was very pleased I didn't have anything hard in my jerseypocket to land on.

Avatar
Jez Ash | 9 years ago
0 likes

Joselito - assuming your fave jersey wasn't made of tissue, I think the design must've changed. I really can't see the corners of this poking a hole in any jersey I own.

Avatar
KirinChris | 9 years ago
0 likes

Those Lezyne patches are brilliant. I had some in my pack as backup backup i.e. if the tube or two I carry was still not enough.

On one disastrous ride I went through all my tubes and all my mates' before working out what the problem was.

The patches had been there literally for years, through UK rain, cold and extreme desert heat in the UAE.

Got it out as my last resort and it stuck like a limpet and got me home.

Avatar
Joselito | 9 years ago
0 likes

Big fan of these for keeping stuff together but generally only in a musette or a bag.
The one time I used it in a jersey, the sharp corner poked a hole in my fave jersey.

Latest Comments