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Birzman Diversity 17 Multi Tool

7
£27.99

VERDICT:

7
10
A good all-in-one roadside tool kit – just keep an eye on all the pieces
Weight: 
182g

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.

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The Birzman Diversity 17 multi-tool has pretty much everything you need in order to fix the most common mechanicals at the side of the road, in a compact package, and it's pretty easy to use too. My only issue is how easy it would be to lose some of the bits in the dark.

  • Pros: All the tools you need in one handy package, CO2 inflator included
  • Cons: Small parts easy to lose, tyre levers not the nicest to use

Instead of 17, you could be picky and say that the Birzman has only got 15 tools: both tyre levers count as one in my eyes, and a tapered spoke key to work with two sizes is just a spoke key. That aside, it's a worthy bit of kit to have in your pocket.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Let's take a look at what's included. This is what Birzman lists:

- 2/2.5/3/4/5/6/8mm/T25

- Chain rivet extractor

- Chain hook

- Spoke wrench 3.2/3.4

- Cross head screwdriver #1

- Flat head screwdriver 4.5

- Tyre levers

- CO2 valve head (Presta/Schrader) compatible with threaded cartridges

All the hex keys are at one end, and at about 35mm long they are a decent length to be able to take on most jobs without you skinning your knuckles.

Birzman Diversity 17 Multi Tool - parts.jpg

All, that is, except for the 5mm which is a good 30mm longer as it has a sliding 8mm adaptor attached. This is held in place by a ball catch that works well, though the resistance isn't that strong so this is one of those pieces that could go disappearing into the long grass. There aren't many bolts on a bike that are 8mm – pedals mostly – so it's not likely to get a whole lot of use.

The fit into most bolt heads is well within tolerance for all of the keys. There is a bit of slack, but no more than found on most of the other multi-tools in my collection. There is a possibility of any stubborn bolts, especially alloy or titanium, becoming rounded off quite easily, but these probably aren't the sort of jobs you'll be dealing with mid-ride.

At the other end of the polymer body you'll find a crosshead screwdriver that fits nicely into mech adjustment screws, and a Torx T25 bit. A lot of high-end stems have been using Torx bolts for a while and this size is pretty much the standard. It offers a good fit into the bolts with no issues tightening and loosening. The other tool is basically a threaded bar that takes the spoke key-cum-chain splitter-cum-CO2 inflator. It's a nifty bit of design.

Birzman Diversity 17 Multi Tool - chain tool.jpg

At the end of the threaded bar is the pin pusher, the bit that nudges the pin out of a chain to separate it, and it'll cope with 8 to 12-speed chains plus any 3/32in used on a singlespeed. If you're riding an 1/8in track chain on your fixed wheel you're out of luck.

The CO2 inflator is a clever addition and works with any threaded cartridge. You just screw the cartridge in and push the head over any Presta or Schrader valve and it's job done. The internal o-ring makes sure the tool offers a tight fit so you don't waste any gas.

The side pods of the body incorporate two tyre levers. One has a spoke locator while the other comes with a pip to let the pressure out of a Schrader valve. They have quite sharp edges and aren't that comfortable to use, but they'll get you out of a tight spot if needs be. I've used loads with a softer, more rounded feel, which I'd choose before reaching for the Birzman's. They're quite tight to get out of the body too, if just using your finger nails; I had to use the flat head screwdriver bit.

Birzman Diversity 17 Multi Tool - tyre levers.jpg

That screwdriver bit is a standalone tool clamped into the main body. It slides over the 4mm hex key, making a sturdy lever, but could do with a touch of magnetism or another ball catch to make sure it doesn't drop off when pointed towards the floor.

Value-wise, the price of £27.99 for the Diversity 17 compares pretty well with one of the last multi-tools we tested, the Fabric Sixteen Tool, with an rrp of £24.99. The Birzman does have the added bonus of the CO2 inflator, and though it also adds to the weight it's still only 182g, which is no heavyweight for an entire tool kit.

> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best multi tools

If you take a look back through our reviews of multi-tools you'll see a lot of other tools with fewer attachments for a higher price than the Birzman, further highlighting its value. Just make sure you keep keep an eye on all the bits so you don't lose any.

Verdict

A good all-in-one roadside tool kit – just keep an eye on all the pieces

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: Birzman Diversity 17 Multi Tool

Size tested: 10x46x2.4cm

Tell us what the product is for

The Birzman Diversity 17 includes pretty much all the tools you'd need to fix your bike at the side of the road.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Birzman:

- 2/2.5/3/4/5/6/8mm/T25

- Chain rivet extractor

- Chain hook

- Spoke wrench 3.2/3.4

- Cross head screwdriver #1

- Flat head screwdriver 4.5

- Tyre levers

- CO2 valve head (Presta/Schrader) compatible with threaded cartridges.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
6/10

Tyre levers aren't the nicest to hold.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

It coped well with any roadside tweaks or fixes.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Having everything in one package.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Flat head screwdriver bit can fall off easily.

Did you enjoy using the product? Most of it.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Birzman is a decent piece of kit with plenty of options and at a sensible price. With a few tweaks to the screwdriver head and better tyre levers it would score higher.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 38  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithein

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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