off-road.cc

The Lezyne T-Drive is a beautifully-made twist on the usual multitool, with a removable handle and a compact softshell case. Whilst it works very well, it’s still larger than other multitools and takes time to assemble – making it less of a pocket piece and more of a display item.

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The machined aluminium driver has a removable handle and following bits;  2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm and 8mm Allen keys; T10, T25 and T30 Torx; a flat-head and a Phillips head screwdrivers. They're all held in a 12cm long, zippered case.

To use the tool you need to unscrew one end of the gold handle, thread it through the eye of the black driver, and screw the end back on to hold it together. Insert the bit you need (they're held in by a magnet) and away you go.

You can position the handle in a ‘T’ shape or an ‘L’, depending on how much leverage you need and what clearance you have.

The hex and Torx keys cover pretty much any situation, and it’s nice to see an 8mm for pedal worries. Although there are similar tools available they're rarely as beautifully simple as this one: there's very little to go wrong here beyond losing a piece. The Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite DX+ multitool runs it pretty close, mind you, with the added bonus of being a ratchet too. 

Lezyne's T-shaped handle does, however, mean that even those without much mechanical sympathy will have trouble rounding bolts off. The grip is secure and it's very positive in use.

I love the Lezyne T-Drive for it’s modern and sleek design, yet struggle with when to actually use it in normal life. It’s too much of a faff to take on trail rides, and even when tinkering and setting up new test bikes I found myself leaving the handle attached and stuffing it in my pack separately for quicker use.

The T-Drive also isn’t a replacement for a home tool kit either, where a regular set of L-shaped Allen keys work best.

I did find the T-Drive useful on a recent trip to Portugal, at least, when I had to rebuild my bike yet couldn't bring big, heavy tools. It also suits all-day rides with backpacks, in case of bike mechanical catastrophe, but even then my regular multitool comes too for any quick adjustments.

I can see the Lezyne T-Drive being well received by many – it would make an impressive gift – but in reality, it's just a little too faffy to get regular use. At £35, it’s a gorgeous piece of kit that is (if you don’t mind the setup time), superb at its job. Get one if you travel a lot, want the security on big rides... or just like nice yet unnecessary things.

• www.upgradebikes.co.uk

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