Feedback Sports have updated their Chain Tool to be smoother to use, nicer to hold and less damaging to the planet. It’s adjustable to work with any chain too, but that all comes at a premium cost.
Design and specification
The pin press mechanism of the Chain Tool 3.0 hasn’t changed much from the 2.0 which is fine by me as the adjustable support is a big win over fixed setups. The pin gets a larger metal slab handle for increased leverage though. The 3.0 also gets a chubby ‘eco-plastic' [we're currently unsure exactly what is eco about the plastic and are waiting a response from Feedback – Ed] pistol grip handle for a comfy, relaxed grip on proceedings. There’s a spare driver pin inside the handle and plenty of room for split links too.
Performance
After backing it out to drop in the chain, the threaded plate support bolt winds in to butt accurately against any chain from single speed to 13-speed Campagnolo. The support is a full 360 degrees rather than U-shaped too, so there’s no chain flex or twist as you push the rivet out. That means the driver pin slides in very accurately and smoothly with no galling or binding and minimal effort from the big handle. Even with a stiff pin, the chunky handle and extra pin driver leverage mean it’s no sweat to split your chain and the soft feel is a contrast to the metal and/or angular feel of a lot of chain tools.
As the pin vanishes completely into the support if can be hard to gauge how far you’ve pushed it through. That’s no issue if you’re sensibly using a fresh power link to rejoin the chain, but can cause problems if you want to semi-remove the link and re use it. There’s plenty of pull back on the driver for installing Shimano’s snap off rivets though.
While it’s a premium cost compared to benchmark chain breakers like Park Tool’s, the Feedback model is also fully serviceable and covered by a limited lifetime warranty on materials and manufacturing defects.
Verdict
Feedback’s evolved Chain Tool 3.0 is a great mix of chubby, slightly planet friendlier comfort, silky smooth actuation and universal chain compatibility. Sure it costs more than most, but if you want your chain maintenance moments to be properly luxurious this is a lovely way to remove rivets and push pins.
Tech specs: Feedback Sports Chain Tool 3.0
- Price: $40 / £45
- Weight: 169g
