Today we’re looking at the Easy Hand Bike Tool, which is something like a new-fangled tire lever, except that it has one purpose: to put your tires on your rims. The website made it look pretty cool, and I’ve dealt with my fair share of tight-fitting tires (a huge pain in the ass,) so I decided to order one.

I’ll start out by saying that the tool is good quality, not too expensive, and tries to solve a common problem. However, in my experience, the tool was not as easy to use as the website suggests.

The company offers good customer service and fast shipping, but the product itself does not impress me too much. It looked good up until I tried to use it!

The Problems With the Easy Hand Bike Tool

There are two big problems:

Problem #1 - It only works on tires sized 700×19-23C. If you are running 700×25 tires, this tool doesn’t work. You can see the gap in the tool is fairly small, and a wider tire just doesn’t fit up in there.

Problem #2 - It only works for tire installation. For tire removal, you still need regular tire levers. So if you are packing your seat bag, it’s kind of pointless to carry this around if you have to carry a set of regular tire levers anyway.

And something I need to clarify…

The three step process is harder than it looks. Here’s my detailed explanation:

Step 1: Place the V-notch of the tool on the back side of the rim (where the tire is already mounted.)

Step 2: Slip the tire up into the gap in the tool and lower the hook side down over the bead that needs mounted. The V-notch will come unseated, but you can place it back onto the rim once you have the other bead hooked in.

Step 3: Pry the bead onto the rim by pulling back on the Easy Hand. You have to exert a lot of pressure and there will be a loud snap when the bead gets seated.

Step 4: Wiggle the Easy Hand off of the tire. The tire will be mounted, but the Easy Hand’s hook is still stuck under the bead, so you need to wiggle that out. This is sometimes harder than getting the tire mounted in the first place!

My final verdict is…

The tool is only $7.95 shipped to the USA, so if you have an extremely hard time mounting tires, or if you like to have odd tools, check this out. It’s worth a shot. At the very least, it could be a conversation starter to keep lying around!

Just remember, you’ll still need regular tire levers for tire removal. So if you’re on a budget, get a set of regular tire levers and don’t bother with the Easy Hand.

Also, be sure to head over to BloomBikeShop.com to read the full review of this Easy Hand tool and take a look at The Bike Tool website for more info.

[Click here if you would like to get your product reviewed on CoachLevi.com.]

When you think of cross training, you probably think of skiing, basketball, plyometrics, kayaking, or something like that. But did you ever think of BMX biking?

I did lots of freestyle BMX before getting into mountain bike racing, and I know that played a huge role in my technical riding (and jumping) ability. Best of all, it helps you avoid wrecks!

All cyclists could benefit from the improved balance and maneuverability that comes from BMX. If you don’t want to get crazy, do some “flatland.” That’s where you ride your bike in a parking lot and do lots of creative tricks. It’s relatively safe and requires extraordinary balance.

To get some ideas, take a look at this huge flatland video collection. And then grab a BMX bike and go! Anyone who makes fun of you for riding a “kids bike” would probably fall over if they hit a rock or a wet leaf!

Today’s question is about making your own energy drinks when supplies are limited.

Dear Levi,

I am an american living in china, and one of the primary problems with training here is that the only food I can get is either raw ingredients or fried Chinese food. I am trying to start a (mild) training program, but nutrition is becoming a problem for me. I can buy plenty of veggies and meat and eggs and try and get a balanced diet, but after a work out, i feel like i need energy drinks, i need to replenish salts and sugars and all that crap. What kinds of raw ingredients should I look for to do that? yogurt fruit smoothies + salt? nuts and rasins and sugar? what kind of suggestions do you have?

Also, I am self employed, working from home, and trying to work out a regular routine. Should i work out (run, swim, climb, etc) right after waking up, and then go eat? is that healthy or should I wake up, eat, wait a while, and then work out? or is it best to try and workout before bed?

Thanks
-Alex

Hi Alex,

Good work on the balanced diet. If you could find whole wheat pasta, long grain rice, brown rice, or something made with whole grains, that would be great for carbs/sugar. I wouldn’t worry too much about salt unless your workouts are usually 3+ hours of cardio.

Other electrolytes are important though. Yogurt and raisins are both full of potassium, so good choices there. Nuts or any salty food would certainly provide enough salt for a normal workout routine.

I’m not sure what exact foods are best for electrolytes, but here’s a list of electrolytes that are in Endurolytes (an electrolyte supplement pill): sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin B6, Manganese, and L-Tyrosine. Just surf the internet for foods that contain these ingredients. (I might write an article about this, thanks for the idea!)

Working out before eating is fine. You should have plenty of calories still stored from the previous night’s dinner anyway. However, when I workout before breakfast, I keep it at about 45 minutes. Any longer and you’ll want to eat a little bit during the workout. Then just eat breakfast right after. Eating within 15 minutes of a workout is always a good idea since your body is most receptive to replenishment then.

If you eat first, it would be good to wait 2-3 hours before working out. Not a problem if you don’t mind eating, working a bit, working out, eating, working, etc.

If you can workout before bed and still fall asleep easily, then there’s no problem. Usually I would need a few hours after a workout before falling asleep.

Good luck with the training and nutrition,
Levi