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Fidlock TWIST Toolbox

5
£34.99

VERDICT:

5
10
Some great features, but lack of waterproofing and high price overshadow them
Fidlock system is neat and easy to use
Holds your things securely
Base is compatible with other Fidlock accessories
Not waterproof
Expensive
Weight: 
184g

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 Fidlock TWIST Toolbox offers very handy storage thanks to its quick and clever magnetic mounting system, plus it's a good size and doesn't rattle. The lack of waterproofing is a pretty significant issue unless you like rusty tools, though, and it's expensive compared to regular cage-mounted tool cases.

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The beauty of a tool box that uses your cage mounts lies in its simple, accessible nature and typically low cost. Which kind of makes it hard to argue a case for Fidlock's latest offering.

2020 Fidlock TWIST Toolbox.jpg

The TWIST toolbox is essentially a bag that you would fit into your bottle cage, only it gets its own mounting that bolts there instead. Powerful magnets hold the toolbox securely in two grooves, and as the name suggests, a quick twist snaps it back out.

2020 Fidlock TWIST Toolbox - base.jpg

It's a very neat and easy to use system. Is it any easier or quicker than removing a bag from a bottle cage? Not really.

2020 Fidlock TWIST Toolbox - mount.jpg

The 500ml capacity means there's plenty of space for the essentials, and the single mesh side compartment proves great for keys, cards, energy bars and the like. On the other side, a double-sided flat mount allows you strap down things like CO2 inflators or tyre levers. The case is just long enough to fit a mini pump on the underside too.

Each accessory is held firmly in place with elasticated loops, so finding and removing what you want is quick and easy.

2020 Fidlock TWIST Toolbox - inside 1.jpg

Fidlock claims this can take phones, but at around 6.5cm internally it isn't wide enough for today's whoppers. What's more, the box tapers to just 5.2cm as it deepens, so in reality the pocket is narrower still. Even the smallest phone I have in my household – my wife's 2020 iPhone SE with a 4.7-inch screen – will only just fit.

You could sandwich a phone in the central section, but that puts it right behind the zip and there's a reason, which I'll get to in a minute, that you might not want to do that.

> Beginner's guide to bike tools - get all the vital gear for basic bike maintenance

The outer of the toolbox is a semi-rigid thermoplastic polyurethane – much like the Giant Tool Capsule we tested over a year ago – and it feels pretty tough. And while the slightly stiff full length zip hangs freely and can wobble, it doesn't rattle or make any noise.

2020 Fidlock TWIST Toolbox - inside 2.jpg

No doubt this material is waterproof as claimed, but since the zip – the biggest entry point for water – isn't waterproof, the bag is basically a sieve. A two minute test with a hose sprinkler had the contents soaking wet, along with the base of the bag.

You need a dry bag for your tools and valuables, though that will of course interfere with the storage pocket and loops. This seems a major oversight.

Value

It's expensive next to regular cage mounted bags too, though of course you don't have to factor in the separate cost of a cage here, as the mount is included.

Cages are pretty cheap, though – the Zefal Pulse A2 is £7.99 – while tool bags to fit them are much cheaper too.

That Giant Tool Capsule for instance, is one of the priciest we've reviewed recently at £16.99, and it offers proper waterproofing. Meanwhile the medium-sized Topeak Escape Pod is a sturdy, waterproof and even cheaper option at just £11.99.

Overall

While the magnetic mount and internal design of the Fidlock TWIST Toolbox are impressive, it won't protect your tools (or anything else) from much more than a very light shower. It's also far more expensive than many cage-mounted bottles that will.

Verdict

Some great features, but lack of waterproofing and high price overshadow them

road.cc test report

Make and model: Fidlock TWIST Toolbox

Size tested: 500ml

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?

Fidlock says, "The cageless TWIST toolbox provides space for all the tools and essentials needed for the tour: tire lever, tube, mini-tool, repair kit, pump, or CO2 cartridge. Thanks to the angular design, the smartphone or energy bar can be stowed in the bag."

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

Comes with bike base plus screws for attaching to bottle cage mounts

Perfect for tools such as tire levers, tube, mini tool, patch kit

Mesh pockets to organize and to hold all things in place

Angular design for extra space

No external wear thanks to the cageless TWIST technology

Waterproof material

Volume: 500 ml

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Both the Fidlock system and the Twist toolbox are of a very high quality.

Rate the product for performance:
 
5/10

The magnetic system works perfectly, but the toolbox lacks waterproofing.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
6/10

Heavier than similar cage-mounted boxes, even with a typical bottle cage factored in.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

Much more expensive than similar products.

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

Pretty well – there's lot of space inside, it holds your stuff without rattling, and the TWIST mechanism is neat and easy to use. The lack of waterproofing is a real shame, though.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The Fidlock system - it's neat looking and a dream to use.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It's not waterproof.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's expensive. The Giant Tool Capsule, for instance, is one of the priciest cage-mounted toolboxes we've reviewed recently at £16.99, and it offers proper waterproofing. Meanwhile the medium-sized Topeak Escape Pod is a sturdy, waterproof and even cheaper option at just £11.99. Even factoring in the cost of a cage, the Fidlock is significantly more.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? No

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Fidlock system itself is brilliant, and the toolbox is a great storage solution. If it were waterproof it could be a seven, but that, and the high price, leave this only average overall and a five.

Overall rating: 5/10

About the tester

Age: 39  Height: 6'4  Weight: 175lbs

I usually ride: Steel audax bike  My best bike is:

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, sportives,

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