SQUIRREL_13448186
Looking around my own current favourite road bike, I’ve found no fewer than 12 bolts that all have different torque settings – not to mention various types and sizes of heads.
That’s all well and good when you’re in your home workshop or garage and can lay your hands on a workshop torque wrench.
If you're out on the trail or road, however, and a bolt comes loose, it's predominantly guesswork – or you're limited to a small portable preset tool.
Prestacycle's TorqRatchet Elite Lite bridges the gap between workshop and pocket.
Small and mighty
The Elite Lite's minimal size – 153x15x10mm – and weight of only 54g hides a very capable tool that can measure torque between 2Nm and 12Nm.
The dial reads in 1/2Nm increments, and the ratchet head can be used to both tighten and release.
The tool comes in its own 165x30x17mm weatherproof pouch and includes plenty of tool bits, and in standard ¼in fitting, Hex: 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm; Torx: T20, T25; and a PH1 crosshead screwdriver bit.
Prestacycle says the TorqRatchet’s heavy-duty design can withstand more than 30Nm of force, so you can even use it to tighten pedals.
It's backed with a five-year warranty, and PrestaCycle claims it's rated for more than 10,000 cycles of 12Nm torque tightening.
Although it's not cheap, at £80 / $99, the TorqRatchet Elite Lite is capable of being both a workshop tool and a portable torque wrench. To me, that represents great value.
- Prestacycle TorqRatchet Elite Lite: £80/ $99
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