Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza II 2-16 Pro Deluxe torque wrench review

Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza II 2-16 Pro Deluxe torque wrench review

Editor’s choice winner of our grouptest

Our rating

4.5

260.00
190.00
395.00

David Rome / Immediate Media

Published: October 15, 2011 at 3:00 pm

Our review
Where form meets function, the Giustaforza II Pro is certainly expensive, but provides purposeful quality for the nuances in bicycle repair Buy if, You’re willing to pay a premium in order to receive both form and function

Pros:

Compact, high quality, accurate, classy looks

Cons:

Expensive, ratchet head spoils clearance compared to original

Made in Italy, this Pro version from Effetto Mariposa is positioned as the premium cycling-specific torque wrench. Where it differs from Mariposa’s original torque wrench is in its ratcheting head, something that helps speed the process of getting things to torque.

This classy red tool grabbed the Editor’s Choice award in our recent ‘best torque wrench’ grouptest. It’s the tight and consistent accuracy along with the ease of use that won us over.

Dialing in your desired torque is easy with this wrench :

Simple and effective torque setting

Setting the desired torque is simple with a knurled dial at the base of the wrench. The wrench offers a torque range between 2 and 16nms and we found accuracy near perfect across common torques of 3, 5 and 8nm.

To showcase this accuracy, our digital torque-testing machine counted peak torques of 2.99, 3.08 and 3.09nm with the wrench set at 3nm. And 4.98, 4.72 and 4.99 with the wrench set at 5nm.

Once desired torque is met the tool provides a positive click to let you know you’re done. It’s certainly more pronounced than many cheaper options, making it far less likely to accidently over torque.

Related reading: 17 cycling torque wrenches tested

The 'deluxe' version now comes in a felt-lined roll up case with bits included:

Effetto Mariposa offer the Giustaforza II Pro wrench with or without bits. As we tested it, the ‘Deluxe’ version is with bits and includes a classy felt-lined tool wrap to house it all.

Unlike the metal storage tin previously provided, this deluxe wrap makes best use of the Giustaforza II Pro’s compact size by keeping everything minimal for storage.

The bits are made of ‘S2’ steel and offer precise fitment within bolt heads. The supplied bits are carefully chosen, and we haven’t needed anything more than the supplied Hex, Torx and Phillips bits.

One of the biggest selling points of the original Giustaforza torque wrench was its absolutely minimal head that could reach into the very tightest of spots (such as a Thomson seatpost clamp head). Unfortunately, the ratcheting head of the Pro does remove much of this clearance.

The 'pro' version features a ratcheting head that uses a 1/4in square drive attachment :

The 'Pro' version features a ratcheting head that uses a 1/4in square drive attachment

That said, we still highly rate the fast tightening action of the ratchet design, and its ‘quick release’ type button adds additional security to the socket bits it holds. Using the supplied 100mm extension bit should help to overcome nearly all clearance issues of the larger head too.

Even with such praise, it’s priced at a premium and doesn’t offer a great deal over more generic Taiwanese options. Its price point puts it up against proven automotive options too, but we feel the cycling-specific torque range and compact size are enough to keep this elegant tool competitive in function.

Be sure to read our full torque wrench grouptest, see it here.

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