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Prestacycle TorqRatchet Go

9
£56.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Strong, effective and simple in a clever way – this is a very useful portable tool
Easily portable
Accurate
Strong build
Versatile
Weight: 
122g
road.cc Recommends

This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends

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The Prestacycle TorqRatchet Go is a very useful little thing – you can easily use it for general bolt-twiddling without damaging it (not true of 'proper' torque wrenches), the torque readings are accurate, and it's very portable. You don't get many bits, but it's a useful selection for bicycles, and as they're standard 1/4in you can easily add more.

> Buy now: Prestacycle TorqRatchet Go for £56 from Prestacycle

Check out our guide to the best torque wrenches for more options, with or without ratcheting...

Unlike most devices, you don't set this for a particular torque, and it doesn't click when it gets there. Instead you simply hold the round plastic end and push until the white indicator points at your chosen number. The white paint of the indicator is on a bar inside the aluminium body, and you're bending that bar, bringing more and more of it into view in the curved window.

The 12Nm max is a fair amount of force, especially as you can only really get a finger and thumb on the plastic nub, but it's easily manageable. It feels designed to stop you just ramming too much force through and damaging it, and it's a neat and comfy solution.

2024 Presta Cycle TorqRatchet GO - detail 1.jpg

I tested the TorqRatchet Go against a more traditional X-Tools torque wrench (which it seems is no longer sold) and a larger Draper I have, and all three agreed at all the settings I tried. It's certainly accurate enough for what's it's designed for.

Hold the aluminium body as a handle and this is a regular ratchet, which makes this way more useful than most dedicated torque wrenches. That ratchet is housed in a rugged steel head, is reversible, and takes the 1/4in bits you can find everywhere.

2024 Presta Cycle TorqRatchet GO - detail 2.jpg

The tool comes with nine bits in a simple plastic holder, but although they're made strong from good steel, the rather deeply bevelled edge around the ends of the hex bits don't help them find the best purchase in shallow bolt heads. I rounded out one cheap bolt quite easily.

2024 Presta Cycle TorqRatchet GO - bots.jpg

You also get a couple of Torx bits and a Phillips screwdriver, but it's easy to swap in or out whatever bits you fancy.

At around 12cm long and 1cm thick, this tool is very easy to slip (along with its bit holder) into a pocket or pack, and while 122g is noticeable it's hardly problematic. Basically this is both very useable and very useful, either on the go (as the name more than suggests) or in the shed.

Value

For me at least, the £56 asking price makes this a very deliberate purchase – I'd have to really want both functions, rather than seeing one just as an occasionally useful extra, to pay the premium. If you just want a torque wrench then something like the VonHaus Bike Torque Wrench Set is £32.99, while a regular ratchet can also be had for less. Prestacycle's own Prestaratchet Go, for instance, is £30 and includes a host of additional bike-centric tools.

Still, if you want a genuinely portable torque wrench then prices do rise; the excellent Lezyne Pocket Torque Drive is £65, for instance.

Oddly, the Prestacycle TorqRatchet Pro Deluxe that Mike reviewed and loved so much is still available and now cheaper than this Go version at £52, despite it including a case and three extra bits. Its range is slightly lower at 2-10Nm, if that's an issue (the Go covers 3-12Nm). It's also 8% larger, because yes, Prestacycle has actually worked that out...

I'd say the price is entirely reasonable for what you're getting, but if you don't really need both a ratchet and a torque wrench in one portable package you can spend less on one or the other.

Overall

This is a neat, effective and strongly built design that's easily accurate enough for bike use. It's a great way to make sure you're not overtightening critical fasteners when you're fettling things out on the road, and the size, weight and shaping mean there's little penalty in carrying it. It's an easy gadget to recommend.

> Buy now: Prestacycle TorqRatchet Go for £56 from Prestacycle

> Six essential tools for cyclists who do their own bike maintenance

> Beginner’s guide to bike tools

Verdict

Strong, effective and simple in a clever way – this is a very useful portable tool

road.cc test report

Make and model: Prestacycle TorqRatchet Go

Size tested: One size

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?

Prestacycle says: "Two tools in one. The red handle is a standard reversible ratchet. The black knob is a beam torque wrench. A complete pocket multi-tool-to-GO!

"Grab the red handle and tighten or loosen screws and bolts all over your bike. The Patented reversible thumb-wheel ratchet head is rated to up-to 60Nm of total force, so this tool can even be used to install and remove Pedals.

"Tighten each bolt to exact torque!

"This is a highly accurate beam torque wrench capable of tightening from 3Nm to 12Nm. When tightening, finish by pushing on the end-knob. As you tighten, the indicator will point to the current torque. When it reaches the correct torque, stop tightening. You're done!"

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

Prestacycle lists these details:

8% smaller than our Pro Model

20% higher maximum torque - 3~12Nm

Ratchet Multi-tool and Torque Wrench-in-one!

3X Larger readout than our original Model!

Heavy-duty design withstands up to 60Nm of force

Only 124mm (4 7/8 inches) long & 64 grams!

Calibrated for over 5000 cycles of Torque tightening

New smaller size fits in the smallest tool bag or Jersey pocket!

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

122g is noticeable in a pocket, but not problematic.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10

Main handle and torque wrench button both work well.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

Very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Most things.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

There's nothing to particularly dislike.

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

£56 is a very fair price for a strong ratchet/portable torque wrench combo.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

This does exactly what it's designed to do, does it really well, and does nothing wrong. It's excellent.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 183cm  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Vitus Zenium SL VR Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: general fitness riding, mtb,

Add new comment

7 comments

Avatar
wtjs | 1 month ago
0 likes

I'm very pleased with my Prestacycle ratchet bit driver, which I take on all my long distance trips

Avatar
Pot00000000 | 1 month ago
0 likes

It looks like a nicely thought out tool at a good price .

The main issue I find with most torque wrench designs is the head size. This is nice and compact so far easier to torque seatpost or saddle clamps which are close to the seatpost without scratching it. 
 

The bits look like nice quality too which makes a huge difference to the experience.

 

Avatar
Sriracha | 1 month ago
0 likes

I'm getting déjà vu - how many brand names has this tool appeared under?

Avatar
Rich89 replied to Sriracha | 1 month ago
5 likes

None. The 3-12 is a new variation which is smaller than the previous tools and goes up to 12nm. Our original tool was 2-10 and is available under other brand names. The 12nm means you can now also do up your shimano crankset with this tool. - Rich, Prestacycle UK

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Rich89 | 1 month ago
2 likes
Rich89 wrote:

None. The 3-12 is a new variation which is smaller than the previous tools and goes up to 12nm. Our original tool was 2-10 and is available under other brand names. The 12nm means you can now also do up your shimano crankset with this tool. - Rich, Prestacycle UK

Useful for snapped Ultegra cranks

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Rich89 | 1 month ago
0 likes

But how accurate is it given 12nm is the minimum ?

Avatar
Rich89 replied to Hirsute | 1 month ago
2 likes

Given that its 12-14nm and the torqwrench in accurate for 5000 cycles up to 12nm its going to be perfect for doing up those bolts

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