Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite NTX

Cyclists tend to slowly accumulate tools. Piece by piece, as we buy new components, we usually pick up the corresponding wrenches for installation or adjustment. For travel, all of these mismatched, loose tools aren’t ideal. That’s why Topeak’s Ratchet Rocket Lite NTX is a welcome addition to our kits.

If you’ve ever been on a cycling vacation, you know how nice it is to have every tool you need, just in case. The Ratchet Rocket Lite contains nearly everything we need in a compact nylon fold that Velcros shut. It’s only 230 grams as well, so you intrepid bikepackers might even consider it for overnight trips.

The jersey pocket-sized kit is built around a mini ratchet wrench with a reversible mechanism. This short wrench has a clever spot for a bit in its heel, so you can quickly screw in bolts with long threads.

The kit includes a range of Allen bits: 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm, as well as two Torx bits: T10 and T25. There’s also a #2 Phillips screw bit. Plus, the Ratchet Rocket comes with two tire levers and three torque bits rated to 4, 5, and 6 Newton meters.

It is pretty rare to find a torque wrench set-up that is travel-friendly. Topeak definitely succeeded in creating a ratchet system that works well with these clever bits that fit between the driver and the wrench bit. The click noise, which indicates torque, isn’t quite as loud as some torque wrenches. It took us a few tries to get accustomed to that quiet click. Fortunately, the driver won’t allow you to over-tighten bolts.

At $90, the Ratchet Rocket is more expensive than the average mini-tool. However, with the functionality of the ratchet wrench and the three torque bits, the extra money could be worthwhile for traveling cyclists with expensive parts that cannot be overtightened.