A good multi tool can be relied on to dig you out of trouble if you encounter a mechanical issue on the trail or roadside, but they’re often fiddly to use and leave you guessing how tightly you’ve done things up. Not ideal for fragile components or expensive carbon handlebars.
Also read:best bike multi tools
Plus, the bulkier nature of a normal multi tool can often make reaching awkward bolts tricky, potentially causing you to damage something in the process. Adam Binnie tests the Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite NTX+ to see if it’s a replacement for a more traditional folding multi tool.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Allen keys | 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm |
| Torx | T10, T15, T25 |
| Screwdrivers | #2 Phillips |
| Chain tools | Chain breaker |
| Tyre tools | Two tyre levers |
| Other tools | Torque bit 2-6Nm |
| Dimensions and weight | 13x6.5x3.3cm, 240g |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Folds up super neatly | • No flathead screwdriver |
| • Easier to use than a multi tool | • No tubeless tyre tools |
| • Tightens things to a precise torque | • No 10mm allen key |
Verdict: Unlike the Topeak Mini PT30 (which we've also reviewed), the Ratchet Rocket isn’t designed to be an all-in-one, leave-the-toolbox-behind solution. But what it loses in terms of outright functionality, it more than makes up for in usability.
If I was only taking one tool with me it would be the PT30, but when I’ve got both it’s the Ratchet Rocket I reach for every time. It’s even useful off the bike too – perfect for flatpacks and general repairs around the home!
Build
• Self-contained canvas wrap
• Elasticated straps for all the bits
• Top spec model has a torque bit too
Topeak is really good at making clever multi tools – whether it’s the function-packed but minuscule Mini PT30 or the stashable Ninjathat lives inside a special pocket on your bottle cage.
The Ratchet Rocket is something entirely different though. Essentially a tiny ratchet (and in the case of this top-spec model, a torque wrench) that you can fit into your pocket or jersey and not feel weighed down by.
Why? Well ratchet drivers are just better, aren’t they? Not only is it significantly easier to loosen or tighten something without having to remove and relocate the tool every half a turn, but the fact the ratchet is at a right angle to whatever your working on means it can be easily tucked into and used in tight spaces.
It lives in a neat canvas tool wrap not entirely unlike the kind you’d expect to find in the boot of an Italian supercar, although it’s quite a bit smaller of course and not branded with a prancing horse or raging bull.
Despite its huge capability, it’s compact and light – I’ve stored it in the pocket of a lycra cycling jersey while on my road bike or in a shorts pocket when I’m on my mountain bike, and not felt impeded by its weight. That said, all told it’s about 100g heavier than the Mini PT30 if you’re counting grams.
There are three versions of the Ratchet Rocket. All contain the base tool and tyre levers, adding a chain tool in the DX+ version and a torque bit in this top-spec NTX+ package. The price does jump up quite a bit for this model, but bear in mind it does away with the need to get a separate <10Nm torque wrench, and it begins to make more economic sense.
It also adds serious versatility to the tool and means that any repairs or adjustments done on the road don’t then have to be undone and checked for torque when you get home.
Usability
• Fantastic build quality
• Magnetic bits won't fall out
• Sharp, accurate edges
The tool wrap opens out like a book and houses all the quarter-inch bits in little elasticated pockets, while the ratchet is held in place by a hard-plastic clip. As you’d imagine from Topeak it’s beautifully made, with fancy etching on the tool itself and super sharp edges on all the bits.
These can all be a bit fiddly to get out but there’s a Velcro strap on the back (usually used to loop around your belt) that can be wrapped around your handlebars while you work.
On the right-hand side is the special torque bit and a chain tool, the handle of which can be inserted in the ratchet if you need a bit more reach, and a pocket for storing inner tube repair patches.
The previous NTXversion of this tool came with three separate torque bits set to specific values. Not only did this take up more space, it offered fewer torque settings than the single bit in this NTX+ version.
It’s worth reiterating at this point how tiny the ratchet is – and how it’s easier to use with your gloves off than on. It’s also got another bit holder at the bottom of the handle so you can use it more like a screwdriver, or to store a second allen/Torx if the job you’re doing requires two sizes.
Performance
• Perfect for awkward jobs
• No need to readjust torque at home
• Applications off the bike too
The extension bar and bottom of the ratchet have magnets in them and as result they hold onto the bits, rather than letting them drop on the floor to be lost if held at the wrong angle. This is very handy when you’re in the middle of nowhere.
It’s a really satisfying tool to use, with a tiny ratchet click when reversed and a miniature switch to flick between clockwise and anticlockwise. You also get a knurled thumbwheel to spin the bit while holding the tool still.
I like it so much in fact, rather than existing solely for ad hoc repairs while out and about, the Ratchet Rocket has become my go-to tool for awkward jobs like bottle cage mounts and seat clamp bolts.
The latter are positioned perilously close to the stanchion of my dropper post (you know, the bit you really don’t want to scratch with a sharp tool) and until now have been a pain to reach even with allen keys from my garage, let alone from my backpack while out riding.
It’s also great to have all my cockpit bolts done up to the right torque. I’ve got a large torque wrench for big jobs like rotor bolts and cranks but it doesn’t go below 10Nm for things like my stem or brake levers. Buying another torque wrench just to do these jobs seemed like overkill, and so I haven’t bothered.
To use the Ratchet Rocket’s torque device you insert it between the ratchet and the bit, and it has markings for different values between two and six Newton metres. As you tighten the bolt, the device twists and a line indicates how much torque is being applied. It’s simple and very clever.
The chain breaker is also a chunky item (unlike the flimsy ones you normally get in a multi tool) and is used in combination with the ratchet. Being a larger and more sturdy item, it feels more substantial and easier to use simply because of the extra leverage it affords.
Price
This is the slightly awkward moment when we must discuss the fact that at £67.99 (RRP, it’s cheaper on Amazon) this version of the Ratchet Rocket is more than twice the price of the standard DX – the extra money going towards the chain breaker and torque bit.
Topeak’s argument has always been that their tools might seem pricey but given the large number of functions they offer, are good value for money because they’re cheaper than buying all those things individually.
That holds true here - a decent chain tool andtorque wrench would push the budget higher still and then you’d have separate things to carry around. The Ratchet Rocket NTX+ does all of those things in one package.
Plus, because the bits aren’t actually attached to the ratchet, in theory you can replace them when they get worn out, unlike on a traditional multi tool.
Verdict
It's not cheap in NTX+ form but considering the number of jobs it can take care of, and the fact there are no compromises in either the quality of the tool or the way you use it, the Ratchet Rocket is extremely easy to recommend.
Often multi tools are awkward and a bit of a faff to use compared to the allen keys in your garage, but not here - in fact, I find myself reaching for the Ratchet Rocket while working on my bike at home, and even for non-bike related DIY projects around the house, simply because it’s so convenient and easy to use.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Folds up super neatly | • No flathead screwdriver |
| • Easier to use than a multi tool | • No tubeless tyre tools |
| • Tightens things to a precise torque | • No 10mm allen key |
How we tested it
As you can probably tell from the pictures, I took the Ratchet Rocket on several rides before writing this review (most of the dust is from Tidworth Freeride bikepark after a small jump-related crash) and used it to adjust several fixings on my bike, not least the brake levers and derailleur when it decided it didn't want to shift into my biggest gear anymore.
Adam Binnie is the Commercial Content Editor and reviewer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in bikes, fitness, cars, parenting and cooking.
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the What’s The Best team.