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Feedback Sports Range Torque and Ratchet

9
£80.00

VERDICT:

9
10
A compact, reliable and useful torque-enabled tool for working on bikes, pretty much anywhere
Weight: 
220g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Feedback Sports Range Torque Ratchet is a lightweight, compact tool for working on your bike while adhering to ever-more-critical torque settings. Made from premium materials with a price tag to match, this may be the perfect Significant Event Present for the cyclist in your life.

  • Pros: Wide 2-10Nm range, every bit you're likely to ever need, intuitive use, multi-functional for undoing and tightening without removing, small-degree ratcheting, compact clearance for bottle cages etc
  • Cons: Small scale that can be tricky to read at first, need to check or reset after each reading, case can be a bit fiddly, no internal storage for bits on a ride

Feedback Sports has a strong reputation for not only in-house-born products, but also buying the rights to existing niche products, evolving and bringing them to broad markets with its own brand and flair, a good example being the Chain Keeper which it licenses from Butter.

> Buy this online here

In the same vein, the Range Torque Ratchet started life as the still-available (and cheaper) Prestacycle TorqRatchet. FBS looked at the Prestacycle version and decided the scale at the torquing end needed work. As with the first version of Silca's pretty cool Ti-Torque, the scale was just too hard to read to attain accuracy – so FBS changed the readout mechanism into a circular dial that spun as torque increased, greatly reducing the opportunity for over- or under-tightening.

Into the mix goes a nifty case and 14 assorted S2 steel bits, and you have another Feedback Sports premium product.

Cycle Feedback Sports Range Torque Ratchet 3.jpg

Ratcheting tools should be on every cyclist's workbench – in tight spaces, long tools often get snarled up, ball-ended tools are often a poor fit and don't work for Torx/Philips fittings, and you don't want to be endlessly removing and reinserting an L-shaped tool. Apart from the time and frustration, it's not good for the tool bit or the fastener you're tightening – every interaction of tool in/out causes wear, which adds up over time into increasingly poor fit and risk of damage.

On the Range tool the thumbswitch-actuated reversible-direction ratchet is rated to 60Nm of torque and engages at 6-degree increments – meaning even in the tightest spaces you can get on with work. You can also spin the bit using the serrated thumbwheel – again, very handy.

Regarding accuracy and repeatability, FBS says, 'During 3rd party testing at an accredited test lab, the Range's average uncertainty was found to be +/-0.07 Nm. The tests were conducted at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10Nm. The re-calibrating feature ensures that the Range stays accurate throughout each use as well as throughout its lifetime.' FBS claims that 'exceeds ISO standards' and with no need for recalibration (remember, you're calibrating it each time) you have a life-long friend.

The case features laser-cut foam cutouts to hold the tool and the 14 bits. A grumble I have is that the foam holds them a bit too well – sometimes getting a bit out was a two-handed gloves-off affair. Each bit's home is clearly named, as is the bit itself, making selection easy.

Cycle Feedback Sports Range Torque Ratchet 4.jpg

You get T10, 20, 25 and 30 Torx bits, a Phillips 2, and 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8mm hex bits. The 8mm is a fairly rare addition, handy so you can get your pedals nice and tight if needed out on the trail – remembering, the ratchet mechanism is good for 60Nm of welly. You get a longer 35mm version of the 5mm hex and T25 as well, very handy to reach brake calliper bolts which are usually surrounded by bits of calliper or frame.

The case is a jersey-pocket-friendly 17 x 8 x 4cm, and at 220g won't weigh you down. Of course the case and all the bits is a bit overkill if you're out for a day ride, so I usually took the tool plus 3/4/5mm and maybe a T25 depending on the bike and what I might be fettling along the way.

Cycle Feedback Sports Range Torque Ratchet 6.jpg

Could the Range be an effective on-ride multi-tool? I believe so, with judicious bit selection as the ratchet itself only weighs 75g. The only downside is the loose bits – out of the case you need to store them someplace. Many cheap toolsets include those red rubbery-plasticky bit holders, which work perfectly well for the purpose. Using one of those to hold four or so bits, the Range fitted easily into a tool roll or wallet. It would be great to see FBS add a little three or four-bit holder to the case for on-ride pocketable use in future – maybe one that slid onto the arm of the ratchet to keep things together, or spring-retained cutouts in the ratchet arm itself.

In a workshop setting I found myself using the Range quite often – the two-way ratcheting and torque measurement proving pretty handy when setting up stems and handlebars. Being able to tighten, check, loosen, reposition, tighten again, check again, then finally torque down to spec without removing the bit once was both speedy and reduces bit/fastener wear as a bonus.

> Beginner's guide to bike tools

The actual trick of eyeballing the gauge is one that with practice becomes second nature. The scale is in bold for whole units, with 0.5Nm increments marked. Setting to zero is a simple thumbing of the dial via a small window.You learn to position the ratchet where you can push or pull on the knob to effect the torque deflection; it's also a good way to 'train' your fingers to what is roughly spec, before using the tool for the final setting.

FBS even shows you in the packaging where to position your fingers for tightening/loosening (on the ratchet arm), and tightening to spec (on the knob). Now I'm the first person to call BS on the idea of 'calibrated fingers', and the amount of force needed for any given torque is of course related to where you are pushing on the tool arm. But over time you get a ballpark feeling.

I did my own tests against various other torque tools, and sure enough the Range was on the money. No concerns there.

> Buyer's Guide: 6 of the best torque wrenches

Is 2-10Nm 'enough' for a pocketable tool? I say yes. Looking through the bible that is Zinn And The Art Of Road Bike Maintenance, there are few occasions you need more than 10Nm unless you're into esoteric steel components or are faffing with cranks/bottom brackets/cassettes. If you do need to crank on something tight, the non-torque ratchet is good for an eye-watering 60Nm of welly as mentioned – but then it's highly unlikely you'll have the right adapters to hand beyond the 8mm hex provided.

All in all, for £80 including all the bits and case, I really rate the Feedback Sports Range. Accurate for life, doing the job of a number of tools at once, in a lightweight pocketable fashion, it represents value for money – particularly for the travelling cyclist or those needing a pocketable, torque-enabled solution for a ride.

Verdict

A compact, reliable and useful torque-enabled tool for working on bikes, pretty much anywhere

road.cc test report

Make and model: Feedback Sports Range Torque and Ratchet

Size tested: 14 Hex and Torque Bits

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?

It's for anyone fettling bikes that they care about.

Feedback Sports says: "The all-new Range Torque Wrench + Ratchet Wrench Combo simplifies proper bike maintenance by combining the precision of a bar-style torque wrench and speed of 2-way ratchet wrench in a compact, lightweight and portable package. There's no need to set a specific indexed torque, or go searching for missing bits – select your bit from the case's labeled inserts, ratchet for quick thread engagement and use the torque head to match manufacturer specifications for torque."

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

Feedback Sports lists:

Ratchet wrench for speed; torque wrench for precision

Portable and light – fits in a ride pack or travel-transport

Infinite torque capabilities within the 2-10Nm range

2-way ratchet wrench protects the integrity of torque wrench function

6-degree ratchet engagement maneuvers in tight spaces

Torque validation for 'bolt-checks' on any bicycle components

Compact head and bit design allows clearance and full function in tight spaces

14 labeled S2 Steel* allen key, torx bit, and Phillips head bits covering the most common bicycle applications

#2 Philips; Torx: T10 , T20, T25, T30; Hex: 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm;

Extended length: 5mm Hex & T25 Torx

User 'zero' ensures accuracy of the torque bar for every use

3rd-party tested and validated for accuracy and longevity (exceeds ISO standard)

*S2 Steel is industry-leading tool steel for precision edges and durability

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

Can't fault it. Gorgeous.

Rate the product for performance:
 
10/10

Spot on, in terms of accuracy and function.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Early days but it seems durable as anything, with high-quality steel bits.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
10/10

75g for the ratchet alone is darn light.

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

Great to use in the hand, no complaints.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Compared to its logical competitors – the Silca Ti-Torque and the Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza – it's the cheapest by some way, with better functionality. If you don't need the combo of light weight, small size, ratcheting and torque function, the value may be off for you.

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

Flawlessly.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The ability not to have to remove bits during a full trial-and-error setup.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The case. That's it.

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

It's £20 cheaper than the Silca Ti-Torque and a whopping £110 cheaper than the Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza Pro II – neither of which can undo bolts. The new Giustaforza 1-8 is 'only' £110 – but there's no ratcheting mechanism, and again, it can't undo stuff. And it's 134g instead of the Range's 75g. That's a whopping 59g extra – more than half an iPhone.

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

I can't really mark the Range down on price – whilst £80 is fairly hefty, it's cheaper than the competition. So it can only be for the hassle of getting bits out of the case, which just annoyed me, and the lack of on-ride bit storage. Feedback Sports could have included a bit holder in the case for ride use.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 45  Height: 183cm  Weight: 72kg

I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc  My best bike is: Velocite Selene

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling.

Living in the Highlands, Mike is constantly finding innovative and usually cold/wet ways to accelerate the degradation of cycling kit. At his happiest in a warm workshop holding an anodised tool of high repute, Mike's been taking bikes apart and (mostly) putting them back together for forty years. With a day job in global IT (he's not completely sure what that means either) and having run a boutique cycle service business on the side for a decade, bikes are his escape into the practical and life-changing for his customers.

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1 comments

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kil0ran | 2 years ago
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I really can't fault mine. It's compact enough to stuff in a jersey pocket if you're not worried about a few extra grams. I reckon it would fit fine in a bottle cage tool caddy too.

The long H5 bit is genius for fettling caliper bolts on a ride if you've had a puncture, and similarly the long T25 will sort out the hidden style chainring bolts on Shimano chainsets.

For workshop use I find it quick in the hand, although I'm a little nervous about a bit slipping in a worn fastener at higher torque values. Basically it's good for everything except Hollowtech crank bolts (although you can get close) and I find I use this more than my larger workshop torque wrench. 

Even with middle-aged myopia I find the scale OK to read, this was my main concern when ordering it but I find it easier than the scale on my preset workshop torque wrench. Case lays flat in use and I don't find it too fiddly to remove bits as required.

At time of writing it's available for a few pence over £45 which is a bargain for the quality and portability.

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