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Updated Silca T-Ratchet & T-Torque multi-tool, getting lighter & more accurate

Written by Cory Benson
13 Comments
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Silca brings back their popular combined T-Ratchet & T-Torque multitool, making it even better than before. The tool is about as compact as it gets for hauling an adjustable torque wrench & several bits out on a ride. And now Silca has upgraded the torque tube itself to offer improved accuracy & usability.

T-Ratchet & T-Torque multi-tool kit

At just 30g, the main titanium & aluminum bodied tool can be adjusted to torque settings from 2-8Nm, covering the range of more fragile ti & carbon found on most high-end components. At $100 it isn’t cheap for a multi-tool, but surprisingly reasonable compared to standard adjustable torque wrenches.

Torque Tube tech

The way it differs is that the Torque Tube works by representing torque in the twist of the tube, rather than a click-based torque wrench.

That is also how it gets its update as well. Silca has separated the torque indicator lines onto three sides of the Torque Tube to better space them out (pairing 2&6Nm, 3&5Nm & 4&8Nm each on one side), and make it much easier to read & hit the torque level you are aiming for. They’ve also had Bora-Hansgrohe pro mechanics putting it to the test this year to finalize the laser markings.

The T-Ratchet & T-Torque multi-tool includes 10 magnetic bits (2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm & 6mm hexes;T10, T20, T25 torxes, and a #2 Phillips) and a steel bit extender.

All of those can be use can be used with the 72 tooth engagement T-Ratchet & the Torque Tube for tightening, or T-Ratchet & the bit extender for loosening. Then everything stows & rolls up nicely in the waxed canvas tool roll.

Silca mostly shows the T-Ratchet in its T configuration here. But one end of the ratchet is removable. Then thread it into the other end for a more standard ratchet configuration.

Silca Prize Pack contest

Oh yeah, and as a side note… If you head over to Silca’s website and sign up with an email address presumably to get on their mailing list, you will enter to win a sweet tool prize pack that includes: this T-Ratchet + T-Torque kit, a pair of their 2 (9&13 bit) Italian Army Knife folding multi-tools, a full set of their T-Handle wrenches, all the cases for the tools, a separate tool wallet, plus a Tattico pump and the Seat Roll Premio. Register now as they’ll draw a winner on Dec 1.

Silca.cc
Cory Benson
4,359 articles

Cory Benson is the EU Tech Editor of Bikerumor.com.

Cory has been writing about mountain bikes, enduro, cyclocross, all-road, gravel bikes & bikepacking for over 25 years, even before the industry created some of these names. Prior to Bikerumor, Cory was a practicing Architect specializing in environmental sustainability, has designed bike shops & bike components, and worked as a bike shop mechanic.

Based in the Czech Republic for 15+ years, he is a technical mountain biker, adventurous gravel rider, and short & medium-haul bikepacker. Cory travels extensively across Europe riding bikes, meeting with key European product developers, industry experts & tastemakers for an in-depth review of what’s new, and what’s coming next.

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Jon D
Jon D
7 years ago

Deflection-type torque wrenches take more skill and training than click-type but offer a few sterling advantages: they’re cheaper and they don’t need periodic re-calibration. (If your beam’s deflection is K per Nm, it will be that until approximately the end of time.) The cheaper thing doesn’t apply to this tool but maybe its compactness coupled with the reliable calibration is worth it.

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boom
boom
7 years ago
Reply to  Jon D

you’re forgetting that they are as accurate as you can read the marking while torquing a fastener. So, not very accurate at all. And while one could argue that it would be much better than a ‘normal’ multi-tool while on the road/trail, I actually think that the false sense of accuracy and proper torque is a significant hindrance. Invest in a quality, reputable-brand torque wrench and save plenty of headache later on.

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TheKaiser
TheKaiser
7 years ago
Reply to  boom

If you are talking in general about deflection type torque wrenches used in a pro environment to work on tons of bikes, with bolts at all angles, as quickly as possible, then I can see where you are coming from. At high torque loads, like on some crank/BB designs, the mechanic has to apply significant force and it can be tough to see the gauge while applying ones body weight to the tool. Also, some fasteners do not tighten smoothly, so have additional problems trying to hit a specific torque there as the fastener almost indexes.

On the other hand, for the home user, or for repairs and adjustments out in the field, on the low torque fasteners that this tool is intended for, I think they are plenty accurate. You can easily achieve these torques with just a twist of the wrist, no body weight required, and bolts of this size will tend to tighten quite smoothly. With no time pressure you can easily reposition yourself to watch the torque gauge closely as the fastener loads up, and stop quite accurately at the line.

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jxjjd
jxjjd
7 years ago

Realistically on the go i need 5nm and 15nm and 40nm. 5 to 8 doesnt matter much

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Matt S
Matt S
7 years ago
Reply to  jxjjd

If you are going to 15 or 40nm then you’re going to want a torque wrench with some more leverage. If you can pull that off with this tool I would be very impressed.

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Seraph
Seraph
7 years ago

I carry a Topeak Nano Torqbar with a 5nm head and T25 and 4mm bits with me on a daily basis. When I ride, I take the 5nm head from the Topeak and put it in my Silca kit. I don’t really like the Silca torque wrench thing. I prefer to have a system with a fixed amount of torque. Almost everything on my bike that I would need to tighten is 5nm anyway.

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1111
1111
7 years ago

So… the change is they’ve marked the torque in various places on the tube, compared to once (based on the one I have in my hand). Nice, it was a PITA to have to move/readjust the bit so the markings were visible.

My impression from the article was the tool was originally click-based, which is not the case based on the one I own.

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Vincent
Vincent
7 years ago

I have the now old one and it’s a nice tool but the graduation is terrible so this is a welcome improvement. How that got past the first prototype to production is a mystery to me.

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MNC
MNC
7 years ago
Reply to  Vincent

Couldn’t agree more – no idea how no one thought the readability of this original tool wasn’t an issue that needed to be solved. I’m really bummed that the only attempt to remedy the issue for owners of the original is to offer 15% off a new torque tube. I asked if it would be possible to have a sticker to put on my old one to “upgrade” it and haven’t had a response – just a reminder that I can have 15% off a new one. So, in order to have a tool that reads the way it should have read from the beginning, I/we have to buy another one and put this one in a landfill. Pretty lame.

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Feelinlikeasucker
Feelinlikeasucker
7 years ago
Reply to  MNC

15% is like a slap in the face, but like an idiot I replaced my unused torqi

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Skip
Skip
7 years ago

If you use an adjustable torque wrench, always set it to zero when not in use. This is a standard practice for all aircraft engine shops.

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gyom
gyom
7 years ago

« […] tool can be adjusted to torque settings from 2-8Nm »: this is borderline misleading as this is not a click-type torque wrench, so there are no « settings » nor « adjustments ». Just clicking on the link and looking at the video makes it quite clear.

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Nik
Nik
3 years ago

Sounds very promising, enough to buy and test it. Currently I use the topeak torque bits in my bike kit and sometimes at home too (when too lazy to fetch the proper torque wrench). Most finishing kit needs 4 or 5 Nm, brakes and sturdier seat posts/clamps mostly 6 to 8, so with 4/5/6 you’re mostly save on the lower side. What I do dearly miss are two things: the clicking signal is not loud enough for roadside repairs, I have to wait if cars are passing by. 2 Nm are a welcome benefit for things like a headset and the progression below each markings enables finer torque adjustments, too. Within this sensitive range I prefer to to adjust by sight since I carry a micro headlamp for night time anyway. Topeak’s clicking signal is clearly not loud and definitive enough for outdoors, plus you have to swap the bits if you don’t want to limit yourself to the most often used 5 Nm and gestimate below.

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