Granite Designs – ROCKnROLL – Tool Review
Whatever type of rider you are, no matter how far you venture into the woods or up into the mountains, at some point a mechanical is going to happen and you’ll need to fix it, trailside. As you become further and further away from your home or vehicle, it dawns on you that you didn’t bring any tools with you. “Ah, bugger! We’ll be alright, nothing’s going to happen“. Hmmm.
Or perhaps you’re a weight weeny and didn’t want to lug that extra hundred grams of weight, or your Mum told you that you’re a blood relative of MacGyver and can make tools out of sticks and leaves? Well, maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not.
One thing we’re certain is true, is that Granite Tools have now made it very easy for us to make those decisions by creating a set of super-mobile, high-end quality tools, designed to be brought along on our rides. Please welcome the ROCKnROLL mini ratchet tool.
Above/Below: The ROCKnROLL comes in a small package but has all the necessary tools to fix most trailside issues to get you home.
Photo:©Richard McGibbon
Who is Granite?
Launched in April 2017 during the Sea Otter Classic, Granite Design is built on the philosophy to create products that offer the traveling rider an optimised experience. Tools that can be stowed away easily and form multiple functions. Their first product was a light, sturdy, compact, and travel-friendly bike stand, called the Hexstand. Since then they have launched several products all of which follow the same mantra and philosophy of the brand. We reviewed their CLEVER tool recently and it features all the hallmarks of the Granite ethos.
Features
The ROCKnROLL comes with a mini Ratchet tool, extension rod, and a 9-bit kit. The ratchet tool may be small in the size but tough enough to withstand 60NM of torque! Tool bits are made with premium quality S2 alloy steel for exceptional strength and CNC-cut for precision engagement.
The pouch uses a special abrasion resistance and high-strength CORDURA fabric, and a special loop strap with a protective patch at the back of the roll is designed to work with a GRANITE ROCKBAND carrier strap.
Dual direction ratchet head and a range of hex bits, star, Phillips and an extension bar for space-critical areas.
Photo:©Richard McGibbon
Out On The Trails
The Granite ROCKnROLL is a perfect companion on those longer rides for that added piece of mind. The whole package weighs only 136g, so adding it to your pack or hip belt is low-cost in terms of weight, considering the ROCKnROLL has all the bits that you’ll need to do your trailside fix.
The ratchet handle allows you to undo and nip up bolts extremely quickly with a flip of a small lever. No more frustrating stop/starts in those awkward spots on the bike frame. Even the trickiest of spaces now becomes a much easier task to deal with. Being able to ratchet up a bolt with limited space is so much quicker than previously having to turn, pull out, insert and turn again (repeat 20 times). Anything that helps reduce stress levels and maintain your sanity on the trailside, has got to be a good thing.
If you’ve ever had to remove and install a new saddle, you’ll know how tricky and time-consuming it can be with the small space and lack of movement in that area. Well, the ROCKnROLL makes this job a breeze with the small head and ratchet system. We’d buy it just for doing that! But once you do have the ROCKnROLL, you’ll be using it for a lot more than installing saddles, we can assure you.
Conclusions
The Granite ROCKnROLL is a perfect companion to take on those longer rides where a trailside fix is crucial to getting you home. The whole package weighs only 136g, so adding it to your pack or hip belt is low-cost in terms of weight, considering the ROCKnROLL has all the bits that you’ll need to do your trailside fix.
Now you can live the ROCKnROLL lifestyle you’ve always dreamed about!
[easy-image-collage id=10813]Specifications
- 7 Hex bits (2mm/2.5mm/3mm/4mm/5mm/6mm/8mm)
- Star bit (T25)
- Philips bit (PH2)
- Roll size: L130xW50xH30
- Weight: 136g
- Colour option: Black / Camo green
Price / Where to Buy
Granite Designs Rock ‘N’ ROll Tool: Price: $48.00aud (approx)
Can be purchased at MTB Direct and other good online retailers or ask at your local bike shop.
To find out more about Granite products, head over to their website.
