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Lifeline Torque Wrench Set review

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Liam Mercer's picture

Liam Mercer

Since beginning his mountain biking career while working as a resort photographer in Greece in 2014, Liam became a freelance contributor at off.road.cc in 2019. From there, he’s climbed the journalism job ladder from staff writer to deputy technical editor, now finding his place as technical editor.

Partial to the odd enduro race, heart rate-raising efforts on slim-tyred cross-country bikes, hell-for-leather e-MTB blasts or even casual gravel jaunts, there’s not a corner of off-road cycling where Liam fears to tread. With more than 40 bike reviews under his belt and hundreds more on MTB, e-MTB and gravel parts and accessories, Liam’s expertise continues to be cemented and respected by the industry.

Product reviews

Lifeline’s Essential Torque Wrench Set lives up to its name in more ways than one. It’s affordable, easy to use, accurate and very well equipped making it a worthy consideration for anyone looking to add one of the best bike torque wrenches to their tool collection.

Lifeline Essential Torque Wrench Set - Technical details

The Essential Torque Wrench set from Lifeline has everything you’ll need to tighten bolts all over your bike effectively. Housed within a plastic case is the wrench itself, and Allen bits from 3-10mm, along with T10, T25 and T30 Torx heads. There’s also an extended 5mm to help you reach those tough-to-reach 5mm Allen bolts.

> Buy now: Lifeline Essential Torque Wrench Set from Wiggle for £39.99

2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set setting.jpg
2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set setting.jpg, by Liam Mercer


The wrench offers a torque range of 2-24Nm through a quarter-inch square driver with a socket release button. It features micrometric adjustment and it can tighten bolts in both directions, though only to the required torque setting in the clockwise direction.

Lifeline Essential Torque Wrench Set - Performance

The Lifeline Torque Wrench set is simple and intuitive to use. To pick your desired torque, twist the bottom until the red bar reaches the correct marking. As with any torque wrench, give the bolt a good tighten until the head of the tool cracks and the job’s a good un’. Adding and removing Allen bits is as simple as expected too, with the release button doing its job perfectly each time.

2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set action.jpg
2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set action.jpg, by Liam Mercer


While the quality of the tool doesn’t quite match up to pricier options, that’s only to be expected of a torque wrench south of £50. Although the luxurious quality isn’t present, it’s clear that this torque wrench is an absolute workhorse, having been used solidly for a couple of months - I’m confident that it’ll hold up for years to come. And, even if it didn’t, it’s cheap enough to justify purchasing another, though I’m certain that ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ won’t apply here.

2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set with bit.jpg
2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set with bit.jpg, by Liam Mercer


It’s accurate, too. When set at the same torque limit as other wrenches on test (and more expensive ones, might I add), the head cracked at the very same torque.

Lifeline Essential Torque Wrench Set - Verdict

At £40, it would be silly not to drop the cash on the Lifeline Torque Wrench set if you’ve not already got a torque wrench in your kit. 

2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set head.jpg
2022 lifeline essential torque wrench set head.jpg, by Liam Mercer


Buying an adjustable torque wrench from almost any other brand is a much pricier investment. Take, for example, Topeak’s Torq Stick Pro, it comes in a box with similar bits and features, but costs £130. Its torque range isn’t as vast, either.

Even M Part’s Torque Wrench is spendier, though a somewhat closer competitor at £60. Its torque range is limited compared to Lifeline’s and it doesn’t come with as many bits.

What the Lifeline Torque Wrench Set offers for the price is impressive. It’s the full package, coming with a comprehensive range of bits and a wide but accurate torque range. If you’re looking to buy or replace a torque wrench, don’t let this wrench’s price fool you, it’s the real deal.