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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.

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

The Wera Bicycle Set 4 stashes nine very well-made hex/Torx keys in a rugged and genuinely useful case, and colour codes everything for ease of use. The quality feels great, and Wera's 'Hex plus' shaping seems genuinely good at avoiding rounded bolts. They're very useful sizes too – this is a good kit. All its impressive details will cost you a fair premium, though.

At first glance these L-shaped tools look like they're all Torx heads on the short arms and ball-ended hex (or Allen) heads on the long ones. The obvious exceptions are the T25 and T10 keys, which are Torx at both ends.

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In reality, the seven main keys are actually hex at both ends. Wera uses a 'hex plus' profile that means each usually flat face bows inwards, creating a kind of star-shaped cross section that looks a little like Torx.

The idea is it places more material at those vital corners, where a slip can round out a bolt, than a traditional hex shape. I found these keys very secure when cranking on bolts, despite an overall size that leaves an identical-feeling amount of play to a standard key.

Though I've only been testing these for six weeks or so, I actually have a 2mm Wera 'hex plus' driver of my own that's been working brilliantly for at least eight months now. I find small keys like this round off enough to start slipping quite quickly, but either Wera's steel or the hex plus shape (or maybe both) really resists that.

The long sides here are ball-ended (and a traditional hex shape) to allow access at an angle to tricky bolts, and all bar the two smallest keys (2mm and 2.5mm) have spring-loaded ball detents. For the record, the other keys are 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm and 8mm.

The detent lets you hold a bolt on the end while you poke it back towards its tricky-to-reach hole, which can be very handy. They do tend to fall off easily if the bolt isn't parallel to the key, though.

Each key is sleeved in coloured plastic for easy identification, and they're consequently easy to find on the ground or amongst other tools. The plastic adds some smooth thickness that's pretty helpful if you're really cranking on it, though it can make them even slipperier than normal if your hands are greasy.

> Beginner’s guide to bike tools – get all the vital gear for basic bike maintenance

The two Torx keys share a colour with their similarly sized hex brethren, which can be a faff – you can easily add an extra band of tape to avoid confusion, but it'd be nice if Wera added an obvious visual difference of its own.

The soft case holds the tools securely yet is very easy to access, and I found it genuinely useful – the plastic holders that hex keys frequently come with are a bulky faff in comparison. It feels very rugged and even features a big square of self-adhesive Velcro should you want to mount it on a wall.

At £49.99, these are expensive. We recently tested the Topeak Hex Combo and that, now £26.99, features the same keys (plus a 1.5mm) and colour coding. On the downside, there are no Torx keys, only the biggest three are colour coded, and it's a multi-tool – reach and leverage are limited.

Alternatively you could go bigger on reach and leverage with the LifeLine Pro Sliding T-Bar Hex Set, and get spinner sleeves too. You also get a 10mm key with this set, but while there's a T25 there's no T10. It's not nearly as portable, though, and it's considerably more at £89.99.

> Six essential tools for cyclists who do their own bike maintenance

If Torx is less important to you, you could do far, far worse than the Birzman Hex Key Set at £28.99. Okay they're not sleeved, colour coded or anything beyond traditionally shaped, but Birzman's S2 steel is excellent and they work and last brilliantly. You get all the same sizes as in the Wera set, plus 1.5mm and 10mm.

If you do a lot of home maintenance, a long-handled set of hex keys like this is a huge help. A multi-tool or the usual little keys of the type that simply materialise in your toolbox – be honest, you never bought a single one, but there they all are – will only make every job harder and longer.

This Wera set covers all the most common sizes, adds the two most common Torx heads, and gets on with doing the job extremely well. It's not cheap, but if you do a lot of work on your bikes it's a worthwhile investment – so long as you value all the neat little details Wera gets right here.

Very well made, very effective and made to last – but they'll have to at this price

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Make and model: Wera Bicycle Set 4 Colour Coded Hex & Torx L-Keys Set 9pcs

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?

Wera says: "L-keys made from circular material with plastic sleeve for use on bicycles. The plastic sleeve makes working comfortable even at low temperatures and is easy on the fingers. All L-keys are easily accessible due to their colour coding and size markings. For hexagonal socket screws and TORX screws. In a robust and lightweight folding pouch."

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

2 x Hex-Plus 950 SPKL L-Keys (2mm, 2.5mm)

5 x Hex-Plus 950 SPKL HF L-Keys (3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm)

2 x TORX 967 SXL HF L-Keys (TX10, TX25)

1 x Lightweight & robust folding fabric pouch

Size: 220mm x 100mm x 40mm

Tools and pouch feel robust and neatly made.

Plastic sleeving makes them thicker and smoother than most, which helps at high pressures.

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

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The 'hex plus' shape really does seem to help resist rounding out bolts.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

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

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

These are great: easy to find and use, really well made and secure in a rugged (but easy-access) case. Wera's 'hex plus' head shaping works very well too – if you hate rounded-off bolts, these will be your friend. The price is impossible to ignore, however, and affects the score – while they feel worth the investment if you're regularly doing maintenance at home (and plan to for years), there are still high quality options out there for considerably less. If these were £25-£30, they'd be at least an 8.

Age: 48  Height: 183cm  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Vitus Zenium SL VR Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: general fitness riding, mtb,

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A compact, light and easy-to-read tool for getting the correct torque in tricky places.

High quality tool that hits the function versus size sweetspot perfectly – it's worth the high price

Offers the majority of the tools you'll need on a ride, and is competitively priced too

Faster and easier to use than a multi-tool, very nicely made and a good price

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