A ratchet is the middle layer of a Beyblade X top, and its name tells you almost everything about it. In a code like 3-60, the first figure is the number of protrusions around the ratchet and the second is its height in millimetres — so 3-60 has three protrusions and sits at 60, while 9-80 has nine and sits considerably taller. A few break the pattern: 0 ratchets have no protrusions at all, and M-85 substitutes a metal ring, making it the heaviest option in the system.
Height is the decision that matters most. Low ratchets keep the centre of gravity down and make a combo harder to knock out or flip, which is why attack and defense builds cluster at 50 to 60. Taller ratchets reach over an opponent’s blade to land upper attacks and can help a stamina build stay clear of contact, but they raise burst risk and give an aggressor something to get underneath. The 80-height ratchets in particular are frequently the first part swapped out of a stock combination.
Protrusion count changes weight distribution and how much of the ratchet is exposed to a hit. More protrusions push mass outward and add contact surface, which can help a defensive build absorb and redirect; fewer concentrate weight inward. In practice most competitive builders treat the ratchet as a height dial first and a weight adjustment second, and 3-60 became the single most common choice in the format for exactly that reason.