I can’t think of a year that I haven’t bought a Park Tool product. When bikes and the parts on them evolve, the tools to maintain them need to evolve as well. Park Tool, as always, stays ahead of the game and this year they were busy!
Sort through your tools and jump past the break to see what you’re missing now….
First up is their new TL-6.2 steel core tire levers. To have the protective layer while keeping the tip of the tire lever as small as possible without sacrificing strength, they left just the tip exposed rather than increasing its thickness by covering the whole thing up like in the earlier TL-6. Some brands accomplish the smaller end by not extending the steel all the way to the tip. While that works, they typically break as the plastic tip ends up being the weak link.
Adding to their extensive collection of freewheel and cassette lockring tools, Park Tool now has the 12mm FR-GT that obviously fits HG cassette lockrings that surround a 12mm axle. Though the pinless FR-5 works fine, the guide pin eases insertion and offers more stability.
Speaking of cassette tools, Park has a really nice shop level cassette tool with handle in the FR-5H. The Fr-5H has an open end designed to go over most quick release nuts enabling cassette removal without removing the quick release much like the Abbey Bike Tools Crombie tool. It also has a replaceable head in case the teeth become worn or damaged.
While multi-tools come in an abundance of configurations, Park Took has decided to look at the needs of specific genres of riders and develop the new multi-tools based on those particular needs.
Clockwise:
- MT-10 – Roadies – 3, 4, 5 and 8mm hex’s, T-25 Torx, cross/straight tip screwdriver, and key holder
- MT-20 – Triathletes – Adds CO2 inflator adapter and mirror to the MT-10
- MT-30 – Commuters – Adds 2.5 hex, T-30 Torx, and 8 & 15mm box wrenches to the MT-20 (no CO2 inflater)
- MT-40 – Mtn/Adventurers – Adds chain tool, 2.5 hex, and T-30 Torx to the MT-20
*kidding…. the MT-20 does not really come with a mirror
Although we showed you these back in June along with other items Park Tool released, you just can’t highlight torque wrenches enough. Just about every bike has torque specs listed somewhere on it and the more expensive the bike or part, usually the more crucial it is you use one. If you own their iconic 3-way hex wrench, (AWS-1), you better have a torque wrench right next to it at all times….. and why not make sure they match? The PTD-4, 5, & 6 and ATD-1 are easy to use and include 3, 4, 5mm and T25 bits stored in the handle so you’re ready for anything.
Lastly, Park Tool offers a new Hub Bearring Press Set with the HPB-1. It has a quick release design for fast tool installation and removal and includes two bearing presses and precision machined aluminum pilots, bushings, and spacers. The HBP-1 works with more than 20 different cartridge bearing sizes and multiple axle configurations.
Meh. Too little, too late. And does anyone remember when Park Tools used to be Park Tools USA? Those Bondhus hex wrenches, for instance, used to be half-decent tools…
meh, I’m just waiting for Trek to bring in Unior tools. Park stuff just hasn’t been holding up
Every time my park tool wears out i replace it with a Unior.
“I can’t think of a year that I haven’t bought a Park Tool product.”
Yeah, they do wear quickly.
Where do u guys buy Unior?
As a triathlete….you nailed it.
Not being a triathlete, can someone please explain to me why a mirror is necessary on a multitool (MT-20 above)? Is there a best dressed competition in the race? Or are there cocaine breaks or something?
“New in blue- all the sh*t you already own”
Park needs a pivot bearing extractor tool.
I’m a full-time, complete-tool-owning, professional bike mechanic. I own a lot of Unior stuff. It’s pretty good. Their cone wrenches are the best currently available.
BUT…there’s still nothing in the bicycle-tool world that even holds a candle to the world’s grown-up tool manufacturers (Snap On, Cornwell, Mac, Hazet, Stahlwille, Beta…).
way to copy the abbey bike tools Crombie
http://www.abbeybiketools.com/collections/tools/products/single-sided-crombie
alex–KHS has them
@Pedaltrash: I think he means it mirrors the tools on the MT-10, not that there is a phsyical mirror. So its the MT-10 plus CO2 chuck.
“I can’t think of a year that I haven’t bought a Park Tool product.”
The year you were born? I bet you didn’t buy one that year, actually, you probably didn’t buy one until at least 5th grade, so that’s 10 years for starters.
That FR-5H tool looks heavy, complicated, plus it’s threaded together so will be a right pain in the arse over time.
Glad to see they can’t make anything as good as the Abbey Crombie.
I just bought what might be one of my last Park Tools, because Truing stands are one area where I can’t seem to find any real competition for them. Wheelbuilding tools are one area where they’re the only people not making only crap, or only $1000 stands. Like others here, when looking for new tools, I look elsewhere first these days.
@alex: Trek is going to be the first US distributor for Unior before the end of the year.
I wish Park would update their derailleur hanger tool. The current model has too much play…
@ Pedaltrash: The mirror was in jest, and I will formally apologize to Park Tool if they suddenly start getting requests for this….. or light weight, low calorie beer specific bottle openers.
@Charlie Best: Life didn’t start till I was riding a bike. *drops mic*
@ John: They did update it this past June with the DAG-2.2 (see link). I didn’t post it since we covered it just a few months ago. Hope that helps.
http://bikerumor.com/2015/06/15/park-tool-launches-eight-new-tools-for-summer-includes-torque-wrench-improved-hanger-alignment-gauge/
Constantly amazed at the terminally jaded on Bike Rumor. What a team of whiners. I bet most of you don’t own so much as a screw driver. Yawn. I’m going out right now and order a HPB-1. I might not ever use it . . . think I’ll just prop it up on a bench as decoration.
Its turning into a Team Robot thread in here. Get out while you still can.
HMR-4 and a Paw-12, all other bike shop tools are redundant.
For those wondering competitive cyclist / backcountry carry a lot of the Unior catalog. If you meant distribute to shops, no idea
I met a few of the guys in vegas at Inter Bike 2016, they’re website is launching sometime this month. Cant wait to replace all my roughed up stuff with unior.
uniorusa.com if i have it right.