Park Tool has 28 new tools, including this HBP-1 Hub Bearing press - David Rome / Immediate Media
Released a few months back, the Preset and Adjustable Torque Drivers offer a full metal construction and multiple magnetic bits (within the handle) - David Rome / Immediate Media
Is imitation flattery? The new FR-5H offfers many similarities to Abbey Bike Tool's Crombie Wrench. The wide opening means you can slip the tool straight over most quick release nuts - David Rome / Immediate Media
Compared to the Crombie tool, Park's FR-5H does offer a replaceable head and carries a fair bit more weight - that last part may be a negative if you ever take your tools anywhere - David Rome / Immediate Media
The Park Tool FR-5GT adds a 12mm axle guide to a cassette tool - David Rome / Immediate Media
What's this? Those with Belt-Drive bikes now get the BDT-1 Sprocket remover - David Rome / Immediate Media
And another for the Belt-Drive riders, the BDT-2 tool is used to adjust tension and alignment - David Rome / Immediate Media
Built to perfectly square the mounts on just about any disc-brake equipped bike, the DT-5.2 is a fairly extensive kit - David Rome / Immediate Media
Another angle of the Disc Brake Mount Facing Set - David Rome / Immediate Media
With so many new press-fit bottom bracket standards, Park Tool now has a specific tool to handle them all - David Rome / Immediate Media
The new bearing presses use a simpler end clip for quick and safe operation. We say safer, as Park's headset press has commonly made mechanics bleed from its spring mechanism - David Rome / Immediate Media
The bearing presses come in organized plastic cases. So much nicer than the old cardboard box - David Rome / Immediate Media
Fulcrum and Campagnolo wheel users now have a nipple wrench, the SW-11 - David Rome / Immediate Media
The Crombie tool is what kicked off the Abbey Bike Tools name. The brand are playing with the concept of a double-sided Shimano/SRAM version that puts a 12mm axle guide in one end - David Rome / Immediate Media
A magnetic clip for the bottom of Abbey's new universal bearing press. The whole tool is still in prototype phase, but expect more details soon - David Rome / Immediate Media
Available now, Abbey Bike Tools' now offer a set of suspension sockets with a tight and flush fit onto problematic top caps - David Rome / Immediate Media
Jason Quade of Abbey Bike Tools shows what happens when the bit speed isn't quite right for the material being used - David Rome / Immediate Media
Efficient Velo Tools (EVT) make the very slimmest fitting clamp head on the market - David Rome / Immediate Media
EVT's E-Z Lift stand allows the bike to be worked on at any height - David Rome / Immediate Media
Brett Fleming of EVT showing off the various benefiets of being able to drop your stand to the ground - David Rome / Immediate Media
Looking more like a weapon than pedal wrench, the EVT 'Medieval All-Angle Pedal Wrench' offers plenty of safe leverage - David Rome / Immediate Media
The EVT Repair Clamp is also available to suit existing Park Tool PRS stands - David Rome / Immediate Media
To change the angle of approach, simply rethread that bolt - David Rome / Immediate Media
Called a 'Knuckle Saver', these EVT tools allow you to use a traditional pedal wrench on hex-equipped pedals - David Rome / Immediate Media
More of a multi-tool, Topeak has a new range compact Torque-wrench items called 'NANO'. The preset torque piece is actually a bit holder that slides over a 5mm hex key - David Rome / Immediate Media
Silca doesn't do anything but the very best. The HX-One hex key set is a thing of beauty - David Rome / Immediate Media
Not new, but DT Swiss' Proline truing stand always deserves a picture - David Rome / Immediate Media
Wheels Manufacturing has this $50 'home mechanic' bearing press. Supply your own guides - David Rome / Immediate Media
Or, you could get the entire set for a cool $325 - David Rome / Immediate Media
Wheels Manufacturing offer bearing extractors both separately or as full kit. These can tighten in 'blind hold' bearings for then easy removal with a punch and hammer - David Rome / Immediate Media
IceToolz have this new adjustable torque driver. 0-10nm is the range and the bits can be stored in the handle - David Rome / Immediate Media
Wolf Tooth now offer a range of bicycle tools. This bottom bracket cup tool doubles as the Shimano preload adjuster cap tool - David Rome / Immediate Media
Wolf Tooth offer one of the lightest chain whips going - David Rome / Immediate Media
A bottom bracket cup wrench and cassette-tool holder in one - David Rome / Immediate Media
And this is the cassette tool, super slim and will also fit over the top of a quick release axle nut - David Rome / Immediate Media
Bottle opener and disc brake rotor straightener. It's been done before, but they're still nice - David Rome / Immediate Media
Lastly, Enduro is working on some nice bottom bracket cup socket tools (the flat tool behind is already available) for its new TorqTite press-fit solutions - David Rome / Immediate Media
As new bottom bracket or disc brake ‘standards’ come to market, suitable tools soon follow. For 2016, many brands have bolstered their ranges, offering more tools to do specific tasks with greater ease. Here we present the latest and greatest that we spied wandering the aisles of Interbike.
Park Tool
With a total of 28 new tools, Park Tool is in no risk of losing its place of dominance.
Released a few months back, the preset and adjustable torque drivers offer a full metal construction and multiple magnetic bits (within the handle):
Something we covered previously, the Torque Drivers were Park's most popular addition at Interbike
We recently covered a handful of the new tools, including the Pre-set and adjustable Torque drivers. Park is confident in these new tools, stating the full metal internal construction is different to all others on the market and that they’ve proven to hold the torque accuracy over thousands of clicks. Park told BikeRadar that some of the more common plastic torque drivers show loss of accuracy in just 200 clicks of use.
Compared to the crombie tool, park's fr-5h does offer a replaceable head and carries a fair bit more weight - that last part may be a negative if you ever take your tools anywhere:
Look familiar?
Built for heavy-duty use, the new FR-5H Shimano-type cassette tool has its own steel handle. It’s clearly borrowing some design cues from the popular Abbey Bike Tool’s Crombie wrench, especially the hollow centre to slip over a quick release’s axle nut. It’s much heavier than an Abbey though, and the head can be unscrewed from the solid steel handle for replacement.
To ease the cassette removal with 12mm thru-axle rear hubs, the FR-5GT cassette tool simply offers a 12mm guide for a straight fit.
The bearing presses come in organized plastic cases. so much nicer than the old cardboard box :
Some new workshop tools come as complete kits with organized storage
Built for the shop environment, Park now has a hub bearing press kit, a bottom bracket bearing press kit and an updated disc brake mount facer. All three of these tools come as complete kits in organized plastic cases.
The bottom bracket (BBP-1) and hub bearing presses share a similar design with each other. Included with both are full ranges of bearing guides. One of the nicer aspects is the bottom collar, which just snaps in place without the use of a spring that can pinch your fingers like Park’s HHP-2 headset press that most shops use.
The HBP-1 hub press features a slimmer profile for access between the smallest of bearings. This tool would also work well for suspension frame pivots.
Built to perfectly square the mounts on just about any disc-brake equipped bike, the dt-5.2 is a fairly extensive kit :
The disc tab facing set goes through another overhaul
Those dealing with disc brake rub, shuddering or uneven pad wear will like the new DT-5.2 disc brake facing set. This new kit is designed to work universally with Post, Flat and IS disc brake mount standards and offers telescoping axles to suit just about every frame and fork standard.
Abbey Bike Tools
Abbey Bike Tools have quickly become a common fixture within the toolboxes of many professional race and shop mechanics. The tools typically fill a void in what’s offered elsewhere or perhaps just do a task better.
Available now, abbey bike tools' now offer a set of suspension sockets with a tight and flush fit onto problematic top caps:
Flush fit sockets for suspension work
Take the new Suspension Top Cap sockets. Sold in a set of five, these are a flush-fit socket for use on delicate fork top caps, something that professional mechanics used to achieve by sourcing expensive automotive sockets and grinding them down.
A magnetic clip for the bottom of abbey's new universal bearing press. the whole tool is still in prototype phase, but expect more details soon:
A prototype Abbey press
Still in the works, Jason Quade of Abbey showed us a prototype bottom bracket and headset bearing press. It features an impressive bearing arrangement to isolate tightening torque and pressing. The centering cone helps to keep the bearing or cup perfectly straight and a neat magnetic bottom clip ensures quick use. Quade plans to offer extensions, which will allow the tool length to be extended for even the tallest head tubes on the market.
Efficient Velo Tools (EVT)
Efficient velo tools (evt) make the very slimmest fitting clamp head on the market:
The shortest clamp head available; 'seatposts only', says EVT
Brett Fleming of EVT tends to always draw a crowd when he shows off the use of his shop-specific workshop products. Built for the professional, his tools are designed for safer, more precise and easier operation when working on bikes all-day long.
Such a philosophy is seen with the E-Z Light repair stand which offers the ability to attach the short clamphead to a seatpost with the bike on the ground. Not only does this ease the heavy lifting, it provides the ability to hold the bike secure while you free a stubborn pedal or even straighten a handlebar.
The tolerances on his stand are so tight that air pressure helps to control the vertical adjustment, something that is further aided by a 30lb weight that sits hidden within the stand’s column.
Wolf Tooth
Wolf tooth now offer a range of bicycle tools. this bottom bracket cup tool doubles as the shimano preload adjuster cap tool :
Wolf Tooth is getting into tools. These follow Abbey's success in lightweight, travel-focused options
Best known for their wide-narrow chainrings, Wolf Tooth is now doing a small range of lightweight ‘travel’ tools. The alloy-handled chain whip is the lightest we’ve seen, while other tools typically cover multiple purposes.
Silca
Silca don't do anything but the very best. the hx-one hex key set is a thing of beauty:
What do you buy the cyclist who 'owns everything'? A set of darn nice hex keys, that's what
Released a little while back, Silca now has a set of hex wrenches that show an amazing amount of thought. Featuring a nine-stage heat treatment, these are claimed to be an industry benchmark for strength and durability. The box itself is a work of art, offering one-handed opening and operation of all included tools.
The $125 may seem steep for a set of L-shaped hex wrenches, but the guys at Silca revealed these guys truly stressed every single aspect of the design, and it shows.
Be sure to check out the gallery above for a complete look at what’s new. We’ll be rounding up the best new multi-tools and maintenance products soon. Stay tuned.
