Tech Week 2023: A Spa For Your Bike, Tools For the Workshop & Trail
Dynaplug Covert MTB Plug and Plunger Kit
Dynaplug's Convert MTB kit stealthily hides inside the end of your handlebar and doubles the plug applicator as the bar end. Each bar end cap and plunger weighs 42g and is stocked with two plugs at either end.
This of course requires a set of grips that leave the end open and must have an inner diameter of at least 18.42mm. The female end is first fixed to the inside of the bar via three set screws and then the male end cap threads in hand tight. Included with the system is the necessary short allen key to reach the grub screws inside the bar.
The $125 USD patented Covert kit is made in the USA using state-side materials and comes with a lifetime warranty.
Silca Bike Spa Cleaners and Wax
“Bike Spa” is a bit of a hyperbole, but these cleaners and wax finishing products aim to leave your bike as good as new through a four-stage process that Silca dubs “detox, scrub, seal, and renew”.
Their Ultimate Brake and Drivetrain Cleaner goes on first to pull off the gunky mess of old chain lube or brake dust. Next is the concentrated soapy wash liquid to pull dirt from the components. That's followed by a graphene spray wax that is said to offer a nano-scale protection layer to the bike’s paint. Then, there’s also a ceramic waterless wash for touch-ups, which claims to lift away dirt without harming the finish. Keep in mind, both the graphene and ceramic sprays should steer clear of coming in contact with any touch points or braking surfaces.
Each 473ml bottle comes with its own spray nozzle and the full spa kit includes two microfiber towels for $135 USD.
Park Tools Team Issue Bike Stand
The $409.95 USD PRS-26, better known as the Team Issue Repair Stand, is a foldable, lightweight aluminum option that weighs just 5.7 kg (12.6 lb) for at home or on the move and uses a quick-close clamp. Three legs fold out to reach 126cm from the base, with the help of a hinged arm for security, and it can be set up between 97 and 147cm high.
As for the clamp, the 100-25D Micro-Adjust Clamp quickly threads in to close grasp and locks on by flipping the handle 180 degrees. That clamp has a width of 70mm and can hold objects between 23 to 76 mm. At the back of the clamp head, another handle can be released to spin the head 360 degrees, which will retrofit to any of Park Tools other stands as well.
Park Tools Piston Spreader and Needle-Nose Pliers
These 6” Needle Nose Pliers let you reach tight spaces with a flat and curved gripping surface. On top of the cutting edge at the inner reaches of the pivot, there are four crimping guides. It retails for $29.95 USD.
At the same price point, the PP-1.2 Hydraulic Brake Piston Press has a tapered leading edge to squeeze between the pads and uses a rubberized handle. It's thick enough to manipulate a set of pistons while holding two more at bay.
Pedro's Pro Cutting Guide, Star Nut Setter, and Crowfoot Flare Wrench
In this bundle are a few key items for working on your bike at home. Ever tried cutting a steerer tube or handlebar without a guide? Me neither. Okay, maybe once or twice... actually, way too many times. Pedro's Pro Cutting Guide holds any tube between 19 and 39mm. Those numbers are visible on the laser-etched detailing and the width can be adjusted for carbon or metal cutting blades.
After you cleanly cut that steerer, you can set a star nut nice and square with their second-generation Star Nut Setter that fits 1" and 1&1/8th tubes. Both tools retail for $59.99 USD and have replacement parts available.
Hiding in the frame is the convenient 7 and 8mm Crowfoot Flare Wrench for quickly finishing up brake fittings and the like. The little tool goes for $9.00 USD and uses a 1/4" square drive.
Unior Tools Home Tool Kit
For jobs on the move, the Unior Pro Tool Roll Kit includes all of the essentials but still fits in a backpack.
Built into the waterproof polyurethane material are two eyelets that allow the tool roll to form its own display by hanging from the headrest in your van or the like, and there’s an abundance of pockets to personalize the $199 USD kit yourself.
All Unior Tools are made in Slovenia, and the ones included in this kit are the most common allen key sizes (1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm), a chain cutting tool, spoke wrench, 2-for-1 disc brake tool, plus a cassette wrench and lock ring tool, just to name a few.
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After years of being on the tools in bikes and other industry’s. The only American made tools I will buy are things like pry bars, punches, drifts, etc. everything else I’ve owned American made has been a joke.
Not cheap but if you need to cut steer tubes regularly, a pipe cutter and this tool is the best choice.
Probably more than that guide.
Park Tool may not be perfect, but they do make some good stuff and they've been dedicated it to it for quite some time.
Please stop promoting "bike wash" kits and items, as well as chain lube. These are both predominantly populated by total money grabbing scams. It's been commented to death here, bike wash kit is easily put together for $20-$50, including chain cleaner. Even cheaper if you're scrappy. Chain lube is like the vitamin trade, overpriced and unsubstantiated claims. Get a can of Boesheild T-9. Made for airplanes, has worked amazing for bike chains for many decades. Cheap, and it'll last you several years, if not more.
It's totally tone-deaf on your part to promote this stuff, what with today's economic climate. Crazy expensive bikes, fine, it's par for the course. But obvious scams like these, if you have any ethics at all, you should eschew.
I wouldn’t let the overpriced bottles of cleaner deter you from their chain waxing products. I’ve been using it for about a year and am happy with it. I do the melt wax every 200 miles and apply the drip wax when my chain gets loud. I clean my bike when the chain gets loud so it’s done all at once. I would say I do the drip wax after the first 100 miles and then again at 150. If I had a complaint about it it would be there is no real warning to when you need to apply it. It’s not a gradual process. It’s just the chain is fine, the chain is fine, the chain is loud.
Also got a few specialty tools my favourite being the full Giant Maestro bearing puller / press set in it’s nice polished wood box.