Park Tool were keen to show us around their stand at IceBike but by the time we actually got round to it the after-show party had already kicked in and we'd stashed our camera behind the bar and replaced it with a cold one. No matter though, as the friendly chaps have sent through some studio shots for us to use as we tell you what's new in silver and blue...
CT11 rivet peening tool
Campag 11-speed chains, eh? The Italian shifting supremos would have you believe that the only way to properly fix it together is with their proprietary tool, and that costs some serious wedge. In fact any 10spd chain splitter should do the job of actually inserting the pin, but it then needs to be peened to stop it coming out. Park's CT11 tool is designed to do just that bit of the job, and it's a whole lot cheaper than getting a brand new bit of Italian machinery.
EK-1 Professional travel and event kit
Show up with one of these at the next sportive and you'll soon have eager riders queueing up behind your car, convinced you're some kind of super-mechanic. Admittedly at six hundred quid for the set you really should be a decent spanner before you get your cheque book out. Housed in a hard shell case (£200 on its own) the EK-1 folds out into a portable workshop par excellence, with 35 shop-grade tools and plenty of space for spares. You can even get a backpack harness for it. Park say it's aimed at shop and team mechanics but we'd love to have one knocking around in the office, hint hint...
PFP-5 Home Mechanic floor pump
Park's floor pumps are always good quality units and the PFP-5 has a couple of nice touches. Firstly it features a new chuck that's designed to be used one-handed. Like the SKS Rennkompressor – and not many others – it has a push-to-lock handle rather than the more usual pull-to-lock. Park have also gone to town on the gauge, which is about twice the size of a standard one and looks like it'll be good for those bleary mornings in the shed before a long ride.
PRS-25 Team Issue repair stand
Park have been rethinking their clamp and they've gone for a wider capacity unit with a handle that grips with a cam and then turns to tighten. It's similar to others we've seen but that's no bad thing, and Park say it's easier to get the right amount or pressure on delicate frames and seatposts. The clamp is being rolled out across the range; this repair stand is the highly portable, Aluminium framed team issue one. The clamp folds flat to give a more compact fold, and it weighs just 6kg.
TS-2DI indicator dials
A bit high end this one, but if you're in the business of truing wheels with a TS2 professional truing stand you can now get a handy set of roller dials to tell you just exactly not true your wheel is. and they're very sensitive: you probably won't notice if your wheel is 0.01mm out of true, but the dials will...
On infrastructure - a lot of it is pointless as it doesn't connect places. ...
"Now there is a cycle rack gone on it. This should be removed. This was not the agreement. It was agreed to become parking."...
We tried my whippet in a trailer. He hated it. Even with a treat placed inside, he'd sneak in, eat it and then zoom out pronto.
The Baent tubes (also from aliexpress) have threaded metal valves reinforced where they join the tube. A little heavier than the ride now but I...
Those calipers arent the prettiest. Makes them look like Post-mount.
I'm all for a much more socialist approach to the sorts of things you mention, where there are clear market failures and a need for decent...
Zorbing balls - if it saves just one life
12 corners in just over 2km is a terrifying prospect if it rains!
I think it's:...
As it's often said -'the way to justify the building of a bridge is not too count the number of people swimming the crocodile infested river!'