New bike tool company - what tools do you want?

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

Moderators: robbosmans, Moderator Team

Fanatyk
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:04 pm

by Fanatyk

Hi,

I'm working for a large tool company in Europe. We have recently decided to go into bike tools, and being a weight-weenie (albeit a bit retired now), I'm asking you: what tools do you use most often, and what kind of tools would you like to see on the market? Where do you see too little competition, resulting in poor availability and excessive prices - or poor quality?

We are much bigger, than (for example) Park Tool or Pedros, and our sourcing capabilities are much higher - what that means for you, is that we can supply better tools for lower price, than Park Tool - or similar quality for much lower price. Which option would you chooose?

Cheers,
Adam

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
stella-azzurra
Posts: 5066
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:35 am
Location: New York

by stella-azzurra

I'll pick A. better quality lower price.

Take a look at some of the tools that are costly yet are only used a few times such as

Headset removal,
Headset install,
Thread chasing tools,
Thread cutting tools,
Wheel Bearing removal
Wheel Bearing install

Then tools that are used often:

Chain tool
13,14,15,17 mm wrenches
Bottom bracket tool
Crank tool
Cassette tool

Make those affordable but still make then reliable and you will have customers.

Of course you would need to keep up with all the manufactures of components to revamp the tools set each year as new
versions of the same components come out.

Check this thread out as well

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=109056&start=15
I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

User avatar
ave
Posts: 2134
Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:15 pm
Location: Hungary

by ave

I don't have quality problems with Park tool, so can't see the need for higher quality.
Lower price, indeed, I'd interested.

A decent chain tool is something I miss the most. There're too expensive ones, and bad ones.

User avatar
prendrefeu
Posts: 8580
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:32 pm
Location: Glendale / Los Angeles, California
Contact:

by prendrefeu

Please, please, please actually get your products to market.

As much as I love Park Tool for their supply of tools for the bicycle industry, they've got the market in a choke-hold with their dominance and charge exorbitant prices for unjustifiable reasons.
Exp001 || Other projects in the works.

uraqt
Posts: 1108
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:53 am

by uraqt

You have to be lighter than 80g for a 10 tool multi tools and under $100 use. I think lezyne is the lightest one!!

User avatar
Rick
Posts: 2034
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:30 pm

by Rick

> A very stiff and precise truing stand, stiff and precise enough that wheel dish can be accurately set from the truing stand alone.

> A BB30 bearing installation/removal tool similar to the Enduro (Sonny's) except with a method of pulling the BB30 bearing without damaging it. i.e by putting pressure only on the outer races.

User avatar
stella-azzurra
Posts: 5066
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:35 am
Location: New York

by stella-azzurra

split copper pipe? for the BB30 removal
threaded rod, bolts and washers for the install :D
I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

HillRPete
Posts: 2284
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:08 am
Location: Pedal Square

by HillRPete

I'd love to have a BB wrench with plastic covered teeth, so the bearing cups aren't scratched. Probably exists though, I didn't search.

User avatar
stella-azzurra
Posts: 5066
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:35 am
Location: New York

by stella-azzurra

Try one turn of electrical tape to reduce scratches.

But you had to ask

http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id122.html
I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

Valbrona
Posts: 1629
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 3:25 am
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

by Valbrona

Adam ... please may I have your job?

If that is not possible, I would like a Far East-sourced range of what I like to call 'chiavi generali', or general tools. They need to be high quality because there's lots of cheap stuff available, and in this respect Beta Tools Italy have got it right. Things like:-

big Bowden cutter for cables
P handle hex and star/Torx wrenches
range of combination wrenches
couple of small screwdrivers - slot and crosshead
hacksaw
bench vice
combination/Linesmans and long nose pliers
half round file
soft/hard faced hammer
adjustable wrench
aprrox 1-20Nm 1/4" drive digital torque wrench (like the Topeak D-Torq)
approx 4-80Nm 3/8" drive digital torque wrench (like the Topeak DX torque wrench)
set of long and short hex socket bits - small ones 1/4 drive, large ones 3/8
set of long and short star/Torx socket bits - small ones 1/4 drive, large ones 3/8
Bott Perfo toolboard and hanging kit for all above items

That's the general tools, but I have got better things to do with my life than tell you what cycle-specific tools you should be marketing. That's the type of thing that I would like paying for.
Last edited by Valbrona on Sun Nov 18, 2012 5:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
eurperg
Posts: 936
Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Finland

by eurperg

I already have most often needed tools in my garage, but still need these:

- BB facing / threading tool at good price point, with BSA / ITA compatibility
- Headset facing and and reaming tool, with compatibility for different head tube standards, at a good price point

oreoboreo
Posts: 510
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:25 pm
Location: Aloha, Oregon/ Poipu, Kauai Hawaii

by oreoboreo

Creating new bike tools at a low cost and in some cases better or improved on designs are one thing. The tougher part of the puzzle is the route to market. Getting your distrubution system set up is a tough part along with marketing to drive your business is also a costly part of doing business. I am sure that Park Tools COGS are quite low, however the additional cost of doing business drives up the cost to the point you see on the shelf.

There is always a good idea on how to improve things, but there are more parts to the puzzle that need to be looked at.

And yes I know how it all works
Let's finish the ride with a 20% grade.

2011 Scott Addict R1 DA 7900 Matt black
2012 Scott CR1 Pro Ultegra 6700
2015 Specialized SWorks Tarmac Da 9000
2016 Specialized SWorks Tarmac DA 9100

Doolop
Posts: 550
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:19 pm

by Doolop

A tool to remove bb30 bearings from press fit cups.

rjfrzb
Posts: 29
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 8:32 pm
Location: Reims, France

by rjfrzb

A tool(s) to clean the chain and cassette which does not splatter oily cleaning solution over everything within a 2ft radius.

Fanatyk
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:04 pm

by Fanatyk

oreoboreo, the good thing is that we've already got a great machine doing that in the company - we are much bigger, than any of the existing bike tool companies, so that is not a problem for us, and all costs are well known and accounted for in my plan.

Valbrona, I think I'll make you happy - we've already got all those tools, but they were not sold through bike-specific channels yet, nor marketed as "bike-tools". So those tools (including many more) will be introduced first. Just a small hint: ATM I already have a list of 150 tools we already have, but as said: they must be "repurposed" by getting them to bike-specific market and advertising. And now the bad part: sorry, I'm keeping my job to myself. But after it gets rolling, I might be needing a successor to move on ;-)

Keep it coming guys, I might not be replying to all of you, but I surely read it all carefully and take your opinions into account.

Cheers,
Adam

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply