Park Tool's universal brake bleed kits
Park Tool has made hydraulic brake maintenance a lot easier with two new universal bleed kits
Park Tool wants to make your DIY bike servicing experience a lot less frustrating with its new universal brake bleeding kits.
The Minnesotan company is a global leader in bicycle servicing hardware solutions with hydraulic disc brakes, it realised that mechanics needed some help.
Although the hydraulic disc brake has enormous benefits in terms of performance, its pressure fluid can ingest contaminants over time. Hydraulic brake fluid also risks developing bubbles, which can ruin lever feel and can cause a momentary loss of power.
Bleeding hydraulic brakes are usually a seasonal occurrence, but even at low frequency, it can be a very testing experience for some. To mitigate the potential annoyance of bleeding your hydraulic brakes, Park Tool has now package two very tidy universal kits to help with the job.
Aware that not all hydraulic brakes use the same fluid or seals, Park Tool has produced a universal bleeding kit for DOT fluid and another for mineral oil.
The hardware contained in Park Tool’s universal bleed kits are similar and show the intuition of a design team that observed mechanics in action. One of the most annoying aspects of trying to bleed brakes by yourself is holding the syringe in gravity appropriate position, allowing for fluid flow, whilst also actuating the brake lever.
Solving this issue, Park Tool has provided wonderfully simple attachments, which apply to either the suspension fork or rear stays and keep caliper syringe in place. This effectively frees-up a hand to be used to administer other aspects of the bleed procedure.
Beyond the straps, Park Tool’s syringes feature ergonomically shaped push handles, to ensure you balance input forces when pressurising the fluid system. There are also hoses with shutoff-clips to improve modulation and 7075 aluminium connectors, each colour-coded, to ensure you correctly sequence your bleed process.
Lance Branquinho is a Namibian-born journalist who graduated to mountain biking after injuries curtailed his trail running. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. As well as Bike Perfect, Lance has written for MBR.com, Off-Road.cc and Cycling News.