We all know some park tools are not all that great and some are the absolute best in the business. What do you guys consider the absolute best "must have" park tools?

The ones that you need for the job at hand. Andy.

chain tool, cassette tool, cable cutters, spoke tension meter

Var Bike Tools wants your money too ..

If you're limiting yourself to Park brand, then the answer is NONE. If only speaking in general terms, the only must haves are what you need for the work that you actually do. For most "lite duty" mechanics, that's tire levers, a few hex keys and maybe a cassette remover.

I've been manufacturing bike tools and teaching repair for 40+ years and rarely use anything more than a hex key on any sort of regular basis, and a 5mm key is the ONLY tool I carry for anything up to a 200 mile weekend trip.

"Best in the business" and "must have" aren't the same thing. Park wheel truing stands are the best in the business and a joy to use. I build just as good wheels in my ~1984 mail order $30 stand made from cheap flat bar. Much lighter, easier to move around and immune to abuse ans damage. (Almost no moving parts and those are crude, common bolts and nuts.)

I like the ubiquitous Park loop spoke wrenches. I have other Park tools but also some very good Shimano cable cutters and four decades old VAR tools that are still first class. I love the Park headset punch but couldn't see paying the price for the Park press and made my own for about $20.

Ben

Funny, thinking this over, the Park tools that come to mind are out of production. The CCW-2 crank wrench and CCP-1 crank puller.
I have lots of Park tools but can't think of anything else I use that generic bike tools don't work fine for.

Not sure if the jist of your question is to ID the really good Park tools that work well and are especially useful or what tools are needed in general.

Unless you're planning on opening a shop, I'd buy individual tools as you go. As to a core set, almost everyone, sooner or later, needs a chain breaker, spoke wrenches, cone wrenches (assuming your bike uses conventional wheel bearings), a floor pump, and a small torque wrench. This is, of course, in addition to a decent set of ordinary hand tools - wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, etc. - and your over-the-road toolkit for handling flats. Beyond this, it starts to become more bike specifc (e.g., what type of BB do you have?) and task specific (e.g., are you going to build wheels?). Again, another reason to buy as you go.

As you say, Park stuff is overall pretty good, but not uniformly good. No reason to limit yourself to Park. I really like their wheel building stuff (TS2, spoke tensionmeter, dishing tool), their spoke wrenches, their heavy duty chain breaker, their cable cutter, and their bottom bracket and cassette tools (at least the ones that fit my bikes). Much less thrilled about their cone wrenches, headset tools and stands. Their little triangular allen wrench is probably the tool of theirs I use the most.

- Mark

Park wheel truing stand (usa built) is probably the nicest/most useful PT I have bought. I also like their spoke wrenches and hex tools. Have used the same PT crank puller for 25 years. These are all USA produced but note PT sources to China for some inventory now.

The DAG-2 derailleur alignment gauge is one that's specialized enough and used often enough that I'd feel a little lost if I didn't have it, and yet there are few readily available substitutes.

So I'm going to interpret this question as "Which Park tools were worth the money?" And, for me, that will skew toward the expensive stuff. After some issues with non square crown races, problems with my kludged-version headset cup setter, and issues with non aligned derailleur hangers, and some other things, I ended up with these and appreciate them greatly. They were acquired over some years and some seem way too expensive ..but I'm happy nonetheless.

Crown Race Cutting Tool | Park Tool
Crown Race Setting System | Park Tool
Adjustable Crown Race Puller | Park Tool
https://www.parktool.com/product/spok...ion-meter-tm-1
Derailleur Hanger Alignment Gauge | Park Tool
Bearing Cup Press | Park Tool

I have a number of Park tools but don't consider any of them must have's. Well, maybe my set of spoke wrenches but that's it. I like my VAR bike specialty tools as well as the few Hozan's I have also. Park is a good tool maker, don't get me wrong but I don't think they make the best tools in every category.

Of the few I respect highly are their spoke wrenches, the wheel truing stand and the Euro-style bike stand...maybe their crank pullers to.

I am quite content with Park Tools. I have many of their tools but my favorite Park Tool is not really a tool but their tool box. I live in a condo, bikes are not allowed in the elevator so I fix my bike in the parking garage and I carry my tools down along with my Feedback Ultimate stand. Not for everyone and it was quite expensive but it fits my needs quite nicely.

You have to have the Park rear derailleur hanger straightener. And lucky you, I just happen to have a brand new one for sale. PM me if you are interested.

I have a Park TS-1 wheel truing stand that my dad purchased for his shop back in the '70s. I have trued thousands of wheels on it. It has paid for itself many times over.

Does your stand look like this? I have one of those.


https://offerupnow.com/item/detail/1...t-og-condition

Nice Pioneer tuner Lakerat! I still have my old SX650 I bought in 1979. Still pumping classic rock after all these years.

Not mine! A pic I found on the net. I got rid of my Bogen tube amp long ago.

Lakerat, Mine looks pretty much the same, except it is chrome plated and has Schwinn stickers on it. It was a Park tool that was marketed to Schwinn dealers. It looks like this one I saw on Velobase.

richart, My stand and the stand I posted the picture of is chrome, the one pictured is dull. Yours seems more like a more modern Park stand since the bases for the uprights aren't bolted to the base.

Great input so far.

Basically what I am asking is what Park tools are worth their cost. I'm a maintenance addict and love collecting tools. Starting to build a home shop and was looking for input as to what tools I should purchase.

Already have Park basics like spoke/hex wrenches, cassette/bb sockets, chain breaker. Felco cable cutter. Looking to buy the ts2.2 next.

If there are better alternatives to certain Park tools I would love to hear about them.

Very helpful information! I never even heard of VAR tools before but will definitely look into them. The tools look very high quality based on the pictures in their catalog.

My son and I discussed that topic just this afternoon.

Go down to your local MUP. Find one of those tool kiosk things. Make a list of the tools they have there. That's a pretty good selection to get you going. Make sure you have all of those.

what country are park tools made?

Wow. Nothing else? Just for caution?