PARK TOOL HYDRAULIC BRAKE BLEED KIT REVIEW
Park Tool's hydraulic brake bleed kits might be the ultimate setup for the home mechanic who services a wide variety of mountain bikes
PARK TOOL HYDRAULIC BRAKE BLEED KIT REVIEW
Tech features:
Park Tool is known for making high-quality tools for all applications on the bike. Brakes are undoubtedly one of the most important parts on a bike to keep running smoothly. With the BKM-1.2 (mineral oil kit) and BKD-1.2 (D.O.T. fluid kit), Park has attempted to make a way to do it universally. The appeal of these kits is the fact that they are equipped with just about every brake bleed attachment you can think of to service any bike you are faced with.
The mineral oil kit (BKM-1.2) comes with two 20mL syringes, a variety of hose attachments, a bleed funnel with stopper, bleed blocks, adjustable syringe holders, and just about every adapter you may need for any mineral oil brake. Pretty much the only thing it doesn’t come with is the fluid. All of this is presented in a convenient travel case. The list of compatible brakes is extensive, including Shimano, Tektro (TRP), Magura, Campagnolo and more.
The D.O.T. fluid kit (BKD-1.2) is similar to the mineral oil kit in almost every way, except its attachments are adapted to the brands that use D.O.T. fluid instead of mineral oil, like SRAM, Formula, Hayes and Hope.
Shop test results:
As a media outlet that is constantly testing new bikes and products from all different manufacturers, it’s increasingly nice to have a more universal tool to be able to work on them all. Though bleeding brakes isn’t something we have to do too often, it’s been very convenient to have the tools to do it at our fingertips. With this kit, there is no drama when bleeding brakes. The attachments are all very front and center, and you’re never left guessing which one you may need.
There are a lot of brands that use mineral oil in their brakes, like TRP, Shimano, Magura and even SRAM with the new DB8s. With the BMK-1.2, Park Tool has accounted for each of those manufacturer’s unique bleed attachments with color-coded attachments and special hoses meant to make it as easy as possible to get the job done efficiently.
This kit includes two high-quality, low-friction syringes that make being precise with oil quantities a great experience. The bleed cup has all the necessary attachments for any brake that it might be used for and is very sturdy and easy to use. The kit even comes with extra O-rings in case you lose or break any of those sealing the unique attachments. The syringe clamps are also extremely convenient when you need to let go of the syringe and flick the bubbles out of the hoses.
As there are fewer brakes that use DOT fluid these days, the BKD-1.2 is slightly less extravagant in the number of adapters included, but it’s no less complete. Another set of color-coded adapters makes it easy to choose the right one for your project, even including the adapter for SRAM’s Bleeding Edge system. The syringes are similar to those of the mineral oil kit, making it a breeze when pushing fluid through the system.
The syringes are of the highest quality and, if you clean them sufficiently after each use, they should last quite a long time. This tool is made for the person who expects to work on a wide variety of bikes or bike shops with high-traffic repairs. It’s not the most necessary tool to have in your arsenal if you don’t expect to work on a lot of bikes all the time, but it’s a tool you’ll want to keep for the rest of your life if you do decide to purchase it. We highly recommend these tools if you bleed brakes often.
See the kit in use on a set of TRP brakes in the video below:
HITS:
• Truly universal
• Excellent quality
• Easy to keep organized
• Efficient and effective
MISSES:
• Pricey
STAR RATING: ★★★★1/2
Price: BKM-1.2: $154, BKD-1.2: $136
Contact: www.parktool.com