The Park Tool HBT-1 makes brake hose prep fun

Setting up disc brakes isn't all that much fun. It's not that it's particularly hard, but it can be quite time consuming and there are a few fiddly bits that, if we're honest, we'd rather do without. Like adding the inserts into the end of the hoses, that's always a pain. Fiddling with vices, small yellow clamping blocks and still managing to push the hose around rather than add any kind of inserts is a recipe for an afternoon of frustration. Well Park Tool feel that pain too, and their new HBT-1 is a device designed to not only make adding inserts to hoses easier, but to make cutting them a simpler. Two for one, that is.  

It might be one more for the workshop than the home mechanic, but the HBT-1 will save you plenty of time as it makes setting up and cutting your hoses a much simpler process. Plus, like most of Park Tool's stuff, you can replace parts - the blade and the push pin tip here, specifically - so this one will last as long as you want it to. 

That's not the only new tool in Park's war chest, either. There's also a new chain checker on the scene - the CC-4 - an improved design that makes checking chains of all speeds nice and easy. This design has three points of contact with the chain which helps to keep chain tension while your using it, meaning you'll get a more accurate reading. It shows you when the chain has reached .5% and .75% wear, the points at which most manufacturers suggest that you think about changing the chain to help improve drivetrain life. A worn chain doesn't just mean poorer shifting, it also means that your chainrings, cassette and jockey wheels will wear out faster too so a good chain checker is a decent investment that'll save you money across the board in the long run. If you want to see it in action, check out this video from Park Tool's YouTube channel: