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Looks like a really nice tool for pushing pistons back in but is it a must have tool or just a bit of tooltime bling? I normally just wedge a screwdriver between the old pads but have had varying degrees of success. Has anyone used one?
Plastic tyre lever has always worked for me. It shouldn't take a lot of effort and, if it does, there is likely something else wrong. TBH I much prefer to press against a pad rather than the piston directly, in which case as broad-bladed screwdriver will, indeed, do the trick.
I just remembered - I actually have one built into an old Specialized multi-tool. I'm pretty sure I've never used it.
I always just use a plastic tyre lever
I just bought a 6 quid one
Not sure why a 50 quid one would be any better.
It's just an oversized tire lever really.
The Birzman one is not just a lever, it is like an mini automotive one, it moves two plates apart but keeps them parallel
Pretty neat, whether its worth it will depend on the user
Car one
It does look awesome to be fair, but I'm a "old pads and big screwdriver" person and tbh it just works ime. I have a special gigantic screwdriver that only does brake pads and paint tins.
Unless there's some really temperamental brakes out there it seems like a solution for a problem that doesn't really exist
To be fair, resetting pistons on car brakes is a little more effort, bike brakes i've never had any issue, unless you forget to remove the cap on the reservoir!
I just use the back end of one of my flat spanners, did it yesterday for new brake pads and was no effort, £50 tools for me need to be worth it, so at least removing some risk from using a bodge.
Pretty neat, whether its worth it will depend on the user
If the brake needs that possibly better spending the 50 quid on servicing the brake as it's not working correctly.
Another plastic lever user here. Surely the pushing back bit is pretty easy to get them fully in (see argees post ^^^). The issue will be whether your pistons move evenly in operation. Which the press has no power over.
It does look nice though.
Birzman Piston Spreader. Is it worth £50?
No. My mate has one, the first time we used it it bent.
50 quid . no surprise really, and theres always another idea ready to go to market for silly prices.
Last thing I saw on here for £40 for a set of tubeless valves that probably cost a couple of quid to make. Nothing about modern mtb market surprises me these days.
Before taking the old pads out I ram a broad wood chisel between them.
Spending £50 on this tool feels....how to put it politely....?
****ing barmy.
I own and use the Park one. It’s far simpler and looks like it’ll never break in a brake.
The Topeak one is very good. What I use in the workshop.
The park one was always a bit too thick.
The new park one that looks like it's got a bit of rotor on the end looks quite good though!
just use a tyre lever against the pads. moves the pistons without any fuss. what kind of idiot spends £50 on that tool.
I was just reading a bit more above it and one of the benefits is you can leave the wheel in place to use it. You can remove the old pads then slot the spreader in from above, either side of the rotor, to create room for new pads. On that basis it seems like a good idea if a quick pad change is something useful to you.
This feels like another thing I could knock up in the garage from scrap, but also a tool I don't really need because (as already noted) I own a flat head screwdriver.
But is the argument perhaps though that its parallel pushing back of pistons that's the issue being addressed? And that everyone's leaky shimanos were just down to the lack of a £50 tool?
Discuss...
I think the parallel pushing thing is something to consider. I know from experience with my Hope E4s that it is very easy to get a piston cocked in the bore and when it jams like that it takes more force than I am comfortable applying to get it straight again. And when it does come free it always seems to do it with a slight click that makes me think something may have been damaged/scored.
Not saying that this tool is worth it though especially if it bends as mentioned above just need to be very careful how you do things.
just use a tyre lever against the pads. moves the pistons without any fuss. what kind of tool spends £50 on that piece of equipment.
Ftfy.
Some brakes are a very tight fit for new pads (Formula for example) and require the pistons to be fully back, the tyre lever trick would often get the pistons mostly back but the last bit would just push the opposite piston out. This tool would make that job a lot easier.
It does feel like a smaller version of a cheap car one would be the best bet as it doesn't need to look fancy
Car ones are too big though, no?
I also use a tyre lever or a screwdriver. Will prob get an automotive one for automotive use at some point though
Never felt the need either. Big screwdriver (doesn't really need old pads either if you're careful) or, if the pads are out, a 8 or 10mm ball ended Allen key, with some care not to tilt the pistons.
The 10mm is also exactly the right size to keep the pads open whilst bleeding a d testing on my Hopes, as I can slot it in the hole in the top of the caliper.
The problem with the above solution is that the 10mm spanner is always the one that dissappears without a trace 🤦♂️😂
Speaking from a Workshop Manager perspective I've been wondering about something like this for a long time. The only reason I didn't try and design something is that it's just copying an automotive press and presumably couldn't be patented.
Sure a plastic tire lever works (and what we use), but in theory this tool would be much faster. Not an issue for someone who's just working on their own bike, but when a shop is working on thousands of brakes a year, it all adds up. I also see countless cracked pistons from people's ham fisted attempts at getting the pistons back. A screwdriver in the pads only works if you are replacing the pads, and a good chunk of the time we are bleeding the brakes and not necessarily replacing pads.
I hate the Park Tool one, and it seems really 'amateur' to stuff tire levers into the caliper 😀
Shame about the comment with regards bending above though. We seem to be going through a phase where mechanic tools are made to look nice and be really expensive but not actually work very well. Looks great for your 'toolbox wars' Instagram photos I guess!
I keep a knackered old set of pads for doing this with a screwdriver. Might be useful for saving time in a pro workshop though!
Those large lumps of metal on a bar still don't fix the issue of pushing the pistons squint. I'm happy to remain a luddite and keep using a flat headed screwdriver and open pads underneath and above the caliper body. 2-piston calipers are very easy, 4-piston is a bit harder as forcing one set of pistons open can then close the other 2, a it needs a few pushes in and twists and wiggles.
Saying that, I rarely push the pistons all the way back as I prefer less lever throw.
No. My mate has one, the first time we used it it bent.
Shame to here this as I was going to pull the trigger on it, I like Birzman and the cassette pliers have honestly made a big impact when doing maintenance or cleaning.
I have the park tool piston spreader and I dont think it works well enough, I also dont like that with my Code's the pad retainer holes on the caliper can get damaged if using the park tool or anything else (tyre lever or screwdriver).
Just goggled the pad spreader and its £40 in most places, going to look for other reviews and maybe pick it up, I like the fact it can be used with the wheel and disc in place and not damage the caliper. Product video on youtube only shows it being used with 2 piston brakes, need to check if it will work with 4 piston brakes too
I’ve a park one and a cheap lifeline one (for the car toolkit, bought to make up an order to free postage). Neither are great as you end up trying to lever against the calliper body and often still use a plastic tyre lever to try to move an individual piston (bled 8 brakes on Friday).
Price is high but looks good. Shame it sounds like it’s not strong enough.
But is the argument perhaps though that its parallel pushing back of pistons that’s the issue being addressed? And that everyone’s leaky shimanos were just down to the lack of a £50 tool?
Discuss…
<Discussion initiated>
No, it isn't.
<\Discussion ended>
It is a solution looking for a problem and fifty quid is taking the piss.