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Interbike 2012: Topeak Introduces Best Bike Toolbox Ever, Blinky Mini Pump & Bluetooth Smart Sensors

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Topeak PrepStation portable bicycle toolbox and work station

Topeak’s Prep Station is a nesting, stackable tool box with expanding trays and telescoping stand/handle (standle?). The trays stack on top of each other, most with foam cutouts to keep tools organized and protected during transport. The top tray has small parts bins for your own collection of nuts and bolts, and the bottom is open for storage of larger items.

When closed, a large, lockable latch flips up and keeps them from opening. Open it by flipping up the walkabout handle and grabbing the handle on the top tray. Squeeze the yellow lever to lift the top tray and the others follow it up. Then, you just rotate them around to access each level. When it’s time to leave, just line them up and drop ’em back down by reversing the process. The wheels slide backward to provide additional stability when it’s opened.

More pics and details and some other cool new stuff you can throw in it after the break…

Topeak PrepStation portable bicycle toolbox and work station

The trays can be unbolted from the PrepStation and clipped to Topeak’s bike workstand, too.

Retail is $899 and includes all tools – most standard allen keys, torx wrenches, premium cable cutters, tire levers, BB tools, chain whip and cassette tools, steerer tube cutting guide, mallet, chain breaker, mechanical torque wrench and much more. Weight with all tools is around 35lbs. Add the optional neoprene cover and Topeak’s rep Eddie O’Dea says it’s tough enough to be checked as luggage when covered. Should be available at the end of the year.

Topeak MiniRocket iGlow LED blinky light mini bicycle tire pump

The MiniRocket iGlow bike pump has a clear plastic barrel with a reflective tube that bounces and LED light through it like a big light. Mount it to the back of your seatpost and you have a blinky light that’s also a high pressure (160psi max) pump.

Topeak PanoBike cycling app for iPhone and Bluetooth Smart speed-cadence sensor and heart rate monitor

The PanoBike App is their new app and pulls info from their new heartrate monitor and speed/cadence sensor. What’s special about it? They transmit using the new Bluetooth Smart standard, which draws very little power. The iPhone 4S and 5 have Smart BT built in, so you won’t need any dongle or adapter, which also saves power. The free app should be available October 15 from the iTunes App Store.

The hardware, though, is not free…we’ll update with pricing soon. Both sensors/transmittors claim a massive 1,800 hour runtime before needing to change the batteries. That’s five years of daily one hour workouts, all thanks to the super low power consumption of BT Smart. Even better, the speed/cadence sensor is that it’ll store your ride info even without being in range of your smartphone, then sync up later if you forget to bring the phone on the ride.

The HR monitor has a 15m (49ft) max range and the S/C sensor pushes it to 20m (60ft). Both will work with any BT Smart/4.0 app and device, so as things develop, you could have your computer or tablet on a desk running a bigger screen while on the trainer.

As for the PanoBike app, it’ll access your music and camera from within the app, record and show your ride with GPS and Google maps (assuming there’ll be an update to make it play nice with Apple’s maps in iOS6…fingers crossed), and display the usual performance metrics.

Topeak PanoBike cycling app for iPhone and Bluetooth Smart speed-cadence sensor and heart rate monitor

Topeak’s top cap-mounted Smartphone case offerings have expanded to work with several Android phones (not just the iPhone anymore!), and they’ll have one for the new iPhone 5 ’round about end of year. (the cable shown here was only to transmit the screen’s image to a HDTV)

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SteezyD
SteezyD
11 years ago

I must have that tool box!

TRUELIGHT
TRUELIGHT
11 years ago

(SteezyD – 10/05/12 – 1:18pm
I must have that tool box!)
Man I said the same exact thing before I read your post!
It’s not a mater of if, but when!

(Should be available at the end of the year.)
look like Dad just found his holiday gift!

BT
BT
11 years ago

1%’er toolbox

Gillis
11 years ago

I always wonder who buys these expensive complete tool kits. 99% of mechanics (home mechanics included), build a kit over years and years collecting specialized tools that fit their needs. Does the kit even have room for extra tools? The point I’m leading to is I’d rather see them sell just the box with uncut foam.

T
T
11 years ago

$900 for a complete set of tools isn’t bad. A good torque wrench is $100.00. Add in a killer box and it isn’t that bad of a deal. I hope they offer it empty so I could put my tools in it.

tom
tom
11 years ago

real tool boxes are steel.

greg
greg
11 years ago

steel toolboxes are heavy.
like steel bikes.
heavy and obsolete.

Dave
Dave
11 years ago

Yep, agree with the above. The box looks killer, but I’ve already got most of the tools that I need. Sell this empty with uncut foam and I’d be all over it.

suede
suede
11 years ago

Steel bikes ride like angels.
Steel toolboxes last generations.
my two cents.

Brandon
Brandon
11 years ago

Maybe just make it out of Ti and call it a day.

Chris L
Chris L
11 years ago

@ tom:
“real tool boxes are steel.”

So you’re saying every mechanic with every pro cycling team doesn’t have a real tool box? You haven’t got a clue as to what you’re talking about. My plastic CH Ellis tool box has been to hundreds of events and flown on airliners dozens of times. Most pro team mechanics use the same box.

Dave
Dave
11 years ago

Steel tool boxes are great for the garage, workshop, or bolted into the back of a truck where they don’t need to be lifted. I certainly don’t want to lug around 20+ lbs of toolbox (not counting the tools) if I need to travel!

yesplease
yesplease
11 years ago

I agree looks nice as a turnkey set up but all the tools I have would be lonely without their own foam cutout.

SteezyD
SteezyD
11 years ago

@Gillis… I AGREE!! I would probably replace everything with my park tools and sell whatever I could… And I do believe it has space for extra. I have a friend who does custom vacuform trays!!

JAYCEE
JAYCEE
11 years ago

The bottom tub has plenty of space for extra tool. This was one of the more impressive things we saw as a shop at Interbike and we’re planning on picking this up as soon as its available. Perfect for race day or mechanical support at charity rides. Had maybe 99% of everything you could possibly need with room for things like spare cables, housing, tubes, etc

Andrew
Andrew
10 years ago

$899 is not a bad price for that number of tools. In saying that, you can get an awful lot of pretty good super B tools for that amount of money which compare pretty well to Park… albeit you don’t get them in a godlike box.

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