Facing tools for flat mount disc mounting surfaces

[SPOKE]

What's everyone using to face these surfaces?

[CiclistiCliff]

Park flatmount tool.

I had our main account pay for it because of their QC issues.

[SPOKE]

Park flatmount tool.

I had our main account pay for it because of their QC issues.

I know Park Tools has the DT-5.2 disc brake mount facing kit. It appears to be pretty nice. It's about $380 to $425 purchasing here in the US. Is there any other company making a kit that competes with the DT-5.2 kit?

[FriarQuade]

We've had a few brake manufactures ask us to make this tool. Flat mount is more sensitive to square mounting faces and the tolerances that the brake manufactures want aren't anything to sneeze at. The axle compatibility issues and precision required make this a pretty complicated tool to make. One of the brake companies is going to do their own facing tool and I've got confidence they will do a great job of it. Don't know when it's going to be available but I do know that being competitive with the current offering isn't a concern.

[CiclistiCliff]

I know Park Tools has the DT-5.2 disc brake mount facing kit. It appears to be pretty nice. It's about $380 to $425 purchasing here in the US. Is there any other company making a kit that competes with the DT-5.2 kit?

It's a REALLY nice tool. There's a reason why it's as expensive as it is.

If you're good, you can use large flat file on some frames, but when your store stocks 250+ bikes, about 70% being brand X, you make them buy you the tool.

[oldpotatoe]

It's a REALLY nice tool. There's a reason why it's as expensive as it is.

If you're good, you can use large flat file on some frames, but when your store stocks 250+ bikes, about 70% being brand X, you make them buy you the tool.

Any chance they take care of it at the factory? ( I Know the answer...:))

So..complete bikes coming with gooned up flat mount calipers installed?

[unterhausen]

I was at the LBS this week and they were using the Park tool. Their only complaint was that the adjustable axles adjust themselves. So they wanted me to make them some fixed axles for it. Not sure why park doesn't do this, it does come with a couple of fixed axles, just not the ones for flat mount.

[SPOKE]

So it appears that the DT-5.2 kit is the only choice for now😩. Really don't want to spend that much but I'll reach out to a few industry folks I know.....maybe I can score something a little closer to $300 for the kit.

Currently building up a bike for myself but I have a couple bike builds coming up for friends/customers that will need to have the mounts faced.

[DavidC]

So it appears that the DT-5.2 kit is the only choice for now[emoji30]. Really don't want to spend that much but I'll reach out to a few industry folks I know.....maybe I can score something a little closer to $300 for the kit.



Currently building up a bike for myself but I have a couple bike builds coming up for friends/customers that will need to have the mounts faced.



Wouldn’t it make the most (financial) sense to just bring it in to a shop, and pay them $50(?) to do it? I think you need to ask yourself if you can really get a return on that $300 investment. And then there’s the question of if your bike, or the upcoming friends’ builds, even need it....

I’m just trying to approach this from the $ side. I’m sure we’ve all bought a tool before that we’ve only used once, and would’ve been better served borrowing / hiring a shop ;)

[SPOKE]

Wouldn’t it make the most (financial) sense to just bring it in to a shop, and pay them $50(?) to do it? I think you need to ask yourself if you can really get a return on that $300 investment. And then there’s the question of if your bike, or the upcoming friends’ builds, even need it....

I’m just trying to approach this from the $ side. I’m sure we’ve all bought a tool before that we’ve only used once, and would’ve been better served borrowing / hiring a shop ;)

I'd rather do this type of stuff myself and really don't mind purchasing the tools. I like nice stuff in my toolbox. I also don't trust any of the local shops to get it done correctly. Since I build a fairly large number of top tier bikes each year it makes sense to buy the tools.

[Butch]

Is this really a chronic problem for frame manufacturers? In the development of the flat mount frames I was involved with at Moots the driving motivation was to produce a consistently correct product that shops did not need to modify to make work. There are serious challenges with this design but I feel the manufacturer should deliver a product that works, isn't that what you are paying for?