Park Tools
Handlebar And Subframe Straightener
Forget what Park Tools calls it because the last thing I'd ever do is straighten a bent handlebar. I've seen too many snap off after being rebent or just scratched on the surface. Just don't do that! But straightening a subframe? I'm all about that! I've been known to use large hammers, old fork tubes, fence posts, come-alongs and driving over bent parts with my truck to get them back to a useful shape, and nothing has been as effective or as versatile as this tool. Not even the sledgehammer. And for me, that's saying a lot.
Sort of like a ratcheting grappling hook, this tool easily grabs while manipulating into different configurations. With more than eight inches of adjustment, it's easy to get a good grip on subframes. Typically, this isn't a one-person job as you'll likely need friends to hold down the bike. The arm is long enough to bend most subframes, but fine-tuning a bend near a gusset or weld was made easier by adding a little more leverage, accomplished with my trusty formerly mentioned fork tube slider. I've saved about five tweaked subframes now and more than a few minibike frames. Even so, some are simply not salvageable; the use of conservative judgment when something is still safe to use after a bending episode is always a good plan.
There's a vinyl coating on the hook and on the fulcrum pad to protect painted surfaces and a similar coating on the handle for a better grip. Our handlegrip came loose after a while. For $65 it's a great tool and one that truly pays for itself the first (and every other time) you use it. -Jimmy Lewis