Quantcast

Park Tool are tools

Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,995
716
I get it. Park blue is a registered trademark of Park tool. If all tools are similar, then what's the point of a trademark?

When you walk into a bike shop and see the blue tools on the wall at least you know they're bike specific tools and not ground down harbor freight junk.

Stihl, Echo, Husqvarna, Dewalt, Craftsman, Ford motors, and almost every company in the world has a trademark on specific colors/shapes.

Nothing new here. They're not suing to put them out of business. They're suing because a company in the same small industry (bicycle tools manufacturers) couldn't pick a different color out of an infinite palette of colors? Good for them. I'm sure RWC will be fine.
 
Last edited:
mykel

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,105
3,820
sw ontario canada
I can understand a specific design, or a specific design in combination with a colour scheme...
but a colour?

RWC is using colour to differentiate tools; So if you want the 38mm seal press - its the gold one ( I have one - awesome tool ) from the blue one which is 36mm and the green one which is 35mm etc etc etc.
They are not making all their tools a specific colour or have changed their red logo to blue or similar.

There are only so many colours, what do we do when they are all owned, start complaining that the menu at the bike themed pub down the street used the wrong colour blue on small print on the back of the menu, the wrong almost Ka$hima gold on the Appetizers heading....

You are what is wrong with the industry.
Fuck You Park Tools.

Edit - and Yo! Park!. How about we work on the fit and finish of your stuff, up your game from the crap black and cheap blue plastic. If you be lovin the blue so much, how about a blue finish on some of your stuff, you sure charge enough. How about some tip tier stuff for the top tier prices instead of the mid level stuff you keep hawking. But I guess black finish and a drum of blue dye is all your stuff is actually worth.
 
Last edited:
A

aaronjb

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2010
1,105
659
I didn't expect to see anyone rushing to Park's defense. Wow.

Great quote:

Please let me set the record straight with regard to that. Were consumers to confuse our tools with Park Tools, our perceived value would decrease significantly. Unlike your client's mass-produced, overseas-manufactured tools, our tools are 100% designed and manufactured within the United States and have a look and feel that is totally unique.
 
Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,995
716
4xBoy said:
I have a lot of Park tools.

They are not special

This is a lawsuit that reminds me why I hate lawyers.
Click to expand...
So why trademark or patent anything? Give me your ideas and I will reproduce it without giving you anything.
 
Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,995
716
I also love how everybody calls Park this giant company now. They're on the small end of a small end business. Seriously, how many companies make bicycle tools for fuck sake. And RWC couldn't find a different color?
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,995
9,655
AK
aaronjb said:
I didn't expect to see anyone rushing to Park's defense. Wow.

Great quote:

Please let me set the record straight with regard to that. Were consumers to confuse our tools with Park Tools, our perceived value would decrease significantly. Unlike your client's mass-produced, overseas-manufactured tools, our tools are 100% designed and manufactured within the United States and have a look and feel that is totally unique.
Click to expand...
And if their dipshit chain tool could actually punch the pins all the way out then they might have something. They tools are not the end all of mountain bike tools. They make some nice stuff, but other companies make better stuff in some areas and they are just being smug bastards. If some one was using some variation of the name park or exactly replicating the shape and feel of their tools, ok, then I'd understand, but a fucking color? So no one else can make red biked because specialized made those Ferrari-red M2 XC bikes? No one else can make blue pastel bikes because yeti made some? That's where I draw the line.
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,995
9,655
AK
Electric_City said:
I also love how everybody calls Park this giant company now. They're on the small end of a small end business. Seriously, how many companies make bicycle tools for fuck sake. And RWC couldn't find a different color?
Click to expand...
It's kinda cool to offer annodized tools in different colors.
 
Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,995
716
I strongly agree. Just find a different tint or color. It sounds like they were asked politely (in business terms) and were dicks about it. So screw them. I hope Park wins.
 
Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,995
716
"Kawasaki green" is a trademark. It's basically fluorescent green. If Honda made a fluorescent green bike that was a little brighter, would that be weird?

On a side note, clothing companies make "Kawasaki green" clothing, but it actually says "Kawasaki green" in the description.

Otoh, I find it ironic that excavators and heavy equipment have trademarked colors, yet they're all the same. Case, Deere and Caterpillar/Cat are all yellow. Is it a "safety" color or something? Same with Stihl, Husqvarna and Echo- they're all orange and gray.
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,995
9,655
AK
johnbryanpeters said:
Screw Park on this one - I like their tools, but this is stupid.
What chain tool do you like? I've been real frustrated with this issue recently...
Click to expand...
Actually about any topeak multi-tool works better than the small park tool(and pushes the pin all the way out), but for the shop, the shimano chain tool (w/handle) is absolutely amazing quality, better than the park shop tool.
https://www.jensonusa.com/Shimano-TL-CN34-Shop-Chain-Tool-611-SPD-Shop-Chain-Tool-611-Speed?pt_source=googleads&pt_medium=cpc&pt_campaign=shopping_us&pt_keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQjww8jcBRDZARIsAJGCSGtQha7jixEAyGyJ-QtAeiye59os22RmREgOInCuI7h2MMjl__Z5sdIaAhqnEALw_wcB
 
Last edited:
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,942
24,512
media blackout
Electric_City said:
That's interesting. Are unior sold in the USA? Since that's where the trademark is applied.
Click to expand...
'size said:
my guess is "Park Tool ‘Blue’ Granted U.S. Trademark"
and
UNIOR
3214 Zrece, Slovenia
Click to expand...
Unior lists 2 US distributors. one of them being Trek bicycles.

also worth noting, Unior was a tool company for other industries, and they're nearly a hundred years old (founded 1919). Park ONLY makes bike tools, and have been around about half as long (founded 1963). Unior is likely the larger of the 2 companies, and I'd be willing to bet Unior has more resources to challenge any suit Park would potentially make against them, which may be why that hasn't happened yet (my guess is that Unior would in turn challenge the validity of the trademark).
 
4xBoy

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,050
2,894
Minneapolis
jonKranked said:
Unior lists 2 US distributors. one of them being Trek bicycles.

also worth noting, Unior was a tool company for other industries, and they're nearly a hundred years old (founded 1919). Park ONLY makes bike tools, and have been around about half as long (founded 1963). Unior is likely the larger of the 2 companies, and I'd be willing to bet Unior has more resources to challenge any suit Park would potentially make against them, which may be why that hasn't happened yet (my guess is that Unior would in turn challenge the validity of the trademark).
Click to expand...
Remember the Vermonster challenge?
 
maxyedor

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
jonKranked said:
Unior lists 2 US distributors. one of them being Trek bicycles.

also worth noting, Unior was a tool company for other industries, and they're nearly a hundred years old (founded 1919). Park ONLY makes bike tools, and have been around about half as long (founded 1963). Unior is likely the larger of the 2 companies, and I'd be willing to bet Unior has more resources to challenge any suit Park would potentially make against them, which may be why that hasn't happened yet (my guess is that Unior would in turn challenge the validity of the trademark).
Click to expand...
Unior may have a strong defense, but even they decided to go with red for the US market because blue bike tools = Park tools https://uniorusa.com/shop-bicycle-tools/


Park is in the right here IMHO. You walk into a bike shop and see a blue tool, it's a Park, everybody knows that. To make another bike specific tool that's blue is definitely co-opting their reputation, and a customer could definitely mistake the original RWC bushing tool for a Park tool. I'd have to wonder why they went with that color in the first place, I'd have to assume so that their tools would match a mechanic's existing tools.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,942
24,512
media blackout
maxyedor said:
Unior may have a strong defense, but even they decided to go with red for the US market because blue bike tools = Park tools https://uniorusa.com/shop-bicycle-tools/


Park is in the right here IMHO. You walk into a bike shop and see a blue tool, it's a Park, everybody knows that. To make another bike specific tool that's blue is definitely co-opting their reputation, and a customer could definitely mistake the original RWC bushing tool for a Park tool. I'd have to wonder why they went with that color in the first place, I'd have to assume so that their tools would match a mechanic's existing tools.
Click to expand...
was unaware the US parts were a different color, but that settles that.
 
sundaydoug

sundaydoug

Monkey
Jun 8, 2009
611
275
Nothing to see here, Park Tool is completely in the right. Try branding a soft-drink using Coca-Cola's red and see how far you get.
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,312
7,738
Bikael Molton

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,024
1,154
El Lay
That blue means Park Tools to any bike enthusiast in the US. It's been their trademark for decades.

In fact, I can't think of another bicycle company, brand and color combination that is more closely aligned than Park and that blue. It is universal in nearly every bike shop here.
Mavic, Cinelli, Colnago... many of the classic brands have/had colors closely-associated with their name also.

It does seem lame that Park is targeting RWC, but to me it's clear that if they let RWC slide on this then the argument could be made they don't care and should let Unior slide also.
 
Bikael Molton

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,024
1,154
El Lay
Correct, though I think the blue has been used for a lot longer, regardless of when the trademark was granted. I *think* trademarks being granted may be based on prior, consistent use.

I have one of their 3way allens from the 90s that is blue.

This is beside the point that they have the right, investors would say duty, to protect the mark now.

jonKranked said:
decade. just one decade. as stated prior in the thread they got the trademark in 2008.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom