[norbar]

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2018/09/06/park-tool-sues-real-world-cycling-over-tool-color#.W5GTtiMrKM8

Park tool sues a company for using their color. I get that you don't want other companies to pretend they are you but it's not the case here so wtf?

 

[Electric_City]

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.

 

[toodles]

Pick a different friggen colour. How hard is it?

 

[chris_f]

What a weird thing to call out a company about? Park Tools is entirely in the right here.

 

[iRider]

I wonder how Unior gets away with using blue: http://www.uniortools.com/cgi-bin/cms.cgi?doc=10786&cat=2499

 

[Electric_City]

I wonder how Unior gets away with using blue: http://www.uniortools.com/cgi-bin/cms.cgi?doc=10786&cat=2499

That's interesting. Are unior sold in the USA? Since that's where the trademark is applied.

 

['size]

I wonder how Unior gets away with using blue: http://www.uniortools.com/cgi-bin/cms.cgi?doc=10786&cat=2499

my guess is "Park Tool ‘Blue’ Granted U.S. Trademark"
and
UNIOR
3214 Zrece, Slovenia

 

[mykel]

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.

 

[Jm_]

So no one else can make blue tools? Fuck you lizard.

 

[4xBoy]

I have a lot of Park tools.

They are not special

This is a lawsuit that reminds me why I hate lawyers.

 

[aaronjb]

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]

I have a lot of Park tools.

They are not special

This is a lawsuit that reminds me why I hate lawyers.

So why trademark or patent anything? Give me your ideas and I will reproduce it without giving you anything.

 

[Electric_City]

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_]

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.

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_]

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?

It's kinda cool to offer annodized tools in different colors.

 

[mykel]

It's kinda cool to offer annodized tools in different colors.

Yup, you can see at a glance what you need, no faffing about looking at micro-writing.

 

[Electric_City]

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]

"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.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Screw Park on this one - I like their tools, but this is stupid.

And if their dipshit chain tool could actually punch the pins all the way out then they might have something .

What chain tool do you like? I've been real frustrated with this issue recently...

 

[amishmatt]

Park Tools are overrated, lots of better options. That said, I was gifted the CT-3.2 chain tool for RMSS and it's been working great on ten speed chains: https://www.parktool.com/product/chain-tool-ct-3-2

 

[4xBoy]

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...

I have an Abbey one on order.

Green is better than blue.

 

[HardtailHack]

Just sounds like a Patent Troll case to me, they didn't invent a process that allows them to anodize material that color so who cares?

Activist trolls patent trolls, builds algorithm that publishes ideas for all possible inventions
https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/all-prior-art-patent-troll-troll/

 

[Dogboy]

Anybody trying to be in the bike tool business knows you don't do blue. RWC are morons for doing blue.

 

[Jm_]

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...

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

 

[jonKranked]

That's interesting. Are unior sold in the USA? Since that's where the trademark is applied.

my guess is "Park Tool ‘Blue’ Granted U.S. Trademark"
and
UNIOR
3214 Zrece, Slovenia

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]

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).

Remember the Vermonster challenge?

 

[jonKranked]

Remember the Vermonster challenge?

yea, how'd that ever shake out?

 

[4xBoy]

yea, how'd that ever shake out?

He won, Ben & Jerry's helped him, is what I remember.

 

[Carraig042]

I believe the Unior tools sold in the USA are a different color (red/orange) than sold overseas.

-Brett

 

[maxyedor]

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).

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]

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.

was unaware the US parts were a different color, but that settles that.

 

[Toshi]

With trademarks one essentially needs to police the market proactively, too:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverherzfeld/2013/02/28/failure-to-enforce-trademarks-if-you-snooze-do-you-lose/#1e75c0436c22

 

[sundaydoug]

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.

 

[FarkinRyan]

Quick, somebody warn Park that Wiha are trying to infringe on their trademarks with the brazen, shameful 3mm allen key in this colour-coded set. https://www.wihatools.ca/hex-tools/ball-end-hex/color-coded-l-keys/color-ball-end-hex-l-key-metric-9pc-set

 

[Toshi]

Quick, somebody warn Park that Wiha are trying to infringe on their trademarks with the brazen, shameful 3mm allen key in this colour-coded set. https://www.wihatools.ca/hex-tools/ball-end-hex/color-coded-l-keys/color-ball-end-hex-l-key-metric-9pc-set

1) Not marketed toward bike industry specifically.

2) Blue anodized vs black anodized with blue plastic handles, and only one tool clearly as part of a rainbow set.

3) Different shade of blue.

 

[Jm_]

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.

I’ve seen plenty of red colas that are not coke.

 

[Bikael Molton]

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.

 

[jonKranked]

That blue means Park Tools to any bike enthusiast in the US. It's been their trademark for decades.

I

decade. just one decade. as stated prior in the thread they got the trademark in 2008.

 

[Bikael Molton]

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.

decade. just one decade. as stated prior in the thread they got the trademark in 2008.

 

[rideit]

They have been blue since the mid sixties.