There's no getting away from the fact that, at very nearly £600, the Prep Station from Topeak is a lot of money. But the quality of the tools and the intelligent way in which they are packaged and arranged makes this one of the best toolkits out there.
All of the chrome Vandium and hardened steel tools are good quality, hard wearing pieces that have held up extremely well so far. We're especially big fans of the longer T-handled Allen keys, which range from 2 to 6mm, along with the meatier 6, 8 and 10mm L-shaped options. Other highlights include the handy chainlink pliers, small torque wrench, star fangled nut fitter, mallet and saw guide.
The box has a collapsible handle and roller wheels to make transporting it and moving it around a work space easier. The wheels extend to give the Prep Station a stable base and this makes a big difference when all five trays are swivelled around at different angles.
All five of these trays can slide up and down the collapsible handle, which helps to make it easier to access the different tools. Each has its own place in one of the trays, indicated by foam cut-out slots, so they're always easily locatable too.
The large compartment at the bottom of the Prep Station is great for storing extra bits and pieces – we've stuck a socket set and lubes into ours.
Topeak prep station - first look
Video: First Look at the Topeak Prep Station
