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feedback sports bike tools
according to common lore, any assemblage of cyclists, no matter whether road or off-road, will contain at least one individual with a predilection for bike fettling. this innate ability can be, and often is, put to great use by the surrounding members of the peloton. any creaking noise that may emanate from the nether regions of your pride and joy will be expertly diagnosed on the fly, usually accompanied by an invitation to drop the bike round at their gaff later for a full service and polish. (i may have exaggerated just a smidgeon.)
this can also be exploited to the full should you happen to suffer a puncture en route; simply appear to be as helpless as you probably are and it will be a mere matter of minutes before the individual in question pushes aside all and sundry to begin removing the wheel and levering off the tyre. of course, it is quite likely that continued floundering such as that described will become tiresome very quickly, leading to the necessity of learning how to fix your own puncture. but, as they say, your mileage may vary.
punctures, possibly the simplest of mechanical malfeasances, rely purely on a bit of common sense, a spare inner tube (preferably of the correct size) and one or two tyre levers. pink or yellow are ussually the best. however, the modern bicycle is an often complex beast, requiring not only a range of specific tools, but the savvy to diagnose which particular one to use under each set of circumstances. yet, though there are riders who spend a more than acceptable proportion of their wages on carbon fibre and electronica, few will consider doing likewise on a small, yet compact and bijou toolset.
i have seen folks using bricks to hammer a chain rivet into place, hammer and screwdriver to loosen a bottom bracket cup and a pair of needle-nose pliers to effect less than satisfactory wheel truing. you may laugh, but how many of you have reached for the kitchen scissors when in desperate need of bike fettling? don't deny it.
feedback sports, technical sponsors of the lotto soudal professional cycling team offer a wide range of individual bicycle tools, as well as a few toolkits that would assist the intrepid fellow or fellowess to maintain their bicycle(s) in as near immaculate condition as they were when they left the shop floor. distributed in the uk by edinburgh's 2pure, i received an 8mm handled allen wrench (or hex wrench as it is known across the pond), a couple of 3-way fixed allen wrenches, a square multi-sized spoke key and a t-handled three-way torx wrench. the quality of all is near shop standard, a far cry from those cheap little chain-rivet tools that were more inclined to break your fingers before they rivetted the chain.
the 8mm wrench is an absolute merckx-send for those of us who have need of removing pedals such as those by crank bros. without multiple stab wounds resulting from the close proximity of a couple of chainrings, though i cannot deny a modicum of faff when using the spoke key. and though i've not used one, i think it quite cute that they refer to the chain rivet extractor as a chain pin press. however, perhaps the finest feature arriving with feedback's bike tools is their user-friendliness. there are arguably more expensive and impressive bike tools on the market, but those often confer an immediate need to study for a city and guilds mechanic's certificate.
for the cyclist keen to learn bike maintenance 101, the feedback range contains tools worthy of your investment and undoubtedly the ability to use them properly and still leave enough change for a large slice of carrot-cake with that double espresso.
tuesday 23 may 2017
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