Bikes
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PARK PROFESSIONAL RACE STAND
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The modern bicycle has hundreds of moving parts—and they're not going to take care of themselves. But before you do anything, pick up a maintenance manual and a bike stand. Zinn & The Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance ($18; Velo Press) by Lennard Zinn is an inviting, clearly written, step-by-step guide with plenty of helpful illustrations.
(Despite the title, Zinn covers road bikes as well.) To keep your bike still while you fiddle, check out Park's Professional Race Stand ($240). It's an incredibly sturdy model that weighs less than 17 pounds and can be folded up. The clamp is easy to work and adjusts to different-size seatposts (never risk crushing the tubes of your bike frame).
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THE WRENCH FORCE PRO MODEL BIKE PUMP
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Now you're ready for some simple housekeeping. The most important job is to keep your bike's parts clean and lubricated. Every time you ride, dirt gets into your chain and gears, mixes with the grease, and creates a kind of viscous sandpaper that wastes no time in grinding down those expensive parts. Of the many good cleansers and lubes on the
market, Finish Line has one of the best selections. Use the Pro Bike Chain Cleaning Kit ($25) with Citrus Biosolvent Degreaser ($9) to clean your chain, gears, and derailleurs. Try White Lightning's Race Day Dry Lube ($9) to get it all running smoothly again.
After each ride, spot-check your wheels and tires, the former for wobble (spin each one and watch the rims at the brake pads) and the latter for proper air pressure. Here's what you'll need: a spoke wrench, like the ultra-handy Spokey ($6) from Delta Cycle, and a floor pump, such as the Pro model from The Wrench Force ($50). The pump sits on a sturdy
platform and has its gauge at the top of the barrel, so it's easy to read. You'll need tire levers, too—any will do, as long as they're plastic, not metal.
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PARK CHAIN WHIP
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Every couple of weeks, check your brake pads and cables. To tighten them, as well as most of the other bolts on your bike, get a range of metric hex keys from 1.5mm through 10mm, such as those from Craftsman ($12). If you find that you really thrive on this maintenance thing, you might prefer Bondhus wrenches ($11) for their "ball-ends," which make
it easier to get at hard-to-reach screws. Once a month, you should check your bottom bracket, headset, and hubs for slack. Park's bottom bracket tools ($14) and cone wrenches ($7) will help you to tighten them. And after every few months, consider getting a new chain, which is a lot less expensive than replacing cogs worn out by one that's stretched. By
far, the best chain breaker we've used is the large-handled Pro Chain Tool from The Wrench Force ($40).
Once a season, install new cables and cable housings to keep your gears and brakes working crisply. All you need is a good set of snips like the Park Cable and Housing Cutters ($25). The last two bike-related essentials are the Park Chain Whip ($15) and a Park cassette lockring tool ($6), to take off the rear cogs for cleaning. But if you want to get
into rebuilding your bottom bracket, headset, and hubs, consider springing for Park's Advanced Mechanic Tool Kit ($260), a thoughtful collection of 32 tools. Or, hell, it just might be time to drop off your rig at the shop. If that's not an option, call The Third Hand (541-488-4800), a sort of 911 line for technical advice and mail-order tools.
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