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Winter conditions increase the need for regular cleaning and maintenance
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Workstands come in various designs. The column and seat clamp style is among the most popular
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A chain scrubber and cleaning products are as important as workshop tools
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Road bikes have Allen bolts in abundance. A full set of Allen keys is required
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Smaller, "traditional" L-shaped Allen keys can offer easier access to certain bolts, like that in the brake bridge
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A good quality track pump with an accurate gauge, metal body, and reversible 'head' needn't cost the earth
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Chain checker tools are relatively inexpensive and can bring savings of hundreds of pounds in the cost of replacing prematurely worn drivetrain components
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Not strictly an essential, but an airline can be a relatively low cost investment that can save significant amounts of time in drying your steed
Winter riding demands increased time maintaining the bike.
The corrosive mixture of salt, rain, mud, and road grime will turn your highly-tuned steed into a grinding wreck faster than you can say “new drivetrain”.
With this in mind, we’ve turned our attention to the subject of essential tools for the home mechanic, and gained the thoughts of Jon Hayes and Andy Phillips, mechanics at independent bike shop, Ride.
We’ll take a look at their five recommendations on the following pages. If there are any you think we’ve missed, or which have become essential to your maintenance regime, share them in the RCUK Forum.