2014 holiday gift guide: Maintenance
A classy Belgian leather tool roll from Yellow Line Rule lets you carry your repair kit in style. The roll, made in Barrie, Ont., by the Peterborough, Ont.-based company, attaches to the rails of your saddle with a toe strap. You can get one with a line from Eddy Merckx embossed in the leather, or a line from Greg LeMond or a graphic inspired by a 1960s Polish stamp commemorating the Peace Race.
A classy Belgian leather tool roll from Yellow Line Rule (1, $72, yellowlinerule.com) lets you carry your repair kit in style. The roll, made in Barrie, Ont., by the Peterborough, Ont.-based company, attaches to the rails of your saddle with a toe strap. You can get one with a line from Eddy Merckx embossed in the leather, or a line from Greg LeMond or a graphic inspired by a 1960s Polish stamp commemorating the Peace Race. If you want a pump that travels well, but still pushes a lot of air, the Axiom Enforceair HP (2, $50, axiomgear.com) balances portability and efficiency. The anodized pump shaft and head, which can handle Presta and Schrader valves, look pretty sharp. The Tools4Bikes VeloVise (3, $129, mec.ca) is one of the most compact work stands around. Clamp its two pieces to a table, and then you are ready to mount your bike’s fork in one, and the bottom bracket area in the other. The VeloVise is great for maintaining your bike while travelling. Your carbon-fibre bike is a precision machine. You can’t simply tighten bolts on it by feel, or you could do some damage. To snug a bolt quickly and safely, use a preset torque wrench. A Bontrager torque wrench (4, $23 each, bontrager.com) comes with either a T25 Torx head or a 4-mm hex head.
For more ideas, see our ever expanding 2014 holiday gift guide.
