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What's in the Workshop Box?

I was rummaging through my workshop box the other day looking for a miscellaneous something to fix my bike and realised it was probably time for a good clean out.

Every serious cyclist has a similar place where the flotsam and jetsam of years of riding and repairing bikes washes up. After removing the dust and dirt I had a look at what was left, and was amazed to find a history of my cycling life.

Here is a small part of my stash:

 cycling workshop box

  1. A small jar containing 8, 9 and 10 speed spare chain links, a Crank Bros cleat, ferrules and spacers for my old Shimano XTR hydro brake.

  2. Bidon cages. Plastic and alloy and at least ten years of history.

  3. Wire. No idea.

  4. Bar tape offcuts. Not as strange as it sounds. I use these to add extra cushioning under the tape along the bar tops.

  5. Tyre levers. This is the place crappy tyre levers go to die. I only use Michelin now of which I have several sets in my other box!

  6. MTB lock on grips and bar ends. Bar ends are so '90's... A bit embarrasing now. At least they aren't anodized blue.

  7. Reflectors??? Yeah, they are off my very first mountain bike. On my first off-road social ride many moons ago a guy commented that it was lucky I still had them on my bike so I wouldn't get run over in the forest... Point taken! They were removed as soon as I got home.

  8. Computers and brackets. I'm sure I have a thousand of these brackets for lights, locks, computers... I think they breed and create new hybrids.

  9. Cigarette filters. Now that is weird, considering I don't smoke.

  10. Container with headset parts, bottom bracket spacers and a role of electrical tape. A tip about tape: Don't buy it from the supermarket, go to a hardware store and get the good stuff, seriously.

  11. Loose allen keys. They seem to migrate. I'm pretty sure this one is actually Swedish.

  12. Mini tool sleeve. This held my Topeak Alien that a mate "borrowed" and then lost. Thought it might come in handy in case I got a replacement...still waiting...are you reading this?

  13. Shimano XT shift indicators. It has been many years since my moiuntain biking with reflectors incident and I became a bit more trendy in that time, so the indicators had to go.

  14. Bells. I think they're getting it on with the brackets, there seems to be more bells here than bike I own, or have ever owned. Bells are a legal requirement in Australia... I'd rather wear a fine.

  15. Toothbrush. To a non-cyclist this is probably a bit strange but we all know it's for cleaning... Or, actually, IS that my toothbrush?

 

ProfileAuthor: Christian Woodcock
Christian loves riding bikes. He has many years experience working in bike shops and has raced mountain bikes at a high level with success. These days expect to see him climbing and suffering on a road bike, or talking it up on the trails with mates.
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