A vast number of college students live on an extremely limited budget, which is why a large majority of college students lack motorized transportation. Bikes are a convenient and inexpensive way to get around campus and meet friends at the local coffee shop or pizza parlor.
However, a bike is a mechanical device and needs to have proper maintenance and repairs in order for it to be useful.
Most college students on a budget aren’t going to be able to take their bike to a bicycle shop for needed repairs so having the right tools to do some of the maintenance and repairs on their own is simply more cost-effective for college students.
Here is a look at 5 awesome biking tools that are must-have for college students.
Chain Checker
Your bike chain is an important part of your bicycle. Knowing when to replace your bicycle chain can extend the life of some of the other components of your bike.
As you pile on the miles your bicycle chain becomes more and more worn with the internal parts of the chain such as your rivets and rollers wearing out and making it seem as though your bike’s chain is actually stretching.
The information given in many best hybrid bike reviews clearly states that if a worn out chain that is not replaced when it needs to be can result in you needing a whole new cassette, which is far more expensive to replace than the chain itself.
So knowing when to replace your chain is important to maintaining your bike. A chain checker is a highly effective way to check and see if your chain needs to be replaced or still has life in it.
Chain Tools
Chains don’t just wear out, sometimes they break, which is why any college student whose main transportation is their bicycle needs a chain tool to repair a broken chain.
A chain tool can be used to break your bike chain at a certain point and then be used to mend the chain using the same tool. It should be noted that that repairing a chain is a quick solution to get you home when your chain breaks on the road.
Once repaired your chain won’t be as good as new and should be replaced as soon as possible after the chain is repaired.
Floor Pump
Bike tires like car tires need to have a certain amount of air to function properly. Since tires are under a good deal of pressure some of the air in your tires leaks out each day whether or not you ride your bike.
This makes it necessary to check the air in your bike’s tire almost everyday day before riding it and keep your tire aired properly for smoother rides and less wear and tear on your tires.
A floor pump with a gauge for checking your tire air pressure is a simple and convenient two in one tool that helps ensure that your tire has the proper amount of air in it.
Ball End Allen Keys
Ball end Allen Keys are another handy tool for bike riding college students. They allow you to turn bolts from an angle.
The harder and more accurately made the more effective the Allen keys will be. The high-quality keys have a narrow neck for the ball and work at steeper angles making them all the more versatile.
Since bikes have several bolts that need to be tightened from time to time having a set of ball-end Allen keys is a handy tool to have.
Plier Set
A set of pliers should be in any bikers tool bag and should include a pair of long nose pliers.
Pliers are excellent for holding cables, tightens pinch bolts or brakes and derailleurs.
They are also great for holding spokes when truing a wheel. Pliers serve many other uses for maintaining or repairing your bike.
Combining these 5 helpful tools will allow you college student to keep his bike on the road and in good condition throughout those college years and beyond.
In addition, don’t forget that a good bike chain and the lock will help keep his bike safe and secure when he parks it on and off campus.
