Bike Brake Tip

The problem: Nice road bikes that don't have kickstands. You have to lean them against something but sometimes they roll and fall over. Ouch! Solution: Before your ride, take a wine cork and cut one end into a wedge with two simple cuts that make a nice tapered end. Then squeeze one of your break handles and insert the wedge end into the gap that appears between the handle and the hood. This keeps the brake deployed and your bike won't roll. Viola! It's free, fast, and the cork stows away unnoticed in your jersey pocket or tool bag. Whatever your opinion of synthetic wine corks, they work wonderfully well when cut for a bike brake. I learned the trick 25 years ago from a bike shop owner in Virginia, yet I have yet to find a cyclist who knows about it. My biking friends are converts. -- Steve Leveen