Wired’s Gadget Lab has a quick rundown of the Park Tool Cable Stretcher.  I haven’t had to use this yet, so I’ll have to take their word for it that it’s a recommended tool (when hasn’t a Park Tool done the job well…).
From Park Tool site:
Commonly referred to as a “4th Hand”, the Park Tool Cable Stretcher pulls cables tight. It features one-hand operation with a thumb lock to hold the cable tight while your hand is removed to tighten pull-up bolts and nuts.
I’ve been looking around for more tools …

One of the most intimidating parts of getting into road cycling is bike maintenance and repair.  It can be very frustrating to pay $700 or more for a new bike, and the only bit of bike knowledge you have is throwing WD40 on the chains to keep them from squeaking (which you should NOT do).
There are a couple options that we’ve discussed, such as getting into Park Tool School, or reading Zinn & The Art Of Road Bike Maintainence.  The third option, bringing it into your local bike shop, is …

While this tip may come in handy more often for mountain bikers, it is a good bit of knowledge for road cyclers as well. Let’s say that you are cruising down a rather worn trail going around 20 mph. You jet around a corner and right in front of you on the trail is a small tree that has fallen. It is far too late to swerve around, so all you can do is slam on the brakes and hope it doesn’t hurt too much when you …

We all experience times where our bikes become a little less new than we would like. Parts are creaking, brakes not working as well as they should and the time comes to make a decision; should I fix it, or bring it in to the LBS?
We love supporting the LBS, but sometimes want to delve a little deeper into the finer details of the inner workings of our beloved machines, and spend a few hours fixing that which is not working so well.
I typically feel comfortable doing minor to …

Road cycling can be a bit overwhelming for anyone new to the sport. There is a lot to learn about riding technique, the latest cycling gear, nutrition, training, and maintenance. You can spend a lot of money getting your bike tuned up for the summer, or even a long ride. Many beginners who are mechanically inclined often think they can do the tuning up themselves, but get turned off to the idea when they see how many tools are unique to the bicycle. A few years …