STICK’S PICKS

MY TOP TOOLS FOR A FLAT BATTERY

Battery charger

Smart chargers will feature built-in programmes that will recover discharged batteries, but generally speaking if the voltage of a lead acid type has dropped below 6v it’s time for a new battery.

Jump leads

A good set of jump leads will have well insulated, slim-fit crocodile clamps. A good length of cable is also helpful; five metres should be ample but you don’t want them to be tight and risk pinging off. Never use cables that are damaged.

Allen keys

Ideal for undoing fragile plastic trim fasteners as you seek out your bike’s battery. Opt for some T-bar Allen keys (a decent set costs about £20), which will give you better feel over basic L-shaped keys and do not over-tighten.

10mm spanner

You’ll need the humble 10mm spanner for checking that the terminals are tight on your battery. Some terminal bolts may have a crosshead on top so can be tightened with a screwdriver too.