Thread to tell everyone what bike gear you've just bought !

Onan

Daniel B wrote:

Littigator wrote:

I've used the dhbs for 2 years now. They do crack across the nose in the end if you keep changing the lenses but as they're so cheap it doesn't really matter. Other than that they are great.

I had that (Cracked not broken) after just a year of use, have left them with the clear lenses in now, and use them soley for commuting.

I replaced them with a pair of these which I used for the first time today:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=MADIZGLA250000000000

Nice bendy frames, don't see these cracking in a hurry, and nice and comfy, all be it not quite as wrap around as the dhbs.

Dan

I bought a pair of them. Then I left them on the bench in the garden, and the dog ate them. I only wore em once.

biondino

Trek Mates merino wool long sleeved base layer, arrived today. It's pretty big, but feels sooooo soft. I want to snuggle it rather than wear it.

linsen

Track pump. Rubbish - must look up that thread about track pumps to find out what to get.
Lets more air out than it put in when you take it off...

Okay, maybe I'm rubbish...

In fact, that may be true - when I put the pump on I found my tyres were 40psi :oops:

Jen J

linsen wrote:

Track pump. Rubbish - must look up that thread about track pumps to find out what to get.
Lets more air out than it put in when you take it off...

Okay, maybe I'm rubbish...

In fact, that may be true - when I put the pump on I found my tyres were 40psi :oops:

Topeak Joe Blow is good.

When I first used it, it didn't seem to work, so I actually posted onto Road Bike - Maintenance or something asking for help. Someone then kindly asked if I'd unscrewed the valves first :oops:

SpinyBike

Had my first night commute home with the new set of lights - Hope Vision 2.

o...m...g are they good. A completely different experience to my previous Cateye EL530. I could actually see where I was going on the country lanes. Cars dipped their headlights where previously they didn't. I left the E530 on the bars & when I turned it on it didn't make any difference

I winced at paying for them but I've now realised they were worth every penny.

The only thing I would change is the quick release. The light & bracket goes on the bars as one, so when you remove it you loose any pitch adjustment you may have made. It would be better to have a bracket on the bars & have the headlamp unit clip in & out.

Awesome lights though.

2tired2ride

Jen J wrote:

linsen wrote:

Track pump. Rubbish - must look up that thread about track pumps to find out what to get.
Lets more air out than it put in when you take it off...

Okay, maybe I'm rubbish...

In fact, that may be true - when I put the pump on I found my tyres were 40psi :oops:

Topeak Joe Blow is good.
[/size]

The joe blow is ok but if used a lot the inner bit wears down and doesnt work so well. But the Bikehut track pump is a lot better (and cheaper!) I have one and it's great and it also fits both schrader and presta valves without changing anything or swaping ends, cleaver!

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_208337_langId_-1_categoryId_165661

unclemalc

My wife announced that she wanted a bike 'so we could ride together'... :shock:
I asked if she meant tracking my back wheel on the usual ride down the A449, to which she visibly blanched and said "No, just along the old railway track..."
So we bought a nice little Dawes commuter, complete with mudguards and rack.
"Anything you want while we're here" (in the LBS), she says.
"Er, no,". I reply, having already decided to buy a Tacx turbo.
I did this yesterday, from Wiggle. It arrived today. Sweet.

croggy

Two Campag classic cotton caps(black) and two pairs of blue arm-warmers.
From Prendas Cyclismo,ordered yesterday arrived today.

girv73

Bought some random crap off eBay:

* replacement bracket for my CatEye Velo 5 computer (I broke the supplied one) * SOLAS certified, 3M self adhesive reflective tape, 2m * two mini AAA LED torches to clip to forks and seatstays pointing downwards; the seatstay one will be modded to emit red. * proper brackets to hold my Tesco Torch headlights, as opposed to the nasty a$$ jubilee clips I'm using at present * one of those clip on chain cleaner devices

For a bit of Christmas Commuting fun, I'm currently looking for some battery powered LED Christmas lights in yellow or orange to fit around the inside of my front triangle, and a Santa hat mod of some kind for my helmet. I'm wacky, me. Zany, almost.

biondino

I am wearing my Trek Mates merino top now - it's a bit long for day wear but it's nicely fitted and very comfortable. And it has thumb loops!

I have also just been sent, free of charge, a M:Part Carbon Fork Expander from Wiggle to replace the part of my headset I broke the other day. Tbh I'm not 100% convinced it's the right part but the mechanic seemed to think it was. CJ, you may be getting a phone call in the near future...

lost_in_thought

A DHB long sleeved jersey and a cateye strada cadence wired computer from Wiggle.

I was doing so well with my no shopping...

always_tyred

I have a choice.

For my existing commuter, I can buy one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=13662

Or, alternatively, and because I've had a tough year and I hate changing brake pads, I could buy one of these:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c002912

What do you think?

davidmiller

What a great thread this is - luv it!!

After I had my winter bike serviced by my local man for £45 (new brake blocks, front and back brakes and gears adjusted, new chain and block and bearings sorted in back wheel) I then went on to find I could n't find (!!!) my gloves. Seal skinz currently winging their way from Wiggle along with a second rear light (I'm happy with my old one but want some cover incase anything goes wrong).

Just this minute joined the Merino club with some lovely socks on the way from ChainReaction.

so what I'm not happy about is my front light. I have a 2 mile stretch along totally unlit roads where I'm just waiting for the next car to come up behind me. The cateye EL530 just does n't cut it so I'm about to order a Fenix - they seem to attract universal acclaim.

Role on Xmas,

David

itboffin

Always Tyred wrote:

I have a choice.

For my existing commuter, I can buy one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=13662

Or, alternatively, and because I've had a tough year and I hate changing brake pads, I could buy one of these:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c002912

What do you think?

I think the genesis is a little over priced you could get more for your money, looks weird seeing a road bike with disc brakes, I was wondering why we don't see more after all the speed and hills we tackle.

As for the headset I bought a £10 all black stronglight threadless from velokit.co.uk

always_tyred

itboffin wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

I have a choice.

For my existing commuter, I can buy one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=13662

Or, alternatively, and because I've had a tough year and I hate changing brake pads, I could buy one of these:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c002912

What do you think?

I think the genesis is a little over priced you could get more for your money, looks weird seeing a road bike with disc brakes, I was wondering why we don't see more after all the speed and hills we tackle.

As for the headset I bought a £10 all black stronglight threadless from velokit.co.uk

I don't know - there is an equivalent Focus at Wiggle, same price, very similar spec but an alu frame. Focus are generally the "value" benchmark I thought.

Its also similar to the cost (when they were available, and subject to exchange rates) of the Lemond Poprad. That was nicer looking but essentially the same bike.

I want disc brakes for convenience and a cross bike would open up some pretty nice commuting options. I've had a stiff alu frame on my road bike for 8 years (time for a change there soon I think) and its not the way to go for UK road surfaces imo. The focus is going to be even less forgiving than what I have. So, steel would be good, although I am a little torn. The genesis has rack eyelets and that might be the tie breaker.

There's a pretty Salsa available also, but its 50% more expensive for, essentially, the paint job.

So the Genesis looks okay on value basis I think. Not the sexiest brand, but its a commuter bike after all.

Did you see the Fixie Pure Blood for £2,400? OMG that's a nice looking bike. I so want that one instead. But, aside from the force groupset and the aesthetics, again its pretty much the same spec, but I'd have to sell a lung to afford it.

always_tyred

Oh - and I don't have the tools to replace the headset cups, so I would get the shimano anyway and just replace the bearings.

itboffin

Always Tyred wrote:

Oh - and I don't have the tools to replace the headset cups, so I would get the shimano anyway and just replace the bearings.

Headset cups, mmmh = large rubber mallet + wooden block :shock: oh yes and a steady hand

I've since learnt that a threaded rod with two large washers + nuts is actually a lot safer and very cheap to make.

always_tyred

itboffin wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Oh - and I don't have the tools to replace the headset cups, so I would get the shimano anyway and just replace the bearings.

Headset cups, mmmh = large rubber mallet + wooden block :shock: oh yes and a steady hand

I've since learnt that a threaded rod with two large washers + nuts is actually a lot safer and very cheap to make.

Its getting the old ones out that I'm worried about.

itboffin

Tiz easy - take old seat post or similar long hard object, cut down broom hand works and stick down hole, whack pole with mallet or rubber hammer, if it's really stuck or said pole is smaller than hole then angle in slightly working your way around until it pops out, in most case a few taps - I did mine on the grass just to be safe.

Not difficult at all, trust me if I can do it you can, I'm totally pants at all things DIY.

always_tyred

itboffin wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

I have a choice.

For my existing commuter, I can buy one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=13662

Or, alternatively, and because I've had a tough year and I hate changing brake pads, I could buy one of these:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c002912

What do you think?

I think the genesis is a little over priced you could get more for your money, looks weird seeing a road bike with disc brakes, I was wondering why we don't see more after all the speed and hills we tackle.

As for the headset I bought a £10 all black stronglight threadless from velokit.co.uk

What makes you think it is over priced, out of curiosity? I took a look at one and they aren't spectacular but look relatively okay. I'm interested beacuse I also noted that the mudguard eyelets that I so covert might actually be useless because of the brake mounts. If so, I might be looking at race blades or p-clips with either the Focus or the Genesis. I'm not really sure I know that much about either of them.

symo

Sunday bought two pairs of shorts from Decathalon near Ma & Pa's and yesterdat bought some M324 pedals from Ribble because they are a fiver cheaper than everywhere else.

daniel_b

Just bought a new pair of brake levers, how exciting! (But they do seem to be good quality)

stiggypop

Have I got a bargain with this?:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0109669818

Feltup

Just got a compact chainset - Hard Knott Pass here I come!

daniel_b

stiggypop wrote:

Have I got a bargain with this?:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0109669818

Twould appear so, as long as it fits!
£285 is the price for the 09 model, so this is a decent third off!

stiggypop

Daniel B wrote:

stiggypop wrote:

Have I got a bargain with this?:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0109669818

Twould appear so, as long as it fits!
£285 is the price for the 09 model, so this is a decent third off!

Excellent-ay! Comes with £50 of accessories too. I am planning on using it for a 14-mile (round trip) commute to work and back 4 times per week.

Having not owned a bike since my childhood I am hoping that this will be enough to get fit and lose some of the beer lumber! Now need to find some decent clothing to keep me warm in this freakin' weather!

always_tyred

itboffin wrote:

Tiz easy - take old seat post or similar long hard object, cut down broom hand works and stick down hole, whack pole with mallet or rubber hammer, if it's really stuck or said pole is smaller than hole then angle in slightly working your way around until it pops out, in most case a few taps - I did mine on the grass just to be safe.

Not difficult at all, trust me if I can do it you can, I'm totally pants at all things DIY.

Mine is an ancient carbon frame with aluminium lugs (until I get that Genesis that it.... which is actually rather nice, I took a look at one). I'd be really concerned about punching the lug clean off the tube. Not that my commuter bike is in need of replacement or anything.

AndyManc

I promised not to buy anymore gear this year ... :?

I lied ....... :shock:


Continuing my OCD concerning rear lights I have just ordered the following two ......




http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Smart_1~2_Watt_3_LED_Rear_Light/5360026001/





http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/BLT_Fantom_XR9_Rear_Light/5360032556/

Then there's this .....



http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/dhb_Elsted_10L_Rucksack/5360036905/

and .............



http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/LifeLine_Bio_Cleaner_1_Litre/5360035578/

and lastly .........



http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/LifeLine_Pedal_Wrench/5360028325/


Thats me done for the year ..... I promise :twisted:

linsen

Always Tyred.....

my bike is a mix of carbon and steel which gives me the best of both - light and forgiving. Mr linsen has an alu bike which seems very rigid in comparison....

That is the extent of my knowledge. I will now shut up

(except to say that I miss Zippy a little bit)

AndyManc

AndyManc wrote:

I promised not to buy anymore gear this year ... :?

I lied ....... :shock:


Continuing my OCD concerning rear lights I have just ordered the following two ......




http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Smart_1~2_Watt_3_LED_Rear_Light/5360026001/





http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/BLT_Fantom_XR9_Rear_Light/5360032556/

Just received my lights from Wiggle , what have I DONE ,what have I done :shock:

Forgive me lord I know not what I do ................ :P