Hallelujah bike bits-ones you cant imagine changing

bahzob

After trial and error I find you sometimes come across something for your bike that's competely sorted. You can't imagine using anything else.

I have 2 on my list:
- Progold Prolink chain lube
- ITM K-Sword bars

Possible 3rd might be
- Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres for puncture free winter rides

And Pearl Izumi Pro Shorts would have been on the list but post 2006 they completely changed the design for much inferior ones.

Anything else?

Ken Night

Good question

After a lot of faffing....

Record QS shifters, just such a pleasure to use compared to three pairs of Centaur which themselves are more than adequate.

13-26 cassettee, for a straight run of 7 useable cogs, used with 50/36 chainset, with above shifters

dhb 3/4 bibtights-nothing comes close in comfort

a Sigma branded Nalini jacket-windtex front, and front of arms. So effective

Assos Intermediate jacket-99.9% as good as the above

A 1990's 853 Raleigh frame-So comfortable....currently resting, but it's been a race bike, fixie, and audax bike

Airborne Carpe Diem frame-been a commuter, cross and audax bike. Now sports disc brakes

Many many mistakes to get to this

gkerr4

bahzob wrote:

After trial and error I find you sometimes come across something for your bike that's competely sorted. You can't imagine using anything else.

I have 2 on my list:
- Progold Prolink chain lube
- ITM K-Sword bars

Possible 3rd might be
- Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres for puncture free winter rides

And Pearl Izumi Pro Shorts would have been on the list but post 2006 they completely changed the design for much inferior ones.

Anything else?

my only contribution to this thread is my toupe 143 saddle which is awesome and will soon have one on all my bikes.

I am curious as to why the K-Sword handlebars made your list - whats so good about them? (I really like the look of them but not sure what they are like in operation - have you got them with shimano or campag? - just curious about the cabling routes)

alfablue

Sorted

Smart 1/2 watt Superflash rear light (amazing performance for £11)

Fenix L2D CE Q5 front light (amazing performance for the price)

Prolink Progold lube

Specialized All Condition Pro tyres (road bike, audax bike, commuter) (have had zero punctures/many miles)

Schwalbe Marathon (tourer)

Selle An-atomica saddle on my tourer/commuter (god's own saddle)

SKS p35 mudguards

Tubus Cosmo rear rack (Stainless steel version of the logo, lighter, stronger, prettier, pricier, but fantastic).

Ortlieb Back Roller Classic panniers

KMC missing link

Handbuilt wheels on MAvic Open Pro rims

Topeak Road Morph pump

Shimano MT90 Gore-Tex SPD walking/cycling boots for touring.

Shimano XTR M970 SPD pedals

Topeak Alien II multitool

Zip ties

Yet to decide:

Still searching for the perfect computer (using VDO, which comes close (they did a free warranty replacement after 8 years! So they are top candidates for that alone!), and Cateye...not convinced, really).

Currently trying out Koolstop Salmon brake pads

Planet-X saddle on my road bike - I am quite surprised that it is seeming to be quite comfy, better than my Specialized Avatar, still too early to tell for sure.

Planet-X model B wheels, came on my new road bike, amazingly light, incredibly smooth bearings, just waiting to see how they last.

maddog 2

bits:

Gore ride-ons

WTB Rocket V ti

Thomson posts

Ergon grips

OP ceramics


Clothes:

Endura thermastat clip biblongs

Gore Phantom jacket

Spesh BG carbon shoes

John C.

koolstop brake pads
best stoppers I've ever had, and kind to my rims.
pound for pound the best upgrade I've done to any bike

bobpzero

interesting no one has mentiond their wet weather gloves yet.

anyways my short list of sortd items
assos everything except their socks, mitts & roubaix bib tights
goretex signature cap for rainy days
oakley radars with photochromatic lens

JC.152

Speciilzed Helix glasses with prescription-not worn anything since I got them much better then just normal glasses.


Can't think of anything else yet

bahzob

gkerr4 wrote:

I am curious as to why the K-Sword handlebars made your list - whats so good about them? (I really like the look of them but not sure what they are like in operation - have you got them with shimano or campag? - just curious about the cabling routes)

I had them on a loan bike and they just clicked with me in terms of ride comfort and looks. I've got Shimano, brake cables route inside the bars.

ridin8ude

Must haves for me:

Fizik saddle (my bum insists!)
- Arione for road bike
- Gobi for MTB

Time ATAC Free-Ride MTB pedals
- Use these on almost all my bikes except for my racing road bike

Polar S7xx HRM/Watch
- Used since initially came out many years ago - always at my side

Mavic Ksyrium Wheels
- Bullet proof wheels that just won't die
- Only wheels that get me to switch are my Cosmic Carbone's which I love equally as much but just can't justify riding all the time

Topeak Mini-Morph pump
- Should have been invented alot sooner - So much easier to use and less embarrasing for my skinny arms when trying to recover from a flat during a group ride

Camelback Mule
- I've owned a version of the MULE since it was first released and probably won't change

Something new that I'm not sold on yet - but has promise
Winter Gloves - Pearl Izumi Pittards Elite Thermal Winter Gloves
- Tight fitting and not bulky so I can still use my fingers
- Time will tell how they can handle the cold and wet

robbarker

Ummm...

Assos tights

Wipperman Connex chain

Park Y shaped 4/5/6mm hex wrench

Schmidt hub dynamo

Thomson seatpost

Tubus rack

SKS Rennkompressor pump

Fox forks

Hilltrek Ventile jacket

redddraggon

Assos padded bib shorts and to a slightly lesser extent the Airblock 851 winter jacket.

I spent years riding with "normal" bib shorts/tights, but since getting the assos shorts it's as though the other bib shorts/tights don't have pads in them.

I like my Northwave shoes, campag groupsets, Catlike whisper helmet, FSA compact bars, but I'm sure I could live without them, but not the Assos shorts........

redddraggon

Oh and KMC chains with their special joining links.........definitely don't know where I'd be without them....

Nuggs

Giordana Tenax Bibs (I prefer them to my Assos bibs)
Helly Hansen Lifa Baselayers
Assos arm and leg warmers
SRAM Power Links
Park Tool Shop Cable Cutter
Park Tool PCS-20 Workstand

HungryCol

redddraggon wrote:

Oh and KMC chains with their special joining links.........definitely don't know where I'd be without them....

Seconded

Jez mon

Assos airblock winter clothing

Garmin Edge 305

Clif Bars

Oakley Retina Burn Radars!

pneumatic

Craghopper leggings. 2 pairs, 12 winters so far (and quite a few Summers). They've relegated the Gore leg-warmers to the bottom of the kit drawer.

verloren

Something not mentioned so far - my Camelback bottle with the fancy nozzle. Way better than a normal bottle for not much more.

Also really like my Garmin Edge 305, and my 28-spoke mavic open pro wheels (on cannondale hubs, in orange, way blingier than my talent justifies but they were cheap!)

Mister W

KCNC red anodised jockey wheels. Pointless but so pretty

Stuck on a Giant

My poster of VP!!

alfablue

verloren wrote:

Something not mentioned so far - my Camelback bottle with the fancy nozzle. Way better than a normal bottle for not much more.

Yes, I have these, superb! Can get a huge gulp with a squeeze, but the nozzle won't leak when not closed.

System_1

Spesh Toupe saddle (I wish I could afford one for all my bikes).

Thomson stem and post (absolutely gorgeous bits of kit).

andyp

Rapha base layers

DavidBelcher

Nuggs wrote:

Giordana Tenax Bibs (I prefer them to my Assos bibs)
Helly Hansen Lifa Baselayers
Assos arm and leg warmers
SRAM Power Links
Park Tool Shop Cable Cutter
Park Tool PCS-20 Workstand

Anything from the Park stable is usually a safe bet.

My own contributions;

Stronglight A9 headset - I don't think there's a better one around for threaded steerers.
Time ATAC Alium pedals - cheap and reliable, just the job for 'cross. And the cleats seem to last forever!
Spencer PW1 alloy mudguards - much more robust than their plastic cousins, and although metal are surprisingly rattle-free.

David

paulwoconnell

FSA wing pro shallow drop alloy bars - light, cheap, strong, very very comfortable
FSA cork bar tape
Tacx Tao Bottle Cages
Northwave shoes (any Northwave shoes!)
2XU Sub Zero Jacket (it's amazing)
Rapha Merino Socks

Droops

Thule aero roof bars with Outride 561 bike carrier. Class kit.

brownbosh

For me top is
1)PRO VIBE MONO seat posts (one on each of my four bikes in various sizes)

2)Open pro rims (5 handbuilt sets in my garage all based on the glorious open pro)

3)SIDI shoes (for being the only company to make a quality road shoe for a genetic freak like me in a size 52)

4)Toupe 143 ti saddles (on 3 out of 4 bikes)

5)The mightly resiliant glorious CR1 frame. (have two of those)

6) Koolstop pads.