If you could have one cycling thing....

asprilla
asprilla Posts: 8,440
edited August 2010 in Commuting chat
The family Asprilla going for a week in southern France at the end of the month with some friends and the gents are taking their steeds with them. It's the other bloke's birthday whilst we are out there and as he's fairly new to cycling he's yet to accumulate the vast quantities of kit that are absolutely necessary to cycling. We want to get him a little birthday present but I'm not sure what.

So, I open it to you guys; what's the most useful, sensibly priced item you have in your cycling kit?

Thought so far include a track pump or a CO2 inflater. I've already given him a vetra wireless computer that I replaced with my garmin.
Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
Sun - Cervelo R3
Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
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Comments

  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    multi-tool?
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    A nice jersey.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    A nice pair of cycling gloves?
    FCN 4 PX SL Pro SRAM Red
    FCN 8 Scott Sportster '05
  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,628
    any of the above and/or saddle pack?
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    suitable little cap

    silly!
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,938
    depends what you mean by sensibly priced


    A set of Park Tool Tyre Levers


    A quality pair of shorts
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    edited August 2010
    Decent set of proper length allen keys. I'd be lost without mine and IIRC they weren't terribly expensive- about a tenner for a cycling branded set but they are worth their weight in gold.

    Useful on and off the bike.
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    edited August 2010
    TailWindHome wrote:
    depends what you mean by sensibly priced

    That's a good question but one I don't have an anwser to because I think my definition is going to differ from Mrs Asprilla's.

    I'm also thinking about getting him a copy of 'Zinn & the art of...' because I find mine invaluable.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • jeepie
    jeepie Posts: 497
    Agree with Clever Pun. I really like my multi tool.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Crank ... 360019202/

    But then again this is a bit boring - the thing that made the biggest difference to my cycling was a nice new pair of clipless pedals!
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    Jeepie wrote:
    Agree with Clever Pun. I really like my multi tool.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Crank ... 360019202/

    But then again this is a bit boring - the thing that made the biggest difference to my cycling was a nice new pair of clipless pedals!

    He's got the basics requried to make the bike go, including a nice set of black Keos.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • jeepie
    jeepie Posts: 497
    Muchos lumens as the winter is coming? http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,664
    I'd vote for tool(s) and/or maintenance book.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • georgee
    georgee Posts: 537
    I second the cap Idea, it's the sort of thing you never get around buying yourself. It's taken me 5 years of road cycling to get around to buying one.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,664
    Actually, I don't think you'd go far wrong with any of the suggestions so far.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    CO2 Inflator, spare gas, Park Tools levers and repair pads plus a spare tube. Put them in a nice saddle bag and bingo. If you want to push out the boat, add a multi tool.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • SickAsAParrot
    SickAsAParrot Posts: 212
    A bottle and a big box of Gatorade :D
  • DCowling
    DCowling Posts: 769
    one of the girls in lycra on the cake stop forum :D
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    DCowling wrote:
    one of the girls in lycra on the cake stop forum :D

    I think his pregnant wife (and mime) would insert my bike somewhere I don't want it to go.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • Citizen Smith
    Citizen Smith Posts: 336
    Cyclecraft by John Franklin.
    "Come at the king, you best not miss." - Omar, The Wire

    FCN 4: Willier Izoard XP
    FCN 7: GT Legato 4.0

    *GAME* competitor
  • jeepie
    jeepie Posts: 497
    Cycling plus subscription? I can't afford anything in it, but it does allow the opportunity to view the dream machines....
  • DCowling
    DCowling Posts: 769
    Asprilla wrote:
    DCowling wrote:
    one of the girls in lycra on the cake stop forum :D

    I think his pregnant wife (and mime) would insert my bike somewhere I don't want it to go.

    Ahh, yes that could be a problem
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    edited August 2010
    DCowling wrote:
    Asprilla wrote:
    DCowling wrote:
    one of the girls in lycra on the cake stop forum :D

    I think his pregnant wife (and mime) would insert my bike somewhere I don't want it to go.

    Ahh, yes that could be a problem

    Obviously that should have said mine and not mime. His wife isn't a mime and I'd hate anyone to think she was.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    Asprilla wrote:
    DCowling wrote:
    one of the girls in lycra on the cake stop forum :D

    I think his pregnant wife (and mime) would insert my bike somewhere I don't want it to go.

    I once knew a French bloke who got to travel the US as Marcel Marceau's translator. Easiest. Job. Ever!
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Track pump. Will improve his riding because he'll actually pump his tyres up properly...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,664
    Asprilla wrote:
    DCowling wrote:
    one of the girls in lycra on the cake stop forum :D

    I think his pregnant wife (and mime) would insert my bike somewhere I don't want it to go.

    Well, kind of where it's supposed to go, but more firmly IYSWIM.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Runoutofgears
    Runoutofgears Posts: 348
    Colnago EPS, 8)

    Sorry I meant +1 for a track pump, my favourite cycling thingy.

    But obviously I would prefer an EPS.
    I ache, therefore I am.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Carbon bottle cages from Planet X. They're fantastic. Also...

    your mate will then have carbon, and he will want more. When (not if) he buys more carbon, you can start to use him as the standard against which Mrs Asprilla can measure you bike-related expenditure, so that you don't look as if you're frittering away your cash. :D
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    cjcp wrote:
    Carbon bottle cages from Planet X. They're fantastic. Also...

    your mate will then have carbon, and he will want more. When (not if) he buys more carbon, you can start to use him as the standard against which Mrs Asprilla can measure you bike-related expenditure, so that you don't look as if you're frittering away your cash. :D
    This what you've been doing? :lol:

    Perhaps I should charge for that service ;)
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    JonGinge wrote:
    cjcp wrote:
    Carbon bottle cages from Planet X. They're fantastic. Also...

    your mate will then have carbon, and he will want more. When (not if) he buys more carbon, you can start to use him as the standard against which Mrs Asprilla can measure you bike-related expenditure, so that you don't look as if you're frittering away your cash. :D
    This what you've been doing? :lol:

    Perhaps I should charge for that service ;)

    Heh heh :lol:
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    Unfortunately he's on C2W so Mrs A knows he's getting it cheap. You'll never guess which bike he's got.....
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX

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