"Essential" gear list on a budget

dai_t75

Hi all,

Been lurking on here a while and a few other sites for last couple of weeks trying to absorb as much info as possible before taking the plunge. I have decided to take up cycling for a number of reasons I won't bore you with for now! Anyway, everyone on here seems very helpful and friendly so I was hoping someone wouldn't mind helping me out with my '"essential" list of gear I plan on getting:

Bike - Budget of about £600 - No specific bike I have my heart set on yet, gonna head to my LBS and try some out and see which one feels right to me.

Helmet £40-50
Bib shorts - £40-45 - Dhb seems to be cheap and highly rated, any issues with the bib shorts?
Shoes - £50 - Looks as if I can pick up some shimano's online for this much
Jersey - £20
Saddle bag - £15
Multitool - £20
Mini pump - £29 - Lezyne Pressure Mini seems highly rated
Sapre tubes - £5?
Tyre leavers - £3
Patch kit - £4
Floor pump - £20
Bottle/cage - £10
Mudguards £25?
Overshoes - £10 Planet X Neoprene again seem cheap and highly rated.

That comes in just under £300 which I think is reasonable. Just wondering if anyone can see any issues with this budget... am I skimping too much?

I already have some gear from running/golf/hiking that I hope to use:
Under armour - Got a long sleeve top that I think would be ok to use as a base layer?
Seal Skin gloves - Are waterproof and should give me enough grip.
Helly Hansen Waterproof mac thing - Probably be a bit boil in the bag, but should do to start me off.
Socks - Will walking socks do a good enough job?

Think that's about it

Thanks in advance for any advice/tips.... can't wait to get started. I have ridden bikes on and off over the years (mtb) and I know I will stick to it once I get started.

Cheers,
Dai.

Wardster00

If you are riding over the winter (I presume that you are as over shoes are on your list) you may want to add arm and leg warmers to your list.

I've just bought some DHB shorts and they are good. For the £50 you have for shoes the new DHB R1 shoes would fit the bill. They look smart and get good reviews.

Enjoy your shopping trip!

daxplusplus

Lights?

dai_t75

Wardster00 wrote:

If you are riding over the winter (I presume that you are as over shoes are on your list) you may want to add arm and leg warmers to your list.

I've just bought some DHB shorts and they are good. For the £50 you have for shoes the new DHB R1 shoes would fit the bill. They look smart and get good reviews.

Enjoy your shopping trip!

Yeah, I will be. I was thinking the long sleeve underarmour might be enough for my arms. Again, might add leg warmers later. From past experience with various sports in the cold I know for a fact my hands and feet are the main problems, I will see how the arms and legs get on (they are usually ok though). Will check out the shoes thanks - how do cycling shoe sizes generally compare to normal trainers/shoes?

DaxPlusPlus wrote:

Lights?

Knew I was forgetting at least a couple of things, thanks. Any recommendations? There seems to be a huge range from dirt cheap to hundreds!

Mikey41

For lights, where do you do your cycling? If it's under street lights, £30-40 will get you sorted, if it's out in the country, you will want something more powerful at the front.

If I'm cycling in the dark, it's on the way home from work under streetlights. I run 2x Cateye TL-LD150's at the back (one flashing, one constant) and a Cateye EL-135 at the front on constant. That's working OK so far

paulg99

Pedals?

Mikey41

PaulG99 wrote:

Pedals?

A £600 bike will already have them, they'll either be flats or clips with straps, but nothing wrong with that.

paulg99

Mikey41 wrote:

PaulG99 wrote:

Pedals?

A £600 bike will already have them, they'll either be flats or clips with straps, but nothing wrong with that.

I was assuming since the OP had shoes on his shopping list that he was going clipless.

daxplusplus

oh and I reckon the boil in the bag jacket will be a nightmare if you want to travel at any kind of speed or up hills.

If you want to ride in all weathers and at any time then I reckon your budget is maybe £100-150 short .. if you just ride when it's just cold and dry and not when it's dark (weekends) then you may be able to lose the wet weather stuff and spend that money on a more cycling specific clothes (windproof jacket or gilet + arm warmers, tights or leg warmers).

Or you could do what I did - get a 2nd hand bike for £400 (immaculate 1 year old Trek with 9 speed Tiagra). The money saved will pay for clothes, lights and you get to keep the wet weather stuff too.

Appriciate the 2nd hand route has issues .. mainly getting a bike that fits and the wait for the right bike to come up.

As for lights - as some else said it depends. You probably want to search the archives cos that one has been asked a few times

dai_t75

Thanks for the replies all.

I actually picked up some pedals last week - Shimano M520. They seemed to have good reviews and I got them £17.50 delivered with cleats which seemed like a good price.

It is my birthday in November so will hopefully be able to get a windproof gilet etc from the missus/family then. I just wanted to get the main stuff covered to start off.

I could be riding a mixture of lanes/streets, I guess I will stick to the streets when it's dark until I build up some experience so the £30-40 lights should do me for now!

Mikey23

sounds like a good list to me with plenty to get you started. i had loads of stuff from my running days but was surprised how different it is and how much colder you can get. you can always add things as and when you need them and birthdays and christmas helps. Make friends with your local LBS and could save a load of money. mine are always on hand to give impartial advice to make sure you make good choices. For what its worth, I purchased a Giant Defy from them for £599 and am delighted with it

simon_masterson

That list isn't bad at all, though it does lack lights. I recommend the Cateye Rapid 3 as an excellent inexpensive rear light. A lock is a good thing to have as well. Cycling is an excellent mode of transport!

I would recommend you consider your clothing carefully though. When I started cycling I had my summer jersey, some t-shirts, my ancient school PE shorts, a pair of scrappy trainers and a pair of tubular bandages for armwarmers. I wouldn't recommend this setup, and a good long sleeve jersey was a welcome addition! I don't feel the cold nearly as much in my legs. The good thing about tights is that you can buy unpadded ones and wear them over your shorts; I just bought a pair of unpadded DHB Roubaix bibs as they're selling them off. They're nice.

dai_t75

Thanks for all the replies fellas. Below I have my updated list with the names of the parts included and a couple of questions. I would greatly appreciate any comments/ pearls of wisdom!

Bike - £300 - Going to take a punt on the Triban 3. Seems to get good reviews and seems fairly similar spec'd to the bikes in the £500-£650 range I was looking at in the shops. I can always upgrade next spring if the better half will let me :P

Helmet - £60 - Haven't found the exact one I'm after yet
Bib shorts - £54 - dhb Aeron
Shoes - £45 - dhb M1.0 Mountain Bike Cycling Shoe
Jersey - £20 - Louis Garneau Metro 2 Short Sleeve Jersey
Saddle bag - £13.50 - Topeak Aero Wedge (Buckle) Medium Saddle Bag
Multitool - £18 - Crank Brothers 17 Function Multi Tool
Mini pump - £30 - Lezyne Pressure Drive Mini ABS Pump - Small
Spare tubes £10 - Will there be some writing on the tyre to tell me what size tube I need?
Tyre levers - £3 - ice toolz steel tyre lever set
Patch kit - £3 - Park Tools Puncture Repair Kit Super Patch
Floor pump - £21 - LifeLine High Pressure Floor Pump
Cage/bottle - £10
Mudguards - £23 - SKS Chromoplastic Road Mudguard Set. Will these fit most bikes ok? or do they need specific holes drilled in the frame for example?
Overshoes - £10 - Planet x neoprene
Rear light - £18 - Cateye TL-Rapid 3 LED Rear Light
Front light - £22.50 - Cateye HL-EL135 LED Black Front Light
Base layer - £0 - Underarmour long sleeve cold
Gloves - £0 - Sealskinz waterproof
Socks - £0 - Hiking socks

Soon to be added:
Windproof gilet
Waterprooof/breathable jacket
Buff
Knee warmers
Glasses with 3 lenses

I also realise I haven't got any items to look after the bike.. what sort of stuff should I be looking at for looking after the chain and gears etc?

Thanks again for all the help,
Dai.

Benrad

Mudguards, I just got some crud racer mk2 and they're brilliant, they don't require mounting holes but the ones on your list do. I think the triban 3 comes with mounting holes anyway. You'll want presta, long valve 700c and the width is the only other thing to worry about. That bike comnes with 23 width tyres I think so just make sure that lays in the range somewhere.

Also some of that stuff will be cheaper in decathlon if you're going there anyway. I got some bib shorts fro £20 the other week and they feel comfy to me although I've never tried more expensive ones

chorlton chimp

If you are going to Decathlon anyway check out their Bibshort 7 at £29.99. Of my four pairs they are far and away the comfiest - the gel pad is great and the lycra is tight and supportive. The colourscheme isn't great but if they were all black the Spesh and Edinburgh co-op pairs I own would never have been bought as I would have 3 lost of these. The £20 ones are adequate but the lycra isn't as tight and the pad is a thin affair.

If you are still in the market for a helmet have a look at www.myspokes.com. They have good discounts on Met and Giro helmets - I had a Giro Savant off them in the summer for £38 and have been very pleased with it.

dai_t75

Cheers guys, will check out some of the decathlon gear when I am there.

Went on a bit of a spree last night and ordered a lot fo stuff from wiggle... gonna be like a kid on christmas morning when it all arrives! Went for the crud racer mk2 guards in the end, seem to be highly rated.

Now I have the daunting task of setting up my pedals and cleats.. think I have read every article/thread on the internet about it and still don't feel all that confident. Guess it will just be a trial and error exercise.

Bit of a weird question, but how do you guys wash your bibs? I was going to wash them after every ride, but I will be riding more than the washing machine will be going on. Does anyone handwash theirs? Or just have 2 pairs and alternate?

Cheers,
Dai.

slowondefy2

I do a 30C machine wash of all my kit straight after a ride (ie. I don't let the sweat dry at all). New dark stuff I handwash a couple of times in warmer water to ensure no dye will run out of them, otherwise I do everything together. Never put anything with velco in with your other kit.

zx6man

m520's are very easy to clip unclip, don't worry. +1 triban 3 , cant get a better value bike for the cash... and a +1 for giro savant, great lid and for under £40 !

dai_t75

zx6man wrote:

m520's are very easy to clip unclip, don't worry. +1 triban 3 , cant get a better value bike for the cash... and a +1 for giro savant, great lid and for under £40 !

TBH I am more worried about setting up the cleat postion than the actual clipping in/out due to having knee issues, I don't want to make it worse if I can help it!

Have tried looking for the Savant, but seems to be £50 on most of the main sites. Think the helmet may be something I will buy in store after trying it on and feeling comfortable in it, even if it does cost me a bit more.

lotus49

Have a look on eBay for high power torches. I just bought a ridiculously bright torch that is easy to fix on the bike using a £2 clamp and came with two chunky rechargeable batteries. It was £21 and way way brighter and better made than tha Cat Eye lights I have seen.

Nancy Luger

Best bib shorts i've had/got are Endura FS260. I find the standard ones are actually better than the 'Pro' version. They are very lovely. In fact so lovely I sometimes just wear them around the house.

Kendal Black Drop

dai_t75 wrote:

Think the helmet may be something I will buy in store after trying it on and feeling comfortable in it, even if it does cost me a bit more.

That is a very good idea. I went to my LBS and did this and found the comfiest one (for me) was also one of the cheapest.

dai_t75

Just a quick update...

So I picked up my new bike today, the Triban 3. So far I am very pleased with the look and feel of the bike

I have tried and failed to upload a photo here to show you guys.. how do I go about doing it? I tried adding an attachment but that doesn't seem to work!

So here are my first impressions/queries:

I am a massive fan of the bib shorts... especially as the mrs hates them haha.

We went on a quick 8 mile run today and I really enjoyed it, luckily the weather was nice and sunny even though a bit nippy at times.

Just hoping you wouldn't mind answering my following questions:

- I have set the seat up myself by having a slight bend in my knee when the pedal is at the lowest position and it felt ok for the short run we had. However, the seat level is higher than the handlebar level.. is this normal/acceptable?

- When the chain is on the smallest front cog and smallet back cog there was a slight noise that seemed to me as if the chain was rubbing/banging (it was not constant) on the front de-railer (excuse the spelling). Is this normal? Is it easy enough to fix?

- What do you guys usually do with cattle grids? We came across 4 today! We walked around the first 3, but just went for it over the 4th as we saw another cyclist do it. Didn't seem too bad, but don't want to damage the bike in the long run.

Planning to head out on sunday for a nice run if the weather isn't torrential! Goonna try and set up my cleats/pedals sometime before then... wish me luck and thanks for the help.

germcevoy

I get the rubbing on my Triban 3. I never have to use the small cog on the front though so no biggie. I have found the gears to be quite scratchy though in general and only after 2 weeks of use. They were silky smooth to start with but now have a habit of changing down themselves of I am putting in some effort or an uphill section. Very very annoying and it's nearly had my balls smashed on the frame once or twice when they have slipped when I am out of the seat.

I'm going to give the chain a good scrub and oil to see if that helps. If not then its going back. Probably an easy fix but the thing is only 6 weeks old with less than 300 miles on it.

logie48

Hi,

A newbie myself (infact yet to get on my new bike yet ). But having done a bit of reading myself I remember that cyclists don't use the smallest chain ring with the smallest sprocket on your cassette, and vice versa with large. Reason being; if you set up this configuration and look at the angle at which the chain is sitting from a top view, it doesn't sit very pretty and can cause wear and tear. The noise may be coming from your chain scrapping the large chain ring as it moves on the drive train, due to the angle it's subjected to.

il_principe

dai_t75 wrote:

Wardster00 wrote:

If you are riding over the winter (I presume that you are as over shoes are on your list) you may want to add arm and leg warmers to your list.

I've just bought some DHB shorts and they are good. For the £50 you have for shoes the new DHB R1 shoes would fit the bill. They look smart and get good reviews.

Enjoy your shopping trip!

Yeah, I will be. I was thinking the long sleeve underarmour might be enough for my arms. Again, might add leg warmers later. From past experience with various sports in the cold I know for a fact my hands and feet are the main problems, I will see how the arms and legs get on (they are usually ok though). Will check out the shoes thanks - how do cycling shoe sizes generally compare to normal trainers/shoes?

Don't forget that with cycling the windchill is worse as you are moving faster. So whilst you might be ok in shorts for footie, you'll want bib tights for the winter. Jacket wise, there's no such thing as waterproof and breathable. Get something with plenty of vents that is water resistant. The key is to buy kit that will still keep you warm even when wet.

Cattle grids - just go straight over them, you won't damage your bike. Just don't turn on them as they can be v slippery especially in the wet.

Sounds like your gears need indexing properly, a good shop will do this or you can learn yourself. For excellent maintainence tips Park Tool's website is your friend. There's also plenty of good advice on ebay. Just make sure you buy a proper degreaser and lube. Wet lube is best for wet/winter and dry for Summer. I've tried most and have settle on Fenwicks. Steer clear of GT85 and WD40.

Also consider a hat with ear covers (or a skullcap) to wear under your helmet. If you're going to ride all winter then you will get cold ears at some point!

Some of my kit is quite expensive so I use Halo sportswash which I buy from Wiggle. Let's me wash at 30 and kills all the nasties.

Have a look at Prendas for winter gloves and socks. I've heard lots of bad things about Sealskins. Prendas own winter range is fantastic value for money.

Mikey41

dai_t75 wrote:

- I have set the seat up myself by having a slight bend in my knee when the pedal is at the lowest position and it felt ok for the short run we had. However, the seat level is higher than the handlebar level.. is this normal/acceptable?

Yes, that's completely normal for road bikes.

dai_t75 wrote:

- When the chain is on the smallest front cog and smallet back cog there was a slight noise that seemed to me as if the chain was rubbing/banging (it was not constant) on the front de-railer (excuse the spelling). Is this normal? Is it easy enough to fix?

Yeah, you will get the chain rubbing when you do that. It's best to avoid having the chain on small-small and large-large because of that.

dai_t75 wrote:

- What do you guys usually do with cattle grids? We came across 4 today! We walked around the first 3, but just went for it over the 4th as we saw another cyclist do it. Didn't seem too bad, but don't want to damage the bike in the long run.

Just ride over them, it won't hurt the bike. I ease up out of the saddle a touch though

@Germcevoy:
Sounds like the gear cable needs a tension adjustment, easy fix.

lotus49

dai_t75 wrote:

- When the chain is on the smallest front cog and smallet back cog there was a slight noise that seemed to me as if the chain was rubbing/banging (it was not constant) on the front de-railer (excuse the spelling). Is this normal? Is it easy enough to fix?

This is an easy one, it is normal and that's why you shouldn't do that. The chain should run fairly straight so don't use big-big or small-small, it's unecessary as it will only duplicate another ratio and it will wear out your chain.

t4tomo

Germcevoy wrote:

They were silky smooth to start with but now have a habit of changing down themselves of I am putting in some effort or an uphill section. Very very annoying and it's nearly had my balls smashed on the frame once or twice when they have slipped when I am out of the seat.

the cabnle stretches a bit as you run it in. Tighten it up a 1/4 turn or so on the litle cyclinder screw where the cable enters the rear derailleur.

dai_t75

Thanks for all the help guys, it's very much appreciated. Hopefully in a few months time I will be able to pass some wisdom on

Had a nightmare the other night trying to take off the standard pedals using a normal spanner... so i convinced the missus that I needed:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-pedal-wrench/

So hopefully that will be waiting for me tonight and I can put my pedals on. Will then be spending some time holding onto the wall trying to clip in and out

Weather doesn't seem too bad this weekend so might try and get out twice if my legs are up to it.

dai_t75

Arghh, I'm having a nightmare trying to get these pedals off.

Even using the above long handle spanner I can't shift them. Does anyone know if the triban 3 stock pedals can be removed? I swear it looks as if the pedals are welded to the arms??

Just so I have got it right... the right hand side pedal (i.e. the side with the chain/gears) is a 'normal' thread, and anti-clockwise turn should unscrew it and the reverse on the other side?

Thanks again.