Long-term fantastic kit

BR_Gregor

Hi guys,
I recently ran a thread in the (filthy) road side asking roadies what their best long-term purchases have been (viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=13023946). So now it's your turn: anyone care to share what pieces of kit they've used for years and years, and which is still going strong?

What piece of kit (or bike) is still going as good as ever despite being bought years or even decades ago? Name 'em and fame 'em, guys. Looking for your long-term gems here.

If I get enough then I'll share them with the wider community, ie, up on the main site.

Cheers.

njee20

It's not decades, but I've got a 6 year old Bontager Evoke RXL Carbon saddle, despite being light for a fully padded saddle it's barely showing any signs of wear - no torn corners or scuffed covers. It's lasted at least 3 times as long as any other lightweight saddle I've tried - SLRs, Toupe, Phenom etc.

It's been on 3 bikes now.

lostboysaint

Rockshox Revelation coil forks - unparalleled (by the big two, Marzocchi have produced some excellent examples) small bump sensitivity, fantastic damping and predictable rate rise.

Hope hubs - just keep going and going and going and going despite my best attempts/minimal maintenance.

JodyP

My first SPD pedals bought in 1992/3ish. Never serviced the bearings and still no play in them. Never lubricated the springs and they are still working well. Many a rock strike and never broke.

BloggingFit

njee20 wrote:

It's not decades, but I've got a 6 year old Bontager Evoke RXL Carbon saddle, despite being light for a fully padded saddle it's barely showing any signs of wear - no torn corners or scuffed covers. It's lasted at least 3 times as long as any other lightweight saddle I've tried - SLRs, Toupe, Phenom etc.

It's been on 3 bikes now.

+1 for the saddle.

Zero Titanium BB that is 15 odd years old and still going and some original XT SPD pedals.

rockmonkeysc

My old carbon sole Shimano shoes have been going for around eight years now. They have done around 20,000 commuting miles in all weather since being retired from mountain biking and there's still life in them.
My Nukeproof Scalp frame has also been brilliant. Nearly three years and the original bearings are still good, the finish is still great despite being thrown down rocky gullies. Two seasons of regular DH racing without a single problem. And it rides excellent.

buddy_club

JodyP wrote:

My first SPD pedals bought in 1992/3ish. Never serviced the bearings and still no play in them. Never lubricated the springs and they are still working well. Many a rock strike and never broke.

+1 I've a pair of the first SPD pedals my grandad brought when they first came out - rode them for ages and now i still use them on my MTB today. Never serviced, never lubed. Still work perfectly.

lawman

My Madison flux is 5 years old now and still going strong on its 4th bike, still comfy, looks a bit tatty but not a creak to be heard and it just works. If it was expensive I'd be chuffed but for the price it's insanely good! If it was black it'd now be on bike number 5 but it'll live on the hardtail till it eventually dies.

The Rookie

njee20 wrote:

It's not decades, but I've got a 6 year old Bontager Evoke RXL Carbon saddle, despite being light for a fully padded saddle it's barely showing any signs of wear - no torn corners or scuffed covers. It's lasted at least 3 times as long as any other lightweight saddle I've tried - SLRs, Toupe, Phenom etc.

It's been on 3 bikes now.

I have an inform XL, Ti railed, apart from the nose logo (solid piece of plastic) being worn and a small tear where the bike fell over it still looks brand new in the crucial wear areas, not as comfy as my Knife though.

My first spoon is now 5 years old and apart from some burnishing of the logo looks like new.

njee20

Not tried Charge saddles - can't be doing with stitching, but I'm tough on saddles for some reason, and the Bonty has certainly done well!

Chunkers1980

njee20 wrote:

Not tried Charge saddles - can't be doing with stitching, but I'm tough on saddles for some reason, and the Bonty has certainly done well!

My spoon now creaks and is going on the nose. 3 years in and only a tenner new with grips and a bag so can't complain.

warpcow

I've got a pair of Endura bibtights (proper thick ones, no idea of the model name) that were an eighteenth birthday present, if I remember correctly. That makes them 15yrs old this year and they still work and fit well, and certainly don't look their age.

My GD Turbo seatpost has to get a mention too. The only reason it's been apart since I bought it was just because I was interested to have a look inside.

Thewaylander

njee20 wrote:

Not tried Charge saddles - can't be doing with stitching, but I'm tough on saddles for some reason, and the Bonty has certainly done well!

It's the bad wind mate..

Superstar pedals, lasting 5years so far and in great condition.

Mattharrier

I'm thinking of getting a Charge Spoon (in camo, natch, which will totally work with my black and orange bike, actually), but I'm now a bit concerned that I'll destroy it...

poah

bought the first pair of time ATAC pedals almost 20 years ago. they still work even though they have never been serviced. only recently changed to a new pair of time pedals.