Best bit of kit

secretsam
secretsam Posts: 5,098
edited January 2017 in Commuting chat
What's the one bit of bike kit that you bought, not thinking you'd need it, and is now indispensable? I'd go with a gilet, mine's the most versatile thing I've ever used, but before I had it I thought they were pointless :shock: !

It's just a hill. Get over it.

Comments

  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Gilets and armwarmers are both awesome.
  • LukeTC
    LukeTC Posts: 211
    Yeah I would have to agree with Armwarmers, at first I thought why? But on days where you commute in and it's chilly and then ride back in the blazing sun it's just such a good piece of kit.
  • At the moment, merino beanie.
  • Craft windstopper beanie
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  • mrfpb
    mrfpb Posts: 4,569
    I've never bought anything "not thinking I'd need it"

    I came off my bike last night and ruined my Vulpine trousers and badly grazed my legs. My wife was asking if I had any other injuries this morning. I said "look at my hands", she said "theres nothing wrong with them." "Yes" I said "I love my gloves!"

    So my Protective winter gloves are my best bit of kit. Had a look at them this morning and they are slightly scuffed on the palms, but still essentially intact.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Castelli Difesa cap. Used to think that wearing a cap under a helmet was a bit odd, but bought one in a Wiggle sale with a load of other stuff. Now I rarely go out without it between October and April. It's thin but warm, windproof and water repellent, with a fold down flap for my ears. The peak keeps the rain off my specs and can shield my eyes from oncoming headlights. And I think it looks quite dashing...
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    sportful reflex jacket

    weighs pretty much nothing and screws up into a ball that fits in a jersey pocket ... effectively does nothing other than remove the wind .. there is no thermal quality at all, allowing you to to just take the edge off at either 7am with arm warmers or 4pm over just a ss top .... or not at all

    love it
  • mlgt
    mlgt Posts: 366
    The neck buff has been pretty useful on colder days for me. Can roll up around the neck or further up to cover the face.

    Been great on the colder morning rides.
    N2 - SW1

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  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    That's my second-best bit of kit too. My winter buff which is polartec fleece one end and the usual polester stuff at the other; very versatile thing.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    I don't get along with my buff it makes by glasses steam up
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    fat daddy wrote:
    I don't get along with my buff it makes by glasses steam up

    Just don't pull it right up over your nose. I've had ice forming on the polartec bit when I've been breathing through it. It works a bit like a heat exchanger.
  • Best: merino buff
    Second best: my other merino buff
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I'm picking up on the fact you might like your merino buffs?

    I had a brief dallyance with a merino baselayer I found in TK Maxx. It's undeniably warm, even when wet, and doesn't smell of anything apart from slightly damp wool, but it's a bit itchy and I don't find it wicks too well. Maybe it's too coarse a grade of merino? These days I rely on synthetic base layers which do seem to wick extremely well.
  • mrfpb
    mrfpb Posts: 4,569
    I love (almost) all my merino kit. My first was an icebreaker top, but I've also got dhb longjohns, Endura baa baa socks, merino Buff, two Rapha Henley tops and assorted others. They don't whiff after a four hour ride, and keep their shape well.

    The only merino items I don't rate ae the Rapha merino gloves with the leather palms. They just don't lkeep my hands warm at all. I've also just noticed a tear in them at the base of the thumb after my 2nd winters use.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,490
    Prescription lenses.
    Being able to see clearly is a revelation. :wink:
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  • PBlakeney wrote:
    Prescription lenses.
    Being able to see clearly is a revelation. :wink:

    And you bought them not thinking you'd need them??
  • keef66 wrote:
    I'm picking up on the fact you might like your merino buffs?

    I had a brief dallyance with a merino baselayer I found in TK Maxx. It's undeniably warm, even when wet, and doesn't smell of anything apart from slightly damp wool, but it's a bit itchy and I don't find it wicks too well. Maybe it's too coarse a grade of merino? These days I rely on synthetic base layers which do seem to wick extremely well.
    Yup, they're ace. Slightly more versatile than the merino balaclava & merino beanie :mrgreen: and I just bought a third one today (shop soiled Endura, £4 - seemed rude not to - it's in with the wool wash now)

    As for merino baselayers - I have Aldi ones, MountainWarehouse ones & Decathlon ones - none of them are itchy in the slightest. If it's cold enough for the merino to be on, I'm probably not after much wicking performance - but it's never gone cold & clammy on me.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,490
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Prescription lenses.
    Being able to see clearly is a revelation. :wink:

    And you bought them not thinking you'd need them??
    Slight prescription. An improvement rather than absolutely necessary.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • luv2ride
    luv2ride Posts: 2,367
    Sorry can't narrow down to just one item
    1)Defeet woolie boolie socks.
    2) buff
    3) sportful beanie/ Castelli thermo headband
    4) Oakley road prizm Jawbreaker glasses
    Difficult to choose between those. Oh, and a Sportful no rain stretch jacket which tends to always come out with me, just in case, tiny pack size and properly waterproof (somehow managed to acquire two - one in black and one in white :oops: )
    Titus Silk Road Ti rigid 29er - Scott Solace 10 disc - Kinesis Crosslight Pro6 disc - Scott CR1 SL - Pinnacle Arkose X 650b - Pinnacle Arkose singlespeed - Specialized Singlecross...& an Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 4 string...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,028
    It was the endura 3/4s that had lasted me 10 winters, but they died this winter.

    I'm so impressed with my rapha pro jacket. It has really been everything I need a winter top to be.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,098
    keef66 wrote:
    That's my second-best bit of kit too. My winter buff which is polartec fleece one end and the usual polester stuff at the other; very versatile thing.

    +1 for the winter buff. Super

    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    GripGrab Balaclava
    Sportful arm and leg warmers

    Those three... best stuff I ever bought and so versatile! I can use the balaclava only as a neckwarmer as well.
  • godders1
    godders1 Posts: 750
    Belgian winter cycling cap from Prendas. Keeps my head warm but thanks to a slight gap on either side where the side of the peak meets the ear warming bit, it doesn't cause overheating.

    Currently on sale too!

    https://www.prendas.co.uk/products/casi ... winter-hat
  • roubaixmb
    roubaixmb Posts: 182
    Rapha merino buff
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    My roubaix 3/4 team shorts are pretty awesome, have had a lot of wear over the last few years. Prefer them to full tights on all but the coldest days. Need to get some new ones really, something nice and black that will go with everything...
  • Godders1 wrote:
    Belgian winter cycling cap from Prendas. Keeps my head warm but thanks to a slight gap on either side where the side of the peak meets the ear warming bit, it doesn't cause overheating.

    Currently on sale too!

    https://www.prendas.co.uk/products/casi ... winter-hat

    Might give one of those a try for a tenner, thanks

    I've got sealskinz skull cap thing, head is always warm but it gets very sweaty. Sadly i don't have any hair to wick away sweat
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  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    North face merino wool base layer. Warm even when wet
  • Best I can think of that I've got is my Aldi merino beanie.

    Top of my window shopping list of what might be the best is some studded tyres. :wink:
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