Bought any cycling stuff today?

[tippers_kiwi]

Had to put it all down somewhere, the excitement is killing me!

My commuter was looking a little sorry recently so I have started the process of upgrading/renewing. The bike is a Giant Escape 3 so pretty much the base model which I bought when my previous bike was stolen from the station (only locked with a cable lock...shame on me). I have chewed through a couple of back wheels as I kept replacing them with the same cheap Threaded Freewheel hub as it came with and my weight just killed them.

My intention is to make the bike into something that will comfortably be able to be used for camping trips in the summer (and possibly even the winter)

here is what has been done so far,

- Mavic A719 Wheel set with Shimano Deore XT Hubs (Dynamo on the Front)
- Shimano HG 7 Speed Cassette
- B&M Cyo IQ Senso Plus
- B&M Secula - seat stay mounted rear light
- New Chain

Waiting for me to pick up at Parcel Force
- Xtreme Grand Tour VI Carrier
- B&M Toplight View Brake +
- Ortlieb Back Roller Classic


I've run out of budget for now but I fully intend to replace the rest of the drive train with an XT set up during the course of this year to make it a little more reliable, I have had some issues with the shifters in the past so keen to have something a little less plastic.

The few miles I have ridden on the new wheels it all feels good and the Dynamo Light set up is really good, it will be nice not to have to worry about battery levels in the morning and evening any longer.

[Bledlow]

Just taken delivery of a pair of Tiagra 9 speed triple levers (used, but they seem to be in the perfect working order the ebay seller claimed) & a couple of spacers to adjust them for small hands.

I can now finish the modernisation of Mrs B's old Orbit. It's going from 7 speed to 9 speed. The old shift levers have worn out (Modolo: I won't recommend them, because although easy to reach for small hands, they're not durable), & replacement drop-bar Shimano 7-speed shifters are like hens teeth. Meant the replacement of derailleurs & rear wheel (all new stuff), but it was probably time.

Started out with some new-old Sora shifters, but they're the ones with thumb buttons, & Mrs B couldn't reach 'em from the drops. They'll appear on the 'For Sale' pages soon. Perfectly good as long as you don't have small hands, unused.

[David Martin]

BC membership for the eldest so she has 3rd party and legal cover. And a 10% off at Halfords.

Took a while to recover her old details from 200x but the babbage engines in Manchester finally succumbed to the appropriate amount of torture.

[mcshroom]

Just received a text informing me that I have two shiny red Ortlieb Front Roller City Panniers waiting for me at the newsagents (Collect+)

Now to start booking trains for March and April's tours

[Kim]

A Cyclaire Plus demented-chainsaw-o-matic pump.  Previously presumed to be unobtanium, they appear to be selling up the remaining stock on eBay for a tenner a go, so it seemed like a good idea to invest in a spare one.  As well as being a luggage-friendly shape, it's the only hand-operated pump that barakta stands a chance of using.

[Karla]

A ticket to the Rohan Dennis hour record attempt at the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen 

[Dibdib]

Nabbed a bit of a bargain in Hargroves this afternoon - a pair of Specialized Adaptalite sunnies, reduced from £80 to £25.

[MAC]

Ordered a B&M Luxos U and rear Seculite yesterday from Rose Bikes. Will fit them to my audax bike to run from the existing dynamo. The Luxos B on the audax bike will go on my commuter and the Edelux on the commuter will go on the yet to be purchased tandem bike which is going to be my N+1 this yr (likely a Circe Helios but not decided on that yet). Also got another Rixen and Kaul Klickfix handlebar bracket to go on the audax bike. Order on the way already, should be here tomorrow.
 

[IanDG]

A pair of Schwalbe Marathon studded winter tyres for the commute bike.

[MAC]

A pair of Schwalbe Marathon studded winter tyres for the commute bike.

Nice. I like mine. Bit noisy on tarmac but very good on snow/ice. Just be careful on dry concrete though. I speak from experience...

[PaulF]

Mio Heart Rate Monitor. Far more comfortable than a chest strap and seems to do the job

[Polar Bear]

Nabbed a bit of a bargain in Hargroves this afternoon - a pair of Specialized Adaptalite sunnies, reduced from £80 to £25.

I have an old pair of Spesh Adaptalites.   They are superb if not a little fugly.

[Dibdib]

Nabbed a bit of a bargain in Hargroves this afternoon - a pair of Specialized Adaptalite sunnies, reduced from £80 to £25.

I have an old pair of Spesh Adaptalites.   They are superb if not a little fugly.

S'alright, so am I  These are the El Toro frames which are pretty chunky, but I don't think they look too bad.

[rafletcher]

A pair of Schwalbe One tubeless tyres from Bike24 at around 35 Euro a piece plus 6 postage

[jsabine]

Nabbed a bit of a bargain in Hargroves this afternoon - a pair of Specialized Adaptalite sunnies, reduced from £80 to £25.

I have an old pair of Spesh Adaptalites.   They are superb if not a little fugly.

S'alright, so am I  These are the El Toro frames which are pretty chunky, but I don't think they look too bad.

Modest, too. That's what we like so much.

[T42]

Assos FI.Mille S5 bib shorts.  Keeping these for PBP.

[Andrew Br]

Given the weakness of the Euro, my finger has been hovering over the "buy" button on Bike 24.
I've looked at an Ixon IQ Speed Premium, Toplight View Plus and a Luxus U (all B&M products).
My only doubt is what will happen to Greece (and hence the Euro) in the next few months.
By then, I'll have less need for more lights ......................

[De Sisti]

Specialized BG Rime: £59.99

Sent them back as they sent the wrong colour. The matt black is discontinued so they sent the white version (insert).
Plus toe-box was quite narrow.


Went for these instead: Louis Garneau Monte MTB Shoe £89.99

[citoyen]

Mio Heart Rate Monitor. Far more comfortable than a chest strap and seems to do the job

The Velo? I've been playing with one of them recently. Nice. I was hoping I could use its ANT+ bridging cleverness to send runs from my FR 405CX to the Garmin Connect app on my iPhone (and not have to wait until I got home to upload them), but while it's happy to send HR data to the FR, it won't receive run data from it. Otherwise the ANT+ functionality is irrelevant to me since I have an Edge 510 and don't use my phone for ride logging. Still a nifty device and yes, definitely more comfortable than a chest strap. Not sure I like it enough to want to buy one at the price though.

[T42]

Postie brough a pair of Vaude shoe covers I'd ordered last week. Size EU 44-46 for 42/43 shoes; they fit tightly enough and are OK to put on. Good design, with a rubbery cuff that fasten with Velcro round the ankle to keep water out and Velcro tabs under the instep. Reinforced toes, too. I had been thinking of giving the toes a does of Shoe Glue but I'm not sure they'll need it.

[Kim]

A likely-looking^[1] BG saddle to go on the Brompton.

I've decided that while the stock saddle isn't actually too narrow (though only when fitted to an S-type), and seems comfortable enough for an hour or so, cumulative use is still having Unwanted Consequences such that anything of a decent width with a cutout is likely to be an improvement.


_{[1] Brooks may be evil, but at least you can come back and buy the same model for your n+1 5 years later.}

[fuzzy]

A Cateye Volt 300 kit (light and battery plus additional battery and charger cradle) and a helmet mount to replace my ailing Exposure Joystick (switch failing and very intermittent as to when it will switch on).

[epa611]

A Vaude Silk Road Plus rack bag for the day ride bike.

Gradually turning it into a German type nice hack bike - old Edinburgh Bicycle Revolution Nexus 8, hub dynamo with front & rear dynamo LED's (B&M Cyo Premium and Toplight BrakeTec), kick stand, raised handlebars, Brooks B17, and now rack bag 

ONly thing to make it complete would be disc brakes, but that's s step too far for this bike

[Mr Larrington]

Brooks may be evil, but at least you can come back and buy the same model for your n+1 5 years later.

Up to a point, Lord Copper.  I have three B-17s in the Fleet.  One was comfortable from day one while another took about 500 km before it grew accustomed to my arse, or vice-versa.  I do not think I will ever reach an agreement with the third.

This is because Brooks saddles are not only alive but actually sentient.

[T42]

Postie brought a pair of Vaude shoe covers I'd ordered last week. Size EU 44-46 for 42/43 shoes; they fit tightly enough and are OK to put on. Good design, with a rubbery cuff that fasten with Velcro round the ankle to keep water out and Velcro tabs under the instep. Reinforced toes, too. I had been thinking of giving the toes a does of Shoe Glue but I'm not sure they'll need it.

Further to the above: strike "good design".  What kind of blithering twat puts soft, clingy, rubbery material right where it'll rub on the cranks? Vaude, that's who. Tried the things out today: I reckon three more rides should see holes in them.