Equipment

[David L]

New seat post and saddle fitted, ready for the Peak District at the weekend!

[Nickslikk2112]

After using SPD-SL pedals for a few years, I've fitted the new Gravel bike with a pair of SPD pedals, on the assumption that when I do some off road "adventuring" I may need to do some walking. So I've also got a pair of fi'zi:k Terra Atlas off road shoes.



Spent the afternoon on the Turbo practising clipping and unclipping with them and making sure the cleats are positioned correctly. I'm sure I'll find they're completely misaligned when I take them out on the (off)road.

[Slim]

[Slim]

I bought a CO2 inflator.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017KU1DIK

I tested it - it works well. The nice thing is that after you close the valve off, there's still enough gas in the canister a few hours later for another go. But - I did partly inflate with a mini-pump first. And that's a good idea because CO2 molecules escape quicker than air.

I bought a 10-pack of 16g canisters as well.

[Slim]

My Garmin Edge 130 bike computer has died (effectively - the internal battery gives up after a few miles, so I binned it). I've replaced it with one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C2PHG3MM




For £35, I think it's brilliant. I already had the Xoss Gen 1 which is also thoroughly adequate. This one is slightly smaller without compromising screen size. The LCD display is much better - higher contrast and clear, though not as good as the MIPS display on a modern Garmin. And it has a super battery life of 20+ hours. I haven't tested that on this one (only done less than 4 hrs) but the first gen model has a similar battery life spec and lived up to its promise.

It doesn't have mapping or segment recognition or any of that but I never use that on a basic bike computer anyway.

The one thing I don't like about it is that you have to use the Xoss app to get a track off. You can't just plug it in and read your track files off it like an external disk, like you can with a Garmin. But the Xoss app has improved hugely over the last year; it connects very reliably and has an auto-sync feature now. It will upload to Strava automatically.

The first gen model is still available and even cheaper, but the LCD display lets it down a bit. In practice it's fine but it's low contrast and cheap-looking.

[Slim]

[Slim]

I bought these cycling mitts in 1989, not long after I bought my Raleigh Routier.

For many years - about 25 years - I believed that I'd lost one of them. I hung onto the other one because of its sentimental value.

Then a few weeks ago I realised that it was simultaneously in two places at the same time; namely a cardboard box in the garage and a crate in the loft.

Quantum superposition notwithstanding, this isn't possible of course. So I reasoned that I must still have two of them.

I put them through the washing machine and they've come out OK.

[Slim]

[Fishy]

Saddle bag recommendations.. anyone Thanks.. got a Blackburn one at the mo.. it's pretty small.. got a spare inner tube and some small tools and that's it.. could do with something just a little bigger

[David L]

Saddle bag recommendations.. anyone Thanks.. got a Blackburn one at the mo.. it's pretty small.. got a spare inner tube and some small tools and that's it.. could do with something just a little bigger

My wife has this one. It's expandable to a decent size. It has served her well - still going strong.
It's a bit neater than the one I have on my mtb and the fizïk one on my road bike is small and for limited essentials only

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Topeak-Aero-Wedge-Saddle-Bag-With-Straps-Medium_1113.htm?sku=11993&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Accessories%20%3E%20Bags%20%3E%20Saddle%20bags&utm_content=Topeak&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlsmMtpuRgQMV4Z9oCR1g5gtCEAQYASABEgIsu_D_BwE

[Slim]

I've had a couple of the Topeak ones - seem fine, adequately water resistant and resist wear.

Available from Amazon here in a variety of sizes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Topeak-Unisexs-Wedge-Strap-Saddle/dp/B000FIE454/

I use a frame pack for anything more than an inner tube & tyre levers, and maybe an Allen key. These ones are great:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FQRT8PB/

.. as pictured in my most recent photo in the other thread.

[Nickslikk2112]

Bought a new pair of winter wheels for the Bianchi. Ordered them yesterday and they came today, glad I didn't pay for next day delivery

The Bianchi came with a pair of bog standard Shimano aluminium wheels which I soon replaced with a more fitting Carbon wheelset. However I kept the Shimano wheels as they would do as a set for winter roads, but after having three spokes snap in the rear wheel - which led me to using the Carbon rear all last winter - I thought I should at least get a new rear wheel.

Me being me I kept putting it off but when searching in the week for a new rear wheel I found a Black Friday deal (ugh!!) at Merlin cycles for a pair of Fulcrum Racing DB6 wheels down to £160 from £340, that'll do nicely. As I say, ordered yesterday arrived today. Swapped over rear cassette and disc rotor, just need Mrs S to put the tyre on now...

[Nickslikk2112]

And new wheels now fitted.

But why are some tyres such a bugger to fit? Got the old rear tyre transferred over in five minutes. Front tyre from my old wheel took about three hours! Made worse by the fact that I managed to get a pinch puncture in the inner tube when I got the tyre on first time 

Then I noticed the directional arrow was pointing the wrong way However according to Schwalbe tyres:

In the case of a road tyre the rolling direction is mainly important for aesthetic considerations. Tires marked with arrows simply look more dynamic.

[Slim]

I put a tyre on the wrong way round on the Boardman years ago, and certainly didn't notice a difference. I think the directional tread is just for show. Road tyres are virtually slicks anyway.

[Slim]

These are very good - mini strap-on bike lights.



Presently £6.99 on Amazon with one-day delivery if you have Prime. That includes 5 spare CR2032 batteries (they take two each so that's a bit odd, pun not intended). And I got a free USB-powered light as well. Bit random and gratuitous. But nice.

The lights come with two batteries each pre-installed so that's 9 CR2032s, two lights and a gratuitous USB light for a smidge less than £7.

I already had a couple but I thought at that price, including the batteries (probably cheap and low quality but will last a long time in these), rude not to get a couple more.

I use them as spares but they're just about good enough to use all the time. However, AAA battery-powered units are cheaper to run in the long run.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CD5NW3GF