The "what bike bits have you just bought" thread

[VEA]

Don1 said:

I've got a Kask Mojito - really comfortable thing.

I'm now actually not sure that it is a vertigo, will have to check when I get home. It is comfortable though, and the airflow through it makes my MTB Giro lid feel antiquated.

[donfisher]

One of these for winter and commuting duties. A 2014 Whyte Dorset.



Hopefully it'll also give me leaway to save my roadbike with a proper service and perhaps a bit of an upgrade over the winter.

[MikeGTi]

Some of these:



and some of these:



Oh.. and.. Maybe some of these:

[Jayfish]

donfisher said:

One of these for winter and commuting duties. A 2014 Whyte Dorset.



Hopefully it'll also give me leaway to save my roadbike with a proper service and perhaps a bit of an upgrade over the winter.

Nice! That's just a perfect winter hack/commuter, solid groupset, can take racks and mudguards, disk braked for wet ride confidence, the 440mm wide bars might need to go for slimmer riders but that could be a valid n+1...also compact and 11-30 great first road bike choice for someone too.

Edited by Jayfish on Wednesday 30th July 19:26

[Usget]

Not actually bought, as such. But a huge shoutout for Upgrade Bikes.

As documented on another thread, Decathlon (who I am not naming and shaming, except to say that they are are a bunch of handles of large, clanging musical instruments) lost my Lezyne Microdrive rear light bracket when they serviced my bike. I found that Upgrade Bikes were the UK distributor for Lezyne, so gave them a call. One very helpful chat later and they've put a bracket in the post to me, free, gratis and for nowt. I even offered to give them money for it, and they refused! Top stuff.

[Jimbo.]

Jimbo. said:

ISM Adamo Time Trial saddle for the new TT bike. The standard fit one left me in agony and genuine fear of damage to, ahem...tissue.

Bloody hell this saddles good. Anyone who's having a job finding a comfy perch would do well to investigate one of these. Just don't let your friends see it!


Next up: BarFly aerobar Garmin mount.

[S6PNJ]

Jimbo. said:

Jimbo. said:

ISM Adamo Time Trial saddle for the new TT bike. The standard fit one left me in agony and genuine fear of damage to, ahem...tissue.

Bloody hell this saddles good. Anyone who's having a job finding a comfy perch would do well to investigate one of these. Just don't let your friends see it!

I have an Adamo Road which I've been happily using for the last year or so including swapping on to my MTB for some rides and events, but think it might be a bit wide so am considering a TT but would ideally like to try one first - need to find a shop selling them close by I think!

[donfisher]

Jayfish said:

disk braked for wet ride confidence,

I'm more looking forward to not having to clean the rims and pads after every wet ride but not having that no brakes moment when everythings soaked will no doubt be superb. I've not had anything with discs before.

Jayfish said:

the 440mm wide bars might need to go for slimmer riders.

I could swear I read that the smaller frames have narrower bars but can't find anything to back that up. They definitely get different stems. According to their size guide I'm right at the top of a 58 and I'm not at all slim. I had a look at a 56 and it was a bit too small so hopefully the bars will be OK, my Cannondale has 42s but different geometry.

[yellowjack]

I bought an 8 speed chain (SRAM PC-850) from my LBS...




I hope they're happy with my £20. I'm feeling properly ripped off now. Same chain listed at £7.49 (RRP £12.00) from CRC, plus £1.99 p&p. How the hell do they manage to stay in business with prices like that? Probably by overcharging technophobic mugs like me!

I'm also going right off both my local independent bike shops. One suggested that I'd need to swap the cassette too, but conceded that there was a fair chance I'd get away with just a chain this time round. Estimated a £100 bill to do chainset, cassette, chain. Second shop decided I'd need all that doing, plus a rear derailleur because "you just can't get replacement jockey wheels that size anymore". Yeah. Right. I'll just join the queue to part with £180 to replace the entire gearset less front derailleur then, shall I.

Fingers crossed now that the new chain doesn't skip on the old cassette when I fit it tomorrow, eh? Else I'll be looking for a new groupset (less brakes) on the internet. 8 speed Shimano is needed, but a big part of me is keen to replace the complete bike with something a little 'better' than the current GT Avalanche 3.0.

Edited by yellowjack on Thursday 31st July 09:38

[Silver940]

yellowjack said:

I bought an 8 speed chain (SRAM PC-850) from my LBS.


I hope they're happy with my £20. I'm feeling properly ripped off now. Same chain listed at £7.49 (RRP £12.00) from CRC, plus £1.99 p&p. How the hell do they manage to stay in business with prices like that? Probably by overcharging technophobic mugs like me!

I'm also going right off both my local independent bike shops. One suggested that I'd need to swap the cassette too, but conceded that there was a fair chance I'd get away with just a chain this time round. Estimated a £100 bill to do chainset, cassette, chain. Second shop decided I'd need all that doing, plus a rear derailleur because "you just can't get replacement jockey wheels that size anymore". Yeah. Right. I'll just join the queue to part with £180 to replace the entire gearset less front derailleur then, shall I.

Fingers crossed now that the new chain doesn't skip on the old cassette when I fit it tomorrow, eh? Else I'll be looking for a new groupset (less brakes) on the internet. 8 speed Shimano is needed, but a big part of me is keen to replace the complete bike with something a little 'better' than the current GT Avalanche 3.0.

I usually manage 3 chains to a cassette on the Roadie and a couple on the MTB but I do try and replace them before they stretch too much. That said I did by 2 chains ( Shimano allegedly) off the internet a while back, must have been made of cheese as it wore in no time and wrecked the cassette too. I hadn't counted on it wearing so fast. Bought a SRAM 971 from my LBS for £20 and it's a much better chain, cost me a cassette too that cheap chain.

I try and support the LBS as much as possible, I'm lucky I seem to have a decent one but do still buy stuff online too.

[loudlashadjuster]

yellowjack said:

I bought an 8 speed chain (SRAM PC-850) from my LBS...




I hope they're happy with my £20. I'm feeling properly ripped off now. Same chain listed at £7.49 (RRP £12.00) from CRC, plus £1.99 p&p. How the hell do they manage to stay in business with prices like that? Probably by overcharging technophobic mugs like me!

I'm also going right off both my local independent bike shops. One suggested that I'd need to swap the cassette too, but conceded that there was a fair chance I'd get away with just a chain this time round. Estimated a £100 bill to do chainset, cassette, chain. Second shop decided I'd need all that doing, plus a rear derailleur because "you just can't get replacement jockey wheels that size anymore". Yeah. Right. I'll just join the queue to part with £180 to replace the entire gearset less front derailleur then, shall I.

Fingers crossed now that the new chain doesn't skip on the old cassette when I fit it tomorrow, eh? Else I'll be looking for a new groupset (less brakes) on the internet. 8 speed Shimano is needed, but a big part of me is keen to replace the complete bike with something a little 'better' than the current GT Avalanche 3.0.

Your LBS looks to have the same pricing policy as mine does; think of a number and double it. Leaves a bad taste in the mouth and they get less from me as a result, probably 70%/30% in favour of Wiggle/CRC etc.

Shame.

[anonymous-user]

loudlashadjuster said:

yellowjack said:

I bought an 8 speed chain (SRAM PC-850) from my LBS...




I hope they're happy with my £20..

Your LBS looks to have the same pricing policy as mine does; think of a number and double it. Leaves a bad taste in the mouth and they get less from me as a result, probably 70%/30% in favour of Wiggle/CRC etc.

Shame.

That really is appalling. My local shop is very good for workshop stuff at comically cheap prices. I usually give them a bit extra for getting me sorted out so quickly.

[Don1]

2 more inner tubes and a new tyre... This can get boring.

[yellowjack]

The thing is, I really want to support a good local business. It just isn't as good now as it used to be, I think because the head honcho (possibly owner) has 'retired' and is only occasionally at the shop. The 'new broom' means that there is a better selection of new bikes available, but in most other aspects it just doesn't feel 'right' anymore. I bought the chain in there because I was in town anyway, just around the corner. It's not so much the price of components, as the vastly differing estimates of the scope of the work that's needed to get it running 'as new' again, and the prices quoted for said work. Especially when they quote for a new rear mech because they "can't get the jockey wheels anymore" (not this shop, though. Their estimate was more realistic for the work). I'd really like to find one shop I can trust and rely on, and which sees me as a person, and fellow cyclist, rather than as a 'walking wallet'.

[TwistingMyMelon]

yellowjack said:

I bought an 8 speed chain (SRAM PC-850) from my LBS...




I hope they're happy with my £20. I'm feeling properly ripped off now. Same chain listed at £7.49 (RRP £12.00) from CRC, plus £1.99 p&p. How the hell do they manage to stay in business with prices like that? Probably by overcharging technophobic mugs like me!

I'm also going right off both my local independent bike shops. One suggested that I'd need to swap the cassette too, but conceded that there was a fair chance I'd get away with just a chain this time round. Estimated a £100 bill to do chainset, cassette, chain. Second shop decided I'd need all that doing, plus a rear derailleur because "you just can't get replacement jockey wheels that size anymore". Yeah. Right. I'll just join the queue to part with £180 to replace the entire gearset less front derailleur then, shall I.

Fingers crossed now that the new chain doesn't skip on the old cassette when I fit it tomorrow, eh? Else I'll be looking for a new groupset (less brakes) on the internet. 8 speed Shimano is needed, but a big part of me is keen to replace the complete bike with something a little 'better' than the current GT Avalanche 3.0.

Edited by yellowjack on Thursday 31st July 09:38

Just use a different shop, they sound shiiit, I needed jockey wheels for my 8 speed mech, they said they couldn't be sure, I brought bike in, they got the exact ones, job done.

Ive had to try around 4/5 shops in local area before I found a good no nonsense one that fixes stuff rather than replaces.

Chain sounds pricey, but it is a less mainstream part now, shops have huge overheads , they didn't hold a gun to your head and force you to buy it. No point buying it and then moaning on the internet. CRC et al are great, but you can't beat the convenience of a shop and they simply don't get the bulk deals and have huge overheads.

[T1berious]

Hmmmm, bike bits amazingly within budget

[TKF]

TwistingMyMelon said:

No point buying it and then moaning on the internet.

Exactly this. The LBS was able to provide the chain there and then. No waiting round for the postman. They did so with bigger overheads and, surprise surprise, don't have the purchasing power of CRC with their £150m turnover and dodgy tax bill.

[ALawson]

Couple of Schwalbe Durano S 700c X 23c Tyres,

And for No 1 sons 4th birthday next week a Specialized Hotrock 2014 16in Wheel and a new Specialized Small Fry Child's Helmet.

[tfin]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m530-mtb-spd-tr...

Bought these for my scott hybrid, tried them in my garden and only fell off 4 times in the first 15 minutes. Result!

[nammynake]

Some compact carbon bars (flat tops) and overpriced (but lovely) bar tape: