The "what bike bits have you just bought" thread

[fromage]

Got some Quarq's for decent prices:

Quarq Riken BB30 (for TT Bike) - £420 from Amazon
Quarq Elsa BB30 (for Girlfriends TT Bike) - £480 from Amazon
Quarq DZero GXP (to replace my Quarq Red that has to go to the US for a crank arm issue under warranty) £ 670 from Westbrook Cycles

[Stupeo]

After months of 'researching', I finally splurged on some GP 4 Seasons for my new road bike. Two for £59.

[Barchettaman]

2nd-hand CX groupset:

48/36 FSA gossamer in decent nick
105 RD
105 FD with shell
105 Sti shifters, scuffed but work perfectly
CX interruptor brake levers
2 Mini-V brakes, Oxygen brand but look like Tektro CX9

Not bad for €120 all in, and everything has cleaned up beautifully (Bilt Hamber Surfex is the dog's danglies)

I have my eye on a CX frame on eBay locally too.....

[Johnny]

I think Mrs Johnny *may* have got me one of these for Christmas

[IroningMan]

yellowjack said:

Craikeybaby said:

I've been wondering for a while - at what point do you need to replace jockey wheels? I've taken mine out the mech and given them a good clean/grease, but they seem to keep on going.

Well I seem to have got 2,077.7 miles out of mine before replacement.

I think you're meant to change them when they begin to resemble 'Ninja throwing stars'. Mine are well past that now, the tips got so thin they've begun to snap off. They've been out of the cage and cleaned up and relubed a few times, but it's not the fact that they're not spinning that means they need replacing, more the fact that they seem to be wearing away, especially the teeth.

I'm not sure I've got the right ones. My rear mech is DEORE Shadow+, but the new pulley wheel set is for XT. Same number of teeth, same number of gears on the back, and same diameter wheels though, so should be OK. Perhaps even an inadvertent upgrade? I might even start to turn into a 'weight weenie' at this rate!!!

Plenty of anodised metal ones out there, including Hope (£35? For two small toothed wheels? WTF?) but I wasn't happy about any of the (so-called) 'Universal Fit' after market bits and wanted Shimano original parts. £15 in the end, so twice as much as the direct replacement Shimano bits but they were all I could get locally. Sealed bearings, apparently, if that makes much of a difference to such a seemingly insignificant part.

Also yesterday, I picked up a pair of Schwalbe Nobby Nics ('Performance' flavour) for £30 each. Turns out I could have got them for about half that on the internet, but I've tried to get all the parts locally this time. Local Halfords branch came up trumps on the cassette and chain (price matched to the lowest I could find on the internet) and Spokes&Spanners (North Camp) for tyres and jockey wheels.

Just need to brave the cold now, and get the spanners out!

My 105 ones weren't as bad as yours when they started to interfere with the shifting. The replacement 'universal' BBB ones didn't last very long at all - they use cartridge bearings without the metal splash seals that Shimano use and consequently seized due to water ingress. Now back to Shimano.

[yellowjack]

IroningMan said:

My 105 ones weren't as bad as yours when they started to interfere with the shifting. The replacement 'universal' BBB ones didn't last very long at all - they use cartridge bearings without the metal splash seals that Shimano use and consequently seized due to water ingress. Now back to Shimano.

Glad I stuck with Shimano then, if the BBB 'universal fit' wheels were rubbish. I had my suspicions. The new XT set is fitted and running OK. Although I did get read the riot act about using detergent to wash the bike when it went in for a new push-fit Bottom Bracket last week. Apparently car shampoo and pedaling through deep puddles aren't good ideas. Just need to order some 'Squirt' lube now, and I can have a totally silent drive train once again.

[DanielSan]

32t and 34t Absolute Black oval chainrings, not really sure which will be best so the gf has kindly ordered both as an early xmas present.
Just need my bike back now! Had to send my Rockshox Revelations off for warranty repair as the lockout was working backwards, managed all of 5 miles after a 3 week wait to get them back and the problem has reared its head again on the lower cliff descent at Cannock, not a good time for all the air to disappear out of your front shock as it turns out! Will not be impressed if the same forks are repaired and still on the bike when I pick it up from the shop again.

[neilbauer]

[wobert]

A pair of Fulcrum 5s for Santa to bring to me later this month.

Should be a nice upgrade to the Alex rims my Volant came with....

[freakynessless]

Evening guys,
Hope this is okay to post here. I'm looking at treating myself to my first pair of Oakley's. I've narrowed it down to the Radar and the Jawbreaker. Any experiences with either to share?
Thanks

[Celtic Dragon]

I've been toying with the idea of a 29er for a while, and after a semi wasted trip today to a bike shop, a friend mentioned Bike discount.de. Damn him, a Cube Attention frame is winging its way to me for a whole £109!

I'll reuse most of the components of my 26er, but will need new rims and forks.

[louiebaby]

freakynessless said:

Evening guys,
Hope this is okay to post here. I'm looking at treating myself to my first pair of Oakley's. I've narrowed it down to the Radar and the Jawbreaker. Any experiences with either to share?
Thanks

I found the Jawbreaker frame was right in my field of vision when looking over my shoulder, so not ideal for cycling. Clearly this is relative to me, but it does mean it's super important to try on, rather than just buy off the net...

[Celtic Dragon]

I'm a big Oakley fanboy, but I'd go Radars over jawbreakers, because of the adjustable arm length. The arms to me seem flimsy and the lever to alter the length seems flimsier still.

However when I tried on a the Radars, they didn't sit well, so I went for a pair of Bolle's which were a 1/3rd cheaper.

Will wait for the new range to come out before I try them again.

[JEA1K]

freakynessless said:

Evening guys,
Hope this is okay to post here. I'm looking at treating myself to my first pair of Oakley's. I've narrowed it down to the Radar and the Jawbreaker. Any experiences with either to share?
Thanks

I wear the Radar EV pitch and think these are the ideal fit for my face (round!). Large but not quite as dominant as the Jawbreakers.

[Craikeybaby]

freakynessless said:

Evening guys,
Hope this is okay to post here. I'm looking at treating myself to my first pair of Oakley's. I've narrowed it down to the Radar and the Jawbreaker. Any experiences with either to share?
Thanks

I wear race jackets, but bought my friend some jaw breakers as a present for being best man at my wedding - after he broke his jaw on my stag do. He loves them.

I would advise going from the Prizm lenses though - I thought they would be a gimmick, until I tried them.

[freakynessless]

Thanks for the replies on the Oakley's. Trouble is I'm planning on buying online. Wiggle are doing £15 off a £100 spend and they're already the cheapest place to buy them!
I may have to find a local stockist and try some on.

[Your Dad]

Winter bike could do with some weight-loss, these should be good for saving at least half a kilo on the standard wheels:



https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/cero-ard23-alumini...
Currently £285 instead of £460.

[R1gtr]

Your Dad said:

Winter bike could do with some weight-loss, these should be good for saving at least half a kilo on the standard wheels:



https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/cero-ard23-alumini...
Currently £285 instead of £460.

Was seriously considering these but may go with a set of Hunt wheels, hoping the chap on here that bought a set will give us his verdict on them.

[Your Dad]

R1gtr said:

Your Dad said:

Winter bike could do with some weight-loss, these should be good for saving at least half a kilo on the standard wheels:



https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/cero-ard23-alumini...
Currently £285 instead of £460.

Was seriously considering these but may go with a set of Hunt wheels, hoping the chap on here that bought a set will give us his verdict on them.

I looked at Hunt too, decided paying an extra 30% (plus having a free pair of tyres) wasn't worth it.

[Teebs]

fromage said:

Got some Quarq's for decent prices:

Quarq Riken BB30 (for TT Bike) - £420 from Amazon
Quarq Elsa BB30 (for Girlfriends TT Bike) - £480 from Amazon
Quarq DZero GXP (to replace my Quarq Red that has to go to the US for a crank arm issue under warranty) £ 670 from Westbrook Cycles

Hi - could you advise who the seller was on Amazon? Thanks