The "what bike bits have you just bought" thread Vol 2

[loskie]

anyone have good suggestion for clipless winter MTB/Touring shoes. The kind that I can walk in too without making me look like I've pood my pants?

[BIRMA]

loskie said:

anyone have good suggestion for clipless winter MTB/Touring shoes. The kind that I can walk in too without making me look like I've pood my pants?

I've just bought a pair of these, they are Gore-Tex so keep feet comfortable and have some ankle protection. Tried them on my MTB and are great I wear them out walking about too. Superb quality and comfort.
https://www.clarks.co.uk/c/Ashcombe-Hi-GORE-TEX/p/...

[loskie]

thanks but CLIPLESS/Cleats required/wanted

[BIRMA]

loskie said:

thanks but CLIPLESS/Cleats required/wanted

Sorry, not fully up to speed on those clip things

[loskie]

it often puzzled me why they were called clipless

[BIRMA]

loskie said:

it often puzzled me why they were called clipless

Me too until now.

[lauda]

Toe clips are those cage things on old school pedals that you just slot your feet into. Therefore clipless pedals don’t have those cages but do you do have cleats. Which clip in. Despite the fact they’re clipless. Go figure!

[benny.c]

Bathroom_Security said:

Photochromatic lenses, anyone use them?

I use Photochromatic Jawbreakers pretty much all the time now on my MTB. Initially I purchased them for dull days and night riding but rarely swap back to the Prizms now - only on really bright days if I remember.

[Your Dad]

Bathroom_Security said:

Photochromatic lenses, anyone use them?

I'm a prescription glasses wearer and use Oakley frames with Transitions lenses in them, day or night, and have done for about 8 years.

Decathlon have a couple of different styles of photochromatic glasses, I've got a pair that I've worn when wearing contact lenses but prefer wearing the Oakley's because my eyesight's better with prescription glasses so the Decathlon specs are now surplus to requirements.

[rider73]

Speaking about punctures earlier and "solid" / tannus tyres, i also mentioned the sponge inserts by Vittoria - these are now coming available in 700c (aimed at the gravel market) - but at 50g each, i'd get some for my winter commuter if i did such a thing these days - the sponge will give you enough "pressure" to ride on without rim damage, and so probably get you to your office or a bus shelter to seal the puncutre (these are for tubeless obviously!) when that "first" puncture happens in the pouring hail at 6.45am in the dark.........

[loudlashadjuster]

BIRMA said:

Not quite up to the price of the Oakley's but I've been using Bolle Sillum+ safety glasses on site and now on my MTB. I have sat on them, dropped them, put in pockets with loose rivets/washers and I'm only on my second pair. For £10 at Screwfix they do the job for me.

Been using these for years, generally wear the full tints during the summer but the CSP ones are good for this time of year, especially for commuting at dusk/dawn. Have a pair with clear lenses too for proper night riding.

At a tenner you don't care if you drop them or anything yet the fit and lens quality is still excellent, one less thing to worry about.

[dirtbiker]

Bathroom_Security said:

Photochromatic lenses, anyone use them?

I recently picked up a pair of Oakley EV Zero Path Photochromics from Mantel for £125 and they've been bang on for MTB and road use when it's not too bright. The transition is very subtle but I've worn them night riding too and they're pretty much completely clear in the dark. Seem sturdy enough for now but I've not tried to smear any mud off them yet!

[thewarlock]

Not terribly exciting, but I only bought this bike earler this year, and the rear light I had on my previous bike didn't really fit this one; combination of this one having a dropper post, which gets used regularly, and the frame itself being too chunky to fit the old light mounting bracket around.

[Ares]

loskie said:

anyone have good suggestion for clipless winter MTB/Touring shoes. The kind that I can walk in too without making me look like I've pood my pants?

I use the Mavic AllRoad Kevlar shoes on the Gravel Bike - Ive walked 15mins home with them when I've left my bike at the shop to get hosed down.

[Ares]

benny.c said:

Bathroom_Security said:

Photochromatic lenses, anyone use them?

I use Photochromatic Jawbreakers pretty much all the time now on my MTB. Initially I purchased them for dull days and night riding but rarely swap back to the Prizms now - only on really bright days if I remember.

I've just bought the SunGod Photochromic 8KO IRIS HV Blue - two rides in, one very grey, the other wet but dried and got bright, I'm very impressed.

[benny.c]

Yeah, they are very versatile and almost perfect for the changeable UK weather.

[Mastodon2]

defblade said:

Been feeling for a while that I'd like a new saddle, and I'd like that saddle to have a gap along it. Saw this at a heavy discount online (at Spa Cycles) and decided to take a leap...



Set it up by eye mainly and I hardly noticed it was there for the first 45 minutes of Zwift... going past an hour I was noticing that it wanted me in just the one position and by an hour and a half, starting to get a little thigh chafing (last time I tried a new saddle, it was chafing in 10 minutes or so...). So a promising start, especially given the turbo is much harder life for your backside than the road.

I think it needs to come forwards and nose down a little, but it's already pretty much at the back of the rails and I can't angle the seat post any further forwards, so today I'll be seeing if I can set it up with the seat post turned 180' and clamped near the front of the rails instead, to save me buying the zero offset post that it probably really should have!

Looks good, I reckon if you can do an hour on a turbo trainer without significant discomfort you can do all day on the road without incident.

[loskie]

Thanks Ares do they keep your feet warm and dry? I have some Specialized Taho shoes that are old buy in good nick, my feet do get wet and cold in them so I'm looking to stop that.

[Ares]

loskie said:

Thanks Ares do they keep your feet warm and dry? I have some Specialized Taho shoes that are old buy in good nick, my feet do get wet and cold in them so I'm looking to stop that.

They're OK, but put a pair of Spatz over them and you'll be toasty and dry in a sub-zero monsoon.

[AJB88]

Anybody got any links to cheap cycling trainers that are good in rain etc, I'm currently just using my Adidas gym trainers but they are getting soaked on my 7am ride after nights. For a gravel bike.