Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 131 total)
  • Bike stuff which is just other stuff.
  • wrecker
    Free Member

    Thought it might be a good idea if we shared our “alternatives to” in one thread so we can perhaps save a few quids?
    Marsh guard are selling some chainstay tape which is 3M 2228.
    The good heli tape (Milspec, 0.36mm thick) is 3M 8671HS.
    Tubeless tape; 3M 8898. I think this is same as the Roval stuff.
    Any more for any more?

    bacondoublechee
    Free Member

    Gorilla tape in the ‘handy 1″ roll’ variety makes great, and dirt cheap, tubeless tape.

    Daffy
    Full Member

    Tesa 4289 Tape – Same as Stans, but 1/6th the price.

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    breninbeener
    Full Member

    I love this idea. This sort of thinking is quite big in older motorcycles where the same bearing or widget for ur Ducati is 1/10th the price as its the same as a component in a different bike. I hopwe we get lots of suggestions

    oliverracing
    Full Member

    Torco engine assembly lube (the stuff in a bottle) is same as rockshox redrum, but for about 1/3 the price, been using it for the last 2 years and it’s great!

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Tesa 4289 Tape – Same as Stans, but 1/6th the price.

    That’s a really good one. £9.95 for 66 meters!!!!
    Certainly interested in oils and lubricants. I have been using Castrol LHM+ in my shimano brakes and it’s been spot on.
    Any cheap wet chain lube? Fox sus fluids? bike cleaning/mukoff stuff?

    DezB
    Free Member

    Everyone probably knows this one –
    Halfords own brand Citreon LHM brake fluid – works in Shimano (and other mineral oil based) brake systems. And it’s a nicer colour.
    (Just checked and the Shimano stuff is only £1 more per litre from CRC these days!)

    oliverracing
    Full Member

    I have been using Castrol LHM+ in my shimano brakes and it’s been spot on.

    But then again I know someone who ran cooking oil in some of the previous gen XT brakes for about 3 weeks while touring across russia!

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    good thread. I use LHM mineral oil from the car parts place in my shimano brakes, no issues to date.

    igm
    Full Member

    I have nothing to add but I’m bookmarking this.

    Bearings ought to be a rich vein on this thread.

    njee20
    Free Member

    Gorilla tape in the ‘handy 1″ roll’ variety makes great, and dirt cheap, tubeless tape.

    +1. I combined with some of this draught excluder tape in the well to give a flatter profile and aid inflation. Works well.

    richmtb
    Full Member

    Helly Hansen LIFA base layers make excellent cycling tops and are much cheaper than cycle specific stuff.

    Buy suspension fluid from you local motorbike shop, typically its around £10 a litre rather than a fiver for 120ml

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    I use LHM mineral oil from the car parts place in my shimano brakes, no issues to date.

    +1
    Clothes – lots of fleece/baselayer/waterproofs that are not bike specific.

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    Tick.

    All fork oil. Check wikipvd for a list of alternatives.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Can anyone share a bearing supplier they recommend with good prices and service? It’s been hit and miss with Eriks, sometimes they try and rip you right off.
    Non bike specific DOT fuild (from a car parts shop) is obviously a lot cheaper, I expect everyone has figured that.

    lunge
    Full Member

    Nike or UnderArmour thermal base layers can be picked up very cheaply from Sports Direct and are as good if not better than cycling specific brands. I suspect the Karrimor jobs are very similar and defintely cheaper as well.

    Silk glove liners can be picked up from most outdoorsy type shops very cheaply and make winter gloves very, very warm.

    In general, Decathlon clothing (cycling specific and otherwise) is generally very good and about 1/4 of the price of equivalent stuff with a proper brand on it.

    neilthewheel
    Full Member

    Bearings – I’ve always used simplybearings. Don’t know how they compare for price but they always deliver next day.

    theteaboy
    Free Member

    Army surplus gore tex

    Screwfix safety glasses

    Nearly-empty bottle of white spirit to drop chains into and shake instead of expensive, messy chain cleaners.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Engine oil makes decent enough chain lube and is vastly cheaper of course. Also gearbox oil which is really thick – you might experiment.

    General purpose grease works well enough and is vastly cheaper than bike specific stuff.

    Generic maltodextrin can be had in 5kg bags for about £8 off ebay – just as good in normal usage as expensive energy drinks but far cheaper – and you can add your choice of squash to taste (although I do prefer flavoured Torq for racing).

    Liquid latex is £15 for a litre which makes it cheaper than Stan’s, but Stan’s does have other stuff in it so this may not be worth the savings.

    munrobiker
    Free Member

    Just bought some plain old 0w-30 motor oil for my Pikes.

    Mastic tape makes many many many sweet chainstay protectors.

    The cover of plastic folders makes a Bender Fender.

    Bleed kits for anything with a proper bleed nipple- a syringe from a vets (never more than 50p) and fish tank tubing (£1).

    doncorleoni
    Free Member

    5w fork oil from halfords in my rockshox dampers. Works great!

    15 wt engine oil in my lowers

    Citroën lhm oil in my brakes

    80w gear oil is the same as float fluid just not coloured blue! Use this in my rear shock

    Self elamgilmating tape for chain stays

    Gorilla tape for tubeless

    Fence sprayer compressor for pumping up tubeless tyres.

    Bearings I use marksman industrial / simply bearings. Frame bearings for my spesh come to about 20 quid vs 70 for OEM set.

    P600 grease for all bearings and cup and cone hubs.

    Download template off Google and cut out your own enduro guard / fork protector. Choose lime green 0.3mm thick plastic sheet if you are enduro. Anyone else can use black. Secure with zip ties.

    Again, use the same plastic sheet to cut out little discs to be used as crush washers.

    Fork O rings – don’t spend 29 quid on a small bag….. Measure the ID, OD and cross section and buy them for 10p from local hardware store.

    Oh edit, one more…. Chainsaw lube for all my chains. Cheap as chips and works brilliantly! Far superior to any branded lube I have used.

    stevied
    Free Member

    I’ve been using M&S thermal tops for ages on the bike when it’s really cold. Cost about £12.

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    The main problem with saving money on Dot brake fluid is that it meets the atmosphere it starts ‘going off’ so whilst you can buy a lot more, for little more money it’s not really worth it – or at least that’s what I’ve been told.

    wrecker
    Free Member
    cakefacesmallblock
    Full Member

    Ok , so it’s supposed to be ‘bike’ specific, but Tesco puncture kit, about half a matchbox in size, 99p when I bought one, carted it round in me Camelbak for three years , bailed a mate out of trouble when last tube had been used on an Élan Valley ride. Still owes me next to nowt and lives to fight again.

    oliverracing
    Full Member

    Tesco puncture kit, about half a matchbox in size, 99p

    They’re now £2 🙁

    climbingkev
    Free Member

    Helly Henson from Screwfix, £10 a pieces according to their last email.

    Lots of tools, go Were, Knipex, Bahco etc.

    Magma technicians bag for tools from Amazon.

    Disc brake cleaner, degreaser, water displacer etc etc £1 per 600ml aerosol from the local pound type shop.

    IKEA bags and Gorilla tubs for the car. Milton for water bottles. Vets tape for injuries. Prescription safety glasses (through work if you can).

    rickmeister
    Full Member

    Katec for bearings…. Good stuff, good prices. On Ebay.

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    Sorry, pvdwiki. (peter verdone) for suspension fluid info.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Katec for bearings…. Good stuff, good prices. On Ebay.

    Used Keasea a few times. He’s a good egg.

    officerfriendly
    Free Member

    I usually buy multipacks of stainless steel hex bolts from toolstation, roughly 50 for £2.50 depending on size, or there’s a boltintheblue on ebay, every size you could want, from stem bolts to water bottle cage bolts. There’s also the ghetto tubeless brew which is said to be superior to stans on mtbr forums though I haven’t tried it myself! Thanks DonCorleoni, will try printing out a fork mudguard template! (:

    wrecker
    Free Member

    sandwicheater
    Full Member

    ^ arts and craft fun for all the family.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    the brush from a dustpan & brush set from home bargains/wilkos/poundland for cleaning the bike while spraying with water. lol

    makecoldplayhistory
    Free Member

    Nothing to contribute besides always buying DOT fluid from a motorfactors. Fork oil too.

    Keenly reading the rest though.

    belugabob
    Free Member

    Muc-off £6.99 per litre

    Caravan Cleaner £11.99 per litre, but concentrated, so 2 cap fulls makes 5 litres of useable liquid = about 100 litres.

    Plus one of these, obviously

    theflatboy
    Free Member

    Isn’t it mandatory in this day and age for the word “hack” to appear at least somewhere in thread title / OP?

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Isn’t that for ‘puters?

    crogthomas
    Free Member

    Mechanics gloves from about £10 at loads of places.
    Padded, abrasion resistant, a variety of types with full fingers or half, perfect as riding gloves, they last forever.

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