To flip the overpriced thread on it’s head I give you this . Hope Pro / Stans Arch 650B combo plus rotors,XT cassette , Stans tape and valves ( now those 2 things are vastly overpriced ) 8 quid under 400 from my LBS , reasonable in my book .

Bought a seatpost for my Batavus last night (SJS Cycles). Alloy, 300mm x 29.2mm

£2.99? thankyou and goodnight. 🙂

I know it’s cliqued but I do like Hope kit. It’s not cheap, but I think it’s very good value for money.

Likewise with the trickle down of Shimano groupsets. 10 years ago Deore level kit was good. Now it’s just fantastic. There’s no functional need to buy anything higher. Just how much of a tart you want to be.

My very blingy hybrid is covered in 8 year old Hope and Shimano 9 speed XT. It’s done huge miles in all weathers, it just keeps on going and has performed faultlessly.

Oh, Bicycle Union BMX gloves. You can keep your fancy brands, these just keep on going, and for £20 a pair for 7 years spring and autumn use they are properly reasonable.

Altura ProGel bibs.

Excellent value for money.

Shimano M520 pedals.

Shimano (mid range) bits in general; chains, BBs, brakes, shifters. Replacing these bits don’t give me that “reamed” feeling.

Charge Spoon 20 quid proper comfy , Shimano trail pedals same price , SLX kit all good workmanlike kit but why oh why do they insist on sticking with cup n cone hubs 🙁
Because of these I bought Hope , can’t be doing with C n C no need in this day and age 🙁

On the value for money front – all Somrio riding gear. Not cheap, but you can cover it in shit for years on end, shove it in the wash and it comes out like new. Quality stuff.

Another vote for Shimano SPD’s that last forever, and Madison Flux saddles. Even cheaper and better than a charge spoon

oldfart – Member
SLX kit all good workmanlike kit but why oh why do they insist on sticking with cup n cone hubs
Because of these I bought Hope , can’t be doing with C n C no need in this day and age

Some of us are glad that shimano still use cup and cone. With only a little tlc you can keep them running beautifully for years, sometimes decades.

The super-cheap 475 hubs on my commuter have done something like 15,000 km, I ‘serviced’ them when they were new, and haven’t touched them since.

I think that’s more than reasonable…

mid range Shimano kit is brilliant.

The brakes really are excellent though, Deore can be had for well under £50 an end, thats silly money for such good brakes.

The Easton Haven carbon bar I got for £60 is rather splendid value too

Decathlon bib shorts, £50 for the best shorts I’ve found.
Planet-X textured bar tape, £3 and is bloody brilliant.

Yep, Shimano low-mid range stuff is well made.

Clever too, I love their little cup thing for bleeding brakes, works beautifully, costs 3 quid.

ahwiles I presume your commuter doesn’t spend that much time in the mud off road ? 9 months in freehub on my SLX hub is showing signs , will take a look inside but am loathe to spend money when I know it will happen again . Late 90s Kona I had 3 free hubs died in the 1st year , after that I bought Hope ever since . New bike came with Shimano hubs was prepared for the inevitable .

Off -road? A little, including a couple of cx races. It certainly get covered/sprayed in it’s fair share of manky road gunge.

Here’s a controversial one for you: Islabikes

OS maps

Got a rapha jacket, well made, great quality and a great fit.
Hope Kit works well and well made
My Santa Cruz Blur LTc Well made, great ride, price was good, 2 years of great use so far and it’s fresh and sweet.
Evoc bags really well made and functional standing up to the battering I give them very well
My 70 quid sombreo baggies finally died after 9 years of hard use

Price has very little to do with it, how it lasts and performs is the key.

+1 for Sombrio
+1 for mid range Shimano, especially the SPD pedals
My Pivot Mach6 (cheap in HK minus all those taxes), just keeps on giving, utterly dependable and means I only need one bike for most of what I ride.

My Teva Links – £44, nearly a year old and almost as good as new, bombproof and grippy.

Shimano Claris.

Clarks premium cables (gear and brake) just as good as XTR / Dura ace, even look and feel the same but cost half as much at least.

Halfords Apollo Tokko kids bike, at £119.
For those without £300 to lash out on an Islabike, its a credible alternative without the additional 5kg of useless “suspension” & overly knobbly tyres that kids bikes just don’t need.

Deore brakes. Specialized tyres. Superstar pedals. Knock off troy lee shorts from china.

I agree shimano does the business as long as you are not a snob. I have found that the newer chain rings are aluminium and wear quite quick but they are cheap to replace so no hardship. Bottom brackets last 5 minutes so I changed to hope stainless.

What I have found is that the water gets into the bearings and tehen its game over. When I get anything new I try to get it apart if possible and fill it so full of grease to stop the ingress in future.

Got a set of m530 pedals and for them I copied dmr greasing philosophy. Drilled and tapped a small hole in the end and put a grub screw in there. Once in a while I get a syringe of grease and pump it full until the black manky stuff comes out the other side. They should last for ages that way.

For clothing I would recommend Gore stuff. Not the cheapest but I always look for a reduced price. Performs faultlessly and lasts forever.

Overpriced. I paid £30 for mine 8)

Endura Clothing. Mine survuves falls/brambles and has just kept going
Likewise Shimano AM 41 shoes. They just work brilliantly.

DHB kit generally seems good stuff to me.

Shimano shoes.

Park Tools – okay they are expensive but are quality and work. They should last a lifetime if looked after.

Topeak saddle bags.

Shimano M520 pedals.

Keep away from the A520 though – an exercise in annoyance.

+1 Charge Spoon. After six years, or so, it looks a bit beaten up but it’s still as comfy as ever. I think I paid £18 for it.

Nukeproof pedals are also good value, I think. Cheaper than most other pedals, oodles of grip and quite light.