It’s all very well banging on about the latest shiny new kit, but what stuff has stood the test of time in my shed?
I realise it’s May but in the world of publishing the spectre of MY27 is very much upon us. MY27 means Model Year 2027 ie. the new wave of new stuff. Which had us thinking about what end-of-year content we might be doing this coming November-December time.
As a counterpoint to all that hoo-ha, I thought it would be nice to highlight some of the things that are very much not-new. But not-new things that I still use fairly frequently. Mostly tools but also some apparel and a couple of actual bike components.
Now then. Just because I still use something does not necessarily mean that it’s brilliant. In fact, it’s probably just stuff that still works “well enough”. Some stuff may still actually be great. Some stuff I’m just putting up with despite myself! And some stuff doesn’t even do the same role as it started out doing…
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My Kona Lava Dome is 34 years old and still gets ridden most weeks. I’ve owned it since new.Â
A 2014 Santa Cruz 5010, with its Chris King headset, and SDG Bel Air Saddle that I ordered with it. Everything else has been swapped about/changed.
As will the frame and headset soon.
And a pot of grease I’ve had, at a guess, 18ish years, I’m about half way through it.
I’ve a screw-in crank extractor that is at least 30 years old that I haven’t used in probably 25 yearsÂ
I’ve got some Polaris roubaix tights that I bought in one of those cycling sales that would be advertised in the back of magazines and held in sports halls on a Sunday. It must have been about 2002.
Ignoring the bike I bought in ’89, probably the red+yellow spoke keys I got around the same time which I think were a freebie stuck to a magazine, or maybe a subscription freebie gift
I have a few odds and sods but noteworthy would be the Edinburgh Bike Coop workshop stand and track pump that have seen around 35 years of regular use.Â
Nice.
I’ve still got an original pot of RC-7 grease on the go. Elastomers weren’t the future, after all…
1997 Kona Aha , a Gore Wind stopper jacket in camo that I reckon I’ve had nigh on 20 years and I bought it 2nd hand off of here I think!
2004 Cove Hummer and just maybe my first ever MTB Marin Bobcat Trail from 1995 , see my other threadsÂ
It’s all about the grease…
To be fair, the grease ports on the Y2K Manitou elastomer/spring forks kept them working to an acceptable degree of functionality for two and a half decades with them never being serviced
My ancient Joe Blow Sport…I think this was bought in 2005 as something ‘that would do for now’.
Time ATAC pedals
I’ve the same Pace grease gun.
However, I think it’s possibly slightly newer than my chain splitter.
I’ve also got a Berghaus base layer that’s meant to be resigned to garden work due to a couple of holes that I keep finding myself reaching for to ride in…
I have a set of m525 spd pedals, which I bought new in 1993.
We can be friends. I still have mine too. 🙂 in face (I just checked) I have a set I’d forgotten about on my cx bike too.
I thought my RC7 gun had died last week when it stopped pushing grease through. Turns out the plunger assembly has come loose so tightened up and off it went, just like new. The joys of a simple mechanism that is lubricated by use.
I have the dualco pace grease gun, but I also have the RC-7S push type grease gun that came with a set of RC35AB’s bought back in 1993 I’d guess. I still have most of a cool tool…
kit wise, it’s a bit older (though I do still have a very tired pace winteractive jacket that I can’t bring myself to throw away), probably the oldest things are my endura cliplong winter tights, and my groundeffect frosty boy longs, bought when the exchange rate was favourable and there was no tax on their goods, around 2002 I’d guess. And some Nike ACG kneewarmers..
I have a W001 that I got for my 18th in the drawer!
My Pace Racewear winter smock. Still the best cold weather top layer I’ve ever owned.Â
Soz, must be 25 yrs old.Â