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I think much cycle clothing (especially shoes) from the larger manufacturers are designed in sunny California, hence isn't really "UK proof" - see also; anything designed by Crank Bros.
@Chipps used to torment Californian visitors to the UK with winter night-riding in Calderdale. I think there's probs a designer from Giro who still has PTSD flashbacks
Garmin Varia, stupid gimmick that I would never be without
nickc
anything designed by Crank Bros.
I'd have agreed with you a while back, I had a friend sponsored by them, she was doing the Mega and had to borrow a seatpost as all 3 of her Joplins were broken, and my Mallets fell of their axle on the same trip.
They have turned it around a lot though - new flat pedals are excellent, and to your clothing point, the Stamp flat shoes are really good too
jamj1974
Until I saw a dropper post – I had not thought about their existence. Before using my first one – a Crank Bros Joplin, I didn’t realise how much it would change my riding.
I do remember pointing and laughing at a mate who had a Gravity Dropper very early on. We all ate our words pretty soon after. Wasn't until years later when I got on a gravel bike, rode down a steep chute and got stuck behind the saddle at the bottom that i realised just how much i take them for granted now
Proper winter MTB footwear - thought they were too expensive until I got my first MW80s - worth every penny
I've had a dropper on my gravel bike for years.
Was very sceptical about them altogether when they came out, but now would haven on any bike over anything else.
Agreed but what about that silly mesh? Hmm
Wasn’t until years later when I got on a gravel bike, rode down a steep chute and got stuck behind the saddle at the bottom
I'm still in denial about needing a dropper on my gravel bike.
I know I'll get one in the end, but I still don't want to yet.
Cycling caps- thought they looked stupid. Tried one and didn't have sweat smearing over my glasses
Gilets- thought they looked stupid. They have helped me sweat less.
Trousers for MTB. Bought a light pair of walking trousers in a sale. So many less bramble scratches, nettle stings plus cleaner legs
the Stamp flat shoes are really good too
Yeah they do look pretty good - and pass the "no moving parts" rule I have when it comes to buying Crank Bros things. There does seem to be much better shoes about these days from CB, Fox, Fizik, Ride Concept etc etc, all much better than trad disco slippers.
chakaping
I’m still in denial about needing a dropper on my gravel bike.
I know I’ll get one in the end, but I still don’t want to yet.
Got a really cheap desl on an OEM AXS one recently, was 250 euro, and I already had the axs shifters. Only 75m, but it's great to have
Trousers for MTB. Bought a light pair of walking trousers in a sale. So many less bramble scratches, nettle stings plus cleaner legs
you can actually thank the UCI for this.
Downhill rule change required the shins to be covered with either shin pads or trousers. As nobody would be seen dead with visible shin pads, trousers suddenly became popular on the pro race circuit, and this trickled to the gravity-riding-for-fun-not-competition crowd.
Crank Bros' Highline dropper was really over-engineered and reliable. They obviously had a point to prove.
Got a really cheap desl on an OEM AXS one recently, was 250 euro, and I already had the axs shifters. Only 75m, but it’s great to have
I think I would do fine with an under-crotch-lever activated one, like my first MTB dropper.
Was hoping Brand X would come up with a cheap, reliable gravel post like that, but obviously their future is uncertain.
Aheadset. My how we laughed at a mate with his non-adjustable stem on his 'dale m600 back in 1993. My how he laughed as after every smegging ride one of us would end up having to re-tighten headset bearings with a massive inconveniently sized spanner.
Mucoff tubeless valves. Thought they were poncy bling. At last a valve that doesn't seize up.
Schrader valves. We'll be back using these.
Unless it's really grubby out, I'm yet to be converted to troos - and then it'll be waterproof ones.
I get the nettle/bramble/mud argument, but I'm still happy in shorts. Who doesn't love tingly legs at the end of a summer ride? 😉
Probably not so much on here, but guessing a lot of the trouser converts are doing it for the 'enduro/dh look', rather than practicalities
I was skeptical of narrow wide chainrings and clutch mechs for some reason (I liked my MRP chain device!) but it does actually work as advertised and don't think I've ever dropped a chain since getting them.
I still haven't gone tubeless but will eventually try it I guess when I get new wheels as they all come with tubeless rims. Just seems like a lot of faff to set up, and I don't remember the last time I got a puncture on a normal tube.
Garmin Varia. Very sceptical. Then I tried it. Then I upgraded to the rear light. Then I became a convert. I'd replace mine in a heartbeat.
"So good I bought the company" said a anonymous Garmin exec once... (they didn't invent it btw)
My short sleeve waterproof jacket. It looks crap as I've just cut sleeves off an old riding jacket, and many would say it's pointless. But I find it has to be single digit temperatures before I can wear my normal rain jacket without overheating. So this is perfect for riding in wet summer, spring and autumn weather.
Bib shorts with rear pockets in them. Means I can stash food, a gilet and a tool in the back and don't have to take a bag.
I was skeptical at first, "why my shorts have pockets" but it moves the bulk away and is a gamechanger for me.
Ebikes.
Seriously, allowing a 50plus with a bad back to ride a bit further and has increased my enjoyment on the MTB.
For me droppers were never really needed, I just didn't ever get that hung up on constantly raising and lowering my saddle. That changed when I did the MacAvalanche and found a raised saddle for the pedally bits helped. That was it. Still don't have one in my other bikes but see the utility for certain use cases.
Oh and Schraeder tubeless valves are better in every way.
The garmin Varia is a great shout. Initially saw them and thought it would be utterly pointless but as has been said, for road riding it’s a great bit of kit, especially on narrow lanes as it allows you to cycle two abreast without holding up cars behind you
Another shout for in frame storage. I cycled around with mine empty for a year before discovering its wonders.
Anything that removes the need for a backpack really (still required for long backcountry epics for food and clothing).
In frame storage; "enduro straps"; tools that attach to, go in, or are integrated with the bike; cargo bibs and to a lesser extent bum bags. No bag around your shoulders feels amazing.
The only thing that annoys me about the in frame storage on my Spesh Enduro is that its not waterproof. So not only do you have to be a bit choosy about what you store in it, you do have to take the lid off and take everything out occasionally to dry everything out.
Probably not so much on here, but guessing a lot of the trouser converts are doing it for the ‘enduro/dh look’, rather than practicalities
For me it's because I really dislike having cold mud splattered all over my shins.
Products perceived as 'crap' but are amazing: Full mudguards.
My short sleeve waterproof jacket. It looks crap as I’ve just cut sleeves off an old riding jacket, and many would say it’s pointless. But I find it has to be single digit temperatures before I can wear my normal rain jacket without overheating. So this is perfect for riding in wet summer, spring and autumn weather.
Rapha did have a pro level waterproof jacket with seams welded mid way down the upper arm with a cut here line!
Apparently, it's what their pro riders did...
found a link: https://themartincox.co.uk/review-rapha-race-cape-complete-arms-cut/
invisiframe.
just a bit of helitape. nope. gamechanger for carbon bikes
I still haven’t gone tubeless but will eventually try it I guess when I get new wheels as they all come with tubeless rims. Just seems like a lot of faff to set up
I’ve been doing it since the days of stretching bmx tubes over wheels, and messing about with diy 3l coke bottle inflators. that was a faff.
I recently bought some new wheels and tyres. Popped them on easily with thumbs, squirt, pump up with a normal floor pump. Zero faff.
I recently bought some new wheels and tyres. Popped them on easily with thumbs, squirt, pump up with a normal floor pump. Zero faff.
Yeah - all newish tyres and rims are tubeless ready these days, so its actually easier doing it without a tube than with.
I recently bought some new wheels and tyres. Popped them on easily with thumbs, squirt, pump up with a normal floor pump. Zero faff.
I'm guessing they weren't Continental GP5000 tyres on Giant rims then! 🤨
Whilst I'm a (late) convert to tubeless, everytime I've tried to set them up, I've had to do the walk of shame into the LBS to get help as either the tyre beads were stupidly tight or the beads wouldn't pop into place without a proper compressor. Guess I've just been unlucky...
To add - I'm generally not an early adopter as I'd rather let other pays the high prices and suffer the unreliability of new products whilst kinks are worked out, but I did get a Gravity Dropper when I first learnt about them.
Another one I forgot to mention is my Dirtsuit.
All my mates have taken the piss out of me for wearing it, until we’ve been riding in terrible weather and I’m toasty and warm and they’re freezing their tits off.
Even better for uplift days. I’ve had days at Antur and Dyfi where at the end of the day I’ve felt like I’m the only one still going when the weather is really shit because I’ve been warm and mostly dry.
My short sleeve waterproof jacket. It looks crap as I’ve just cut sleeves off
And with that, you invented the gilet 😉 . Should be crap at keeping off the elements with no arms, but in reality works just fine. Even the ones that aren't made of decent waterproof materials. I have a convertible Pearl Izumi and the arms and shoulders lift off like a bolero jacket.
Probably not so much on here, but guessing a lot of the trouser converts are doing it for the ‘enduro/dh look’, rather than practicalities
A mate runs a gravel and MTB guiding business, and he swears by trousers
Loffi gloves: https://loffi.cc/
Got them as a present, thought they were a bit silly, now I love them - always seem to get a smile from pedestrians now.
Photochromic glasses
Gravel bikes
Crap/Pointless? Mais non! combine what a bunch of folk have already said the most amazing thing is: Singlespeed Fatbike! obvs with a dropper and decent forks!
Amazing today: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cojacal/53336497233
Been amazing for a while too! https://www.flickr.com/photos/cojacal/albums/72157713828419618
Perhaps though a niche within a niche ...
Always thought the little handlebar mirrors were pointless (just turn around), but for road biking, they're really handy.
“Surprised at all the calls for dropper posts.
For me it was the most obvious need on a bike.”
I’m quite annoyed at the amount of time I wasted arguing with people on here about why dropper posts were brilliant, for all sorts of MTBing (bar dirt jumps and DH). I’m pretty certain that 99% of the naysayers now use dropper posts.
Another one I forgot to mention is my Dirtsuit.
Yessss. Especially on the ebike. Absolute game changer for me
I recently bought some new wheels and tyres. Popped them on easily with thumbs, squirt, pump up with a normal floor pump. Zero faff.
Yeah I feel like I've left it for long enough that when I do finally do it, all the problems in earlier designs should be worked out by now 🙂 although it might be a long wait as I'm wondering if I should even bother sinking any cash into new 27.5" stuff when the world seems to be going 29. But I'm also skeptical about that wheel size for the riding I do.
Press fit BBs.
Edit. Nope, they really are shit and a solution to a problem that didn't exist whilst adding 3 more problems to the pile.