Brands that are better than ever

Going with Stans Tubeless here. Can remember the very first version, decades ago, with rubber strips, and nasty fluid that ate rims. Certain tyres could take days to seat, days, and if one blew off the rim whilst inflating to a million psi, you knew about it. Once on, the joy of getting a puncture at speed, where sticky fluid (still the correct forum for this?) went everywhere. Youth of today…

The way I found to improve Stan’s was to use almost any other brand.

Currently using uberbike sealant and tape.

Going with Stans Tubeless here.

Weren’t the rubber strips Joe’s conversion kits for doing non-tubeless rims?

They both had conversion strips, stans were (slightly) profiled to make things work, and on the whole, they did. I’ve got 26″ MTB and 700c CX wheels that i converted more than a decade ago that still work exactly as planned.

The joes conversion strips just converted a bottle of sealant, two strips and two tyres into a useless mess on the garage floor.

Still using stans today, it’s incredibly easy.

Kinda disagree on Fender. Their marketing and artist roster are great but I’ve not been that impressed with a lot of their more recent guitars I’ve tried. Mostly MIM to be fair but a lot of fret issues – either sharp ends or not level so they can fret and choke out. Not good for a £600+ instrument considering Harley Benton tend to get it for sometimes a quarter of that. Then again Squiers have been pretty good for a while now and I haven’t played a Player II yet.

Darn Tough socks. Came across them 10 years or so ago, haven’t managed to wear any out since. And if I do this: https://darntough.uk/pages/our-unconditional-lifetime-guarantee

Every other wool-type sock I’ve had has gone in the heel or toe or both. Some disappointingly quickly.

And you dive in with more negativity, bad faith and confrontational crap than I’ve faced in a month. Toodle pip.

Someone got out of their sleeping bag on the wrong side. What’s the point of a discussion forum if everyone agrees?

Toyota. In a world where cars are getting ever more complex and laden with ridiculous tech, none of it accessible easily while driving, getting into a Toyota feels a bit of a throwback – hard plastics, basic controls, but predictable and easy to drive. Love it.

I can think of no worse place to be than in a Toyota. Well that’s a bit much. But I do hate them.

Another for other people to disagree with – Howies. Virtually all of my clothes are Howies. Their fits work for me and everything i’ve had* has lasted really well (currently wearing a pair of their cords that are 12-years old). The organic t-shirts don’t get smelly and last well. New shorts arrived last week and they’re great… and will hopefully last well too.

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*Actually the cotton underwear was rubbish but i think they’ve discontinued them.

Someone got out of their sleeping bag on the wrong side. What’s the point of a discussion forum if everyone agrees?

I disagree with my Dad, but I don’t talk to him like he’s stupid 🙂

I didn’t read it like that at all…Oh well, here we are disagreeing again. Disaster.

I’m gonna get flamed but Cotic. I find it reassuring that every time they release a new frame, the price has gone up and then the brand,  Cy or Kelvin explain to us why. They could easily go down the route of mass produced frames with no character, but they don’t and they try their hardest to stick with UK and have now divested from Taiwan too. I know, subject to a silly accident, the SolarisMax I’ve got will likely be a bike for life now. This is what I want, reassuringly good, but unfortunately expensive.

but can you not see the strange disconnect between

I think it’s reasonable to compare the two and look at quality of stitching, material, weight of fill etc and make an educated guess on longevity. Surely we all do those sorts of comparisons all the time when evaluating potential purchases? The alternative, waiting 35 years or whatever for proof, isn’t very practical. When brands reduce quality of an established product line it’s often very apparent, just by examining it. If you don’t believe that, it should be possible to say so without being rude about it.

Another for other people to disagree with – Howies.

I still buy from them now and then, and some of their stuff is still really good, yeah.

Some not so great, and some was never that good anyway (like the T shirts IME).

 Cotic. I find it reassuring that every time they release a new frame, the price has gone up and then the brand,  Cy or Kelvin explain to us why. They could easily go down the route of mass produced frames with no character, but they don’t and they try their hardest to stick with UK and have now divested from Taiwan too

Was their increasing onshoring of production led by necessity? Even if so, I don’t blame them for turning it into a marketing point. I just hope their increasingly “aspirational” status and pricing doesn’t harm their long term survival prospects. Nothing wrong with UK-designed & Taiwan-produced bikes IMO.

I can think of no worse place to be than in a Toyota.

I’m not sure I really think of  a car as a place? But if they are… I don’t feel that cars are generally good places to be.

Darn Tough socks. Came across them 10 years or so ago, haven’t managed to wear any out since. And if I do this: https://darntough.uk/pages/our-unconditional-lifetime-guarantee

Have you ever used this guarantee? Is it “unconditional “ or is there fine print?

It is totally unconditional, no quibble replacement,

Skoda.  Were a laughing stock 30 or 40 years ago.

Now it’s a better VW without the badge tax.

Toyota. In a world where cars are getting ever more complex and laden with ridiculous tech, none of it accessible easily while driving, getting into a Toyota feels a bit of a throwback – hard plastics, basic controls, but predictable and easy to drive. Love it.

I drive 40 or 50 different cars a year, some of them quite a lot/quite vigorously, multiple brands, plus a lot of somewhat ropey prototypes, and i can’t say as i’ve found *any* of them difficult or unpredictable to drive.

Except that one that someone coded the accelerator pedal back to front. That was unpredictable.

Skoda.  Were a laughing stock 30 or 40 years ago.

Now it’s a better VW without the badge tax.

They do seem to do what Ford used to.

Just giving you everything you need in a nice, satisfying package that’s easy to live with and engaging to drive.

Not that I’ve driven the newer ones.

plus 1 for Skoda.

Darn Tough socks. Came across them 10 years or so ago, haven’t managed to wear any out since. And if I do this:

I need a boxer shorts version of this. I seem to wear through mine in about 12 months.

barclays, or anythnig to do with america being great again 4-5% on stocks associated with north america this morning :0)

barclays, or ….4-5% on stocks associated with north america this morning :0)

Agreed, WTF is that about. , 🙂

I drive 40 or 50 different cars a year, some of them quite a lot/quite vigorously, multiple brands, plus a lot of somewhat ropey prototypes, and i can’t say as i’ve found *any* of them difficult or unpredictable to drive.

I tried demisting a new VW Golf that I was driving last year. I still don’t know how to demist a new VW Golf. I’d suggest that not being to easily demist a car would make it difficult, if not dangerous.

Rega

Aldi

Harveys

Penguin

Singletrack

I’m going to mention Exposure/USE simply for their customer service. In the last couple years, they have reconditioned a light for peanuts, rebonded a 7year old carbon seatpost and repaired a light foc. Communication’s with their staff are always positive and they have definitely exceeded expectations!

I find Aldi’s non food offerings very badly made these days.Overpriced as well.

Skoda. Were a laughing stock 30 or 40 years ago.

Now it’s a better VW without the badge tax.

Although they have firmly been replaced by Dacia as the budget option. Skoda’s ain’t cheap anymore.

Darn Tough socks. Came across them 10 years or so ago, haven’t managed to wear any out since. And if I do this: https://darntough.uk/pages/our-unconditional-lifetime-guarantee

Every other wool-type sock I’ve had has gone in the heel or toe or both. Some disappointingly quickly

I use the micro hiker daily for work and I’ve not killed any yet.  Used to go through cheaper ones at an alarming rate, so £20 odd for a pair of socks seemed steep, coupled with the lifetime warranty, it’ll probably end up being the best financial decision I’ll ever make ?

decathlon.

their Forclaz and Quechua clothing is far better for cycling than any cycling clothing i have ever owned.

Keela. just great quality outdoor clothing that lasts.

Spa cycles.   for a bloke who needs strong quality wheels that last.   they are the best.

4-5% on stocks associated with north america this morning :0)

Seen TSLA? Up ~18% in the last 5 days for obvious reasons…..

Penguin

@winston the books or the biscuits?

Fairy Liquid. That new leak proof bottle is genius. Max power with leak proof technology!

Petzl, I can’t think of anything in the current range that is worse than what it replaced.

They’re generally pretty good but massive issues with durability of Nomic ice axes over the years.

Have you ever used this guarantee? Is it “unconditional “ or is there fine print?

It is totally unconditional, no quibble replacement,

This suggests to me that they run massive margins on each pair.

This suggests to me that they run massive margins on each pair.

Why is that relevent so long as end user gets perceived value?

Other brands are available.

Why is that relevent so long as end user gets perceived value?

It’s just a different business model. Run massive margins so you can afford to replace without quibble and build customer loyalty or run smaller margins and shift more units but have to be tighter on what you replace.