My nomination – Gore Phantom.

Used it loads over a base layer when cold – perfect.
Sunny (but breezy) road ride today and couldn’t decide what top to wear…so zip off the arms and it’s a windproof, full-zip jersey with pockets on the back for bits – perfect again!
Not cheap but so glad I got one when I did 🙂

What one piece of kit have you got that you couldn’t do without?

Mine would be a neoguard and reverb

Both have been great purchases, not like that rubbish fender bender!

2013 Osprey Raptor – epic in every respect…

Osprey pack x2
Park Tool, AWS1C Hex Wrench Set – Had this for 19 years now and still going strong!
Bell slant helmet
Shadow+ mech

Endura Humvees.

Altura gilet, not sure of the name… Lives in my camelbak, better than a jacket for most of the year.

Also Altura attack waterproof shorts- got 3 pairs of these now, almost worn out the oldest ones. Lifesafer for winter riding, and not even all that expensive.

Windproof jacket.

Paul Thumbie shifter mounts; have them on two bikes and will probably get new DuraAce shifters for them if/when the time comes to change to 10sp!

Reverb

Mine would have to be my slx clutch mech really impressed with it and @ £39.95 cheaper then standard

Windproof jacket.

BTW I still have my ‘cooltool’ from way back in the 90’s still in its neoprene pouch. Retro!!

S Works road shoes, I didn’t want to wear such in your face slippers but my goodness do they make road riding sooo much better.

Salomon fast 3 jacket. Bought it in 2011 and its still going strong. Keeps me dry and warm and thanks to the vented under arms I never get too hot or sweaty. Use it pretty much every day for road rides. Only problem is its a bit big for me now, and it needs a hood to be perfect.

BBB heavy duty overshoes, made winter riding a lot more bareable.

MW81s, used them all last winter commuting, warm dry feet throughout… worth twice the price 🙂

Northwave Celcius Winter boots.
Northwave courier bag
An unbranded winter coat from ALDI. That thing has lasted me 5 years and is still absolutely ace.
Park Allen key set
Enduro Singletrack shorts

Sidi Dominators

Troy Lee XC gloves

perfect

Knee pads, cos after 20 yrs riding MTBs I’m still shit and fall off me bike a fair bit 😳

Endura humvee tops, Reverb seatpost and MW81 boots. All brilliant.

Oh, and Rubber Queen Black Chili tyres. Why did I persevere with Nobby Nics?

As others have said, osprey raptor pack for me.
Only just got it and after first ride I can’t believe I persisted with my dakine one for so long

dropper post (mines a Rase)

thudbuster (2nd hand via stw)

xtr 9sp shifter

oh,

Trance (I’ve had 2 – so far)

Endura arm & knee warmers.

W.I. Eccentric Eric.

Track pump.

Decent Allen key set.

Selle Italia Flite.

CamelBak.

ODI Attack grips.

Recently got a Garmin 810 for the road. Was hesitant as it was quite pricey and I already had a 500. Now love being able to go for training rides and do a bit of new route exploring at the same time without the getting lost and frequent map stops.

Shimano AM51 shoes. 3+ years of all-season riding and they’ve been fantastic except in the wettest/coldest conditions. Super durable, too.

Dakine Nomad pack: Great storage capacity and nice bladder.

KS i950R dropper post.

Thule 561 rack

Berghaus windproof and Madison shorts (both bought in 2008 still going strong)

Osprey Viper pack

Northwave Celsius boots

Sworks road shoes , yes I know road bike stuff etc etc
But they are ace

Or dropper post

Reverb
Road bike
Spds for commuting

Edge 500 with cadence and hrm, Look Keo Max 2 have been a huge improvement over my Times

garmin edge 705 – very durable bit of kit, and prevented me from getting lost many times

Deuter race backpack – now 6 years old, no splits no tears and all the zips still work. Comes out with me on all my off road rides

Mobi pressure washer. Yes, I’m lazy.

Troy Lee XC Gloves,
Great fit, fantastic durability,

Troy Lee XC Gloves,
Great fit, fantastic durability,

Conversely mine fell apart during a 2 hour ride 😆 All the TLD stuff I’ve bought has been crap and over priced.

WOW !
That’s a record surely, mine are paper thin on the palms now and I’ve been expecting them to wear through over the past month but they refuse to give up the fight,
All TLD kit I’ve had has lasted me a long time ? I either ride like a fairy or I should wash them more often ?
I wore them to day and they were crusty and salt stained with sweat,
The rubber star on the finger fell off about 18 months ago, the XC logo came off in the gravel when I had a moment over a year ago ?
I’ve got two more pairs waiting in the wings so I hope they last more than a fortnight ?

TLD Gloves, love mine will be getting some more
Hope Stuff just lasts

Yep the stitching all came undone on the gloves. And the jersey went bobbly really quick, plus the neck always felt like it was choking me. The moto shorts do look good though so I’m always tempted..

I’ve a few good bits, a Gore Bike Wear jacket, Blackburn Track Pump but the one bike related purchase that is better than anything is my Park workstand.

The days of turning the bike upside down and trying to adjust things were a nightmare.

NOT my Gore Phantom 2 jacket.Great jacket apart from Zip broke. you’d think it’d be good to go for that money, I saved ages to buy that jacket thinking it’d do me fine.. had to get a £12 replacement zip put in. if I wanted a shit zip, I’d’ve bought a shit jacket. Nice one Gore. I am now a beacon of bad words for Gore, from my one first experience of their stuff. My Aldi jacket and many other jacket zips works fine!

Great jacket apart from Zip broke. you’d think it’d be good to go for that money, I saved ages to buy that jacket thinking it’d do me fine.. had to get a £12 replacement zip put in.

Did you send it back to them?

Totally trashed the arm in a Race Face jacket then the pit zip broke, jacket was replaced FOC

no, Can’t be arsed with all that. Why should I? I want it to **** work for £110! I want to ride my bike, not wait for stuff/post stuff/wrap stuff to be posted back n forth and letters and crap, didn’t pay for that. Just won’t buy anything from them ever again. Got a cheap zip put in and good to go.. even the zip place said it was great quality/well made/double stitching etc. but it BROKE!! one thing that pishes me off is crap zips.