For me, it's my ultrasonic cleaner. Honestly, I'd recommend them to everyone as they take the drudgery out of normal servicing jobs which involve cleaning shitty, oily components. Just chuck 'em in a bag of degreaser with hot water in the reservoir (the bag helps contain the mess) for 5 minutes, give a quick rinse under the tap, and they look like new again. Definitely wish I'd listened to other people and bought one a decade ago!
So, what's your suggestion? That weird purchase that you wouldn't be without...?
C&H
Not really. TrackSaw
Grease gun. Muddled along without one for decades. For the sake of £20 I'm kicking myself for not buying one sooner!
Knipex parallel pliers. Work properly with minimal faff unlike adjustable wrenches
Bitcoin
And decent bearing presses, so much better than an "about the right size" socket.
Definitely wish I’d listened to other people and bought one a decade ago!
It looks nice but you know that chain is going to be ruined in an hours use unless you now soak it for days in a wax lube yeah?
The cassette does look well though.
What size did you get - I couldn't seem to find a reasonably priced one big enough to take cassette and the like
Bitcoins🤣
.
Pedro's Vice-Whip
Grease gun.
Good call that. Mine is, in itself, it's a little bit of cycling history - reckon it must be well over 25 years old now! Surely can't be the only one with one of these knocking about the workshop...
Yep I've got one of those pace grease guns, circa mid 90s
Someone stole my pace grease gun 🙁
It looks nice but you know that chain is going to be ruined in an hours use unless you now soak it for days in a wax lube yeah?
Yeah, got that covered. You definitely need to give it plenty of time to reabsorb lube, but wet wax left on for 24 hours seems to do a decent job of getting down into the rollers. Certainly, it's stayed nice and quiet which is a good sign.
What size did you get – I couldn’t seem to find a reasonably priced one big enough to take cassette and the like
3 litre - £70 from Amazon. Upside, fine for everything on the road bikes. Downside, won't take anything bigger than a 32t sprocket, so don't expect to get your Eagle cassette in there! TBH, I'm less fastidious about the MTB stuff which, oddly, don't get as filthy as winter road bikes so don't need (or get!) the same level of cleaning.
A grease gun and a decent bike stand were game changers for me (admittedly a long time ago) but prior to that I was trying to fix bikes upside down/resting against the wall/suspended from ropes/etc.
I've got one of those too @daern
I have two, star nut setter, after years of messing with bolts the proper tool just makes it the easiest job ever.
Quick link Pliers, I have some cheapo ones that both open and close, get loads of use especially as I went over to hot waxing chains a couple of years ago.
It looks nice but you know that chain is going to be ruined in an hours use unless you now soak it for days in a wax lube yeah?
If you think a round in an ultrasonic cleaner will ruin a chain then you’d love seeing the strip and clean process on aircraft 😁
There is a brilliant tools thread on pistonheads, defo worth a read - https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=&t=1769368
Right at the moment it's a compressor. Always wanted one but didn't have the room. Bought a quiet one which I'm pleased about. In the last two days I've used it at least half a dozen times
- air sprayer to paint a gate I made
- pumped up bike tyres today
- pumped up motorcycle tyres yesterday
- blow gun gets used all the time
- air nailer to make a wooden base for a compost bin
argee
Full MemberIf you think a round in an ultrasonic cleaner will ruin a chain then you’d love seeing the strip and clean process on aircraft
It's not that the cleaner damages the chain, it's that it removes all/most of the grease including inside the links. If you don't relube properly then it's metal on metal, and most lubes aren't great at penetrating into the links.
Yep have a pace grease gun. Pretty standard lots of the same ones with different labels. Can even get a park tools one
https://www.parktool.com/product/grease-gun-gg-1
Worx hydroshot, or a decent battery power washer.
If I had the space, a compressor and ultrasonic cleaner would be in my garage, 100%.
Grease gun is a small thing that if you do any work on bikes gets used so often, my park tools one should be due a refill soon I think.
Have we all got that Pace grease gun then?!
Mine is rarely use now. So many different preps and greases required these days, that they all stay in their own tubs or tubes.
I rode for years with friction shifting after indexing arrived, I rode for years with cantilevers after vbrakes arrived and years on them after disks. I only went to wide tyres and low pressure tubeless a couple of years ago. And 2 months ago I got a dropper post, first time my saddle moved since using a hite rite in the 80's. I thought given I'm all wheels on the ground xc it probably wouldn't make much difference. Just shows all that previous experience taught me nothing!
The only development since I started riding that I don't currently use and don't miss 99% of the time is suspension. All the rest I wish I'd moved to sooner.
e bike for getting round town
laser level
scribing tool
Beaten to it, but laser level. Makes popping picture rail up so much easier. Also used it when laying tiles. Only a cheap one from Amazon but awesome.
Have we all got that Pace grease gun then?!
Mine is rarely use now. So many different preps and greases required these days, that they all stay in their own tubs or tubes.
Certainly seems so! For me, mine has XHP222 in it as it's a good, winter-proof grease for most use cases. It's pretty heavy for bearings, but I still use it for winter use on wheels as it stays put in crap weather! Great for suspension linkages 🙂
Knipex parallel pliers.
+1
If I had the space, a compressor
Had one for years, highly recommended for tubeless fans.
Not sure I should follow this thread though, could prove expensive.
A beto air tank inflator does (part of) the job of a compressor for me, that's another.
I had a couple of years of furious pumping, sweat dripping off me, before I saw the light with a tubeless inflator.
I'm a big laser level fan..
But i've realised it has to be a SELF LEVELLING one... I previously had a non self levelling one, which was pointless!!
DrP
Aldi air compressor.
After faffing with coke bottles and a track pump it has made tubeless a thing for me.
It is super loud and only gets used on tyres which is a shame as I feel it could be used for loads of stuff.
time machine
Tools you wish you had bought years ago - Singletrack World Magazine
(still a good thread though 🙂 )
Houses.
I had a petrol station which was valued at 175K back in the mid 80’s. I should have sold it & bought 3, 40K houses & a 50K one for me.
Never mind though, I’ve still got my Pace grease gun.
The holy trinity of 'proper' wire strippers, soldering iron and a hot air gun for shrink wrap. And solder & shrink wrap obviously.
It still feels like one of the most satisfying processes known to man - strip your wires back using your proper wire strippers instead of a stanley knife or similar, twist the wires together, solder the joint, slide your shrink wrap over the joint and use your cheap hot air gun to shrink it down to a waterproof & solid state. Looks like it was supposed to be there.
When I did soldering at college back in the 80s shrink wrap wasn't even a thing. Almost makes you want to cut wires just so you can unnecessarily join them!
Shoes with Boas.....
@chrispoffer - you can skip a step using these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kuject-Connectors-Waterproof-Electrical-Automotive/dp/B073RMRCC3/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3O1JPGEVOKRG5&keywords=wire%2Bsolder%2Bjoints&qid=1652113675&sprefix=wire%2Bsolder%2Bjoin%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-5&th=1
really handy when you're handfisted (like me)
Wow. Mind. Blown.
They look awesome.
But, hang on a minute - I LIKE soldering, that's part of the joy.
Imma pretend I've never seen that witchcraft......
i found out about them when i called out an automotive sparkie to fix a wire in my car and he used them. got a mixed box for myself and they're as good as they look.
@5lab Damn you! Cost me two sodding sets as I bought one for myself and one for my dad, which will pay back in the long run as it means I won't need to go over and fix stuff for him!
Apple shares in 1994.
A round the world ticket in 1996.
That house just outside Castle Douglas in 1998.
A Volvo.
Bikes wise: a good workstand
Not bikey, but, speedsquare. So speedy and square.
A really high lift jack, for the car- so much nicer to work on.
A really cheap electrical jack, for the car- because it has fine up/down control so is great as a 3rd hand/part lifter.
tall_martin
Full MemberIt is super loud and only gets used on tyres which is a shame as I feel it could be used for loads of stuff.
Get an air duster spray for sure! And put your tools on quick connectors or you'll just never use them
TBH these days I barely use air tools but the air duster gets a lot of use (even just drying stuff). Paraffin gun and air chisel/hammer are situationally very useful, and dirt cheap.
a Ferrari f40
A wife
Apparently they're a lot better than a hot water bottle.
Tefal Toast N Egg. 🙂
An SDS drill.
AA Garage and parts cover or whatever it’s called. Used it for 4th time in 2 years today as water pump on van is leaking. Paid for itself in the first month! (£500 starter motor replacement for £35)
Have we all got that Pace grease gun then?!
Yes because of reading a thread on here a few years ago! Two, one for bearings grease wheels freehubs etc, another for thick "waterproof" grease for headsets bottom brackets etc.
Wish my attitude to bitcoin/blockchain hadn't been its-too-confusing-i-can't-be-bothered for so long.
Those regretting not getting into bitcoin can take some solace they are not one of the late adopters that joined in last year. Mines worth less than half what i put in.
Come on baby, bounce goddamn you!
A digging bar.
A van. Nothing fancy, but a van.
“An SDS drill.”
Yes! Annoying walls are rarely annoying now!
Also, a singlespeed kit. I almost made my Cotic Soul singlespeed when I got my first full-sus but chickened out. Just singlespeeded my new hardtail and I’m liking it so much more than I expected!
A van. Nothing fancy, but a van.
Careful what you wish for! See my earlier post! 😉
Decathlon chain whip has got to be up there
Also Velohinge bike hooks for storing the bikes.
Another one for bitcoin. Years ago the guy that used to cut my hair would bang on about bitcoin (he was getting into mining it at the time) and suggested I buy some. I just used to nod along and pretend I understood what he was talking about. Would have been the perfect time to get in.
He also got into air BnB early on and now has a decent property portfolio, could've heeded that advice as well! 🙄
Caramelized onion houmous.
A paddleboard.
I absolutely love being on the water and the paddleboard is such a simple way of achieving that. I can even go and do it using my motorbike or a bus to get to water.
I'm reminded by another thread - a wide sleeping bag. So much better to sleep in as a 'sturdy' 180cm frame.
Get an air duster spray for sure!
So, my in-laws bought me a pet drier for my birthday, swearing that it was awesome for drying bikes. I was, it goes without saying, quite cynical...
Well, I was quite wrong - It's bloody awesome! I use it for drying bikes after washing them as it's got huge air flow (and is heated too) so is every bit as good as a compressor for blowing water out of the corners of bikes (perhaps even better as it blows warm air). It's also awesome for drying things like chains when they've been washed in the afore-mentioned ultrasonic washer. Mine is now permanently installed on a shelf in the workshop and I wouldn't be without it.
DI Resin water filter for car cleaning in a very hard water area, no need to dry off the car at all and zero water marks, it cuts the time to clean the cars, better finish and no scratching when drying.
When these "best purchases" threads turn up on Reddit, they always have the same top answers..
Electric Toothbrush
"Tea Kettle" - mainly American, so not standard out there
3m phone charger lead
Magic Wand (nsfw if you were unsure)
Rice Cooker
Magic Wand
Instructions unclear. Been using for 3 hours now and still not received my Hogwarts owl...
Can’t think of anything as far as MTB goes as everything is mostly covered by everyone. Maybe an all in one front light unit? I recently bought ravemen PR which has two beams one for MTB one for road there’s a big battery inside and it’s all self-contained and it’s also a USB power bank. I wish they’d been available ages ago!
Oh yes also arm warmers I’ve never actually bought any, I just use Mrs P’s over-knee socks (with the feet cut off) on my arms. Because I run hot in general
I am prefer just wearing a T-shirt I could’ve used these years and years ago I’ve only been using them for a decade. Super useful for my winch and plummet autumn shenanigans.
Cycling in general (for transport, utlity and leisure)
- Rear rack + rack-pack, panniers, drybag etc
I never regret ditching the rucksack. Extra weight on the body is extra weight on the bonch. Weight carried on the bike/off the body is always better.
- Full-length fitted mudguards
Growing up in the 1980s and also getting into mountain bikes sort of fixed in me a certain aesthetic that dictated mudguards to be ‘uncool’. Sent by Artur and the utility by both we fully fitted guards it’s an absolute joy to go cycling in the rain (and they look cool)
- A touring bike
I sort of happened into ATB (which is my favourite type of riding) then MTB, but before that (from 15-23yrs) I used to day-tour on a custom racing bike. Typically half century or century rides. But with the narrow tires and terrible brakes I didn’t have much luck on anything other than tarmac
Citroen Berlingo MPV. Thought about one years ago but didn't buy one till recently. Brilliant car. Extremely comfortable. Bikes in upright. No charge at the local tip since its not a van. Very good economy. Fast enough. Small enough to park (standard length, not the XL)
WAX based chain lube. No more mess. No more decreasing.
WAX based chain lube. No more mess. No more decreasing.
I love my Smoove wax and nothing stays put like wax when riding in the rain. I discovered this when I borrowed someone's eMTB for a jaunt around Dalby, and the ample lube they had applied beforehand was all gone after just an hour in the rain, leaving me with the noisiest bike known to man!
The bit I have a problem with is that while the chain stays cleaner, you end up with wax residue build-up around the sprockets, chainrings and, especially, the jockey wheels. Sometimes almost doubling their width if I've not been diligent about cleaning! Obviously, you don't need to reapply as often as with oil lubes, but I find I do have to do it from time to time without a full degrease, and once this is done, the residue rapidly accumulates. Indeed, the very first photo in this thread is caused by wax residue on a bike used in grim, winter conditions.
So while I love wax and love riding with it, it definitely doesn't remove the need to degrease. At least, not in my own experience.
Argh STW glitched reloaded the page during my edit so pls excuse loads of weird dictated/uncorrected stuff and also half of my post is missing. I give up.
(note to self for the hundredth time - compose in notes and then paste)
cont’d
One-wheeled cargo trailer
TW Bents/EBC (B.O.B Yak copy)
This is the best thing ever. I carried a full-size oldskool upright vacuum cleaner and some groceries back home the other night and didn’t have to take the car. I’ve tried other bike trailers but neither did they track as well/so undetectably, nor did they fold flat and go into their own dry bag. This is just awesome. Now I can leave the car at home even more.
Pogies
Better than gloves in every way if it’s ‘bitter out’. I use ‘Cygloves’ which have a faux-fleece lining. And if I need to reach into a handlebar bag then I just slide my hand out of the pogie, open the bag and now I can still operate my phone without having to get wet gloves on and off.
Handlebar bag
After years of small rucksacks and/or different types of frame bags or wedge packs I now use a click on and click off handlebar-bag for most of the things I would carry on a typical ride. Depending on the ride this could include a selection of the following: Cable lock, puncture kit and levers, peanut butter sandwiches, multitool, rain jacket, baked beans from the local shop, map, phone and keys, some wild mushrooms that I just found et cetera et cetera. In many of those cases it’s great not having to dismount or twist around just in order to retrieve something from the bag.
To top it all - having a click-fix system means I simply use the bag-handle (or optional) strap to carry the bar-bag when away from the bike, which negates a need to decant anything or everything. So when you’re finished at the brewery/pub table and you realise there is half a packet of crisps/scratchings/pretzrls left, you simply stow them in your handlebar-bag and then click it back on the bike 👨🏻🦰👍🏼🥨
a good as opposed to adequate mtb. Don't wait until you're almost too old to enjoy properly, is something I'll bear in mind for next time round. Oh..
I just use Mrs P’s over-knee socks (with the feet cut off) on my arms. Because I run hot in general
I imagine now you've cut her feet off Mrs P doesn't run at all?
You monster.
Ooh I like that pet dryer, like a workshop leafblower almost!
Gold.