Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Just before I set out for my ride today, I realised what was the best cycling thing I ever bought. Well, to be exact, I should say the best cost-effective thing I ever bought - a TRACK PUMP.
Going back to the good old days (??) of the 60's, when I was 12+, you pumped up your tyres with a standard hand pump with a flexible connector to either presta or woods valves. The technique my Dad showed me was to clamp the bottom(ish) of the barrel to the top of my left knee with my left hand and pump away with my right arm until either the tyre got to the desired pressure (gauged by squeezing between curled knuckles and thumb), or the barrel/connector became too hot, or I got knackered.
I did other things from 1973 to 1983, and came back to discover that shraeder valves were being used on bikes, and that I could avoid all the effort by using my motorcycle foot pump. That lead me to invest in a track pump, with a pressure gauge, flexible hose and foot stirrups. What an eye opener!! How easy, from then on, to check and pump every week.
There have been more expensive things that give (have given) me great pleasure.......but pound for pound this is my best.
It's highly subjective, of course, but anybody got their own winner?
Going back to the good old days (??) of the 60's, when I was 12+, you pumped up your tyres with a standard hand pump with a flexible connector to either presta or woods valves. The technique my Dad showed me was to clamp the bottom(ish) of the barrel to the top of my left knee with my left hand and pump away with my right arm until either the tyre got to the desired pressure (gauged by squeezing between curled knuckles and thumb), or the barrel/connector became too hot, or I got knackered.
I did other things from 1973 to 1983, and came back to discover that shraeder valves were being used on bikes, and that I could avoid all the effort by using my motorcycle foot pump. That lead me to invest in a track pump, with a pressure gauge, flexible hose and foot stirrups. What an eye opener!! How easy, from then on, to check and pump every week.
There have been more expensive things that give (have given) me great pleasure.......but pound for pound this is my best.
It's highly subjective, of course, but anybody got their own winner?
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Richard's Bicycle Book. I might not ever have gone touring without the enthusiasm passed on by Richard Ballantine.
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
My first bike.
Not being a clever clogs! I say this because of the impact it had on my personal world. Previously my knowledge of the town I grew up in was based on bus routes. The bike was old, pretty knackered and a bit on the small size but I rode it industriously for a couple of years and ended up joining up the ends of the (mainly radial) routes, and afterwards the town was a different place. Auntie did live close to Granny after all!
I cant think of any purchase cycling or not that's had such a profound impact. Mind you - still paying for the wedding ring...
Not being a clever clogs! I say this because of the impact it had on my personal world. Previously my knowledge of the town I grew up in was based on bus routes. The bike was old, pretty knackered and a bit on the small size but I rode it industriously for a couple of years and ended up joining up the ends of the (mainly radial) routes, and afterwards the town was a different place. Auntie did live close to Granny after all!
I cant think of any purchase cycling or not that's had such a profound impact. Mind you - still paying for the wedding ring...
Trying to retain enough fitness to grow old disgracefully... That hasn't changed!
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Rohloff hub
I hate derailleur gears with a passion, and really thought about getting rid of my bikes, but the Rohloff has really been my salvation. At my age, mid 50s, with a weight problem, I need all the exercise I can get, and the Rohloff has made cycling a pleasure once again. The wide range of gears, almost instantly selectable, means that you can progress along without having to do the maths about which chainring and rear cog I should be going to next with the onset of the hill in front of me.
I hate derailleur gears with a passion, and really thought about getting rid of my bikes, but the Rohloff has really been my salvation. At my age, mid 50s, with a weight problem, I need all the exercise I can get, and the Rohloff has made cycling a pleasure once again. The wide range of gears, almost instantly selectable, means that you can progress along without having to do the maths about which chainring and rear cog I should be going to next with the onset of the hill in front of me.
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Not a very original idea, but I suppose the rack and panniers comes high on the list. Even though we only use ours for shopping now, the number of £££££££s we've saved (not to mention extending our lives) by virtue of not driving to the supermarket.....
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Cycle Club membership, Falmouth Wheelers. Due to spinal problems and spinal surgery, I've not ridden for two years but I am slowly getting back. I've made some good friends and had some great rides with our club
'Kernow bys Vyken'
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
A tandem,which enabled Mrs R2 and myself to enjoy many,many miles of touring together without one needing to wait for the other,best cycling ever
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
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Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
puncture repair kit...never needed it yet...but im sure i will...
- Jeckyll_n_Snyde
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Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
I'm with Rehon2 on this one i.e. a Tandem ...not only does it bring pleasure to us it also makes others smile and wave and say hello (plus the odd joke/quip now and again) etc. ....the fact that it makes others smile is worth it's weight in gold; i love it
‘MALE by the evolutionary process of natural selection
Heterosexual by choice
Atheist by the grace of G**
Heterosexual by choice
Atheist by the grace of G**
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
+1 for club membership
Gets me out in the winter, keeps me motivated, made me a better cyclist, made friends, learnt new routes...too many benefits to mention
Best £12 I ever spent
Gets me out in the winter, keeps me motivated, made me a better cyclist, made friends, learnt new routes...too many benefits to mention
Best £12 I ever spent
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Best thing has to be my first pair of Assos shorts, bought just before UAF PBP 2006. Up until then every ride over 200k had ripped up my backside. One memorable pair of Campag shorts left red railway-tracks where the stitching rubbed. The 400k qualifier in 2006 made driving home utter hell. The afternoon before the start of PBP I put on the Assos cream and shorts for the first time - very strange feeling with the menthol doing its bit. I alternated two pairs and used most of a jar over the 1200k and felt great afterwards. My bum has never looked back.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Tandem .
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
- Heltor Chasca
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Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
Tricky one. I wax and wane. Dynamo hub? Surly racks & Ortliebs? B&m lights? Schwalbe tyres & inner tubes? Garmin Edge Tourer? Abus Bike lock? My hammock? Trangia? A little balsa wood tea bag box? My Surly DT?
I give up...hc
I give up...hc
Re: Best (cycling) thing you ever bought?
I had to think a bit about this one. There have been several bikes that have had a significant influence on my cycling &/or means of transport. But I think the best cycling thing I ever bought was a child back tandem. It's also one of the best purchases I ever made of any sort.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom