Best Cycling purchases of 2009

[j_young_80]

OK i've done some consolidation here and will change the thread slightly. List your best product in each category (or add a new one here) if you agree with another item, add it anyway and i'll pop a count against each item. This should be the best item in the category taking into account durability, local conditions, euro cool, value, quality etc.

I'll leave the list up so people can use it as a guide next time they're in the market. I've left people's forum names next to suggestions for further info. (I don't want to spruke LBS's - except TLC...they rock.)

Paste the below text into a reply, and add your favourites or just throw in the ones you feel strongly on. I'll also update this list - i've only taken the suggestions listed so far so there's plenty missing.

Best Lighting System
Best Sunglasses
Best Cycle Computer
Best Chamois Cream
Best Shoe Covers
Best Frame Pump
Best Chain Lube
Best Frame
Best Wheelset
Best Coaching Product
Best Training Product
Best Bidon
Best Workstand
Best Knicks
Best Bike Cleaner
Best Tyre levers
Best Tubes
Best Cycle Lock
Best Casual Footwear
Best Groupset
Best Tyres

[j_young_80]

Best Lighting System

Ayup (everyone except Sparky and SSSimon)
(www.ayup.com.au)
HID Tech lights (SSSimon)
(http://www.hidtechnologies.com.au/Lumen8rPygmy.php)
Lumen LED Bike lights (Driver)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149

Best Sunglasses

BBB light sensitive sunnies (LynV)
Rudy Project Rydon II with the photo lenses (Chris + lovetoride)
Uvex Predator $19.99 (Steven)

Best Cycle Computer

Garmin 705 (SueP)
Suunto T3 (Steven)

Best Chamois Cream

Aussie Butt Cream (j_young_80)
BodyGlide (MikeyC)
Assos Chamios Cream

Best Shoe Covers

Route 7 shoes covers (Bean)
http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/R7WASW8S3/title/ROUTE-7-Shoe-Covers

Lois Garneau neoprene winter booties (Ross)

Best Frame Pump

Topeak Road Morph frame pump (Ross)
Lezyne Pressure Drive Mini (Steven)

Best Chain Lube

ProLink (j_young_80)
Torpedo7 chain lube (SSSimon)
http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/T7LUCNNCL/title/TORPEDO7-Chain-Lube---120ml
Rock'n'Roll Gold (Steven)

Best Frame

Pinarello X-Track (SSSimon)
http://www.pinarello.com/eng/xtrack_451.php
CRC/Brand-X 3K Carbon Road (Steven)

Best Wheelset

2009 Zipps 404 (startrek)
Campagnolo Khamsin (Steven)

Best Groupset

Campagnolo Chorus (Steven)

Best Coaching Product

Vikings Novice Program (SimonD + 1)
The memory of JA shouting at me (Steven)

Best Training Product

SuperCrits (idol)
The anticipation of post-ride beer (Steven)

Best Waterbottle

Lifeline Basic bottle cages ($6 from the internets) (Steven)
DBR Waterbottle (Free!)

Best Workstand

Park Tool PRS20 Workstand (j_young_80)
PBK Workstand (Hoops)
http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=NP04150
T7 Workstand (Steven)

Best Knicks

Wiggle Knicks (Driver)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/dhb_Merston_Unpadded_Bib_Tights_2010/5360045076/
Nalini bib knicks from Probikekit (TonyO)

Best Bike Cleaner

Simple Green (Bunnings or hardware) Cirtus based and won't kill the lawn $9 (j_young_80)
Earth dishwashing liquid (Steven)

Best Bike Levers

Michelin by far - indestructible and don't bend or snap (j_young_80)
Cellbikes $8 steel-core levers. Also indestructible. (RobF)
Continental Tyre Levers (Bean)
http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A0037

Best Cycle Tube

Michelin Race Light's or Michelin Latex - smooth valves that don't eat your pump and very durable (j_young_80)
Michelin Latex seconded by Steven
Innova Tubes (Driver)
http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/INTUBNN60/title/INNOVA-Road-Tube----60mm-(10-Pack

Best Tyres

Vittoria Open Pavé EVO CG (Steven)

Best Cycle lock

Union Chain Lock $29.99 (Steven)
http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/...-8-x-8-x-900mm

Best casual footwear

http://www.lakecycling.com/io-sdl-p-117.html
Lake Cycling Sandals (Steven)

[Bean]

Best Bike Levers

Cellbikes $8 steel-core levers. Also indestructible.

I throw down the challenge:
http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A0037

Light weight and indestructable. Never failed me in 3 years.

[j_young_80]

I was thinking about getting one of these from Chain Reaction at about $719.
Looks pretty awesome- is it too good to be true?

Does it say best "possible" or "potential" purchases of 2009 James? I think not.

Rob Fisher: "Staying on topic longer than James since birth"

[Steven]

I was thinking about getting one of these from Chain Reaction at about $719.
Looks pretty awesome- is it too good to be true?

Nope. Clocked a couple of thousand since buying mine (in 2009!) and it's freakin awesome.

[j_young_80]

I throw down the challenge:
http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A0037

Light weight and indestructable. Never failed me in 3 years.

Just checked this link here Ben - FAIL. I've had these ones snap on me. Try putting a new set of Gatorskins on with these. Once they snap into a million peices you can buy replacements of either mine or RobF's recommended brand. In the interests of fairness I will put it up there though.

[Bean]

Just checked this link here Ben - FAIL. I've had these ones snap on me. Try putting a new set of Gatorskins on with these. Once they snap into a million peices you can buy replacements of either mine or RobF's recommended brand. In the interests of fairness I will put it up there though.

I just checked on your tyre fitting skills Jamie - FAIL. I have gatorskins on my deep rim AC's right now and fitted them new. Easy peasy. No snappage if you got the skill. In the interest of fairness I will not publicise your inability to use tyre levers. Oops FAIL!

[j_young_80]

I throw down the challenge:
Light weight and indestructable. Never failed me in 3 years.

I'm no scientist, but i'm pretty sure if I came up with a product and said "It's indestructible!" and someone destructed it - then that'd be a FAIL.

[j_young_80]

This thread is the most poorly attended article since Kano tried to start a SS ride....

[James]

This thread is the most poorly attended article since Kano tried to start a SS ride....

Maybe you should have let me go off topic.

HAHAHAHAHA!
Hoist on your own petard, j_young_80! Pppht... more like j_young_LAME.

[dadcram]

best chain lube: squirt http://www.otesports.com.au/squirt.htm
best bike purchase: Giant Kronos $50 for the frame from BC. CrMo frame and fork circa late 1990's.

[Chris]

By coincidence I found this very long thread (http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=232163) about the Deal Extreme light. Reading the thread I suspect you would be better off sticking with Ay-ups.

[Driver]

That's an interesting read.

For what it's worth I've had mine now since about April (Kingy has one too). Never pulled it apart, have used it on every morning road ride and also every commute to and from work in the dark on the MTB over Mt Ainslie. Have used in in solid rain, freezing and hot temps (as hot as it gets at night), dust etc.

Not one single issue, and Kingy has had no probs with his either.

[Steven]

Latest Torpedo7 bulletin has the workstand on special for $69.

Get yourselves an early Xmas present! :)

[j_young_80]

Hoops - do yourself a favour and move into the world of bibs ;

http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/R7B3SN9SB/title/ROUTE-7-Sport-Bib-Shorts

You can probably replace the old "SpinDoctor" workstand while you're there. That thing got more of a pizzling than Tiger Woods.

[Hoops]

I may have no choice if I can't find my other pair. The same pair of knicks day-in, day-out isn't working out as planned - for everyone involved.

A pizzling wasn't the only thing the SpinDoctor and Tiger have in common....everyone was having a turn.

[Steven]

Hoops - do yourself a favour and move into the world of bibs ;

http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/R7B3SN9SB/title/ROUTE-7-Sport-Bib-Shorts

I have a pair of those - they're not bad, certainly awesome value at $25.

[j_young_80]

I've loaded up on a couple for $25 - they have to be pretty bad to not be value for money. As long as they don't have the same chamois material as Giramondo knicks use aka sandpaper I think i'll be fine.

At least Tiger is exceptionally good at his job, the SpinDoctor can't claim that right.

[Avi]

Im jumping on that bandwagon, seeing as i now have holes in my only vikings knicks, thats about 2 months, awesome quality and value for money!

[Niggle]

check out the classified section - DBR Australia cycling kit at cost price!!

[dadcram]

http://www.bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/mens-journal-bicycle-guide-dec2009.jpg

[Steven]

I also nominate Sue's new Shimano Di2 groupset :drool:

[Hoops]

Put this to a vote already Young. You're making a mockery of this competition. Hand the trophy over to the SpinDoctor and be done with it.

[j_young_80]

Sos did any of the 5 million people that were buying workstands on here actually get one and can they add it to this list - hence pushing Spindoctor further into the abyss of shite workstands?

[Driver]

I bought two Park stands, it was better value to buy two for shipping etc

one is on ebay if anyone is interested;
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330401297848&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

I also have a spin doctor folding stand, and although it has served me well it is POO compared to the Park. But I've seen way worse. On a scale of 1 to 10 the Spin is a 5 the Park is a 9.5

[Steven]

I'm going with Park all the way.

The T7 stand still has its uses as a cheap portable for 24hr events etc; you can count on it but wouldn't lose any sleep if it was nicked.

Withdrawing my support for the Lifeline bottle racks - they are brittle and crack at the base within a few weeks of use. Already fired off an email to Lifeline about their choice of plastics.

[j_young_80]

Taylor - can you hear the nails going into the Spindoctors coffin?

How does the wall mount one work Sparky? i.e. where is it clamping the bike - top tube?

[Driver]

you use either dynabolts to a brick/concrete wall or simply bolt it to a metal post or sturdy wooden beam. It is SOLID.
I'll take a pic.

The clamp has a 360 deg rotation with cleverly designed hardy rubber boots to clamp most shapes of tube with wide range of clamp opening. Is top notch.

[Driver]

here it is.

you can see the v-m crew post-shambles in the background pic (left)

442
443

[j_young_80]

Ahh - now it makes sense - noice!

[j_young_80]

This threads about to disappear from the top of the pile - anyone keen on purchasing the gems within should act quickly.

[Driver]

Best Lighting System

Lumen LED Bike lights (Driver)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149


Long term update;

After nearly two years use I've retired these lights.

I'd estimate close to 500 cycles and in all weather conditions and nothing has actually broken, but the battery life has suddenly dropped to around 1 hr 20. I suspect one of the cells has cr*pped itself and an hour twenty is just not going to cut it.

I've still been happy overall enough to get another set at the current rate of $77 delivered. @ .15 c per use, bargain.

[Sluggo]

I have the same lights, they are awesome, best lights ever used!!!

[Steven]

Amazing how little has changed.

Khamsins are still a good bottom-of-range training wheelset if you're talking about a secondhand/sub-$1,000 bike, they're tough and despite the noisy hub they roll well, but they're neither lightweight nor especially aero.

I'm finding the Suunto T3 to be a poor choice of computer in the long term - the sensors and wristwatch don't pair reliably, even with fresh batteries. And GPS systems like the Garmin have left it behind in terms of functionality.