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no doubt about it, SOME people are skint, and most people like a bargain.
and a bargain that works well is a double winner in my eyes.
so on that note, what have you bought that was a bargain and also worked for you ?
this week, i bought a nice very warm winter coat, but my bargain buy was a pair of these Port West arctic work gloves, but to be used for cycling. i used em earlier today in a 90 minute deluge ride, obviously far too warm for them, but oh so warm and dry, roll on winter. and at £2.50 a pair, a bargain i think.
https://www.portwest.com/products/view/A146/BKR
Port West arctic work gloves, but to be used for cycling
As a wearer of work gloves....
Could you actually operate your controls wearing those things?
Portwest make industrial kit so yeah, up there with Bolle glasses.
For perfectly functional drivetrains Acera is hard to beat in terms of value. I have one I took off my Ramin that was surprisingly good, it'll be going on a commuter bike.
Also looking at Lomo holdalls for muddy bike gear since my work branded one is now lugging PPE like it's supposed to. Their rucksacks look pretty decent as well.
Fleece. Basically a couple of cheap microfleece/lightweight fleece tops at £20 each kick the arse out of many a posh fleece jacket.
I've also discovered that running and some golf kit does not have the premium price that trendy outdoor gear has. I'm currently wearing a pair of Puma golf softshell trousers - easily as good as the Berghaus I usually wear, and £22 at TKMaxx.
Helly Hansen do work wear and / or sold at Golf places - again at a lower price for identical or similar kit.
Is anyone else thinking Viz top tips right now?
Bluetooth earbuds for £10 (or cheaper if you buy 3 things and get a 20% discount)
https://www.7dayshop.com/odec-od-e1-premium-true-wireless-earbuds-headphones-black
I’ve never found wireless earbuds loud enough before, took a punt as I was buying a couple of items from7Ds… and they’re great! for £10!
I used them for a run today and they just work and stay in the logoles. I’m amazed
Also looking at Lomo holdalls for muddy bike gear since my work branded one is now lugging PPE like it’s supposed to.
I have one of their diving holdalls (mesh sides) for my kayaking gear. Has stood up well over several years.
Also looking at Lomo holdalls for muddy bike gear since my work branded one is now lugging PPE like it’s supposed to.
IKEA bag FTW
All my socks, jerseys, long and short sleeve riding tops and stuff is just generic sports stuff from TK Maxx. No big ugly logos or racing stripes and it's a fraction of the price of bike specific stuff.
Bluetooth earbuds for £10 (or cheaper if you buy 3 things and get a 20% discount)
https://www.7dayshop.com/odec-od-e1-premium-true-wireless-earbuds-headphones-black
/blockquote>
ordered some of those so hope they’re good!
Could you actually operate your controls wearing those things?
err yes, hence me saying they were good.
dont know about you but i need my thumb for my gears, and my index finger for my brakes, no others needed for controls.
£10 airbed from GoOutdoors, it kept me lovely and comfortable last week when camping in North Wales. It has a built in pump too!
Save money on expensive binoculars by simply standing closer to the object you wish to view
ordered some of those so hope they’re good!
£10 though innit! 👍
Golf softshell vests are 1/3 price of outdoors versions and do exactly the same job
anderzz
Brands with a Military / bushcraft focus are often better quality, cheaper and longer lasting than bikey brands.
If you are in market for waterproofs, layers or thermals etc there’s loads of cheap stuff about.
Any particular brands to look out for in this vein?
IKEA bag FTW
No, because then you have to go to an IKEA.
Yes I do occasionally line Mine Ashley's pockets. Sod going to IKEA though, that's next level
Golf softshell vests are 1/3 price of outdoors versions and do exactly the same job
any brands in particular? I know nowt about golf. Also seems counterintuitive, I thought like cycling, golf was one of those sports where prices were inflated unnecessarily because of the (general) demographic.
Actually, like MOAB, I've spent many a time getting changed in cold, damp car parks standing in an IKEA bag, but actually a brilliant bargain is the changing mat/bag from Lomo.
You open it out, stand in it, drop all your wet stuff into it, then zip it up and away.
Really good and only £12
Changed my life man, and now I never need visit IKEA
Golf softshell vests are 1/3 price of outdoors versions and do exactly the same job
The trousers are rubbish though. They only just cover your knees.
The trousers are rubbish though. They only just cover your knees.
You don’t like 3/4 baggies?
Should add, this is a great thread. 👍
Not as cheap, but if you're ever changing somewhere that doesn't have a smooth floor, this is way nicer than a normal changing bag
aldi / lidl gardening and workies gloves are great for riding. Padded palms and all
I find that after shelling out 30 to 40 grand for a T6 with a roof tent that when I go to a trail centre I can usually find a layby or patch of gravel nearby to avoid a £6 parking ticket.
No, because then you have to go to an IKEA
Not compulsory, you can buy IKEA bags on Amazon
No, because then you have to go to an IKEA.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/1665856609?iid=285256323220
And a square of workshop tile (about a tenner for 9 at Halfords) under the bag so your feet stay off the nasty pebbles too....and jobs a good'un.
Neoprene gloves in winter are fantastic. They were ~£10 when I last bought some and way warmer than more expensive gloves. Wind proof, warm, holds out the rain well but when they do get wet they still keep you warm.
Glue skirting boards on. The glue is a couple of quid from Screwfix.
Lots of cheap conditioner left in for longer is better than expensive conditioner.
The red wine on offer in Aldi is much better vfm than anything else from any other shop especially if it's from South America.
Tesco own brand “weetabix” called Stockwell, £1 for 24. Nutritionally almost identical and combined with almond milk from Aldi for 99 pence the breakfast of champions. Well, the type of champion I aspire to be!
red wine on offer in Aldi is much better vfm than anything else from any other shop especially if it’s from South America.
Yep,.good friend works for a Chilean wine company so tips me off on deals. Not usually for his wine to be in Aldi and Lidl for under £5 and £9 in Waitrose etc
Any particular brands to look out for in this vein?
I'm a fan of Helikon-tex. I own a few of their things and all of them wash well and stay as good as they were when I bought them. I'm ex military and their stuff is as good, if not better than some of the kit I was issued. (which contrary to what some might think, was nearly all good kit)
Particularly like these anoraks.
https://www.military1st.co.uk/ku-wdn-dc-01-helikon-woodsman-anorak-jacket-black.html
They have a huge range of stuff, some is maybe less suited to biking, but its great outdoor kit non the less.
I find that, after shelling out 30 to 40 grand for a T6 with a roof tent, when I go to a trail centre I can usually find a layby or patch of gravel nearby to avoid a £6 parking ticket.
FTFY
You open it out, stand in it, drop all your wet stuff into it, then zip it up and away.
Now the outside of the bag is all muddy from being on the ground, so put it in an Ikea bag to keep your car clean.
Yep, two ikea bags for the win, along with carpet underlay to stand on. I'd like a fancy bag alternative but this combo works really well.
Cheap decathlon surf poncho so not to expose myself in public after a mucky ride 😀
Decathlon's cheapest riding glasses for me, the ST100s. I like the clear version, there's also a yellow and dark one. They've soared to a dizzying £4.99 recently though. They do scratch a bit easily and they pretty much need a fog proofing coating added (ie visor shield or similar) but they're otherwise great. Used to wear bolle safety glasses but the earpiece bits just work a bit better on these. Oh yeah, Decathlon's own brand chainlinks are KMC, and like half the price of KMC normally.
Slightly less cheap, but still bargainy, OKO Hi Fibre sealant/Halo sealant (exactly the same thing). Better ime than Stans, seals about as well but it's water based so if it starts to dry up you can just add a little water to re-dilute it, or thin it to your preferred consistency if you think it's too thick. And easier to clean up of course. Just bought a 5 litre bottle for £60 from Triton which'll last me forever. Sealant's one of those things that nobody wants to cheap out on and which you never really think about cost til you think how many quart bottles of stans you've gone through in a decade...
Since we had some £200 flat pedals, here's some £20 ones. I've got 2 sets of these, been using one of them for about a year. They're almost the same platform shape as the discontinued Nukeproof Horizon Comp, except they run on 3 bearings, no bushings. I'm not really sure how much use they've had since it just depends what random bike they were on and which bike I was riding, but, they've seen some hard use in all conditions and are still going strong. Just really good, I've never had a flat pedal that I thought was really any better
As a discounty one rather than a permanent bargain, Fox are selling their Hero Dirt long sleeve thermal top off for £20, Winstanleys have it at the same price. Quite skinny fit, it works great as an autumn longsleeve riding top, but also great as a layer when it gets colder as it's thin, and not so hot as to make it unwearable under a waterproof. I have 3 of these now, love 'em.
Builders flexi tub instead of the IKEA bag. Fill it with water when you get home to rinse stuff off. Never actually done this but just remembered I've got one spare so will try it tomorrow.
I don't know if it counts as a "bargain" as such, but I've got 2 x Rassine suction cup bike roof mounts for my car. £155 each. Compare that to the price of a SeaSucker or a TreeFrog (~£350) that does the same thing and I think it's an absolute steal.
RE: my thread on fitting V2 brakes - Was told on here V2 calipers need a V2 rotor, and thats the only thing compatible.
So I asked Hope via email if I can use today's(tech 3(and I suppose Tech 4) V4's with a V2 vented rotor.
They replied
Thank you for your enquiry. I’m not sure where you found the info but you can actually use a V2 rotor in a V4 no problem.
Kind regards
Now given today's T4 V4 vented rotors are £115 each, and V2 vented rotors(203mm- only available in 203)) you can get for £50 each, thats a fair saving.
Does the job+bloody bargain.
A really obvious one I guess; is that range extending 11 speed is still kicking along and a real bargain compared with Shimano and SRAMs 12 speed flagship, and even mid price groupsets.
You can get 11-50T 11 speed cassettes for £45. Derailleur extender mounts for pennies, and a bewildering choice of 11sp mechs and shifters for less than £100 easily. Sure, it's not pound shop prices, but in comparison to 12sp stuff like SLX or GX, You can get an entire groupset for less than the prices of a cassette and still have a massive spread of gears to match.
Sondico Shin Pads in black. For my typical riding (XCMince / Through Country / Local Wood).
I don't need full protection, just knocks on my shins I get fed up with ...so long to heal.
£7 a pair.
Worth it 🙂
Was told on here V2 calipers need a V2 rotor, and thats the only thing compatible.
So I asked Hope via email if I can use today’s(tech 3(and I suppose Tech 4) V4’s with a V2 vented rotor.
Those are 2 different questions, though - both answers may be correct (for all Iknow)
Bluetooth earbuds for £10 (or cheaper if you buy 3 things and get a 20% discount)
https://www.7dayshop.com/odec-od-e1-premium-true-wireless-earbuds-headphones-black
/blockquote>These look promising. One question - can you use either LH or RH bud on it's own or is it only a set side tht pairs and connects first? I like to wear a single bud while walking the dog to listen to a podcast but still be aware of what's around me.
A V2 calliper needs the V2 rotor as it has a deep braking surface. However, as the outside diameter is the same, a V4 caliper will work fine, it just wont use the whole braking surfance. OTOH a V4 rotor with a V2 caliper won't work as it would be too deep for the braking surface of that rotor.
I would imagine that the V2 rotor is far heavier than the V4 variant though
Ikea bags are not waterproof. They're perfect for carrying dinghy sailing kit into the changing rooms, but the bags leak like proverbial sieves when you're carrying all that wet kit back home. I see a lot of people using flexi plastic trugs as mentioned above from DIY shops like this £5.90 one: https://www.wickes.co.uk/Proplas-Extra-Strong-Flexi-Tub---42L/p/190998
Added benefit is you can then use them to rinse out everything to get rid of salt water once you're home; same applies for rinsing out mud for MTB.
Bluetooth earbuds are a bit of a swizz; if you want better performance than bog standard supermarket checkout earbuds but don't want to break the bank and have a phone with a 3.5mm jack, then have a look at In Ear Monitors. About £20 will get you something good.
can you use either LH or RH bud on it’s own
Not sure, will check the instructions later - I did use with just the right and that worked ok.
Cheap dropper remote: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145009945216?var=444216731061&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338723872&toolid=20006&customid=2ZfoTCkaAAAAEhRfBqGZFGmj9t41AAAAAA
Open cover, remove metal leaf spring which and voila dropper post, nice and small so good if you're still running 2x or if you're on an eeb too.
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Talking of Lidl (we weren't? oh) the track pump I got for £9.99 is still my most used pump, just the long barrel make pumping a pumpdream - never used a pump that needs so few erm, pumps to get a tyre from flat to full pressure. And hardly use my Airshot (they are £50 now??!) since I got it.
I think they've gone up to £12.99 when Lidl have them in now.
todays little gem. managed to tubeless a pair of Jumbo Jims for the fatty this morning.
75mm tubeless tape was needed. cheapest i could find was £35 for not very much.
screwfix came up trumps.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/everbuild-dpm-polythene-joint-tape-black-20m-x-75mm/713fr
Anyone know of any rubber matting for a van boot?
I need about 2m strip and 65cm deep
On the trugs bentudder has the right idea. Sailing and biking kit goes in them here too.
These for wet and cold winter riding (and sailing) at £5 or so a pair.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/uci-aquatek-thermo-full-dip-latex-thermal-gloves-orange-large/182gx?ref=SFAppShare
And a wooden spoon to invert them for drying. We use them for dinghy sailing in the winter. At that price the kids have enough pairs for a lunch time swap both days on a training weekend.
Decathlon walking shorts at about £25 a pair make super quick drying MTB outer shorts and have stretch panels across the "rump". On sale currently for about £20 I believe.
I buy rubber flooring offcuts on eBay for this.
Eg
Ribbed is better, have ribs fore aft and the dirt sweeps out
ton
Full Membertodays little gem. managed to tubeless a pair of Jumbo Jims for the fatty this morning.
75mm tubeless tape was needed. cheapest i could find was £35 for not very much.
Similarly I just use PVC tape, it comes in loads of widths and if it's not thick enough, just do 2 wraps. Though for some reason 75mm seems to be mostly marketed as bondage tape...
Though for some reason 75mm seems to be mostly marketed as bondage tape…
How did you find that out?
Hoof pick/brush from Decathlon, for cleaning walking boots and also SPDs/gravel/MTB shoes. Stuff brush for cleaning, big metal pick for cleaning out clear and tread. Two quid fifty from Decathlon, I leave one in the car on walking trips.
These for wet and cold winter riding (and sailing) at £5 or so a pair.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/uci-aquatek-thermo-full-dip-latex-thermal-gloves-orange-large/182gx?ref=SFAppShare
And a wooden spoon to invert them for drying. We use them for dinghy sailing in the winter. At that price the kids have enough pairs for a lunch time swap both days on a training weekend
I bought these last year and whilst they are good for outdoor work hardening etc, I found they bunch up on the palms and therefore weren’t great on the bike. Also not quite warm enough for me albeit I have terrible circulation to toes and hands.
I wear those aquatec gloves for work but I'd never wear them on the bike too baggy. And they're sweaty, then they get cold. I have several pairs in circulation and merino liner gloves which makes them ok for work.
checking, it seems rim tape doesn't cost a whole lot nowadays, but after multiple failure to get a wheel to seal a few years back, I gave up on it, and just use bog standard electrical tape. Even though shops (& the internet) tell me it doesn't work (it does) it doesn't last (it does), 99p for 33meters.. No it's not quite a durable if you have to take a tyre off, but you just replace it with fresh stuff.
checking, it seems rim tape doesn’t cost a whole lot nowadays, but after multiple failure to get a wheel to seal a few years back, I gave up on it, and just use bog standard electrical tape. Even though shops (& the internet) tell me it doesn’t work (it does) it doesn’t last (it does), 99p for 33meters.. No it’s not quite a durable if you have to take a tyre off, but you just replace it with fresh stuff.
3m Scotch tape is THE best insulation tape you can buy - thank me later. As an electrician, working in cold conditions, it's the only one that works. Pay anything from £5-6 upwards a roll, but it's worth it for many applications