[Closed] Humble pie purchases.. Things you thought were awful, but realised were great..

<shyly raises hand>
Hot tub.

Great for post-ride relaxation & ale quaffing. Still has tricky social connotations akin to pampas grass, though.

Suspension on my bicycle

Fat bike.

1 x 11.
I rode my fs with a double this for the first time in ages. Kept forgetting to change the front.

Vauxhall Insignia. Very disappointed when given as my car for next three years, but it's been utterly brilliant.

I realise that they get absolutely no love here, but shows that maybe you're not all right with your car choices? 🙂 Mine has been great - after a couple of years and 70k of mixed driving, it's not missed a beat, delivers astounding MPG for the size of it (47mpg for short journeys and 68 on motorway), has been hunkered down to the axels with rubble and soil on dozens of occasions without complaint, is pretty comfortable, is actually quite well built, and just performs its job flawlessly.

So that. A Vauxhall.

Dishwasher.
I viewed it as a hideous bourgeois decadence, have totally changed my mind now we have two young kids though.

Shimano Deore brakes, didn't want Shimano, didn't want Deore - but I found myself with a dead Formula R1 2 days before I was due to leave for Morzine and that's what they had on the shelf. Worked perfectly for 2 years until I went all flash and bought some XTs thinking they'd be the same, but better, they're not - they've got slightly more power, some more adjustment I don't need, a lot more bling points, but they've never been as reliable or consistent as the Deores.

I've still got them in my desk drawer and threaten to refit them every time the XTs decide to go to the bar first pull for a laugh or the Pistons get sticky.

Crocs

Dishwasher +1

Crocs x2, resisted for years but got a pair very cheap and love them

Lidl...well the stuff in it

Minecraft.
Moaned at the kids for playing it, but it's strangely addictive.
Draw the line at watching Stampylongnose videos.

And (shamefully), Crocs.
They are spot on for camping, beach etc.

hookers

Aldi/Craft cycle tops

Crocs here as well. 😳

Crocs also and hookers

One needs hookers if one wears crocs

Eating Humble pie? I love Spring Watch, but you have to draw the line somewhere...

Smartphone. I put this off for years but when I finally caved and got one I basically fell in love. It's a tricorder ffs!

3 series. Always slagged them off and said I'd rather have a mondeo, but I've just bought one, and it's luvverly.

"ponsy" expensive sports in ear headphones, was worried wouldn't get value from price but lived in them for two years at every opportunity (not riding on road though).

If I may a 2nd, Nespresso machine, I love my proper coffee me, love it a lot but it is so damn fast, convenient, comes in so many types. Shameful confession.

James

Any audiophiles going to admit to loving streaming music?

I long ago jettisoned any doubts about compressed music quality, for the delight of the convenience, and it's great.

Dog

+1 for Crocks. My nephew says the holes in them are to allow "your dignity to seep out." But they are the most comfortable footwear I've owned.

Electric toothbrush. I really notice on the odd occasion I don't use one now.

Chinos

+1 Vauxhall Insignia. Had one for 6 months whilst waiting for a company car and it was great, much better all round than the equivalent Mondeo which I hated. Was surprised on both counts. Got a Zafira tourer company car now with 45k on it and that is surprisingly good too. Was always a Vauxhall hater in the past

Dropper.

Centre lock wheels. Avoided for years they're actually a sensible solution.

Buffalo windshirt. Its 50 quid and purple but so light and compact. I use it all the time.

Track pump, bike stand.

Bike related - dropper post.

Bought one a while ago. Tried it on one ride and thought it made my bike felt unstable and just weird with it down. Didn't add anything to my ride so sent it back.

Few months later realised it felt weird as I was riding incorrectly and using my legs to squeeze the saddle when going down. Bought another dropper, learned how to ride with it and now consider it a great bit of kit.

None bike related - Apple devices.

Used to hate anything Apple sold due to their ridiculous 'events' were they sold people the concept of cut n paste etc as new breakthroughs. Having had a few other devices I am about to go back to Apple as they simply work and do what is needed.

Macbook Pro Retina: OK, I never thought they were crap, but I've always strongly esisted the whole Apple thing. However, when I needed a new laptop, a few years ago, no Windows machine came close and were all flawed in some way, whether it was the screen, processor, hard drive, keyboard etc. Conversely, the Macbook is pretty much flawless and the OS took about 5 minutes to get used to.

Olives.