[Closed] Kit that just wont die

Ditto. Still usable, but wearing thin in places. Replaced with the current ones.
Elder son will probably pinch the old ones as winter cross / gravel boots.

Both running on Time ATACs. We still have some of the original grey plastic ones that are still going strong. Indestructible.

Endura Humvee shorts from god knows when.

Still going after what now be 15 plus years of weekly abuse.

The liner is long gone though.

Sombrio softshell jacket

I reckon it's about 12-13 years old. I wear it on and off the bike, get it absolutely coated in crap, shove it in the wash and it comes out as good as new. I've launched myself off the bike countless times and its never ripped. Still going strong.

Absolutely bombproof! I reckon it'll outlast me

Lake MXZ301's (10yo I think) also running on some Time ATAC Z Freerides (12yo at least) that are still in regular use on my fat bike. Maybe next year they'll give up...

running on Time ATACs. We still have some of the original grey plastic ones that are still going strong. Indestructible

This. I think my oldest are about 20 years old...

Time ATACs

Yep. Got a pair on my bike that are, well, I dunno how old, cos I bought them second on here yeeeeeeeaaaars ago. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them.

And some Polaris bibtights that I bought at one of those 'cycling sales' in a local leisure centre. You know, the ones that used to get advertised in MBUK. They've got to be 20 years old, still going strong.

Still have some 2004 Hope Mini Monos on my Indy Fab

A North Cape Polartec 100 fleece.

Bought it 29 years ago. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. All stitching and the zip absolutely fine.

I wonder what happened to that brand?

Any Shimano SPD pedals

Has anyone actually managed to kill a pair?

Even the very cheapest, bottom of the range ones seem impossible to destroy

Same with the Hope Mono Minis.. now doing service on my OnOne Big Dog

Endura Humvee shorts from god knows when.

I had an old pair of Endura baggy shorts from the early 2000's that took dogs abuse and lasted forever.  Way beyond what I'd expect from kit these days.  They eventually expired when I crashed and literally tore the arse out of them.

Has anyone actually managed to kill a pair?

Nope, I reckon my oldest pair of 520s are easily as old if not older than the aforementioned Northwaves

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I've got a set of 2005 hayes brakes on my ss (they weight a ton but the single finger braking on 140mm discs is nice), never been bled still on the original pads, which gets ridden 3/4 times a week for about 11 of those years. 🙂

Northwave Celsius GTX winter Boots vintage 2005.

the sole detached from mine after about 2yrs.... they kept going with a yearly liberal application of shoe goo replaced them this year with some shimanos (though I'm not convinced a boa is a suitable system for off road winter boots)

Ron Hill tracksters

More shoes - 1st gen Specialized 2FO SPD shoes. There's no way I'll ever need to replace them.

Any Shimano SPD pedals

Has anyone actually managed to kill a pair?

Cosmetically - ***ed years ago
Functionally - no, still work fine despite being mostly rust brown all over

Shimano W-100 boots (variant of the D100s I think). Bought for commuting so around 2002/3.
Hope mini front brake - upgrade for my M2, bought c .2001, still going strong on Kilauea (as well as original rotor, cough).
Shimano M-959 SPDs, also upgrade for M2, c. 2000 ? now on the Pegasus. bombproof.

I'm sure there are others lurking in the shed!

I've got a single seized 520 pedal (when it seized it stripped the retaining collar thread and span on that but meant it couldn't be fixed).

I have a Palm short sleeve cag in my kayaking kit, I can't say exactly when I got it, but I know I had it when I did (most of) the Devizes to Westminster at Easter... 1991....

I’ve a pair of 520s that are at least 15 years old and refuse to die.

Time ATAC pedals here too, the XS Carbon flavour, bought in 2006 and still going strong these days on the commuter... They really don't make them like they used to!

The Shimano SHM121G shoes bought at the same time with the original Time ATAC (brass?) cleats are just about still alive, but may get condemned this year.

gobuchul
Free Member

A North Cape Polartec 100 fleece

I have a similar age Karrimor fleece jumper that still looks great

Ron Hill tracksters as well that could easily be older

got some 2005 ish Spesh "hybrid" lace up spd shoes that I use on the road bike must have done at least 40,000+ miles bit tatty inside the heel but otherwise fine.

My Endura Singletrack shorts lasted forever before they wore through, they don't make them like they used to though so not expecting such heroics from their replacements.

Echo the Shimano SPD comments too, those things take all manner of abuse but they're still working just fine.

From a tech point of view my Garmin 810's still going strong, admittedly it's been relegated to road bike duties nowadays but it's outlasted many other tech items that's for sure.

Sombrio softshell jacket

b'stard - that'll be the oroginal stuff before they tried to release in the Uk agian a few years back. their kit was lovely, shame they are no more...

im going to add, my buffalo cycling shirt (active i think) - old dark blue one, appreciate it onyl gets worn during the winter, but it's been constant for the last 15 years..

I have a similar age Karrimor fleece jumper that still looks great

Is it the original "Polartec" branded fabric?

I also have a Berghaus Polartec 300 fleece which is only a couple of years younger.

Much better quality than the fleece materials you get now.

Thompson seat post.

Berghaus socks.

Parrot showerproof pull-on, always in my pack and used regularly. I must have bought it close on 25 years ago.

I actually have 2, but the more 'modern' one is purple ( as was the favoured colour at the time ), that one never really makes it back out of the drawer due to the colour !

Parrot did get taken over by Daleswear in Ingleton but I believe they have closed a while ago as well.

I have some original Hope Mini's, not the mono ones, still on my main mtb which is a Rock Lobster 853 bought in about 2001 I think. The hope xc hubs had their first bearing change about 2 years ago, although the rear axle did snap quite early on in life, it was replaced foc.
I have a mar whisper light Stove too that will still be working long after I'm dead too.

Magura Marta brakes from 2006/7 never needed bleeding in all this time and have been used regularly each week.

Hope bottom bracket 14 years of spinning - still going strong!

2015 Thomson Elite dropper, lives behind a dirt flap, new cables and that’s it.

2011? MW80 winter boots. No issues.

M647 pedals abused and unmaintained.

2010 Endura Stealth soft shell, well looked after but of the dependable Endura vintage.

I've killed a couple of pairs of M520 pedals - they only lasted about 2 years. The plastic body around the axle wears out, leading to loads of play.

Moved to M540's and they are much better.

Finally retired and sent on a burning boat to Valhalla

that was what I saw floating down the river earlier.

Any Shimano SPD pedals

Has anyone actually managed to kill a pair?

I have a Deore DX set from about 1993. I thought I'd killed one when I smacked it hard into a rock, bending the cage. I bent it back with a screwdriver, seems to be fine.

gobuchul
Free Member

I have a similar age Karrimor fleece jumper that still looks great

Is it the original “Polartec” branded fabric?

Just got it out to look at the labels.
Made in UK
08/12/1992
Original Polartec series 100, amazing quality. Clearly a million miles away from any post Sports Direct Karrimor.

Yeah Shimano SPDs for sure. Bought a set of 959s in 2004, they were the first really nice component I had. Still use them on my trainer bike. I think I cleaned the spindle and wiped a bit of grease across them in about 2008!

My 2010 spec Turner 5 spot. Still a great bike despite being so outdated in terms of geometry, wheel size Marzochi Bomber fork etc. Minimal servicing done. I can't buy a modern bike until it breaks.

Same with the Hope Mono Minis.. now doing service on my OnOne Big Dog

Mine still work as well as the day I got them. They were crap in 2003 and they are still crap now.

I have four Paramo mountain shirts which are over 20 years old. I wear them to work, I wear them on mountains, I wear them on the bike. They've been covered with mud, sal****er, manure and after washing still look like brand new ones. Utterly brilliant and unkillable.

520s circa 2005 ish, now on the commuter, veterans of at least one Alps trip and adorned just about every bike I've owned since I've had them

Deore LX and XT from the early 90's STI, mechs and canti's - still going strong on my old MTB I use for commutes. Dura Ace 7400 on my best bike, 30 years old, same on my other vintage road bike, but Shimano 600 tricolour from late 80's early 90's

Endura shorts from 2008 (Think they are the Humvees), and a pair of Crank Brothers 50/50 pedals that have lasted since 2012 (which probably belong in some sort of museum considering how long CB stuff used to last)

I've an old Blackburn pump which must be 20 years old now. Light use, but it has had 5 years of MTB coaching in the middle so more heavily used then.

Old Lowe Alpine and Vaude rucksacks here - both were 25+ years old when binned, the 'replacement' Lowe Alpine is now 15 years old.

Shimano shoes take a battering, and I find only when the sole has worn right out do I start feeling the need to replace.

Any Shimano SPD pedals

Has anyone actually managed to kill a pair?

Even the very cheapest, bottom of the range ones seem impossible to destroy

I killed one single pedal of the 4 pairs that I own. After 8000 muddy offroad miles. I'd expect more for £25. 🙂

Howies bib tights - not as old as most of the kit on here but for something that had dealt with my arsehole and balls they have done fantastically well for many years. A perfect spring/summer leg coverer and although crap alone in wet / proper winter they go well under trousers if it's bloody cold.

I ripped a pedal out of the crank ridding in Sligachan in 1998. Pedal was ok but the left crank arm was ruined. On the trudge back to the campsite through streams that were now in spate... I also lost the pedal.

I managed to buy a crank arm and some cheap unbranded bear-trap pedals in the bike shop in Portree. Still using the pedals. Never been serviced... not even a drop of oil.

Sombrio softshell jacket

b’stard – that’ll be the oroginal stuff before they tried to release in the Uk agian a few years back. their kit was lovely, shame they are no more…

I have to say I had nothing but bad luck with 'original' Sombrio stuff - I had one really good 4-way stretch DWR jacket - but everything else I had from them would have been great, functionally,  if the stitching wasn't constantly unravelling.

Shimano spd pedals at least 20 years old, hope brakes at least 20 years old

Sturmey archer gear hub that is 50 years old with a trigger thats 80+ years old on a 60 yr old frame

I've a pair of red Wellgo SPD pedals that I reckon I bought in 1999 and are still going strong.

Despite a reputation for being short lived, I've a set of Ti eggbeaters from the mid 00's which work perfectly.

Sidi Diablo GTX boots from around 07 currently in use.

Some Assos clothing which must be nearly 30 years old.

1999 Hope sport front hub. Not been used for 2 years but still on original bearings.

Mavic Open Pro rims on Shimano 105 hubs from about 1998 ish. Still used most weeks.

Specialized SPD shoes from 2014 shill doing well.

The good old favourite; Shimano SPD pedals. 540's and 520's just don't die. They will still be spinning long after the apocalypse and cats with thumbs have taken over.

None of my rear wheels ever.

Some Ground Effect ¾ tights and a Sub Merino jersey. The jersey has got a few holes in it now thanks to crashes and brambles but it's been my most worn bit of kit and must be about 15 years old. I bought it to replace some Howies Merino tops that arrived with holes in them. I have an XT rear shifter on an old bike that must be about 20 years old and still gets used occasionally, actually the Ti456 it's on might be a similar age. I'm still using an Ay-Up helmet light, I think it's 14 years old, originally had three batteries but I'm down to the last one.

I've a fair bit of elderly kit, along with newer stuff, but the 2 standout bits are a lowe alpine fjell runner bumbag, I think it's from 1993. Purple & green, used to use it for biking now mostly for running. Going strong, a bit faded but no damage.
And a leading edge buffalo style jacket. They were a shop in Hayfield who made these to measure. Got it for Christmas in 1994 and it still works (& fits!) now. Back pockets are shredded as I left some food in their which my old dog found and ate through the pertex, but still in regular winter use.

Some Crank Bros Eggbeaters from about 10 years ago.
To be fair they are still in the box & I’ve never actually used them.

Fox enduro kneepads! Believe it or not, my lass has the same and hers have ripped and been replaced for G-forms. In the time I’ve gone through a pair of 5-10’s too. I don’t have skinny calves, they do get plenty of use and they just work,
I do look after my kit though to be fair!

The new ones my friend has, their build quality looks crap so I’m happy these keep living!

Polaris Shorts... about 25yrs old.

Was wearing them when I bust my hip. I wouldn't let them cut them off......

Endura shorts, got to be over twenty years old now. Bought from Leuchars Cycles when they'd just moved from their ISO container.
Two sets of Deore M525 brakes bought at roughly the same time still going strong, which made the failure of my recent Deore caliper pretty hard to take.
I've found XT stuff lasts forever as well.

I have a Buffalo Special 6 shirt which has been used and abused every winter for 27 years.
I've got a pair of SPD's of similar vintage on which are currently on a commuter
My Shimano SPD shoes are at least 12 years old.

I’ve got an original Flite Ti saddle and that I’ve just removed from my gravel bike with a date stamp of some time late 90s.  Back in the bits box until it’s needed again.  Leather is a bit scuffed now but still going strong.