Well, dragged my Spesh Defrosters out of the cupboard last night for this mornings commute and Boy I'm glad I did. They really are toastie, and no need for extra socks or overshoes. Marvellous. Essential kit imvho.
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Well, dragged my Spesh Defrosters out of the cupboard last night for this mornings commute and Boy I'm glad I did. They really are toastie, and no need for extra socks or overshoes. Marvellous. Essential kit imvho.
Justinitus
Warning: May Contain Pie
- Location
- Wiltshire
A pair of 29”x2.1” Schwalbe Thunder Burt Snakeskin Evo tyres for £12 each was my biggest bargain in terms of discount.
My best bargain was my Giant Toughroad SLR-0. Not much discount when bought (18%), but with my chronic back and hip problems I find it so comfortable, it’s enabled me to ride much further and more often than I could ever have done on my old bike. I’ve lost weight, got exercise and brought my depression under control due to this bike - so definitely my “best” bargain
My best bargain was my Giant Toughroad SLR-0. Not much discount when bought (18%), but with my chronic back and hip problems I find it so comfortable, it’s enabled me to ride much further and more often than I could ever have done on my old bike. I’ve lost weight, got exercise and brought my depression under control due to this bike - so definitely my “best” bargain
Best bargain yet @Justinitus ! 
Thorn Sherpa
Über Member
- Location
- Doncaster
Bargain for this year was my Thorn Sherpa bought off ebay for £500, bar the pedals it was like new. The guy i purchased it from bought it for his wife and she barely used it so lucky me ended up with it! Fitted my lights from the other bike, bought some panniers and found some wellgo cage pedals in the shed to put me on. Its made the commute to work a lot easier and makes covering mileage a lot more comfortable
This is probably going to sound a bit silly, but my best cycling bargain this year might actually be a pair of Cinelli spinaci bar extensions for my touring bike.
When I ride any reasonable distance, I tend to get aching in my hands - it's not pressure (so comfy bar tape doesn't really help), it's more a kind of stiffness in my old bones, and I benefit from having multiple hand positions. To that end I've tried butterfly bars, and while they came close, they really weren't for me - I do actually use the drops of my randonneur bars a fair bit and I can't lose those.
So I tried the spinacis, and they seemed lethal! In the forward aero position it felt like I had almost no control over the direction of the bike (with my weight and relatively low speed). But the rear half of them gave me useful and comfortable new hand positions. So I thought I'd try cutting off the front half and leaving them looking a bit like MTB bar extensions, except in the middle rather than at the ends of the bars.
And they've been a big success like that. What they allow me to do is stretch my hands to cover the main bars and the spinacis, in two different positions (at the tops and at the hoods), and that has made a big difference - and I've since done up to 100 miles in a day with very little hand discomfort.
The cost of my sawn-off spinacis? Just £2, added to an order at Planet X I was already making, so not even anything for postage.
PS: Bought slightly too early to make the cut, my best bargain of 2016 was undoubtedly my GT Avalanche 1.0 (2006 model) MTB, which I got for £110 in excellent condition (and even with new brake pads).
When I ride any reasonable distance, I tend to get aching in my hands - it's not pressure (so comfy bar tape doesn't really help), it's more a kind of stiffness in my old bones, and I benefit from having multiple hand positions. To that end I've tried butterfly bars, and while they came close, they really weren't for me - I do actually use the drops of my randonneur bars a fair bit and I can't lose those.
So I tried the spinacis, and they seemed lethal! In the forward aero position it felt like I had almost no control over the direction of the bike (with my weight and relatively low speed). But the rear half of them gave me useful and comfortable new hand positions. So I thought I'd try cutting off the front half and leaving them looking a bit like MTB bar extensions, except in the middle rather than at the ends of the bars.
And they've been a big success like that. What they allow me to do is stretch my hands to cover the main bars and the spinacis, in two different positions (at the tops and at the hoods), and that has made a big difference - and I've since done up to 100 miles in a day with very little hand discomfort.
The cost of my sawn-off spinacis? Just £2, added to an order at Planet X I was already making, so not even anything for postage.
PS: Bought slightly too early to make the cut, my best bargain of 2016 was undoubtedly my GT Avalanche 1.0 (2006 model) MTB, which I got for £110 in excellent condition (and even with new brake pads).
My best bargain was probably only last week. My See Sense rear light had developed a fault. I contacted their HQ and explained the issue and found out I'd bought the lights 18 months ago. They replied quickly and said that it was out of warranty but they'd do a cut price full service on the light for £15. I sent it away and a few days later they sent me out a completely new light!
Here are some photos, showing a couple of my new favourite hand positions...
You can see that my hands are quite small, so I can still comfortably get all the traditional positions on the bars too.
Last edited:
Same to you Colin - it's a fairly cheap thing to try, so little lost if it doesn't work for you.
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
This:
£75, and a lovely thing to ride. Roughly the cost of two decent bike tyres, or the garage lifting the bonnet of the car.
£75, and a lovely thing to ride. Roughly the cost of two decent bike tyres, or the garage lifting the bonnet of the car.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
Topeak Joe Blow floor pump. Best cycling accessory I've bought. Substantial and reliable. Bought used in an estate sale. 4 USD. Reliable and efficient in all conditions and circumstances. I highly recommend it.
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
3 bargains to date:-
1) Immaculate 1-owner, hardly ever used, Raleigh solid frame MTB for £20."
2) Horrible full-sus ladies BSO in lurid pink for a whole £1 fitted with a really good unworn pair of alloy 26" MTB wheels & tyres plus the Shimano gears & a set of useable pedals. All good bits now stripped off, frame gone in the scrap.
3) "Accidental" purchase - early 90's Raleigh Pioneer hybrid/commuter bike with full mudguards & rear rack for £10. Looks to have had very little use despite being 25 years old.
1) Immaculate 1-owner, hardly ever used, Raleigh solid frame MTB for £20."
2) Horrible full-sus ladies BSO in lurid pink for a whole £1 fitted with a really good unworn pair of alloy 26" MTB wheels & tyres plus the Shimano gears & a set of useable pedals. All good bits now stripped off, frame gone in the scrap.
3) "Accidental" purchase - early 90's Raleigh Pioneer hybrid/commuter bike with full mudguards & rear rack for £10. Looks to have had very little use despite being 25 years old.
ORrecumbent1
Active Member
- Location
- Corvallis, OR
I just got a great deal on a virtually new Garmin 20 w/free shipping for $60.
