What are your 3 biggest cycle related purchase regrets?

[MarkF]

1. Continental Touring Plus tyres. - I'd been spoilt by M+'s and expected the same life span, not 25% of it.
2. Specialized Sirrus
3. Turbo trainer. - Same as welsh dragon said, b.o.r.i.n.g.

 

[Milkfloat]

1. Trek 1200 SL, the most uncomfortable bike I ever owned. It lasted less than 6 months
2. Giant Anthem X. A great bike, hanging in the garage, done less than 400 mikes in 6 years. I just don't have the time to get somewhere decent to ride it,
3. Cheap bib shorts, I am yet to find cheap shorts that are comfortable. My arse is must be posh.

 

[Sixmile]

Specialized Crosstrail Disc - uninformed naive purchase

Ridge clothing from Halfords - cheap rubbish

My wifes bike - never used

 

[cosmicbike]

1. GP4000's
2. Turbo trainer (though as a health recovery tool it worked well, but a bit dull)
3. Waterproof (not very) overtrousers from Sports Direct

 

[biking_fox]

Various brand front lights that lasted <6months each. Cateye particular offenders - can't cope with daily removal/fitting, cheap straps catches switches etc.

 

[snorri]

Rechargeable bicycle lights by Ever Ready, it was a long time ago.
Tinted glasses with changeable lenses by Madison.
I can't think of a third regret

 

[samsbike]

1. Endura leg warmers
2. Boardman mtb- trying to relive my youth and its not really suited to commuting
3. Louis garneau gloves - leak like a sieve

 

[palinurus]

• Pointy helmet
• Turbo trainer
• Cateye front light with sealed lead-acid battery (it was a long time ago).

 

[mjr]

1. padded shorts - flipping agony from the seams!
2. various lights that didn't really light properly
3. pedals advertised as rubber block that were actually hard and slippy plastic

Dishonourable mentions - crosstop levers that seemed cheap that I'd failed to spot were for a bizarre bar size and a couple of parts advertised as steel or alloy that were only partly that.

 

[Brandane]

1. Cheap helmet.
2. Better quality helmet, which I thought I would use. I did, about twice.
3. Turbo trainer. Sold on after 3 brain numbing, sweat inducing, pointless sessions. That was when I realised that the fitness thing was merely a useful by-product of the main event. I suppose in that sense it served a purpose. Pedaling a bike without actually going anywhere is the pits, IMHO..

 

[HLaB]

Thankfully I think I'll struggle to get three, now let me see :
1. A Topeak bar extender, not that there's much wrong with it except my style of cycling has changed and I've not used it for ages.
2. A pointy hat, found I was faster with a regular helmet
3. A planet X bundle that had a set of small LEDs I thought were a good idea that never worked. Actually I lied, they worked but on just the 2nd or 3rd use they refused to switch off and drained the batteries.

 

[DaveReading]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned those chain cleaner gizmos yet.

 

[jonny jeez]

Turbo trainer...sold it after one ride for more than I paid for it

Cycle computer

Fingerless gloves

 

[GuyBoden]

I liked the look of the inexpensive Aldi MT cycle shoes, but they split straight across the sole after a week of four 30-50 mile rides, they're cheap rubbish.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned those chain cleaner gizmos yet.

A chain cleaner gizmo.

And umpteen mini pumps .