I have had a Gary Fisher, two Giants, a Raleigh, a Trek, a Diamondback, and a BMC since I declared myself a cyclist. Brand loyalty goes only so far with me and it doesn’t extend to bike manufacturers. All of those bikes were/are good bikes—maybe even great in a couple of cases—but they weren’t unique. They weren’t the only bikes of their kind or so superior to the alternatives that nothing else would suffice.
The same is true for clothing: Bontrager, Canari, Louis Garneau, Pearl Izumi, Performance Bike, Voler … all good. Helmets? I’ve had Bell, Giro, and now Bontrager. They all met the same ANSI/Snell standards for safety. I’ve had 3 pairs of cycling shoes—Pearl Izumi, Diadora, and Shimano—and they all still work fine.
In a sport that engenders passionate and often irrational loyalty to brands or to products whose differences are almost imperceptible, I’m not usually very picky. But I want to mention 3 products that work particularly well for me. They might not work as well for you, but at least consider them if you have similar needs.
There’s probably nothing I recommend more enthusiastically than Continental Gatorskin tires. Hyper-critical reviews will tell you that Gatorskins aren’t especially light (they were never meant to be) and that their rolling resistance compares unfavorably to similar products and that their anti-puncture technology has been superseded by new science. Whatever. They just work. I ride a lot of miles and Gatorskins last and last. They’re an excellent value and they give me a lot of peace of mind on the road. With other tires I expect to get flats, but not with these. Heavy and slow? They got me through 100 miles of Race The Lake at an average speed of 23.5 mph, so again: whatever.
Next on the list: Nuun. I used to be a Gatorade guy and there’s a lot to like about Gatorade. It’s readily available, cheap, and tasty. But it’s also high in sugar and therefore high in calories. I don’t need that; I need hydration. Nuun replaces electrolytes just like Gatorade, but without the belly bloat. It’s also clean and easy to transport: each serving comes in a tablet that dissolves in water. No more messy powder.
Finally, there’s A&D ointment. Yes, the diaper rash stuff. I have found no better chamois creme. Pennies on the dollar when compared to the boutique cremes, generic A&D is available at any drugstore/Target/Walmart. And because it’s just lanolin and petrolatum (Vaseline), you can also use it on cracked hands, chapped lips, rough feet, etc.
That’s what works for me. What works for you?
Thanks for the tip about the A&D ointment. A quick look online shows it costs 1/2 as much per ounce as the over-priced Chamois Butt'r I've been using. I'll have to give it a try! I'm assuming it doesn't stain?
ReplyDeleteAs for my favorites...
Shoes: Giro. I used to have a beloved pair of Sidi shoes that I thought I'd never give-up, until the strap broke. I couldn't justify the steep prices of new Sidi shoes, so I got some Giro shoes on sale. I liked them so much that I now have 3 pairs of Giro shoes, one for each bike. Never pay full price for Giro shoes... there's almost always a pair on sale somewhere that you'll like!
Handlebar Tape: Lizard Skins DSP. I used to think Lizard Skin tape was over-priced hype... until I bought a used CX bike that had the tape already installed. Now, despite the ridiculously high price (and after trying other brands), I put LS tape on all my bikes. It's very grippy, easy to clean, tough, and offers great padding.
Water Bottles: Specialized Purist w/ Watergate cap. (http://www.specializedwaterbottles.com/water-bottles/the-purist) Not all water bottles are the same! I got tired of my water tasting like plastic after a few miles, not to mention I hated nearly ripping out my teeth trying to open the bottle each time I wanted a drink. The Purist bottle has a coating that prevents staining and the plastic taste. The Watergate valve is like a heart valve that just requires you to squeeze the bottle and nothing more.
Gloves: Louis Garneau 1 Calory Cycling Glove. They're cheap, come in a few colors, and they have these little straps between the fingers that make it simple to pull the gloves off. I thought the straps would be annoying at first, but you don't even notice them.
Great tips, thanks! I don't know whether A&D would stain light-colored clothes. All of my shorts/bibs are black!
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