So I've got the bike...now what about the accessories

markwoo

Retro Guru
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Been on here just over a month now - in that time I've gone from having intentions of simply changing the forks on my Orange e3 to get it back up and running to having bought 7 bikes from various sources (mostly the bay of e) with a view to 'tarting' them up a bit and selling most of them on for a small profit to fund further modifications...it's fair to say I've got the bug back! :cool:

...so I've plenty of wheels now, but no kit to wear when I'm riding them...being a little out of touch with it all these days I was hoping to tap into the mainframe of knowledge that is you guys and get some tips on what is hot and what is not. Should I stay retro or due to improvements in tech is it a no-brainer for safety reasons and beyond that I update certain accessories? I was thinking about things such as:

1. helmet
2. gloves
3. spd's (pedals)
4. footwear
5. bikelock
 
Aldis and Lidl cycling kit (clothing/helmets etc) is generally good quality and comparatively cheap.

Otherwise CRC and Wiggle are your friends, or even the mighty Sportsdirect :facepalm:
 
By SPDs I'm guessing you mean shoes. If so, buy a pair of Sidi Dominators (make sure they fit perfectly), and that's one thing off your list for the next 5-10 years. Incredibly good shoes.
 
I've always invested in decent well-fitting gloves, with extra knuckle protection, palm padding, and the all-important towel 'snot-patch' - bit of an overkill for gentle trails but definitely worth it. They're not just for keeping your hands warm ;)
 
Shop Around !
Chainreaction, Wiggle, JE James and others.
Check out their 'bargain bin/overstock'.
If you're not too fussy about colours etc you can get some steals.

Picked up some full finger 661 gloves recently for £6 inc postage.
Fox helmet £15.

As above Lidl great for shorts/shirts.

Sports Direct good for budget waterproofs.
 
Not sure if any of the above has answered your question..... ;-)

Retro or modern kit?

Most people on the Retrobike rides tend to wear modern stuff, with modern pedals. Some people use the retro stuff but it's mostly limited to retro jerseys which haven't really changed much in the last 20 years so you wouldn't notice much difference. There is a couple of people I've seen with retro helmets (including an Etto one which I would love!) but it isn't something I'd use, and you don't see them for sale often anyway. Same with shoes, although I would use some Axo Ponys if I could find some as they are very good.

I would recommend modern shorts/baggies/helmet/shoes for comfort and safety, with maybe a retro top to match your bike if you can find one.

Why not have a look at the retrobike.co.uk kit for sale in the shop? I have one of the jerseys and it's excellent, well worth the money. I also have the socks which are good too. Then everyone can see you like your old bikes but you are still comfortable!! I want to get some of the RB baggy shorts and maybe jacket one day too. As they are black and white they tend to match most bikes too. :) John tends to do some nice packages with a bit of money off sometimes, and they are always a couple of quid cheaper when he sells them at the National rides, btu you might have to let him know in advance what sizes to bring.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks for responses - yeah I'm trying to work out whether or not I should try to buy all retro gear or will they be hard to come by. It looks like I'll replace most of my old knackered stuff with more contemporary products.

So far I'm thinking:

1. Helmet - buy recent model. I had been watching this on eBay until it was ended:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330874102232? ... 1423.l2649

2. Gloves - full finger winter-type. Seen these on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Deko-Special- ... 4347323584

3. Pedals - thinking about replacing my old Time Atac's that I lost with another second hand pair? Anyone got better alternatives?

4. Footwear - still have my old Sidi's lying around somewhere - think they need the sole nailing back to the main body but should still be useable...

5. Bikelock - for the purpose of popping out to the shop and tethering to a lamppost whilst getting a bag of chips I thought this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-Kryptoni ... 4349619129

Any thoughts? Yay or nay...
 
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As for winter jackets - I found a good quality Regatta breathable ski jacket with detachable fleece at TK Max. It has so far proved very useful when cycling to work with temps of -7C.
 
I cannot conceive of buying a helmet or shoes without trying it on first, in fact even gloves and other clothing should be tried before you buy too. There is a depressing fascination with 'getting the best deal' these days, a kind of one-upmanship in nailing the best online deal, this means nothing if the shoes/helmet you buy are uncomfortable.

I would offer the seemingly apt suggestion that you visit a 'local bike shop', like we used to do bitd, this is retrobike after all.
 
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