Touring - Sturdy, time-proven touring equipment

There is something very satisfying about buying a piece of gear, and finding that you can depend on it year after year, tour after tour.

Similarly, it is frustrating to buy gear, and have it fail, break, or fall apart after two or three seasons.

What equipment have you purchased (or made) that has survived the rigours of touring year after year? When did you buy it, and how many tours or years has it lasted?

I propose that we omit frames and forks. Good frames and forks can last decades. I am more interested in hearing about the stuff that you carry on your bike or body while touring.

For me:

1. Cannondale rear panniers: purchased 1989. (17 years) (Has required minor repairs, but still going strong.)

2. Sugoi padded cycling shorts: purchased 1995. (11 years)

3. Non-brand name set of hex wrenches: purchased 1985. (21 years)

Svea 123 stove (now by Optimus) Purchased 1972, still working great. The Schwinn Varsity of camping stoves: neither light nor compact compared to current cannister stoves, but reliable & indestructible.

Vaude world tramp panniers 20 years old.
Zefal HP frame pumps, 3 that range between 8 and 20 years old
Brooks B-66 saddle, I bought it used in 1984.
Swiss army knife, 30 +years old

Optimus 111B stove, 1974.

ground effect double happy bike shorts (http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product_detail.php?style=DOU&category=SHO) ... bought in 1998, but worn out riding, touring and around town since then ...

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/graphics/products/front/DOU-JE-FR.jpg

Zefal HP frame pumps, 3 that range between 8 and 20 years old

And don't let them break. The new ones are made of cheese.
My Ortieb backrollers lasted 7 years or so (forgoit exactly when i got em). Developed a small hole, which with a water proof pannier sucks. Pedal wrench did it. Bough another pair ASAP :).

SVEA 123..... the Optimus "climber" model...... a most excellent stove.

also, classic tents, how about The North Face Westwind tent...under six pounds (I know thats' heavy, but hey, you wanted classics- and good for us winter tourers) an Antarctic issued classic, still available in Britain....

or, the venerated and still available in the USA, and more suitable for bicycle touring, the Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight?


Wool socks.

I wanted a tent that could fit into pannier bags -in 1995/96 I bought a 2 person 3 season freestanding Eureka Timberlite (I think it was that model). Not quite lightweight, but packable to about 15x6, it's easy to get into a pannier bag. Add to that it's lasted no problems and seems to be extremely well made with great ventilation, I'd rate that as a time proven piece of equipment. Not sold anymore, and it seems to be harder to find 2 person tents that pack down to that size.

home made waxed cotton panniers that tie onto nitto rear rack, fully waterproof, tuff as nails, and repairable... home made alloy toe clips, raced cross on em and rode mainy touring miles with them, mainly on dirt roads... allara toe straps...

Zefal XP frame pump. 18 years. still works great.

Anything from Phil Woods!

Svea 123 stove. So old, I don't even remember. Never breaks. Alway works.

Avocet "Touring Shoes" Mine are on they're last legs after 18 years. Constantly searching for another pair. Nothing like them.

Richard

Two Rohan polycotten tops which have lasted over thirty years. I have used them for touring every year and they are as good as new. Wash and dry in 25 minutes and need no ironing.
Given that these are superb, it goes without saying that Rohan have stopped making them.

This thread made me kind of sad. This week I destroyed the Zefal HP that I had been using for maybe 20 years. Besides being a very reliable piece of equipment, it was one of the few things that I still had that my Dad bought for me. The pump slipped off of the frame and was run over :(

I also agree on the SVEA 123. I bought mine around 1976 at a flea market and it didn't look new then. It is still going strong.

I've been thinking about this thread lately and I can't think of a single thing that I would use from 20 years ago. I'll never get nostalgic about old panniers and the way that they would take a flying dismount when you hit a bump or pothole and whose waterproofness only guarenteed that you would have more water on the inside than the outside of the bag (kinda GoreTex in reverse). Thin aluminum pans and hours scrubbing them to removed burned on food from bad stoves? Bah! Wool shorts with leather chamios that need two full days in desert sun to dry and then need to be treated with sticky glop? Eww! Steel bikes that shimmy more than a hoochy coochy dance at the county fair when the speed get higher than 25mph? I'd rather live dangerously in other ways. Tents that weigh 7, 8, 9 or even 10 pounds? And leak? Thank's I'll pass. Raincoats that are wetter on the inside than the outside? I've never like saunas anyway;)

Give me new stuff (to a point. No need in being silly about it;) ) I just went through a purge of my old gear in the last couple of years and couldn't be happier.

My Coleman 442 stove has worked perfectly with no maintenance for 15 years, on countless meals. I also have a Svea 123, but the Coleman works on unleaded gas. I wouldn't consider any other kind of fuel for bike touring in America.

I've been thinking about this thread lately and I can't think of a single thing that I would use from 20 years ago. I'll never get nostalgic about old panniers and the way that they would take a flying dismount when you hit a bump or pothole and whose waterproofness only guarenteed that you would have more water on the inside than the outside of the bag (kinda GoreTex in reverse). Thin aluminum pans and hours scrubbing them to removed burned on food from bad stoves? Bah! Wool shorts with leather chamios that need two full days in desert sun to dry and then need to be treated with sticky glop? Eww! Steel bikes that shimmy more than a hoochy coochy dance at the county fair when the speed get higher than 25mph? I'd rather live dangerously in other ways. Tents that weigh 7, 8, 9 or even 10 pounds? And leak? Thank's I'll pass. Raincoats that are wetter on the inside than the outside? I've never like saunas anyway;)

Give me new stuff (to a point. No need in being silly about it;) ) I just went through a purge of my old gear in the last couple of years and couldn't be happier.

so you think that friction shifting, 110 bcds, wide range slant paralellogram rear mechs, microadjustable seatposts, down sleeping bags, modern touring geometery, are all things from 20 years ago you dont want to use?

I wanted a tent that could fit into pannier bags -in 1995/96 I bought a 2 person 3 season freestanding Eureka Timberlite (I think it was that model). Not quite lightweight, but packable to about 15x6, it's easy to get into a pannier bag. Add to that it's lasted no problems and seems to be extremely well made with great ventilation, I'd rate that as a time proven piece of equipment. Not sold anymore, and it seems to be harder to find 2 person tents that pack down to that size.
I had to finally retire my Eureka Timberline this year. I bought that tent in 1979? It has averaged a weekend of use every month since then..works out to something like 1000 nights of camping:D They still make the Timberline 4 (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=30173075&memberId=12500226) Guess I may have to buy a replacement. I have a couple of stoves I have used over the years, the old Optimus, Svea 123 are two of my favorites. I have Nalgene bottles that are going on 12 years old. MSR Dromedary bags ditto. I have a Blackburn lowrider rack that is still going strong after 15 years. I am sure there is more equipment...I never throw things out:rolleyes:

Aaron:)

so you think that friction shifting, 110 bcds, wide range slant paralellogram rear mechs, microadjustable seatposts, down sleeping bags, modern touring geometery, are all things from 20 years ago you dont want to use?

Haven't used friction (or needed it, including mountain biking) for at least 15 years. Wouldn't want to go back. Who needs the chatter when you can have nice crisp shifts that are just a click away.

Why use 110 BCD cranks when 94/58mm BCD combined with an 11-34 will give you a good high gear and a lower gear then is possible with a 24 tooth on the 110mm BCD.

I use a modern wide range rear derailer and never said I didn't.

Same with microadjust seatpost although the new RaceFace Deus and Evolve XC post may make microadjusts a thing of the past. They put regular single bolt or duel bolt systems to shame.

Down bags: never could afford one nor wanted one. Why use a bag that doesn't insulate when wet?

Touring geometry for most production bikes made now are much better than they were 20 years ago, although things haven't changed that much.

There's lots of other stuff that I don't get nostaglic about like cloth tape, steel shell saddles, center pull brakes (not cantis, those are just fine;) ), quill stems, cup and spindle bottom brackets, heavy nylon tents, foam pads, toe clips, soft shoes, etc. I have a mild case of the Retrogrouch but I keep it under control by the regular application of new technologies:D

110 bcds are superior because the let you run bigger rings, for less wear on the chain and rings, and if you need something lower than a 13-30 with a 26 up front... you are either overpacking or climbing walls.
i'm not saying where i live has monster hills, but it does have numerous multi mile multi thousand foot climbs, and i get by with that, no problems, for fully loaded touring, ie tent and all. centerpull brakes are mechanically superior to cantis... down doesnt wet out nearly as easily as is purported, do ducklings drown? quill stems are brilliance itself, headset spacers look like crap.

... I'll never get nostalgic about old panniers and the way that they would take a flying dismount when you hit a bump or pothole

So... I'm guessing you never used Eclipse Transcontinentals. Mmmmm.

Yeah, quality is great isn't it?

Optimus 00 kerosene stove - beautiful and heavy, has worked great since mid-70's.
Walrus Rocket tent - made in Berkeley, 4lbs, 2 min setup, lasted almost 20 years.
Case XX fixed blade w/ stag handle - carried by my dad in New Guinea in 70's, now by me.

Carradice Nelson Longflap saddlebag '87
2 x HPX 17 & 20 years old

1984 Specialized Expedition touring bike, strong comfortable steel bike.

North Face Blue Kazoo goose down sleeping bag, bought in 1983, still does the job and is light as a ....feather!

I also still use my old Svea 123 stove, but not as much as a newer MSR Whisperlite.

ah, the 80's specialized expedition...had one of those once..... :)


their 21st century Specialized 'Expedition', is not at all what the name implies, and is a sorry excuse of a bike, compared to the incredibly well outfitted 80's Expeditions....


Specialized would be WELL SERVED to bring that bike frame back into their product linuep, they are missing the utility/transportation/touring bikes in their makeup....the 'tricross' is so NOT it.....

I agree, they would do well to bring the Expedition back.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/telehammer/tour2.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/telehammer/bottles.jpg

I just finished my latest tour, and these were the items that I had with me that had accompanied me on my very first tour 11 years ago: Serratus panniers (from and rear), therma-rest, MSR pot set, Nikon FG, chain tool, tire levers, cable lock, hair brush.

So... I'm guessing you never used Eclipse Transcontinentals. Mmmmm.

Nope. Used the Cannondales and a Kirkland and a Nashbar rip off of the Cannondales. All have, at one point or another, decided to go for a little trip on their own. Can't have that problem with the Ortliebs I currently own.

110 bcds are superior because the let you run bigger rings, for less wear on the chain and rings, and if you need something lower than a 13-30 with a 26 up front... you are either overpacking or climbing walls.
i'm not saying where i live has monster hills, but it does have numerous multi mile multi thousand foot climbs, and i get by with that, no problems, for fully loaded touring, ie tent and all. centerpull brakes are mechanically superior to cantis... down doesnt wet out nearly as easily as is purported, do ducklings drown? quill stems are brilliance itself, headset spacers look like crap.

Look at where I live. A 13-30 wouldn't cut it for anywhere I have to ride on even an unloaded bike. A 52/13 is the same gear ratio as 44/11 and the 44/34/20 shifts way better because of the closeness of the gears. A 46/11 gives you a killer downhill gear and still shifts as good or better than a 52/40/26. Trust me, I tried them all.

No centerpull brake I ever owned was better than a cantilever. Some sidepulls are as good but every center pull (like the old Wienmanns) was hardly better than just dragging you foot. Again, I've tried them all...including hydralulics.

No ducklings don't drown but if you remove the oil from their feathers they won't be waterproof any longer either. But the oil goes rancid which is why it has to be removed from the down.

Quills...brilliance?! Try fixing a loose headset in the middle of nowhere without the two very large wrenches you have to have. Try fixing a threadless in the same situation and all you need is a 5 mm allen wrench.

You are IMHO, a bicycle industry marketing dream consumer!
Down bags> aside from being smaller, lighter and more packable than anything synthetic. There’s absolutely no reason to get one wet. Never heard of anyone doing so and have been Touring with one for many years. Requires a little effort to keep one dry.
You seen to have a problem with steel frames be unstable on descents. I don't know what you had but if you still have it, get it checked. There's something wrong with it. Not to mention steels superior ride and the ability to repair or cold set it if it becomes damaged or mis-aligned. Try that with Carbon or even aluminum.
Friction shifting? Yeah what a bummer. It only allows you to mix and match any cassette or freewheel with any combination of derailleur or chain. All that’s required is a little finesse and coordination from the operator.
Threadless stems vs. Quill? Threadless systems are total horse puckey! Cheaper for the industry to make and that's the bottom line. They're ugly to boot. Quill stem systems are so superior. Instantly adjustable, strong enough and certainly, again in my opinion, better looking. Again, they require some knowledge to operate properly. I have to ask. Do you really Tour, or do just ride around town and post to this thread?
(Last sentence to be taken lightly and with a little tongue in cheek:)

Cheers, Richard

Nope. Used the Cannondales and a Kirkland and a Nashbar rip off of the Cannondales. All have, at one point or another, decided to go for a little trip on their own. Can't have that problem with the Ortliebs I currently own.
I believe the point of the post was to describe durable items.
Heck ortliebs aren't exactly new, they've been made for over a decade (not 20 yrs though), and the old backroller classics are still the best rear option (fit better on a rack when adjusted than the QL2 system)

I nominate the closed-cell foam matress. Durable but I don't really want to spend another night on those things. :p

Still have my (overbuilt) eclipse rear rack. Rugged, I can ride on the rack

Surefire flashlights, Hydrastorm hydration bladders, and Badlands/Vortex backpacks.

You are IMHO, a bicycle industry marketing dream consumer!
Down bags> aside from being smaller, lighter and more packable than anything synthetic. There’s absolutely no reason to get one wet. Never heard of anyone doing so and have been Touring with one for many years. Requires a little effort to keep one dry.
You seen to have a problem with steel frames be unstable on descents. I don't know what you had but if you still have it, get it checked. There's something wrong with it. Not to mention steels superior ride and the ability to repair or cold set it if it becomes damaged or mis-aligned. Try that with Carbon or even aluminum.
Friction shifting? Yeah what a bummer. It only allows you to mix and match any cassette or freewheel with any combination of derailleur or chain. All that’s required is a little finesse and coordination from the operator.
Threadless stems vs. Quill? Threadless systems are total horse puckey! Cheaper for the industry to make and that's the bottom line. They're ugly to boot. Quill stem systems are so superior. Instantly adjustable, strong enough and certainly, again in my opinion, better looking. Again, they require some knowledge to operate properly. I have to ask. Do you really Tour, or do just ride around town and post to this thread?
(Last sentence to be taken lightly and with a little tongue in cheek:)

Cheers, Richard

Firstly, yes, I tour. Check the stuff at the bottom of the thread. Secondly, I have ridden and used everything you have listed and guess what, I wouldn't go back.

To your points: Down vs synthetic. Expensive vs cheap. Stuff size for a 40 F down bag is 7x11" (from Campmor) and weight is 1lb 12 oz. and cost $99. Stuff size for a 30F Quallofill is 8x18", weight is 2lb 1 oz and cost is $49. I'd go with the Quallofill.

Steel vs Aluminum: I'm a big guy. I ride big hills. My old touring bike shimmied like a belly dancer. My T800 rides straight and solid. I'll take the T800. When was the last time you damaged a bicycle? I've broken several frames split pretty evenly between aluminum and steel (all mountain bike by the way). Bikes are so cheap you might as well just replace the bike rather than try to repair a broken frame that is compromised. Now if you are riding in remote 3rd world countries, you might have an argument but not many of us do that kind of stuff (I don't). I'm not stupid and if I were doing that kind of riding, I'd certainly do some thinking about the choice of equipment.

Friction shifting: I've thought long and hard about it. I've ridden friction shifters long after I should have. But let's be realistic about it. I have decades of experience in bicycle riding and can only think of a very few times that indexed shifting failed me. On mountain bikes and road bikes, I've only ever had one shifter fail me. Plus, I'm a good enough mechanic that I could make something work until I could get to someplace to get it fixed.

Theadless vs threaded: Have you ever actually worked on a threadless system? Every tried to fix a loose threaded headset in the field? I have done both. Why use a system that requires 2 wrenches and 4 hands to fix? Threadless is what we science folks call an elegant system. It is so simple to adjust and install that anyone can do it. One small allen wrench vs at least two large wrenches...you do the math;) Also if you want to change the angle of the stem or the length, all you do is take the faceplate off and replace the stem...no need to take everything off the bars to change stuff. Sure there are quills out there that allow you to do this but they are rare.

Finally, riding around town: I put far more mileage on my bikes riding back and forth to work than I do on tour. I'm pretty sure that everyone does with some exceptions. But riding around town is far harder on equipment than touring is. I've never broken piece of equipment on tour. I've broken lots of stuff just "riding around town".

110 bcds are superior because the let you run bigger rings, for less wear on the chain and rings, and if you need something lower than a 13-30 with a 26 up front... you are either overpacking or climbing walls.
i'm not saying where i live has monster hills, but it does have numerous multi mile multi thousand foot climbs, and i get by with that, no problems, for fully loaded touring, ie tent and all. centerpull brakes are mechanically superior to cantis... down doesnt wet out nearly as easily as is purported, do ducklings drown? quill stems are brilliance itself, headset spacers look like crap.

I'm guessing you have good knees, or like to suffer. I can't speak for cycocommute, but riding hills on a loaded touring bike with that ratio would destroy me in a matter of days. The spirit is willing but the body etc etc. I am trying to find other ways of dealing with the problem, like packing lighter, which will be part of the experiment for my next tour (probably down the Atlantic seaboard), but I simply won't go without my low gears. I'm switching down to a 24 on my 110 cranks, to get a low gear of about 18 inches (down from 22). If that doesn't work... bring on the MTB cranks!

As for the alleged mechanical superiority of centerpulls, that may be true on paper (although I doubt it), but that doesn't necessarily line up with real world results. I think it might have something to do with how flexy centerpulls are compared to most cantis. Centerpulls are adequate brakes, and that's the most that I will say for them.

As for the headset issue, that's a horse that's been beaten so many times that there's nothing left. Suffice it to say that threadless headsets are not just easier for manufacturers to deal with, they are also a superior design. No, they don't look as nice. So? Opinions obviously vary, but in my world, when form comes up against function, function wins. Every time.

By the way, on the subject of frames - I loved my 1986 Miyata 210. It was a great bike, really. But then I hit a car hard enough to tweak the headtube and had to get a new bike. And after less than two weeks and 60 miles on my new Surly LHT, I'm beginning to realize how noodly, twitchy, and yet somehow reluctant my old Miyata was. The Surly feels stiffer and more responsive, incredibly stable at all times, and yet also goes exactly where I want it to, without me needing to think about it, and unhesitatingly leans deep into corners where my old bike would balk. It's boring old double-butted 4130, TIG welded in Taiwan for the largest bicycle components distributor in the United States. My old Miyata was made from triple-butted tubing drawn by the same company that built it, and the tubes were joined by lugs and brazing by the same company who would be sticking their name on the downtube. And all the romance of that process and all of the love that I had for that machine aside, the Surly is a better bicycle, period. More importantly, it's a better touring bicycle, and that's what matters. A bicycle isn't your friend. It's not a pet. It certainly isn't a lover! It's a tool. And sometimes a new tool just does a better job.

I don't suppose that it's a very romantic or spiritual way to think about a bicycle, but I think that we don't really do ourselves any good by getting all sentimental about machines. People have strong feelings about certain classic cars, like the 60's Camaro or Mustang. Still, most of them will admit that a 21st century Subaru WRX (first one that came to mind, I don't know much about cars) is simply a better automobile. Those that disagree are letting nostalgia blind them to the facts. It's a silly way to look at cars, and it's a silly way to look at bikes, too.

For time-tested touring equipment, I choose my Sugino VP cranks. Cheap, simple, durable, and as a nice bonus, they look sharp and classy on my shiny new Surly :).

Hydrastorm hydration bladders,

Hey, I've just bought a pair for my wife and I - does the taste go away or is there a way to stop it or do you just get used to it?

I tried lemon juice and water for about a week but it still tastes like chlorine - had to use gatorade to cover the taste yesterday (took the wife for a 35 mile ride)

Thanks

A bicycle isn't your friend. It's not a pet. It certainly isn't a lover! It's a tool. And sometimes a new tool just does a better job.


No, no, no...I refuse to believe that my bike is just a "tool" with no feelings! I give my bike a pat on the top tube and a heartfelt "thanks" when she carries me home from a long tour. :) After all, if efficiency was the determining factor, we'd all be touring by car, not bikes.:p

No, no, no...I refuse to believe that my bike is just a "tool" with no feelings! I give my bike a pat on the top tube and a heartfelt "thanks" when she carries me home from a long tour. :) After all, if efficiency was the determining factor, we'd all be touring by car, not bikes.:p

I thought that too...until I got a T800 and realized just what a piece of junk my old Miyata 610 was. Plus, if we touring people only buy one bike and then wait 20 or 30 years to buy another one, they're going to quit making them! If there is no demand, there won't be any supply.

If so, I agree, a great tent. Not the lightest, but well made & durable. They are still making these--it's their bread & butter model. Campmor has them for $99. I've had mine for over 10 years.

Rich

Firstly, yes, I tour. Check the stuff at the bottom of the thread. Secondly, I have ridden and used everything you have listed and guess what, I wouldn't go back.

To your points: Down vs synthetic. Expensive vs cheap. Stuff size for a 40 F down bag is 7x11" (from Campmor) and weight is 1lb 12 oz. and cost $99. Stuff size for a 30F Quallofill is 8x18", weight is 2lb 1 oz and cost is $49. I'd go with the Quallofill.

Steel vs Aluminum: I'm a big guy. I ride big hills. My old touring bike shimmied like a belly dancer. My T800 rides straight and solid. I'll take the T800. When was the last time you damaged a bicycle? I've broken several frames split pretty evenly between aluminum and steel (all mountain bike by the way). Bikes are so cheap you might as well just replace the bike rather than try to repair a broken frame that is compromised. Now if you are riding in remote 3rd world countries, you might have an argument but not many of us do that kind of stuff (I don't). I'm not stupid and if I were doing that kind of riding, I'd certainly do some thinking about the choice of equipment.

Friction shifting: I've thought long and hard about it. I've ridden friction shifters long after I should have. But let's be realistic about it. I have decades of experience in bicycle riding and can only think of a very few times that indexed shifting failed me. On mountain bikes and road bikes, I've only ever had one shifter fail me. Plus, I'm a good enough mechanic that I could make something work until I could get to someplace to get it fixed.

Theadless vs threaded: Have you ever actually worked on a threadless system? Every tried to fix a loose threaded headset in the field? I have done both. Why use a system that requires 2 wrenches and 4 hands to fix? Threadless is what we science folks call an elegant system. It is so simple to adjust and install that anyone can do it. One small allen wrench vs at least two large wrenches...you do the math;) Also if you want to change the angle of the stem or the length, all you do is take the faceplate off and replace the stem...no need to take everything off the bars to change stuff. Sure there are quills out there that allow you to do this but they are rare.

Finally, riding around town: I put far more mileage on my bikes riding back and forth to work than I do on tour. I'm pretty sure that everyone does with some exceptions. But riding around town is far harder on equipment than touring is. I've never broken piece of equipment on tour. I've broken lots of stuff just "riding around town".

i thread lock my threaded headsets with beeswax, ride continually on horrible roads that are little more than jeep trails, and have never had one come loose. however, if i did, i could fix it with a tioga 32mm bb wrench, which is smaller than the palm of your hand, and you only need one. whats this needing two wrenches crap? and four hands? i've been a mechanic for almost a decade and i've never had to use four hands. also, i never wrap my bars until i know the stem is the right extension...
i also would say that if you crash hard on sti stuff, its knackered. crash hard on a bike with bar cons, they couldnt care less.

i thread lock my threaded headsets with beeswax, ride continually on horrible roads that are little more than jeep trails, and have never had one come loose. however, if i did, i could fix it with a tioga 32mm bb wrench, which is smaller than the palm of your hand, and you only need one. whats this needing two wrenches crap? and four hands? i've been a mechanic for almost a decade and i've never had to use four hands. also, i never wrap my bars until i know the stem is the right extension...
i also would say that if you crash hard on sti stuff, its knackered. crash hard on a bike with bar cons, they couldnt care less.

To properly tighten a threaded headset you need a wrench to hold the race and a wrench to hold the lock nut so that you can jamb them against one another. If you don't it will work loose in just a few miles. And a loose headset is one of the quickest ways to make a cheap repair into something much more expensive. I ride mountain bikes on trails that are a lot less than Jeep trails and I have ruined many headsets because they worked loose.

As I get older, I find that I want a more upright ride and maybe a shorter stem or maybe I want a lighter one or a more expensive one. Not having to rewrap when changing the stem is a giant plus for me. Maybe not for you but it is for me. Plus the tool I have to carry to fix it is smaller than a #2 Ticonderoga;)

As for STI and crashing - been there, done that! Someone turned in front of me, caught my wheel and threw me done. The first thing to hit the concrete was the STI shifters and, at around 220 lb, that's not a small hit! The shifters had the fronts of them ground off but still work as well as the day I installed them. In fact, in the 25 years of doing bicycle mechanic work on over 40 bicycles (mine and my family's), I've only every had one shifter fail of any type. It just doesn't happen, even in crashes.

In the original spirit of the post, I do have one item that is time tested and I wouldn't part with for love or money: My CoolTool. The best damned bicycle multitool in existence! It works like it should, it actually fits a human hand and I can almost completely disassemble my bike with it.

Close second would be my Camelbak (cold water when the temperature is 100F is great!), followed by my Topeak Morph pump which, although it isn't old, is bound to be one of the best bicycle items ever made...right up there with pnuematic tires:D

No, no, no...I refuse to believe that my bike is just a "tool" with no feelings! I give my bike a pat on the top tube and a heartfelt "thanks" when she carries me home from a long tour. :) After all, if efficiency was the determining factor, we'd all be touring by car, not bikes.:p

Well, I don't wish to drag this off course, but I would like to point out that a bicycle is mechanically far more efficient than any automobile ever built. But that's not the point. My Surly isn't better than my old Miyata because it is more efficient. I didn't claim that it was; I don't know whether it is or not, and there are enough differences between the two bicycles to make the presumption that I could detect a difference pretty laughable. Nope, the Surly is better because it gives me a qualitatively better riding experience. It rides smoother, handles better, feels stronger and stiffer and more stable. The Miyata Grand Touring series (210, 610, 1000) was certainly a high watermark in the history of touring bikes for the time they were made. But the Surly LHT, and I would venture to guess almost any frame in the loaded touring class today, is just a better bike, period.

I don't want to come across as dissing the old bikes, or judging them too harshly. I like old bikes a lot, and I think that many of them, especially road bikes, were more versatile in general than their modern counterparts. But times change, and technologies and ideas are refined and improved. Today's road racing bikes are far better at road racing than their counterparts from 20 years ago. They are not necessarily better for general riding than the older bikes, but that depends upon the comparison being made and personal opinion; I happen to think that many trends in modern road racing bike design have had benefits to the racer at a real cost to the recreational or general rider. Given the competitive nature of racing, this is not surprising, and this has hurt recreational or general-purpose riders because of what I consider to be negative style trends in the cycling world at large, rather than the refinement of racing tech in particular.

In the domain of touring, it's more likely that improvements in the suitability of a bicycle for loaded or light touring will have (and have had!) beneficial effects upon the ride and utility of the bicycle for recreational, utility or casual riders. Touring bike design, by nature, is in search of a certain degree of practicality, comfort and basic utility, with enough fun and swiftness mixed in to keep things interesting. In the case of the switch from my Miyata to my Surly, I have noticed that changes that make the new bike more suitable for loaded touring have also made it a superior riding bicycle in universal terms as well. But if I were interested in racing, I would be even less happy with the new bike than with the old one! It's all about perspective. Similarly, by the way, refinements in technology and design have also made modern utility bikes (the Breezers and modern Dutch bikes of the world, not goofy new ideas like the Trek Portland) better bikes than their predecessors in every respect. None of this necessarily means that the old stuff is bad. It's just that the new stuff can be (and often is) better. Would you rather ride a bike with a Sturmey-Archer AW or a Shimano Nexus-8? The AW is a fantastic hub; the Nexus blows it away in every category except durability, but even there, the AW is a king among kings, not a king among peasants.

I don't think this is a bad thing, and I don't think that it is a reason to ditch your beloved old ride in favor of something new and expensive. Hey, "if it ain't broke don't fix it;" we're talking about refinements here, not quantum leaps. New touring bikes are just old ideas better executed. After all, I only ditched my Miyata when it broke. But just because your old bike works WELL doesn't mean that it's the pinnacle of achievement and practical synergy for touring bikes and components. The new stuff ISN'T unreliable, and it DOESN'T tend to break down and it ISN'T (all) pointless tech-for-the-sake-of-tech. Quite a lot of it is objectively improved. Of the stuff that isn't, personal taste plays a more likely role in preferences than a genuine failure in product development. And yes, some stuff is truly a step backwards (integrated headsets and integrated bar/stems, I'm looking at YOU!). But for the most part, new technology has brought good things to cyclists. If you like what you ride, keep riding it and enjoy it! It's all still really great stuff, and you don't need newer bikes or parts just because they're out there. But don't confuse your feelings with the facts. That's all I'm trying to say.