General Cycling Discussion - What brand name products must you always splurge for?

You know how there are some items that you could pick any brand name off the rack and be satisfied with, but there are others which you feel are just worth paying more than the competitors for. In other words, who produces the best stuff in their field?

Could be anything from your Brooks saddle, to your Pedros degreaser, Park bike stand, shoes, butt lube, hubs, helmets, energy gels, shorts, whatever.

Raceface everytime. Not to picky about anything else :)

Love my ClifShot energy gels! Nummy! :)

Well, we bought a whole HUGE bucket full of all sorts of PEDROS stuff and we still haven't run out, so I guess that wouldn't count as always splurging, but we always have Gu and ClifShot bars and/or gel.

Oh, and we do have a Park bike stand too.

King
Hubs
Headsets
water bottle cages

Originally posted by chuychanga
You know how there are some items that you could pick any brand name off the rack and be satisfied with, but there are others which you feel are just worth paying more than the competitors for. In other words, who produces the best stuff in their field?

Could be anything from your Brooks saddle, to your Pedros degreaser, Park bike stand, shoes, butt lube, hubs, helmets, energy gels, shorts, whatever.


Cateye lights

Garmin GPS

Topeak multitools

Gerber multitools

Compaq handhelds

Polar heart monitors

Kryptonite Locks

Specialized bikes

Shimano shoes

Rudy Project glasses

Camelbak bags

Giro helmets

Thorlo socks

Canon cameras

Epson printers

EAS protein powder/creatine

Heinz Ketchup.. There are no other kinds!:D

Fox Racing Clothing and Gear

Pearl Izumi MicroSensor and UltraSensor shorts

I second the Race Face Components and Gear

Albritton's Orange Juice (grown and fresh squeezed locally and worth the extra 25%)

Most micro-brews, I don't understand why ANYONE would drink BUD!!!!

L8R

Originally posted by a2psyklnut

Most micro-brews, I don't understand why ANYONE would drink BUD!!!!

L8R


-Definately micro-brews.
-3M duct tape.
-Topeak multitool.

Campagnolo.
King headsets
Brooks
Kreitler
Etxe-Ondo clothing
Sidi shoes

Whitbread Tankard, or better yet Bitter
would pay alot for Castle but we don't get
it here, Windhoek would be nice too.

edit
Tools
Tubular Tires, NEVER ride cheap tubulars
(where's D*Alex when ya need him?)

Marty

I gotta have DeFeet socks.

For me its ChuyChangas from the Barton location. Or maybe a ELvis Pressley Memorrial Combo!:D

Man I miss Austin!!

king, thomson, and Sram! Just to name a few

Kevin! I wondered how long it would be before some Austinite recognized the name. Chuy's at Barton Springs is the best! That's where I proposed to my fiance. Right after some queso and Shiner Bocks!

Thomson, Park, SRAM (for chains and cassette), and Shimano:eek: for componentry. I don't like the whole grip-shift idea for now, but I might lean more towards SRAM if I can get my hand on a pair of the triggers to try out. Always FOX for the clothing.

-Moab

Pearl izumi for shorts, love the new 3D shorts, gotta say my castelli jerseys feel the best.

Computer stuff:

Seagate (15000rpm Cheetah 15k.3 Ultra320 SCSI hard drives, yum! :))
Antec (excellent cases & power supplies, with a warranty that actually means something in real life :cool: )
Corsair (best RAM there is, period, plus another warranty that actually means something in real life)
Alpha Novatech (heatsinks with class)
AMD (powerful but affordable, no need to "splurge" here :))
American Power Conversion (uninterruptible power supplies)


Bicycle stuff:

Park Tool (obvious)
Continental (gimme that tough German rubber)
Mavic (obvious)
DT (350+ years of making stuff out of wire)
Chris King (obvious)
Giro

Sugoi,
Race Face,
Hagen Daz, and trust me, you pay more than money for it!!

Rossignol, but thats not splurging, its pure common sense.

Patrón tequila

Look at my avatar and think tubes.

Originally posted by lotek
(where's D*Alex when ya need him?)
Yea. That's just messed up.
:irritated

Originally posted by a2psyklnut
Most micro-brews, I don't understand why ANYONE would drink BUD!!!!

L8R


Haha...I drink bud...I just got used to it at keggers when I playd football :)

You're older now, buy some decent beers! It's now quality over quantity, not like those wasted youthful days, where BUD was the GOOD stuff! I remember drinking Keystone Light and thinking, this isn't bad! Then I got smart!

L8R

Hmmm...Race Face and Sun Ringle would be about it. I wonder what a thread about products you must avoid would be like...

Nothing to do with bikes ... well, almost nothing.

Snap-On Tools.

Originally posted by mechBgon
Computer stuff:

Seagate (15000rpm Cheetah 15k.3 Ultra320 SCSI hard drives, yum! :))
Antec (excellent cases & power supplies, with a warranty that actually means something in real life :cool: )
Corsair (best RAM there is, period, plus another warranty that actually means something in real life)
Alpha Novatech (heatsinks with class)
AMD (powerful but affordable, no need to "splurge" here :))
American Power Conversion (uninterruptible power supplies)

Maxtor(SCSI) always
Kingston RAM
AMD(the best!)
LINUX(i would, but almost everything is windows based)

Bike:
Forks: LOOK, Reynolds(if only easy to get)
Stem: 3TTT or Easton
Rims: Mavic, Rigida
Headset: King(if only i could afford it), Shimano

Wow! Where do I start? I don't get attached to a particular brand for the most part but I do have some favourites based upon past experience which for bikes include RaceFace, FSA, and Easton among others. I'm sure if you look at the components on my bikes, you'll notice some trends. I will have to say that Pearl Izumi Ultrasensor shorts just fit me perfectly so I'll definately splurge on them.

As Neo said in The Matrix, "Give me SRAM, lots of SRAM".

Camelbak.

Nikon.

Cannondale.

Mavic.

Giro helmets, currently a Pneumo after I crashed my Helios. Continental tires, the Top Touring 2000 and Grand Prix 3000. Cinelli tape. Pearl Izumi Ultrasensor. Oakley Pro M and Juliet. Adidas shoes off the bike. Canon cameras. Apple Macintosh.

Originally posted by a2psyklnut
You're older now, buy some decent beers! It's now quality over quantity, not like those wasted youthful days, where BUD was the GOOD stuff! I remember drinking Keystone Light and thinking, this isn't bad! Then I got smart!

L8R

To be honest now it is Rye and Coke. I stay away from brews for the most part. A kokanee now and then hits the spot after a good ride though :)

Heinz Ketchup.. There are no other kinds!

WOW! I thought I was the only one who felt this way about Heinz Ketchup.

HMM I am not brand specific, but if I think about it.......Race Face, FSA, Kore, Syncros, Nuke Proof, Sun, SRAM.

Then non bike stuff since it has been brought up: Remington and Leupold!!

Toyota. I loved my Corolla, then I loved my Camry, and now I love my Avalon.
I tried to think of anything else where I was brand loyal. Couldn't think of a damn thing. I am thinking of going back to SmartWool socks. They shrink if you throw them in the washer/dryer; but I haven't been able to find anything else
that works half as well.

Oakley Shades.

King Headsets
Camelbacks
Mavic Rims
Hydro Disc brakes <--- not really brand specific I just can't stop without them now :D

I'm a very brand-loyal consumer - they treat me well, they get my business in the future.

For cycling (still new, but being swayed to the following):
Cannondale for bikes.
Specialized for tires, shoes, helmets.
Shimano components & accessories.

Everything else in life:
Ford - last three vehicles - a T-bird, then another T-bird, and now my F-150.
Fender guitars (American-made) & amplifiers.
Craftsman tools.
Canon SLR photography (old FD equipment).

What else does a guy need?

KD- the canadians out there will know what that is, there are no subs for this

Marmite- none of that Vegemite stuff here;)

Defeet socks and Ciussi cages for the bike stuff

Mike

Got to go with Dell on laptops... another company that really takes action on warranties.... I knew a twink who poured a beer on his and had it replaced within 2 days, free of charge, no questions asked.

I had my last one for 3 years, just ordered my second.

I started out pretty die-hard Addidas, but I recently picked up a pair of Nike cleats as a replacement and they feel great! So I guess I'm multibranded in soccer.

No one brand in bike stuff...sorry, but there's too much variety to get hung up on one line. But...

Craftsmen hand tools (or Snap-On if you can)

Dewalt power tools

Dell computers (besides, if you're selective, you get almost the same price)

Ruger

Kitchen Aid (honestly, no other mixer comes close)

IAM,

Gotta say I go with everything you said there (although I build my own computers but for my job I purchase only from dell) I have been a Nike fan for years...

Mikey,

KD...haha..yeah that has been a staple in my diet before when I was poor...but I have a feeling americans would know what it is too..I would think

KD???

ZEUS!

Originally posted by George
ZEUS!
George,

If you're looking for Zeus 2000 components
(or other stuff) contact Baron at
Renaissance Cycles (http://www.renaissance-cycles.com/) He just found a LARGE stash of NOS zeus components
(and he really likes Zeus).
I just bought a NOS set of Mafac Racers (in box) from him
for $20. He is reasonable and Very trustworthy.

Marty

Nutella! None of that 'Chocolate Hazelnut Spread'

Brooks Saddles - Kikkoman Soy Sauce - Scott Toilet Paper

The only three items I'm brand concious of.

Kool Stop

Publix brand raisin bran

New Balance shoes (non-bike). Why won't anyone else make different widths available in sneakers?

Campy components which is ironic b/c when I was younger and could ride halfway decently I liked SunTour and thought the Campy people snobs. Oh well.

For bike stuff: I'm pretty loyal to Sidi, Michelin, Ritchey, and Cateye.

For life stuff:
Peets Coffee (Friends don't let friends go to Starbucks)
Pepsi One
Rockport dress shoes
Claiborne for Men dress clothes
OXO kitchen tools
Kitchen Aid mixer (someone said above that none other comes close)
Toro garden equipment

I am very skeptical about BRAND... names...
The time will show. Right now, I have a rear deutailler that says "falcon" on it.
Exact same deuraillers have magna and roadmaster 24 inch kids bikes at Toy R :D

Time will show how durable falcon is :D

Originally posted by Inoplanetyanin

Time will show how durable falcon is :D

In 1986 I had a Huffy ATB with a Falcon rear derailleur. It lasted approximately two years.

For Audio - Sony
For Video - Sony (Except my big scree which is Mitsubishi)
For Pots and Pans - Calphalon Pro II
For computers - Apple
For sports car - Corvette
For family car - Mazda Tribute ES 2WD
For fast food hamburgers - In and Out (its a California thing)
Bikes - Road - Cannondale
Bikes - Hybrid - Trek
Bikes - MTB - Kona
Bike Forum - Bikeforums.net!