Commuting - Holiday Wish List

Things are slow at work today, so I've been making a list of things I want to pick up in the next little while for my bike.

1) Bike computer. Actually, I just bought one on eBay, so it doesn't actually count. Polar S520 heart monitor with speed and cadence. (Now I just need to learn what the numbers mean.)

2) shoes, cleats, pedals. I've been hearing you guys rave about going clipless for so long, I want to try it out myself. I was leaning toward the Shimano SPDs but then the Time ATAC thread popped up, so I'm still waffling.

3) Bright yellow-green shell. Not just bright yellow - that yellow-green burns-your-eyes color. I love that. And I'm going to need it, once it starts raining. Which will be soon.

4) Road bike. Actually, that's for the spring. I've started reading the roadie threads to get a feel for what I'll be looking for. My ultimate goal is long-range cycling; not so much speed as distance. Pretty much just so I can say "I can do that".

What's on your list?

I don't want to complicate your waffling over pedals, but you should consider some Crank Bro's egg beaters. Lots of people - including yours truly - use them on their road bikes as well as their MTB's. And Crank Bro's have great customer service. The drive side spindle on a pair of eggbeaters I've been riding for over two years just bent and cracked the other day. It was litterally one of those 'I was just riding along when...' senarios. Well, Crank Bro's had been totally cool about sending me 4 end caps (when I lost 1) for absolutely nothing a few months back, so I gave them a call. Ten minutes and 25 bucks later they were sending me a brand new set of their updated eggbeaters in exchange for the broken set! The man on the phone didn't even give me a chance to launch into my 'hey, I'm not even a down-hiller/free-syler maniac... just a commuter' speech. As a matter of fact, they didn't even want to see the broken pedal first. Just send them back to us in the packaging the new ones arrive in... no hassle over original date of sale or reciept... nothing. Frickin' excellent. Saved me a hundred bucks I don't have right now. If it hadn't been for such great customer service I would have been trolliing every super-blow-out sale in .com land looking for a cheap replacement. Instead I have the same great pedals on the way. The eggbeaters cost me a bit more initially, but I'm sure glad I bought them now. At least try them out. They have a lot of float, but I like that. DanO

1) New bike....it'll be a couple of years down the road. {extended touring**

2) Bike pump. Mine is broke after last weekend's flat.
2a) Patch kit too.

3) Cold weather pants.

4) Fresh tires & tubes.

stuff like that

~Roger~

My step-daughter just gave me new gloves, bless her heart, just the ones I had been looking at but too cheap to buy!!

I want front rack and panniers, but I don't need them...

I want a trailer-on, but don't need it either...

And of course, I always want a new bike, but probably won't get one until I have to!!

Hmmm... I haven't written a wish list in forever!

1. A shiny new Soma DoubleCross bike
2. Front rack with panniers
3. Fluid trainer for those 20 below days that I know are coming
4. Wind resistant shell pants
5. Warm shoes/boots that don't contain leather (Do these even exist??)
6. A bell
7. Bike maintenance classes so I don't absolutely kill my bike this winter
8. A new saddle

That was fun, now if only Santa would bring me half of those things!

Kat

1. New gloves. Current el-cheapo models hurt my hands after about 1 hour.
2. Bike computer
3. Carradice Barley saddlebag. Would probably look nice with the tan Brooks saddle and dark green bike. :)

The eggbeaters cost me a bit more initially, but I'm sure glad I bought them now. At least try them out. They have a lot of float, but I like that. DanO


My bike came equipped with SPD's but Eggbeaters would have been my pedal of choice. Can't justify buyng new pedals until these are worn out. Still much safer at lights that with clips and straps.

-rear panniers
-trunk
-rack for repair
-clipless pedals and shoes
-cold weather gear (mainly need a new balaclava and some goggles)

other than that... I'm pretty set until spring comes around... I want to get into mountain biking around that time

One Thing gas to go to $ 5.00 gallon in the U S A.
So we can get some of the suv & big boat car off the road And may be a new president. Thanks .

I wish for Santa to bring me a ratio of three bicycle commuters on the streets of Grand Rapids to every one motor vehicle.

I wish for Santa to bring me a ratio of three bicycle commuters on the streets of Grand Rapids to every one motor vehicle.
I second this one! :D

Also:
More bike racks around town
Wider shoulders all throughout Vermont
Mandatory bicycle safety classes for all drivers when they get their liscense

and a partridge in a pear tree!

Kat

Drop bars and Sora brake/shifter levers so I can cope with headwinds better.

A Shiny new Bianchi Vigorelli, a gift certificate to have my rear shock converted to a platform version by Push Industries, a set of Ritchey Moby Bites so I can do some urban riding and not chew up my knobbies, world peace, and.... oh yeah a shiny new President