Originally Posted by
RubeRad
OK, I focused on the Marathon Supreme in the beginning, and the "Gilles Berthoud Aravis" saddle at the end.
Schwalbe tyres are much lower-priced than Schwalbe tires. You may be able to get Marathon Supremes for
£25 each in Europe, but in the U.S., msrp ranges from $71-88 depending on the size, and practically speaking they cannot be found for much less than that.
And £42.95 for a used (!!) helmet is like 4x more expensive than my recommendation of about $15 for a new helmet. (I think, what's the dollar-to-pound nowadays?)
point taken ... I live in the UK and we have some very good deals especially from wiggle and chain reaction .... another good alternative for tyres is the Schwalbe Durano plus for road bikes .... not the cheapest, but has a puncture rating of 6 (equivalent to Schwalbe Marathon plus), and roll fine ... I have just bought my 2nd set for my daily commuter (700Cx25).... don't over inflate them though .... I find that at 90 psi they are sublime and grip well in the very wet and dry .... some say that they are much better that the Gator hardshell (I have never tried the Gators though) ... get the Durano Plus in folding version (they have stronger sidewalls and these tyres last a very long time) .... there a re a few Durano types, but the Durano
Plus folding version are the ones to get
as for helmets.... buy once and buy a good one ... it's something that you will keep for a very long time .... Giro has a good rating/reputation and for a few dollars more, you may be a lot safer ... there are other brands that are equally as good .... dont skimp on a helmet if you intend to use one (I have a giro helmet , but prefer to cycle with a skull cap .... but the Giro is there if I ever want to use it
some good used cheap deals on Giro (and similar) on ebay ... you can get a helmet that retails new for £150 for less than £30 on ebay in pristine condition if you are patient
