Stuff that made my commuting more enjoyable and reliable:

• Ortlieb Sport Packer Plus panniers
• Tubus Cosmo rear rack
• Tubus Nova front low-riders
• Vittoria Randonneur Hyper tires
• Brooks B17 Champion Special saddle

I've got almost 1100 miles on the aforementioned tires, and just got my first flat. It wasn't even a puncture--I pinch-flatted on a pot hole. And while saddle choice is a highly personal matter, the B17 was good from the first ride (compared to several hundred dollars' worth of "plastic" saddles that ranged from merely tolerable to absolute torture).

There's more stuff that I've been impressed with, but I want to get another 500 miles of "soak time" before I tally up their praises.

The Also-Rans:

• Spanninga Eclipse Xb tail light
• PDW Fenderbot tail light
• ProLink chain lube

The Spanninga light was weaker than even a $10 blinky. Its integrated reflector is decent, but the light itself is pretty anemic. And while I love the PDW Radbot lights, the Fenderbot doesn't use the same optics, so it's barely noticeable--especially when mounted low on a fender. I've decided to give ProLink "on more chance," but when I was treated to a chirping chain after only 25 miles, I threw in the towel (yes, I followed their directions).

cool blog
why are the Vittoria Randonneur Hyper a little bigger than advertised?
I have some 700x32 Ritchey knobbies that came stock on my Cross Check and I bought a pair of Specialized Armadillo's 700x25 to gain some agility and speed. Now I'm looking for fatter, comfortable tires that can still go fast but can also handle light off road riding. The problem is my SKS P35 fenders limit my tire width to 700x35 or under. If these tires run a little wide, I don't think they'd fit with my fenders. =/


I need speed, comfort, and versatility to handle some dirt roads I might want to ride through on tour. Any suggestions?

Liked: Tubus Cosmo rear rack - exquisite! great design, extremely tough and good looking. A great bike deserves a great rack like this.

Supernova e3 "glare free" dynamo light - very good road illumination, long stand light duration, good stand light brightness, extremely durable and upgradeable as time goes on. A high grade dynamo light, worth the price of entry.

Supernova e3 rear dynamo light - good illumination, long stand light duration. Stand light could be a bit brighter but it isn't anemic, the light unit is also very small and light.

The Supernova lights are gorgeous. That can be a good or a bad thing depending on your requirements for stealth, but they are extremely well crafted all around.

Nokian W240 700x40c studded winter tires - very good grip overall, and I think the road chatter and rolling resistance are quite fine on these.

Velo Orange model 8 leather saddle - wide saddle for upright city / touring bikes. I find the quality on par with brooks, the rails are longer for more adjustment too.

Tried: Axiom bamboo fenders - came with screws missing on the fenders themselves, front fender has a small crack already. Ordered these for myself through my own distributor at cost, and they wouldn't be a good deal at half cost

SRAM I-Motion 9 - The first one I ordered was smashed and dented right out of the unmarked cardboard box it came in. The second unit had constant play in the rear hub that was not removable with adjustment (defective?). sounds like an old Sturmey Archer. MSRP is almost twice that of an Alfine here in Canada, performance is no better. Returned this and never looked back. This should be a product of shame for SRAM, IMO.

2010 was a good year for trying out some pricey accessories

Not all accessories are worth being pricey though. The aforementioned Axiom bamboo fenders and the SRAM I-Motion 9 are just not worth anywhere near their asking prices.

A Brompton, with S-A AW3 speed
I added a Schlumpf Mountain Drive 2 speed crank,
though the bike was bought used, 15 years old,
Planetary 2 speed crank was bought new.

Good Idea for a sticky, kind of like user reviews.

Had mine since 2007, but +1 on the Tubus Cosmo rack.

New things I tried and liked this year? Hmmm...

• Continental Grand-Prix 4-Season tires. Liked them so much in 28mm on the commuter, I replaced the 25mm ones on all my bikes with them.
• Ortlieb Sport Packer Plus panniers
• Arkel "The Shopper" grocery panniers
• Selle Italia SLK Gel Flow saddle
• MagicShine head and taillights, (despite the recall on the battery)
• DiNotte 300R taillight
• Endura Thermolite bib tights--great for 'tween seasons. Not sweaty in the 50s, yet still warm in the upper 20s.
• Endura FS260 Arm and Kneewarmers. Warm, stay up, and lotsa reflective bits.
• Steel. Bought a secondhand Reynolds 853 frame.
• Titanium. Bought a secondhand Litespeed.
• Pitlocks

Things I didn't care for:

• Endura Stealth Lite bib tights. Billed as waterproof, not even water resistant. Includes the replacement pair sent under warranty.

Huh. Can't think of anything else.

Tried and like:
new Dahon MuSL, upgrade from a Dahon Jack.
Montane eVent Stormrider jacket
Showers Pass Club Convertible pants
Deuter Race X Air backpack
Wellgo QRD pedals
Axiom Streamliner DX rack

Tried and ...meh...
Krytonite fugedaboutdit ulock - damn near the weight of the bike itself. dropped it at the office and cracked a tile - blamed on the delivery guys who i hope never see again. anyways, just fold the darned bike and roll it with me wherever i go.
stormtech generic waterproof/breathable pants. cheap and designed to stay that way.
dahon el boso bike bag. money well wasted.

Liked:
Dinotte 140L Amber & Red (keeps me safe, nice and bright)
PDW Radbot 1000 (good backup light)
SRAM Rival Group (lightweight, crisp shifting, Double tap, most comfortable hoods makes me a new SRAM fan)

Tried:
Bike Brightz Yellow (mediocre brightness, ghetto mounting system)
Lightweights 3M reflector stickers (pain in the butt to install on spokes, not too impressed with reflective properties. Thinking of getting a monkey electric spoke light to increase my side visibility)

I'm not sure why the Hypers run a little wider, but I'm glad they're not undersized like some other tires. I tried some 700x32c Panaracer Paselas, and those were smaller than marked. I also couldn't get them to mount wobble-free, that was using every trick I knew (I run tubeless on my MTB, and can usually get those mounted perfectly).

I'd like to hear more about the Supernova front light. I'm currently running a B&M Lumotec IQ Cyo R, and it's a pretty decent light. I tried the IQ Cyo N, and although it's supposed to be brighter (or at least, more concentrated), I didn't like it. The Supernova looks really nice, and I've considered getting one (or a Schmidt Edelux), but I'm not sure if it'd be compatible with my Shimano DH-3N80 hub. I'd also need a mount that's compatible with low-profile canti's (see below).

I second the sticky idea.

Tried 2010:
Surly Cross-Check
my first real bike, i.e. over $150...so far I love it. I have not been let down but there's enough Surly fanboys out there to gush about this bike. I'm just going to say that it's $1,000 I do not regret spending.

Wingnut Adventure Pack (hydration pack)
I really like this hydration pack because it has plenty of room at 1600 cu. in. for most of my needs as a college student, having a water bladder is much more convenient than using water bottles (at least on longer commutes), and the bicycle-specific features are just awesome and well-thought out. This pack is waterproof, includes compression straps, an emergency whistle on one of the two chest straps, two small mesh pockets that expand to a considerable size, one main mesh pocket on the back where the compression straps are, and two side "wing-pockets" that make it easy to access stuff while still wearing the pack. Also, there is a handy mesh pocket on the front left shoulder strap for cellphones or granola bars. Although, the Adventure Pack is sort of pricey, it has performed excellently. I wouldn't recommend any other backpack/hydration pack. You can get them in various sizes at wingnutgear.com

let's see.....liked:
nashbar messenger bag (just for quickie loads like netbook, jacket, work papers. nothing heroic, and it won't replace anyones chrome, but great for light stuff.)
pdw 1000 (blows my superflashes outta da water.)
specialized BG grips (stupid me left them on my last bike when i sold it.)
magicshine headlight
mongoose bmx style metal bigfoot pedals ($8.00.....can't go wrong)
maxxis re-fuse 700x25
my new cannondale bad boy!!!!!!!
qickex quicker pro. actually able to get 120 p.s.i. in my tires
camelbak podium ice
schwalbe marathons on my wifes bike
schwalbe kojak 28's on my cannondlae (notice a trend here?)


the "meh" list:
rido r2 saddle. (NOT impressed by the flimsy english saddle at all, but i have not tried it on the better fitting bike.)
specialized milano saddle
titec hellbent bar (not bad, but the smooth and slick surface causes everything to slip)
chain thong
profile TT style water bottle holder (flimsy as all hell)
felt bike
topeak road morph g (i know i will get hell, but useless)


all i can think of for now......

Do explain...

Nice idea.

Liked: Specialized Armadillos. A bit wooden-feeling, but no flats in Boston. I hope I don't encounter too much ice.
Civia Hyland. A very nice, upright-riding bicycle. The more weight on the rear (panniers), the better it rides. Kind of stiff when it's just me.
Shimano Alfine 8 hub. Damn. This is one nice-shifting hub. I ran an SRAM i9, i3 and Alfine 8 this year (i9 was stolen, i3 just plain broke). The shimano outperforms the other two, even if it performs worse on paper.

Didn't like: The Civia front basket (with bamboo slats) has a weird design that loosens the top nut that holds it (and the fender) on. Not worth the cost- the Paul somebody-or-other model looks a lot better. However, the integrated lock holder and front light mount are pretty slick.
SPD 324, clipless/clip pedals are not worth it. Go one way or the other.

The Wingnut pack is on my list of things to try in '11. I want to do Leadville, and I don't think I could tolerate my CamelBak MULE for that many miles/hours. Got any pics of your pack?

I forgot this "liked":

DaVinci-modified SRAM derailleur. Designed to allow you to use Campy ErgoPower brifters with Shimano drivetrains. I had mine paired with Centaur 10-speed ErgoPower shifters, and it worked flawlessly with a 9-speed Shimano drivetrain (24/36/46, 11-32). I ended up not liking the feel of the Campy brifters (on the hoods, where I spend most of my time), but the derailleur was superb.

https://www.chainthong.com/

Any specific reason why you didn't like it? (just wondering)

flimsy. first time my pant leg brushed against it, it just flopped around in my chainring. zip ties just scratched up the paint. snapped it off and tossed it into the dark night.

No, I don't but I don't have any pictures of my bike, either. =/

Like:
Timbuk2 Bullitt pannier/messenger bag. Decent marriage of a pannier and messenger bag. Typical Timbuk2 quality (which is excellent).

Axiom Transit rack. Lighter and can handle more weight than my Topeak clip-on rack.

Sno-seal for the Brooks B17. Makes the saddle much more water-proof than Proofide.

Bontrager inner tube. Chrome plated stem and very well made overall. Best tubes I've seen thus far.

Continental Gatorskin Steel bead 28mm. Rolls easily and no flats for about 3 months of riding on very dirty (practically unused by peds.) sideways choked full of sharp pebbles, broken glass, etc...

REI OXT Airflyte Running Jacket with eVent Fabric. Super breathable and kept me dry from moisture within and without. Great as an windbreaker layer as well.

Tried:

Wald folding basket - the OEM mounting hardware sucks and doesn't suit my needs very well at all. The powdercoating rubbed off even after one week of usage.

Maglite AA LED flashlight (the newest kind with multi-mode). Great be-seen light with the strobe function but not bright enough for night use. I missed a dead animal by 1" on a dark and rainy night commute.

Backpack in hot weather. Rash developing on my back; sweaty, stinky mess by the time I finish my measly 2mi commute.

Pretty much everything I tired, I liked . These are very roughly in the order of how much they impacted the quality of my riding and my commute, though many things are more a tie than a preference. Anyway, none of these are crazy new products, just new to me, but I liked 'em.):

*36h rear wheel from Handspun w/ Velocity Dyad rim and Deore LX hub. So nice to have a reliable wheel!!!
*Topeak Explorer rack and rack trunk combo w/ MTX system and fold-down panniers
*Butterfly trekking style handlebars
*Surtly Crosscheck rigid fork (to replace the crappy stock suspension fork I had on my hybrid)
*PB Cascadia fenders
*Cateye Strada wired cyclocomputer
*Twofish lockblock for mounting flashlight to handlebars
*Nashbar front rack
*Axiom Lasalle pannier set - bought more for touring which I didn't get to due to some family issues, they've proven handy for those days I need some extra hauling capacity. If I use these on front and my rack trank on the back, I can carry A LOT of things to/from wirk/home.
*700x32 Vittoria Randonneur Tires

Hoping to try in 2011:

*Surly LHT frame
*Clipless pedals w/ MTB sneaker-style SPD shoes
*Avid SD-7 V-brakes
*Other stuff I don't even know about yet!

Like:

MG P-Rocket SST-50 Neutral White 700+ Lumens from ShiningBeam at $63 more expensive than MTE P7 light from DX and not quite as bright, but it WORKS!! and hasn't stopped working
Axiom Appalachian Panniers Can't beat the price ($30-40), works well for what it is, not waterproof, but water repellent.
Timberland Prima Gloves for temperatures from the mid 20s F to 5 F - and maybe below (haven't tried it below single digits). For $25 or so. Link


Not so good:

Detours Toocan H2NO looked so promising and for $80 bucks worked for the first weeks absolutely beautifully. And then it fell apart, stitches came off, hooks came off. Now it's just a waterproof bag, I'll through into the crate on the rack. Link

Likes:

• My new commuter road bike uses SRAM's Apex groupset. I really, really like the 32-tooth cog. Oh, the bike itself is awesome too!
• On the new bike, I have Ortlieb's Back Roller Classic panniers. Yes, I know, everybody loves them, so no surprise I do too. I have a longish commute carrying a laptop. Brisbane weather can be sunny one moment, flooding the next. So, having waterproof panniers was super-important to me. These panniers are definitely waterproof. My only complaint is the lack of pockets, but I can live with that.
• PDW Radbot 1000. Best rear light I've ever tried. I've progressively replaced all my other rear lights (PBSF, Cherry Bomb, and PBSF clones) with this.
• Garmin 800 GPS. This is the first bike-specific GPS I've used, and I like what I've seen so far. I'm using it just to record routes at this stage, but over the xmas break I'll be testing its navigation capabilities.
• Ground Effect Flash Gordon rain jacket. Excellent rain jacket that is actually breathable. I rode through a 1-hour downpour and got home toasty dry. I've also used it on day-long rainy rides and have been happy with their performance.
• Genuine Innovations Ultraflate Plus. I bought this to replace a push-to-activate CO2 inflator that self-destructed. I'm very pleased with the purchase. The trigger is useful to regulate the flow of CO2.
• KoolStop Salmon brake pads. Excellent stopping power in the wet.
• VAR tyre lever. Excellent for removing and reinstalling reluctant tyres. I bought this after it took me hours to remove and reinstall a Conti Gatorskin. Now I can do it in under 10 minutes.
• Ground Effect Ristretto base layer. Keeps me toasty on those cold winter mornings!

Tried, but the jury's still out:

• Topeak Road Morph G mini pump. Bought for the new commuter, this was intended as an equivalent to the Tioga pump I have on my other bike. Although they look the same and work on the same principle, I found pumping the Topeak pump a little harder. The L-shaped handle feels flimsy and I felt like I couldn't put much weight on it to pump. I don't know what pressure I achieved with it as I couldn't read the gauge (too busy actually trying to pump the thing combined with dodgy eyesight). I might need to practice using this a little more before making a final decision about like/dislike.
• Ground Effect Chipolatas gloves. They are wind resistant and kept my hands quite warm. However, I felt like my hands were a touch too warm and sweating was a problem. Also, the fit of the gloves wasn't perfect for me (though it might suit others). The seam of the gloves in the fingertips often wound up working its way under my fingernails. These gloves aren't in the "dislike" list because despite the occasional overheating and the fit, I still kind of like them.

Disliked:

• Ground Effect Helter Skelter rain pants. I really wanted to like these, but I don't. I used these during a days-long rain-fest a few months ago. I found that their length really worked against them. Because they're 3/4 length, they finish under the knee. Between sweat and the water that sprayed up the leg itself, the material would get stuck on my knee, causing the pants to impinge my pedalstroke. In the end, my solution was to tuck the bottom of the rain pants under the elastic of the leg of my knicks. All that said, they were effective at repelling rain. They're not as breathable as the Flash Gordon rain jacket, so I ended up a little damp, but overall they did the job.

Looking at this list, I've just realised something. I really, really need to stop spending money on bike stuff!

Max

Now I see why people say commuting can get expensive.

This year I haven't done much new except attach a cheap front reflector to one bike that i scavenged from a xmart special bike. I also ordered this 9LEd taillight but haven't gotten it yet. I also added this mirror to a bike. I now realize why people like mirrors while commuting.