THE BIKE & OTHER BITS
Azzurri Solo Road Bike
I bought this road bike a few years ago when upgrading from a mountain bike. Well, I didn't really upgrade, just took a side step. I still have a mountain bike! I bought it because I wanted to go faster and also wanted something lighter. Plus I think I got a bit hooked on the Tour de France one year and was abit inspired. This bike cost me AUD$900 and it weighs only 10kgs which sounds light but is no featherweight compared to some of the carbon fibre professional examples out there withch cost up to AUD30,000!!! The guy at the shop mounted the bike onto a trainer for me so that I could sit on it to get an idea of what it would be like to ride a road bike. The first two things that struck me was firstly my view down from the handle bars which showed me a very very thin tyre. The second was the size of the seat and how uncomfortable it looked! Over time though I got used to the bike and it has served me well on rides to work and a few charity rides as well. There are more than enough gears but I try to minimise gear changes to help me build up my fitness. My goal is to eventually be able to ride a 'fixie' or fixed geared bike. This is a bike that has only one cog in the front and one in the back (like when you were a kid on your bmx). I want to be able to be fit enough to ride my bike on any road with or without hills and not have to worry about changing gears to compensate etc. Will take me quite awhile to build up the strength and fitness, but I'll get there eventually.
Velo Plush Saddle
Ahh the seat. It doesn't look very inviting but it does a good job. A pair of shorts with padding is definately needed though. Hasn't failed me yet. Eventually your rear end gets used to sitting on this. Takes a bit of time.
Cateye LED Headlight
I bought this light because I was doing alot of early morning rides on a main highway on the way to work. The LED lights up the whole road particularly when it is late evening. Hasn't failed me yet. I have had this light for a few years now and it is still using the same battery!
Nite Rider Cycle Computer
This is my third cycle computer. The first Cateye one got stolen and the second Cateye (wired unit) failed after 6 months. This one has been going strong for the last 2 years. It has a backlit display and it features a stem mount so that it doesn't get in the way on the handlebars. Plus it just twists off when you park your bike so that you can carry it with you.
BBB Seat Pouch & Vetta Rear Light
This little pouch is mounted to the seat rails and post. It holds a spare tube, tyre levers, puncture repair kit and a Topeak multi tool which also includes various allen keys. Below it, is a Vetta rear flashing LED light (which you can just see a bit of).
ATB Bike Pump & GT Bottle Cage (Attached to Bike)
I have not used this pump as I have never had a flat (yet!) But I bought this to mout to the bike because it also had a psi gauge built in. It is also a larger style pump which may not seem practical to some cyclists. I like the larger size because when the time comes to pump up a tyre to 110psi on the side of the road, I'd rather do it with this pump with the larger air chamber than with a smaller mini pump that would make you pump it up to 400 times to fill a road bike tyre!
BBB Rear Vision Mirror
This mirror has been very handy as it allows me to see if there is any traffic behind me for when I want to turn or pull out of the side of the road, or change lanes etc. Simply attaches by removing a handlebar end plug and replacing with the mirror mount. The mirror can also tilt and turn a full 360 degrees which is handy for anyone of any height that rides the bike. It is also easy to fold away when the bike is stored.
Met Helmet
I tried on quite a few helmets before I settled on this one. I liked the colours, it wasn't too big yet wasn't too small. Comes with a detachable visor (which I have never used). It also has a very easy adjusting system. Looks good when it is on my head (if I do say so myself!)
Serfas Bike Pump (Floor Standing)
This pump has been handy for everything from the bikes to pumping up balls for the kids. I even put extra air into one of the car tyres when it was a bit low on pressure! Has a large gauge with an adjusting ring that has a bright red arrow on it as a visual aid. You can point it to the pressure you require and just pump until the needle hits the arrow. Also comes with two different attachment needles for pumping up floats and balls etc.