Bicycle Accessories

Have you added accessories to your bike? Are there accessories that you're considering? Good ones, bad ones, I'd like to share experiences.

I'll start with the naviiON, reviewed here. The naviiOn is the coolest bike computer I've ever seen. I've had mine for about 3 years.

I like the fact that it displays a lot of information at once, including:
Distance
Speed: current, max, average
temperature: current, min, max
Elevation: current, cumulative gain, plus elevation relative to starting point
Time: clock, date, timer

It also has a voice recorder, removable memory, and can be set-up for two different bikes. It records multiple rides (as many as will fit on the memory), and even records separate histories for each bike.

It uses common batteries (AAA, I think), so you don't have to look for special watch batteries.

The naviiON has navigation capabilities, which are based on distance, elevation and manual user input. It does not have GPS.

You can compare a ride to a previous ride of the same route taken by yourself or someone else.

You can also download the rides to your computer, and then upload them to the naviiOn website to share with others.

You can create a training diary in the naviiSOFT software ( I haven't tried this feature yet - I'm just recording my rides in a notebook).

Unfortunately, I left mine in a black bag in the back window of my car last summer and the screen cover warped. I was able to flatten it out a little with a hairdryer, but I couldn't get it completely flat. This hasn't affected the operation, but under certain conditions the screen is difficult to read - like when the sun is coming from a certain angle or when it's raining.

The naviiON is necessarily large and the mounting system feels flimsy, but it has never given me any trouble, even though I've had a few minor crashes with it on.

It's not cheap, but I find mine very useful.

Terry Liberator Saddle. Comfy without any "breaking in."

Bontrager adjustable stem.

Continental Touring Tires with slimed presta tubes. I've read accounts of people going 5k miles on these without a flat. That's just short of unbelievable.

grant;351047 wrote:

Terry Liberator Saddle. Comfy without any "breaking in."

Bontrager adjustable stem.

Continental Touring Tires with slimed presta tubes. I've read accounts of people going 5k miles on these without a flat. That's just short of unbelievable.

I really need to get an adjustable stem. My bike is a little too big, but it took me a year of riding to come to that conclusion.

Last year I was considering the SyntaceVRO, but had a lot of trouble finding information.

The one I really want is the Look Ergostem, but I don't want to spend $200 on a stem. I still might end up with that.

I get them for my wheelchair and my wife and kid have them.
Mostly lights and my I just got my son a GIANT bell.

rkzenrage;351092 wrote:

... I just got my son a GIANT bell.

You mean one like this?

Funny.

grant;351047 wrote:

Continental Touring Tires with slimed presta tubes. I've read accounts of people going 5k miles on these without a flat. That's just short of unbelievable.

I just had my first flat after nearly 3 years on my Kevlar Bontragers. A wee sliver of a beer bottle finally worked its way into my tube...:(

barefoot serpent;351123 wrote:

I just had my first flat after nearly 3 years on my Kevlar Bontragers. A wee sliver of a beer bottle finally worked its way into my tube...:(

That's why I prefer cans when I'm riding.

I've added a Cyclaire pump - works a treat and is small enough to stow in the top section of the bag I've got that spans the crossbar

In case you're wondering what the bag looks like, it's one of these triangular frame jobbies (picture courtesy of eBay):

.

I'm pretty much a bell, streamers, and baseball card for the spokes kind of woman.

wolf;356063 wrote:

I'm pretty much a bell, streamers, and baseball card for the spokes kind of woman.

wolf -- can you post a picture? I have an image of a pink bike with a gun rack behind the seat.

Cyclefrance -- I like that pump. Did you get the original or the rapid? I don't know if those are available in the US.

HI HLJ - I have the original - it works pretty fast! - From flat to 85 psi takes about 3 minutes, I guess - I need to change arms about 3 times though if I go at this rate. I like it because it can handle the high pressures I need (so many pumps don't), has a built in pressure gauge, and stows so well.

HLJ;356070 wrote:

wolf -- can you post a picture? I have an image of a pink bike with a gun rack behind the seat.

I wish I could ... I don't have space for a bicycle, but would have one if I did (honest, really, well, okay maybe).

Except that it wouldn't be pink. Never pink. Blue, maybe purple. But not pink. I would be more likely to have one of those old west style saddle scabbards attached to the frame. Makes more sense, don't you think?

Cyclefrance;356153 wrote:

HI HLJ - I have the original - it works pretty fast! - From flat to 85 psi takes about 3 minutes, I guess - I need to change arms about 3 times though if I go at this rate. I like it because it can handle the high pressures I need (so many pumps don't), has a built in pressure gauge, and stows so well.

Ah - another benefit - a full-body workout. This is too often lacking in the road cycling experience.

HLJ;356225 wrote:

Ah - another benefit - a full-body workout.

Sadly, no, I just have weak arms!