Tag Archives: Reviews

Park GP-2

Sticker patches only work if you apply them the right way. Some people don’t like them but I’ve had good luck and this will be the fourth tour I’ve taken GP-2 as my only way to patch a tube. Of course I’ll bring spare tubes as well.

Made in USA

 

Topeak Road Morph Pump

I was a messenger in New York City for a while. It’s true that Time is Money. Another messenger let me use his pump when my old one was acting up. He had a Topeak Road Morph and after that I realized some pumps are way better than others. I bought my own and have had it for about 4 years now.

Bought from local bike shop.

I think this is made in Taiwan.

 

Nalini Team Crédit Agricole Jersey

This one is from the mid 2000’s. About 2004?

2008 was the last year for Team Crédit Agricole and the more recent Jerseys look different.

Anyway I was thinking that I might bring two jerseys, one team jersey of a black lager from Bad Köstritz, Germany and a second from a team sponsored by a French Bank. I was talking to friends of friends and got the advice that I should at least try to speak French if I go as far North as I say I am. I don’t think this jersey will bring me any luck but it might motivate me to practice learning a new language.

I bought this on closeout for $19 at a bike/ski shop at the end of the summer season in 2004 if I remember.

I believe this was made in Italy.

 

Adventure Medical Kits Ultra/Watertight 0.5

I bought this because, why not. It’s light and if I use it just once, for myself or for someone else, it’ll be money well spent. I added a few extra water proof bandages and small tube of triple antibiotic ointment. And a slip of paper with my emergency contact. I’ll keep this in a small outside pocket of my rear pannier, I’d like to find a little basic “first aid” patch to sew onto that pocket.

“Assembled in USA of imported and domestic components”

 

Cinelli Cork Ribbon

Cinelli bar wrap has gone on every bike I’ve ever owned, all the ones with drop bars. I was looking at the Selle An-Atomica (made in USA) leather wrap so I would have something durable and matched my saddle but in the end I just went with what I had. It was spend fifty bucks or use what I had sitting around. Also I used a left over single strip of black under this white that is exposed. It looks like a normal wrap. I wanted a little extra cushion so I cut it up just right to hit the places my hand rest with the most weight then wrapped that up. Comfy bars.

The white does get dirty but unlike the black you see the dirt and it’s not hard to go a little soapy water on a rag and give it a wash.

Made in Italy

 

Bike Light Set

 

Shit is expensive. $25 each. I bought these when NYC cops were out to ticket bikers for everything.

Bought at local bike shop.

Cateye is made in China.

The rear blinky is a Planet Bike, who are based in Madison, WI but the light is made in Taiwan

 

Bike Peddler Take A Look Eyeglass Mirror

Bike Peddler Take A Look Cycling Eyeglass Mirror.

I used to use a Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror (made in Japan) on my other touring bikes but when switching from STI to bar-end shifting I lose that option. I want to have a mirror when I think I need one, so this is coming along. We’ll see how long it lasts. One thing I liked about the Cateye was if I got a bug or dirt in my eye I would have a mirror right there and it worked for shaving my face too. That’s why I’m going to bring it minus the bar end plug part, it’ll be my vanity mirror compared to this tiny little thing.

One thing I like about this mirror is in the old photos of my dad riding his road bike, like from before I was born or only old enough to be carried in a trailer behind his bike, he had one of these.

Cost: $15

Made in USA

 

Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror

Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror
Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror

Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror

This was my mirror for a while. When I set up for my first tour i was really still just a kid but i listened to older advice of having a mirror on my bike. Maybe a little dorkish but it was for my own use. I skipped the advice of mounting an orange safety flag.

I still carry the mirror, minus the bar end mounting bit, for shaving.

Made in Japan

Ray-Ban RB2132-03

Today I went to pick up my new lenses in my old frames at Lenscrafters and as I was walking out I noticed these sunglasses. I was in a hurry to meet a buyer for a bike I was selling so I kept walking. Made the sale, so that’s money in the bank and one less thing to store. After shaking hands I walked away w/o a bike to walk home. The sun seems a bit brighter when not hunched over the bars, so I walked back and bought what’s really just a delayed impulse buy. I have AAA *wink* and that gets a discount, not just on eye glasses but sunglasses too. Not bad.

100% UVA and UVB
Classic, comfortable, black, comes with cloth and case. And it means I don’t have to bring my broken Tifosi sunglasses I bought 8 years ago. Perfect.

Cost: $73

Made in Italy

 

Camera Cleaning Kit

 

 

A lens cloth, dust blower and lens brush make up a basic cleaning kit for my camera. I’m not sure where these things are made, other than the cloth, it’s made in Japan.

Just more shit I have to carry but keeping my camera clean while out on the road is important.

I collected these items over time. All together I probably spent $20

If I lost any of these items I’d buy another right away because any one is not very expensive and does a specific job well.

 

Arkel Big Bar Bag

A friend from my last tour rode with one of these. I was wanting one ever since. Right after I decided to go on another tour I ordered this straight from Arkel. So far it seems like a really good bag.

The bag mounts are all metal. The way it disconnects and installs makes sense and is not a pain in the ass at all. The main compartment is big and the front pocket is spacious. The top seems to have too much curve and reading a map area at the very front could be a pain. I might rather see that be flat but I can live with it. I have a New York City flag patch that’s going right over the Arkel logo on front.

Ordered direct from Arkel with no problems.

“Fabric made in the USA, Manufactured in Canada”

Arkel-od.com