Not the most common jelly to find but it’s my favorite grocery store kind. This is made with sugar while the regular uses corn syrup and the sugar-free uses some fake shit.
It also spreads nicer and the price is about the same. If I run out and can’t find this or some homemade, I just go PB only or maybe get a small thing of honey.
This is a baller helmet. I got it for free when I worked on a job that hooked up promotional helmets from Serotta, the only US dealer. To be truthful this is the second one I’ve owned. I cracked my first one in a crash while working on that job. Serotta was nice enough to set me up with a replacement.
I can say it’s light and very airy and it does the job it’s meant to do.
Cost: free
Made in Spain
I bought the large (77″ x 25″) so my arms wouldn’t hang off the sides. All other sizes are just 20″ wide. The biggest one is still small and light. Thick so it doesn’t have to be inflated super firm to not feel the ground.
I had a Ridge-rest foam pad on my first two tours. That was fine but really just a bare minimum, comfort-wise. I had some made in China air pad on my last tour but it was only 20″ wide and I gave it to a friend who was about to ride from NYC to Guatemala and didn’t have anything.
I’ve had this NeoAir about a year and a half and have used it on a dozen weekend trips, like packed hotel rooms and staying with friend in other cities.
Touring is a different story. Will inflating this thing every night after a long days ride be something I like? After I lie on it will.
I think I bought this at EMS in Manhattan during one of their sales.
Cost: about $150
Made in USA
cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest
“beautifully machined, hand-friendly levers”
Not much else I can add.
The rear was a gift from a friend. The matching front I bought later from QBP.
Cost: $14
Made in USA
First, not my photo. I’d have moved the keyboard and mine are white.
I have these from my first tour, they have been used on all my tours. I thought about buying some King Cage bottle cages because they are made in USA. Chose not to because I wrote them an email and they never replied so, no I’m not going to call or go to your website and give you my credit card number if you can’t answer one simple question in an email.
King Cage is based in Colorado if that says anything.
I would like to support a US company producing goods in the US but in this case I’m reusing three cages I already had. And it looks like mine are 3g lighter/per than King Cage’s listed weight of their $17/each Stainless model.
Maybe I’ll try them again if one of my Specialized ever break.
I bought these years ago at a local bike shop.
Cost: $4 each x3
Made in Japan
I guess in some cities, like NYC, it is a ticketable offense to ride without a bell on your bike. I mean safety’s great and all but I ring the bell for other reasons.
I think of bells on bikes like horns on autos. They communicate thoughts, they express ideas, they say something.
I have some other bell on my work bike but for my touring bike I went the brass bell route. I think what I like about the other bell is that I can ring it with a trigger and the back and forth is a ring with each movement. So it has a lot of control over the sound. 1 ring, 2 rings, 1 ring then 3 real fast, whatever.
I guess I bought this brass bell because it’s got some old style to it. And it’s louder. It comes in 50mm or 55mm versions, I think I have the 55mm. But this thing has a hammer strike so the tempo control is limited but it gets easier with practice.
I mounted it sideways to the quill section of my stem and the hammer lever sticks up above the flat part of the stem. It takes a pull/release motion to ring.
I bought this at a local bike shop.
Cost: $12
Made in Japan
I was once a bartender and one of the locals came in one day with an old DeRosa frame in my size. Just the chipped, dented frame, no fork, no parts. He said he found it by the dumpster at his storage unit facility. It was a 59cm and a few sizes too big for him but about right for me. I gladly bought his few rounds in trade. Told him I was going to build it into a single speed.
The next day he brought in these Dura-ace levers he had in his spare parts bin. That got him a few more beers on me.
After STI took over I guess there are some single speeds out there that got some lever upgrades.
These were on that DeRosa for a while until the frame broke, then they lived in my parts bin for a while.
Recently, I took the STI’s off my touring bike and added these levers and bar end shifters. Glad I did because new 10 speed STI’s are expensive. Thanks Brian.
In general these are everything you would expect. Works good, looks good. The tops are a little narrow compared to newer shifter/levers. I think a wider top would feel better but maybe my hands are too big, these were designed for tiny racer dudes.
Cost: free
Made in Japan
I have just applied this to my newish Brooks saddle. I started with a rag from a t-shirt but gave up on that and used a small paint brush instead. Much easier on the under side with a brush.
Seems like I’ll have enough to do a couple complete covers and a couple more light covers on the top side before it’s gone.
I did use the rag to wipe the top after it set in.
I forgot how much this cost. And I’m going to assume it’s made in England.
Yep, Good stuff. I can’t write a detailed review here. They are brake pads, they work. Support US companies. Review over.
Bought from QBP.
Cost: $6
Made in USA
I’ve used this in New York City, year-round for 5 years now. It’s never given me a reason to switch.
2 oz drip bottle. Small and light, tight cap.
Bought at local bike shop.
Cost: $4
Made in USA
A photo of my rebuilt bike unloaded and without front rack. East River State Park in Brooklyn, NY. Summer 2011.
Previously: Touring Bike Rebuild
A far as multi-state maps go, this thing is the shit.
I could get better maps of each state and I will need to find another if I want to go to the eastern edge of Maine. It cuts off before the Canadian border. But besides that there is good detail. All of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Most of New York, a lot of Maine, North East PA and the top of NJ.
I bought this at a Barnes and Noble store in lower Manhattan.
Cost: $6
Made in France
These are the most comfortable shorts I own. They stretch in all directions so riding in them does not constrict. They repel water and dirt. In a light rain water just rolls off, and most dust and dirt is easy to just brush off. They dry really fast and stay clean. The fabric is soft and comfortable but after months of riding there is nearly no wear in the areas that usually show wear after a few weeks.
I really like Outlier and this is not the only article I own. Good stuff.
Made in NYC with Swiss fabric.
Case calls this the Jr. Scout #244. It’s a simple spear blade, can opener, bottle opener, screwdriver and leather punch.
Length closed: 3 ⅜”
I used the leather punch once on my belt, thing works like a charm.
This knife is something that was left behind in a bar I worked at years ago. We held it for 30 days and no one claimed it so I kept it.
Cost: Free
Weight: 1.9oz (55g)
Made in USA
This is a review of a fork spoon and knife. And tea spoon.
A vast majority of “outdoor” cutlery sets are either made in China or $40+ Ti, or both.
I didn’t want either of those things. I also did not want something that folds or is just plain small.
The knife is 8” and the tea spoon is 5 ¼” to give an idea.
Kupilka calls this a “natural fiber composite material” that basically means wood and plastic. But so far seems like a good deal.
I bought this at Tent & Trails in Manhattan.
Cost: $12
Made in Finland
This is a review of Park Tools Road Wrench 1. It is a short 32mm/15mm to be used on a 1″ headset and pedals.
Two important tools in one. Three really because I need a 15mm to adjust the tension on my Paul canti brakes.
It’s nice that it’s shorter than a shop tool for weight reasons. It’s a hair over 6″.
The two small holes make it able to be mounted between the frame and water bottle cage but I doubt I’ll do that.
I bought this direct from Park Tool. Who, by the way, has great customer service.
Cost: $5
Made in USA