Over the years, I’ve tried a ton of cycling gear. I’ve spent money on things that weren’t worth it, and I’ve avoided spending a little extra when I should have gone for quality. Now that I ride gravel most often, I’m learning to embrace the things that would have had the old roadie in me recoiling, and I find myself enjoying life a whole lot more. So here’s a list of things I wanted to share that have proved worth it for me–and maybe they’ve helped me feel a little happier and more accepting of myself along the way.
Not all of these things are expensive, but some of them are definite splurges. So be aware as you work your way through that I’ve selected bike gear here based only on how much I like and use it and not how much it costs.
Scicon Aeroshade 2.0 Titanium Sunglasses
The Scicon Aeroshade 2.0 Titanium sunglasses are some of the best cycling sunglasses I’ve ever used, and they’re my current favorites. Their clarity is unmatched, and the field of vision is excellent–I almost don’t even realize I’m wearing them. At first, I was worried that the more aggressive look might be a little too much for me, but I was pleased at how well they matched the rest of my kit from the first ride on and almost melted into the angles of my helmet.
Super light at just 40 grams, and with lenses that manage airflow perfectly, the Aeroshades keep the wind moving around my face and not into my eyes where other glasses have made my eyes water chronically. It also comes with interchangeable lenses and the ability to add prescription inserts as well.
The most important thing about these sunglasses is not just how well they let me see without blocking my peripheral vision, but how durable they are. The materials on these sunglasses are no joke, and make the frames stronger where it counts–Grilamid TR90 front frame with adjustable, medical-grade titanium temples. Unfortunately, I have snapped other glasses with inferior materials. These puppies hang on, and it’s handy to be able to adjust both the position of the lenses as well as the nosepiece.
After many miles and across various terrains, these are my go-to shades for the long haul. And while they’re definitely not the cheapest option out there, I think the quality and protection here is worth the splurge.
Buy: Scicon Aeroshade 2.0 Titanium direct from Scicon
Cost: $238
CamelBak Podium Dirt Series Bottle
The CamelBak Podium Dirt Series includes a very simple yet ridiculously useful improvement over all my other bike bottles: a flexible cover over the drinking valve to keep dirt and grime out of my drink. As a roadie, I didn’t realize just how much an uncovered nozzle would collect even on a short gravel ride. I’ve tried other iterations of covered bottles, but these are as low profile as I’ve found, which matters quite a bit when you have a small framed bike and not a lot of extra space to work with. The integrated mud cap keeps the valve cleaner, while CamelBak’s self-sealing silicone Jet Valve provides a high flow rate without requiring me to open and close the nozzle for every drink.
I do generally pick the insulated versions in 21oz because I always hope that my water will stay chilled on a hot day. But, unfortunately, it rarely does unless I’m under plenty of tree cover. Either way, the cap makes up for my level of disappointment every time I expect a cold drink and get warm liquid. At least, with the cap, it’s never warm mud.
Buy: CamelBak Podium Dirt Series Chill
Cost: $21
Muc-Off Big Bore Valves
I recently did a long-term test of Muc-Off’s Big Bore tubeless valves, and since that time these valves have proven themselves to be super simple. Just once getting a valve core stuck closed from sealant at the side of the road was enough for me to be a big believer in Muc-Off’s valves: I’ll never go back. I’ve sworn off valve cores forever. Not only can you easily refill sealant, effortlessly seat tires with the increased airflow, and check sealant levels, these Muc-Off valves don’t clog the way traditional ones do. And opening/closing them is a simple matter of turning the shut-off lever. For a more detailed review of how these work and why they shine, read my long-term test.
Cost: $30+ depending on size and rim compatibility
The Dynaplug Racer
The Dynaplug Racer, which is just a small tubeless puncture repair kit, has multiple repair plugs pre-set into each end of the Racer that make for super quick and easy tire repair. I’ve had this kit for about two years now, and it is the handiest tubeless repair tool I’ve ever used. A huge plus is that it’s only about 3″ long and fits weightlessly in a jersey pocket for quick access when you’ve got a puncture spewing sealant that won’t seal on its own and needs a super fast fix. If you want to mount it on a bottle cage, it even comes with a quick mount. I’ve never done this since I’m worried I’d drop it somewhere along the way, and it takes up almost no space in my jersey pocket.
Dynaplug makes these kits in tons of configurations, and even though they’re a little pricey, they’re way easier than bacon strips in my opinion. The current kit includes three standard soft-nose plugs, two larger Megaplugs, a cleaning tool, and a silicone holder that can be mounted under a bottle cage.
Using it is straightforward: locate the puncture and push the plug into the tire to seal it up. Spin your wheel a few times to make sure the sealant coats back up, and you should be good to ride.
Buy: Direct from Dynaplug or via Dynaplug on Amazon.com
Cost: $47+ depending on type
RideWrap Paint Protection Film
If you’ve spent a decent amount of money on a gravel bike (or any bike for that matter), then I consider it a worthwhile expense to protect the frame from scuffs and scratches under normal use. While it won’t protect your bike from major damage, RideWrap full frame protection just makes me worry a little less. For under $200, I bought a full protection kit that is custom cut to fit my Gen 2 Canyon Grail, but you can also get custom cut kits that start at only $40.
While it’s definitely a want and not a need, I find that I can enjoy riding my bike way more when I’m not stressed out about scratching it all the time. In fact, this particular buy was a birthday present, and probably one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve received.
I installed the RideWrap myself, which was not nearly as difficult as everyone said it would be. The key is to start with an ultra clean frame in a fairly low-dust environment and a really positive attitude. I installed it in my kitchen with a humidifier running to cut down on dust in the air, and I made certain to spray the film down extremely well before attempting to fit each piece. Like, for real. Spray down your fingers, spray down the top of the film and the sticky side of the film, and keep spraying it. That’s also why the kitchen was a great pace for the install because I wasn’t too worried about the overspray of water on the floor. The other trick is to keep your eyes open for stray dirt that might stick to the film, spray the solution onto your fingers and remove any specks before you try to squeegee any water out. If you just keep the film wet, you’ll have the ability to move and adjust everything before it’s stuck down and difficult to remove. It takes time to fit everything properly, so muster all your patience, and don’t be in a rush.
The film is designed to resist staining and yellowing, and it goes a long way toward protecting your paint from wear from mounted frame bags. It is also self-healing and offers gloss and matte versions. Although it’s not intended to protect a frame from serious impacts or structural damage, it definitely reduces ordinary wear such as stone chips, abrasions, cable rub, transportation marks, and storage scuffs. Once installed, the film pretty much disappears, and it also makes for super quick and easy cleaning.
Buy: RideWrap
Cost: $40-200 dependent on coverage level
Supacaz Super Sticky Kush Bar Tape
While this bar tape isn’t the cheapest, I’ve found that it’s a buy once cry once sort of situation. Where other tapes might have plenty of cushion, I found that they would disintegrate much sooner than they should have, so I made the switch to Supacaz. It lasts for what seems forever, gives serious cushion for my hands (even for those rides when I forget my gloves), and has aluminum bar ends. In fact, I’ve had the same set of this bar tape on my current bike that I started with, and it’s showing no signs of wear even after a couple thousand miles. Better than that, it has a slight stickiness to it that helps me grip the handlebars without slipping off.
I currently have a set of star fade black to blue on my Grail, and I really dig the subtle accents. Supacaz has tons of colors and styles that should fit whatever look you’re going for too.
Buy: Supacaz Bar Tape
Cost: $40+
November Bicycles Rotor Shims
OK, you probably weren’t expecting a couple of metal shims to be on this list, but I do have a good reason for these. Even though they’re $16 from November Bicycles, they’re actually a cost saving tactic. Since I downgraded to just one all road bike (ok, yes, plus my old 2010 Fuji that lives on the trainer), I wanted to be able to ride road and trails by swapping wheel sets. A second wheelset that’s geared toward road is perfect to keep me from having multiple bikes to find space for and care for–now I just swap between gravel wheels and road wheels. But before I found these spacers, I was dealing with rubbing brakes and trying to adjust everything constantly to make a neutral position.
Well, that doesn’t work too well. Instead, two shims were all I needed–one behind each brake rotor–to move my rotors away from the inside edge of the brake calipers and into a position where they didn’t rub. Now I simply swap wheels when I want to ride road or gravel, and I don’t have to adjust brakes at all. It’s a simple trick that might help you save some cash and keep you from having two or three setups.
More Info: November Bicycles Centerlock Hub Rotor Shims
Cost: $16 but you may be able to find similar ones for cheaper in the automotive section.
Pro Bike Tool Torque Wrench
Knowing that your bolts are tightened to the correct torque specifications is super important both for keeping you from accidentally cracking a component and ensuring that everything is properly tightened down before you go speeding down the road or trail. The Pro Bike Tool Torque Wrench has been in my workbench for a couple of years, and it’s easy to set by just twisting the handle to get to your desired torque setting. This set is solid and has stood up to pretty constant use–just make sure to unload the torque setting every time you’re done using it, and never use it to loosen a bolt.
This torque wrench comes in a nice case, and isn’t nearly as expensive as other brands at a little over $50. While it maxes out at just under 17nm, I find that it’s more than enough to check just about every bolt on my bike–except of course for some high torque things like SRAM cranksets.
Buy: Pro Bike Tool Torque Wrench
Cost: $57
Leave a Reply