Frugal cyclists: what accessories can I skimp on and which ones should I invest ...
This comment was posted to reddit on Apr 03, 2019 at 10:12 am and was deleted within 13 hour(s) and 55 minutes.
Frugal cyclists: what accessories can I skimp on and which ones should I invest in?
On pedals you cannot do much, pedals are mechanical machinery that requires some proper work, you can always go for smaller brands (other than shimano) or NOS; but you are guaranteed to be over $50.
Bottles are ridiculously cheap, some shops even gift them when you buy something over certain amount, if not, you can easily get one for 5$ or so if you look around, bottles are simple wrapped plastic, even cheap ones would do.
You can get off brand bottle cages and they work just fine, say from ebay or aliexpress, even carbon ones will be fine; make sure not to buy fake ones nevertheless, it's not ok, but rather unbranded or from some brand of theirs.
You can also get offbranded shorts, so far I've had luck with them; unless you are going for very complex fabric properties, you should be fine with what non specialized very small brands have to offer.
Due to safety regulations always buy a proper helmet from a recognized brand that follows regulation and fits well, this is the case where it's better to go to the LBS; if a helmet doesn't fit well, it can be a hazard, so for a good helmet you are paying around $75 or more.
Patch kits are cheap, $5
A floor pump can go for around $35 while a hand pump can go for around $15, there's not much to do about these, but you can always get them used, you might not need a floor pump if you have an air compressor with a gauge.
A chain made of hardened steel with a good normal lock is often better than an U lock, just go to a hardware store.
A bike stand is not necessary, you can do most jobs just on the floor, or on a wall, I own a bike stand and I rarely ever use it.