Things that cost under a tenner that make a huge difference to your bike.

1. Fizik bar Gel.

i just put some on my bars, under the harsh and unforgiving ( their trademark?) Brooks leather tape. it feels great. it's really easy to apply, cut to shape etc, and it makes the bars feel forgiving and satisfyingly fatter. Give it a try.

Now you just need some for your saddle :p

Sold it, Mousey, sold it. it's on simons Robin Mather Tourer, i believe

Bar gel tip 2 :

tuck an offcut under your brake hoods for added comfort.

tip3: cover your mouth when sneezing

shave your legs

- rep.

new chain..

what we all know i just ware ubber-trendy high socks to hide my colorado mountain man leg hair, from the evil forces of drag.

how about put areo bars on your bull horns,

or wider handle bars, or drops not risers, or clipless pedals (though shoes are not cheap)

- rep x 2

adjust your bike setup so it fits you.

yes - especially if for some reason you have bought a frame with aggressive bendy bits. in which case add 17 spacers and gert big riser bars.

adjust saddle horizontal with a spirit level

So True

Fred helped me out at TrixieDix this evening, my ride home was much more comfortable.

Saved me a fortune at cyclefit!

On this note, who is good at bike fitting on the forum?

Tip number 3:

Apply tape to all of the bar surfaces you plan to hold. This will improve your tooth retention in wet weather.

no probs dancing homer james. :-P

fuck yeah.

I actually like slick bars as I move my hands around alot I never had a problem in the wet or with sweat ...

Well actually with sweat as I don't ride that one in the rain

Tighten your spokes (if they're loose). Instant increase in responsiveness. (thanks jim!)

Adjust saddle to correct height, adjust saddle to correct position on rails.

Tighten headset

Inflate tyres

Buy one o' them there lock holders, save your back jean pocket/belt.

Buy new brake blocks.

Buy some lube (then use it).

It's the little changes that keeps a bike feeling fun I find!

1. Pump your tyres up to the correct pressure!

Amazing how many people ride around on under-inflated tyres. Having the tyres at the correct pressure will reduce rolling resistance, and improve handling.


2. Buy some nice tyres with a folding bead, and lower rolling resistance. Lighter tyres will improve performance. (ok, this will cost more than a tenner, but still the most cost effective way to improve performance).

3. Have big shit before you go out on the bike. The cheapest way to lighten your ride!

+1 to all those saying that making sure your saddle is flat (nose and tail level), and at the right height (inside leg X .883 = centre of b/b to top of saddle), and correctly positioned fore-aft (so that front of knee is above pedal axle when cranks are parallel to the ground). Oh, and ask yourself the following question: Do my bars really need to be that low and that far away from me? The answer is probably no.

More complicated measurements are difficult to do without a jig, and the eye of someone who understands bio-mechanics but the above should be possible for everyone.

Water bottle cage. Perfect for holding water bottles and other water bottle shaped items.

such as wine, whiskey or the spirit of your choice.

Amen, brother.

more of a whisky-man than a whiskey-man... do they make hip flask cages?

Hipster flask cages.

surley make hip flask cages
and hip flasks to go with it.

EDIT. too slow.

Koolstop dual compound brake pads.

Lose weight.

Clean rims with plastic green scourer thingy.

Roughen brake pads with sandpaper/nail file.

Possibly tighten all your spokes half a turn, depending on the original build.

what, just sort of tie loose weights around you?

arrgh, you sneaky edit monkey. but i saw it!

i'm not a big whisky drinker, so i think i'm allowed to misspell it.

Truly lovely idea.
Point of information, I tried to give MA3K some +ve for this, but because i'm too much of a hipster I think it *ironic* to hit the wrong button