Merry Xmas. Ho Ho Ho. Here are your cycling fantasy gifts, as modified by me from a post by Michael O’Reilly, a clever bloke from Australia. You can see the link to the original post at the end of this post.
If your email is anything like mine, you’ll have seen lots of lists of “gift ideas for cyclists” recently.
Here are a few fantasy items to add to the list.
A magic water bottle
I’ve come up with one way to improve my Strava times. I’ve got to stop stopping so often.
But how to stay hydrated? The professionals, of course, get handed their bottles via team cars, neutral service motos and suffering domestiques, but in hot conditions this cyclist has to stop for regular refills to offset the sweat.
Greek mythology tells of the cornucopia, a vessel that provided unending nourishment. I’ll have one for cyclists, please – less than 750 grams, fitting in a bottle cage, with a toggle switch for water, electrolytes and nutrition.
A self-cleaning drive train
You know those riders who have chains and cassettes that always look like they’re brand new? It’s a sight that fills me with a mixture of envy and wonder.
It’s one thing to give a dirty bike an occasional wash or wipe down but tackling a grubby drive train is just a hassle – and a messy one at that.
My chain looks nothing like this. Photo: Getty Images
Yes, yes, if you do it regularly it’s less of an ordeal and reduces wear – or so I’m told. Dear Santa, is there a self-cleaning drive chain in your sack for me?
Headwind tamer
I ride up hills and mountains because they’re there, I like the challenge and views are usually part of the bargain. Same for riding in the heat and cold.
But my absolute worst is a withering headwind, such as the one I recently experienced on a grim return journey along Old Las Vegas Highway after flying down to Fina with what I should have realized was suspicious ease.
So perhaps a one-year, no headwinds free pass? I won’t use it every time, promise – only when I don’t have someone’s rear wheel to sit on.
Indestructible tires
When it comes to tires, durability for me is key – fixing a flat by the roadside is one of the nadirs of cycling. After going through a range of brands, I’m currently running Conti GP 4000 SII on my bike. They’re solid, but there was, for example, that goathead which removed the air needed to float like a butterfly. So next on my fantasy list is, tires that NEVER flat!
Punctures, one of the nadirs of cycling. Photo: Andrew De La Rue
Tubeless tires are winning road bike converts, especially with their self-sealing properties, but no inflatable tire is bullet-proof and dealing with them sounds like a bit of a kerfuffle (and solid tires are way too weird).
Another upside of guaranteed tire survival would be not having to carry repair equipment and a pump. And I’d like those magical clincher tires to be light and grippy, with no rolling resistance, natch.
Smoother roads
Tire issues can, of course, be exacerbated by dodgy roads – potholes, road seams, shonky shoulders, chip seal and the like. And one of the challenges of riding in New Mexico is that many of the best places to ride – such as rural areas or national parks – have harsh, rough, chip seal roads.
Recently, OLVH won a glorious surface upgrade, turning a rattly ordeal into a smooth roll (the hills didn’t get any flatter, though). So, cycling gods, send me some more road upgrades, please? I promise to clean my drive train more often if you do.
And finally …
Of course, I’d happily swap all of the above for increased care and consideration on our roads. To the best of my abilities I’ll be focusing on cycling graciously, while hoping the season of goodwill translates to better travel experiences for all.
Read the original: http://www.executivestyle.com.au/the-best-fantasy-gifts-for-cyclists-2017-gtfnoh#ixzz4Tagdjrv7
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