While it’s fun to buy new things, there is joy in buying something have having it last for a decade or more.
So what items (bike, training, recovery, nutrition, etc) have you gotten they you’ll never have to replace?
While it’s fun to buy new things, there is joy in buying something have having it last for a decade or more.
So what items (bike, training, recovery, nutrition, etc) have you gotten they you’ll never have to replace?
I’ll kick it off with a Vitamix blender. I probably went through half a dozen $20-30 department store blenders before I decided to buy once, cry once. I’ve had it for 9 years and probably made over 2000 post workout protein shakes/smoothies among other things
1up bike racks. I’ve had mine for 6 years and its still in absolutely mint condition. I had a Saris tray rack prior and it failed driving while I was driving across BC; luckily I was going 10 km/h at a gas station and not 120 km/h like the previous 5 hours.
Most of my tools+pump. Bottle cages
I have a Calfee that I bought in 2004. I was off the bike for 9 yrs, and upon resuming, I had it painted and put on a new Ultegra group set. Original wheels, Bar and stem changed after professional fit for this old body. I used it for a cross country trip 2 summers ago, and it spends winters on the trainer here in the inland Pacific Northwest. I seriously doubt I’ll need another bike.
Ti frame? Dunno. Just bought it. We’ll see if it lasts my lifetime.
My Lynskey Helix frame. Still turns heads after 10 years.
I’m still using my Ortlieb Sportspacker Pannier as a ruck sack (I bought a rucksack converter for it in 2006). Annoyingly I just one of the pair as I think my dad threw one out by mistake when he was helping me with a move.
Vitamix Blender
Technivorm Mocamaster (need that caffeine)
Any bag made by Filson
Do items with a lifetime warranty count? (ala LL Bean?)
I thought that but after 5 years and 41,000miles looking for the answer to my dramatic loss of form in 2018 I replaced my ‘forever’ bike with another Ti at the end of that year. Its done 20.5k miles now.
Edit: I’m glad it never lasted my lifetime but it was touch and go for a while as I found out in 2019.
Hope parts.
Since the pro2 you can rebuild hub for anything although I’ve got a qr something from mid 90s still going strong, and my early 2000s mono6 ti and mono M4 could be rebuilt tomorrow if I wanted them.
Never the lightest parts but long lived and indestructible.
One of the old KK road machines. I could probably upgrade to a smart trainer but I’m not really a huge fan of erg mode anyway, so I don’t really see the need because I love that thing. Bought it third(?) hand and save for replacing a tension bolt (that I’m pretty sure I stripped anyway) it’s pretty much bombproof.
Also have an old bryton computer that I hate but I think it’s going outlast me at this point, so I’m stuck with it.
Reserve carbon rims / wheels
+1 for the Technivorm. Last week I noticed the plastic cover over one of the leds went missing. No big deal; it still functions perfectly well, but it got me wondering how old it was. So I checked - been in service since March 2009. Not bad.
Sadly, LL Bean no longer stands behind their products as they once did. No more lifetime warranty.
Here are a few pieces of gear that refuse to die:
I got 10 years out of my first unit. Bought a replacement rather than send it off for repair because I couldn’t stand the 3-weeks without it. (Then I sold my (broken) 10 year old unit on eBay for $80.)
If you’re missing parts, Technivorm USA is pretty good with offering replacements.
Realistically, probably just tools for me. And only the best of those.
Pedals
SPD pedals. They last forever!
King Ti and SS cages. Mine are over 10 years old and while I keep buying new road/gravel/MTB bikes, I keep the same cages and they still look and work as good as the first time I used them. Have never lost a bottle that entire time. Love them.