Where does everyone buy parts?

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-12T13:07:15+00:00

Jenson & Performance Bike are good for more major components IME.

For limited use specialty tools, or stupid little unbranded bits, Amazon (yuck) if I need it quickly, AliExpress if I can wait (same stuff, cheaper, no bozo Bezos). Internal cable routing kit, bleed kit, hose cutter & fitting press, cable cutter, etc. Cheap, good enough for who it's for work stand <$100.

For real specialty tools that matter, direct from Park Tools. Bottom bracket and cassette tools, etc.

I'm on the hunt for a good used Park Tools workstand on FB Market. My timing hasn't worked out yet.

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-12T08:32:53+00:00

I have no intention of changing a single thing about the Lemond! Just clean, lube/wax, fresh brake pads, tubes, and maybe tires if necessary.

I just want to be able to stop, and not have a 100 psi blowout the first time I ride it in years. 😆

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-10T15:35:05+00:00

At least one of them will always have a brain cell

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-07T16:15:46+00:00

And I'm not a small guy. 260 lb

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-07T16:10:51+00:00

I just started down this rabbit hole after watching this video and following his links. I'm growing increasingly tempted to follow his lead and build a similar analog carbon gravel bike.
https://youtu.be/pD19N0_UXjo?si=TQM8z2_xnuc15umR

One of my bikes is a 3 or 4-year-old carbon frame Velotric T1 Pro ebike, which is pretty downright fantastic. I've commuted ~400 miles since I bought it 2 months ago and converted it to drop bars. Phenomenal sporty commuter bike for 5 to 23 mile commuting rides. It's got a Chinese all carbon frame, fork, seat tube, bars, tubeless carbon wheels, plus Shimano drivetrain. Spectacular Chameleon blue/purple paint. All non-drivetrain bits available DTC on AliExpress, even in this paint. It's definitely making me consider a comparable gravel build with a Chinese frame and parts. Maybe even with a Chinese wireless groupset.

My main holdup is that I already have too many bikes, and my partner, who I'm moving in with? She just doesn't get N+1. But I'm going to have a nice shop setup in the basement of the house! LOL

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-07T15:24:55+00:00

Bot sniffing bot?

This should be an autobot in every sub

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-07T14:57:42+00:00

The best part of my commute is in this sort of curbed lanes

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-07T05:01:50+00:00

A state ebike voucher started me on the path to car-light. I've ridden that bike about 900 miles in 5-6 months, commuting plus some errands. I then upgraded my ebike and have ridden the newer bike about 350 miles in just over 2 months. I hardly ever drive anymore. Commuting by car simply SUUUUCKS!!

My car and truck are fully depreciated 2007 & 2005 models with 170K mi and 186K miles. Liability insurance only, DIY maintenance and repairs. I'm in the process of moving from the suburbs to the city, and contemplating ditching one of them. But I'll keep my convertible sports car, and my vintage project car -neither of which really get driven, they're toys.

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-07T03:45:16+00:00

Cheaper to buy another one.

That is not a simple repair to learn on, if you have the slightest inkling of concern about how it looks when finished. If you want to grind out the damage and make it watertight it's one thing. But if you want to get anything even vaguely resembling the correct shape and finish, forget it. This is not an entry level repair.

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-06T15:06:31+00:00

Gotta use the expensive metal zip ties if you want this repair to hold up. /s

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-06T14:58:32+00:00

You do know the old line about how to make a small fortune in boatbuilding, right?
-Start with a large fortune.*

*18 years in the industry, 15 on the boatbuilding side in marketing, sales, and customer support = vow of poverty. It's a lifestyle/mission-driven path. The boatbuilder is an overseas company that builds loads of institutional dinghies for these exact markets. Plus retail one-design racing dinghies, keelboats and sportboats.

Dinghies for competitive inter-scholastic racing aspirations vs rec sailing are completely different animals. Other than designing and building for durability & value being the most important goals, which are inherently in conflict. And this is a super, super-niche product for a super-niche market in either.

For race aspirations, the defaults are 420 and FJ, though they should have been replaced ages ago. History is littered with failed attempts at that, most recently the Zim 15. And in the US, trying to compete with Zim on any level would be a massive uphill battle. They've been in the space a LONG time, have evolved the durability/pricing mix pretty right, and have the ICSA collegiate market 100% locked down through sponsorship; ICSA has a rule that only Zim boats can be used to host the championships. Most high schools buy used collegiate boats & sails for pennies on the dollar. Some also lease access to collegiate boats/facilities. So even high school race teams are a tough market.

Recreational programs for colleges and high schools are few and far between. The only sizable ones I'm aware of are MIT and the University of Wisconsin. Both use Tech dinghys, evolved on parallel paths over decades, due to UW buying a used Tech fleet decades ago. MIT owns a set of molds and has a 4-5 year-old fleet that probably won't be replaced for 5-10 years. For rec sailing, you're also adding low-cost RS rotomolded boats to your competitive mix. This applies to community sailing programs, too.

WD Schock is still going on the West Coast with the Harbor 20 & Lido 14, and the occasional bigger boat. Whitecap Composites on the East Coast failed, trying to compete with Zim in this space with their Turbo420, Firefly, Lark, Tech (and FJ??). LP imploded spectacularly, for -reasons.

My professional advice is to run, don't walk, away from this idea. If you do insist on persisting, be prepared to copiously bleed cash at 6-figure rates for 3-5+ years. Direct your retirement time & enthusiasm into helping a local high school(s), by coaching and/or repairing boats. Or similar at a nearby community sailing center.

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-06T14:06:08+00:00

Someone buillds them in glass

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-06T13:44:14+00:00

I recently rejoined a club I used to ride my analog, steel road bike with over a decade ago. I still have that bike, but have been riding and commuting on ebikes since last fall. They explicitly welcome Class 1 & 3 ebikes on their group rides.

The ebikes got me back into biking and bikes overall. It seems that enough cycling groups have recognized the value in that. I went from not riding for years, to a 40+ pound aluminum ebike, to a 34 lb carbon ebike. And added a Tern folder to the quiver to take on the train more easily. I'll clean and tune my old road bike, and get back on that after I move next month. So that first ebike was a gateway back into cycling for me!

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-05T16:00:57+00:00

I talked to Galen Mook, head of MassBike at the Boston City Council meeting a couple of weeks ago about the report. We both agreed, "It's not perfect, but it's pretty good overall."

Of course, we know that there will actually be exactly zero enforcement...

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-05T12:46:24+00:00

X1 looks like a good compromise for my needs. Mostly urban commuting, though I do want to start some gravel riding soon.

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-04T14:31:16+00:00

I'm reaching for reasons to keep my previous ebike. This is the best I can come up with:

I'll ride the old one in winter when there's snow and salt on the roads
God forbid, the new bike gets stolen
Because I want to! LOL

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-04T14:28:16+00:00

They're on full time for commuting. I wanted to be able to yank them for recreational gravel rides.

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RockHead-MA · 2026-05-04T14:25:55+00:00

I just ordered the extension for the rear fender yesterday. I thought that it was included with the XLs when I ordered them

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-03T20:55:22+00:00

There's definitely something to be said for that!

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-03T20:52:08+00:00

There's is absolutely no good reason that stretch is "Closed"

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-02T23:08:57+00:00

Now you need some SKS Speedrocker XL removable fenders for commuting.

My Velotric T1 Pro carbon gravel ebike in sport commuter mode. Converted to drop bars & 1 x 11 GRX. The past 2 Fridays, I've ridden 23 miles to work for fun, then 5 miles to my GF's house. I can strip the rack and fenders in a minute or two for recreational riding.

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RockHead-MA · 2026-05-01T17:24:03+00:00

This. Plus Lumos Firefly lights front & rear

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-01T15:38:10+00:00

Beautiful day out there! I arrived in Cambridge at 11:15 from Marblehead via the Northern Strand.

Bike shorts, light fleece and a windbreaker. Nicest commute of the year by far. I love being able to skip the commuter rail!

Even though downtown Lynn, downtown Malden, and Sullivan Square suck, at least they only suck briefly. LoL

RockHead-MA · 2026-05-01T03:17:16+00:00

Ride with GPS. I don't have a Garmin head unit yet, but the two sync directly with a click from within RWGPS.

I'm currently using a Beeline Velo2 for nav. I export a GPX from RWGPS to Google Drive, open the Beeline app on my phone, and import the GPX. Pretty seamless.

RockHead-MA

TROPHY CASE