[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shipnil

One downside I see is the max psi. The sidewall mentions it as 75 only. Since I keep 70 in front, I may not face an issue but if one decides to put it on the rear, this max psi would be a problem.

You've been sold the older version.

The new ones come with 116 psi on the sidewalls.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by ebonho

You've been sold the older version.

The new ones come with 116 psi on the sidewalls.

Ohh, is it? The joy of getting a good deal is shortlived then. I think the Ralson website is not updated then because the 700x25c shows 75 psi as max. I think due to that I believed that is the only version available.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Ohh, is it? The joy of getting a good deal is shortlived then. I think the Ralson website is not updated then because the 700x25c shows 75 psi as max. I think due to that I believed that is the only version available.

Not only does the new one come in wire bead form, it comes in an Aramid folding bead form as well. Looks like they have gone whole hog on this one. Pricier of course (not sure of the price though).

[normaltusker]

Originally Posted by emmenhr

Any inputs if the cycles available at Decathlon are good? I was planning to take up cycling to reduce weight. Running seems to be getting harder on the knees.

Welcome to the world of cycling. I feel I am qualified enough to answer this since my cycle as well as all cycles my daughters have ridden till date are from Decathlon.

The cycles are excellent as far as build and quality is concerned and come with lifetime warranty on the body for manufacturing defects. The other benefit of owning a cycle from Decathlon is assured quality service and adequate attention to your cycle when you take it there for services. Spare parts are available 9 out of 10 times. The time when parts are unavailable, they help by ordering it if the part is still being manufactured.

The only negative that I have felt until now is that Decathlon phases out cycles as fast as you can change clothes. So you may buy 1 today and see that it is unavailable 2 months down the line.

Happy cycling!

Mandatory Selfie with Cycle

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by ebonho

So I've put the word out on my mission tourer/beater drop bar gravel/bikepacking bike build.... ....a 2015-ish vintage Schnell Speed Rom. Steel. 18 gears. Old style steerer tube thumb shifters. Likely friction. Used to retail (per Flipkart and Choosemybicycle) for 12,500 bucks and the guy says he wants 9,000 for it... Flipkart is showing its weight as 15.6 kilos (don't know how credible that data is, being Flipkart ...) But doesn't that seem to be too much?

Originally Posted by ebonho

Found one more on OLX. Not a drop bar, but the frame is more in the classic steel brazed lugs mould of the old road frames and SLRs.

Hero .... 3000 bucks.

Sitting here unble to ride, with a (still) painful knee... having skimped on gearing and exercised excessive ambition that fateful day... (and more than ever wishing I'd bought (/saved near a kg on) those lightweight B-Twin tyres/tubes vs. the now inevitable Ralsons)... Physio guy says rest it ANOTHER week, then start slowly with light walking/riding... so back to square one... Live and learn...


You had suggested earlier that for climbing weight is supremely important, and indeed 15.6kg (if accurate) sounds pretty heavy. Could it actually be 13.6? That would be closer to my Riverside and to what I'd expect tor that style of bike, but who knows... depends how thick that tubing is and how much steel is in the components, finally whether the brand focused on style/cost or performance. Even in 2015, ₹12+k wasn't exactly big money, so it might be wrong to expect.too much.

Re: the freewheel, a local shop here has a 2015-imported cassette-style (non-disc) hub for only ₹1300. "TX" part number, so Tourney and not very light I guess, but anyway. Not sure of minimum cost for something rubber-sealed vs shielded... If you've got a friend in the U.S., I just picked up a complete new Deore 36-hole disc model for $17 shipped, off the 'bay. Bums-on-the-saddle still has the 11-32 Shimano 8-spd cassettes in stock at ₹880 (which is far BETTER than U.S. prices! Their Sunrace 11-34's were even cheaper, but sadly sold out like the Shimy's of that range).


Getting long here and about to get much longer...


I'd mentioned earlier the possibility of an older imported alloy mtb frame serving well in such a capacity and likely buildable within budget... thinking partly of that related link you'd sent: with or without chrome-moly, well-engineered old mtb's can be tough and not too heavy.

So happened to meet a young friend yesterday who'd bought a Trek Series 4 frame and fork for ₹3,500 here locally (had found it sitting stripped bare on someone's roof) and gradually built it up. He spent another 20k on it - which is a LOT - but then again he put an ₹8,000 set of Tektro hydraulic brakes and premium Michelins and one of the pricier derailleurs, etc on it, and as such I figure that it would be easy enough to get a good tourer on that base done up for half that or less; And especially if converted to a curved steel fork, I don't see it weighing very much. I had an even older rim-braked Trek mtb stripped down a year or so ago, and found the basic frame almost shockingly light... I seriously doubt it weighed over 1.5-kg's.

For comparison's sake re: that ₹9k, I bought my Merida Matts 20 as probably a six-year-old in good shape with all orig. components for 10k, put a tyre and cassette on it, and netted a reasonably light, buttery-smooth, 24-geared (Acera), tour-capable machine for around 11k total.

In light of limited choices (disposal Tribans aside) it may come down to how much emphasis / value you're willing to put on weight vs. geometry, i.e., which bias will work best in the envisioned scenario, considering hundreds of km's of strenuous riding over mixed surfaces. Old Indian roadster frames may have desirable geometry, but a light one may not exist. Alloy mtb's should be much lighter but of course won't have the "classic" geometry.

So... find another ACT110 or whichever aged hybrid to hack into, maybe?? Would that get you closer to the ideal / middle-of-the-road compromise ???

Originally Posted by ebonho

P.S. Don't any of these bikes come with rim brake versions?

Have noted your disinclination towards disc brakes, but re: this topic of a Ladakh tourer might ponder it...

I myself had never seen huge benefit in discs - have many rim-braked units and quite satisfied with the performance. Discs can get sizzling hot /pretty well cooked on long descents; They (unlike rim-squeezers) are very sensitive to the slightest bit of oil on them, and are made of friction materials that generally cannot be effectively cleaned/restored once exposed to the same (I've tried everything); Plus there are WAY too many variations in replacement brake pads to contend with (and most of them are costly, besides); And to top it off, apparently the whole setup adds (on average) a few hundred grams to a typical bike vs. other options. Lifting up my v-braked FF Target's, I can actually feel the difference vs. the one Target disc model I've got.

But all that said, would still favor discs (lightest cheap cable-op ones possible) in this environment, at least for anything more than occasional/light use.

I was conversing few days back with a middle-aged lady who has been riding more and for longer than anyone I know up here locally - she was mentioning how before going to discs she had got somewhat experienced building wheels - because her rims would only survive a single year under these conditions! Not a competitive or neglectful rider, mind you, the sides would just wear through, and that with quality stuff - she rides a Ghost. Come to think of it, I'd heard the same from a tour-operator here earlier, too - a single season can finish them off.

Must be even worse in gritty mud, as I encountered last week, and which I found very tough to clear / wash off. Could hear them grinding, and fingers got grey with aluminum dust. So personally I'm not up for that kind of annual maintenance cost even assuming ₹1000 pre-laced desi rims; Proportionately, when trying to build something strong and not too heavy (₹+), it's gonna get downright painful, and the even greater weight-loss they'll demonstrate by journey's end shall prove bittersweet - a two-edged sword .

Ceramic-coated rims would be nice, they do turn up on eBay, but just one of them might eat twice your budget.

Other thing is that if you hit a rock or edge someplace and ding or otherwise bend any braked rim, your braking modulation/control go for a toss. In many cases out there, you're not gonna be within a few hundred km's of a wheelwright (maybe 1000 from a competent one), and I'm not sure they'd have a good assortment of rims/spokes in Leh to play with, if any. So could make the difference between a pleasant ongoing journey and a compromised / prematurely ended one. Doesn't take much damage to create adverse effects, either - the Giant rim on the front of my Thunder grabs badly in one spot, and the strange thing is that I can't see any visible reason as to why it should - Runs true, and if it is bulged it is imperceptibly slight. Whatever, this is not what you want when you're descending 8,500ft (/metric equivalents!) with 120kg's (what's that in lb's?) of your bike/luggage/personage...

I just converted the Matts 20 to disc... on front only since that had the mounts - but still seemed worthwhile.

Just my 2cents...

-Eric

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Sitting here unble to ride, with a (still) painful knee... having skimped on gearing and exercised excessive ambition that fateful day... Live and learn...

I hate to say I told you so. But I did.

Even in 2015, ₹12+k wasn't exactly big money, so it might be wrong to expect.too much.

Sounded like a shady local guy who wasn't even ready to meet me at a neutral halfway point. So unless he calls me back I've nixed that lead.

Re: the freewheel, a local shop here has a 2015-imported cassette-style (non-disc) hub for only ₹1300. "TX" part number, so Tourney and not very light I guess, but anyway.

Is it a 36 hole hub Eric? Will it take a 7 to 9 speed cassette?

I'd mentioned earlier the possibility of an older imported alloy mtb frame serving well in such a capacity and likely buildable within budget...

I gave your suggestion about a cheap as chips MTB serious thought. But such a bike would only be of real use to me for a Ladakh ride. Rest of the time I have really no use for an MTB. Im a road boy. Motorcycle or cycle. Purebred. So either I build a touring bike and incur the expense (and damages) of lugging it up north and back (enough to buy a cheap as chips MTB up north that you mention) OR I simply pick up one on rent from someone reliable (like you) when I do the ride.

In light of limited choices (disposal Tribans aside) it may come down to how much emphasis / value you're willing to put on weight vs. geometry, i.e., which bias will work best in the envisioned scenario, considering hundreds of km's of strenuous riding over mixed surfaces. Old Indian roadster frames may have desirable geometry, but a light one may not exist. Alloy mtb's should be much lighter but of course won't have the "classic" geometry.

Bottom line is I want a drop bar gravel bike tourer. That's the look I have in my head. I don't want a flatbar. As a long distance bike and a climber a drop bar is simply on another level. A flatbar does not come close in my opinion. Or maybe its just me and my body and riding. I don't know ...

I was conversing few days back with a middle-aged lady who has been riding more and for longer than anyone I know up here locally - she was mentioning how before going to discs she had got somewhat experienced building wheels - because her rims would only survive a single year under these conditions! Not a competitive or neglectful rider, mind you, the sides would just wear through, and that with quality stuff - she rides a Ghost. Come to think of it, I'd heard the same from a tour-operator here earlier, too - a single season can finish them off.

Must be even worse in gritty mud, as I encountered last week, and which I found very tough to clear / wash off. Could hear them grinding, and fingers got grey with aluminum dust. So personally I'm not up for that kind of annual maintenance cost even assuming ₹1000 pre-laced desi rims; Proportionately, when trying to build something strong and not too heavy (₹+), it's gonna get downright painful, and the even greater weight-loss they'll demonstrate by journey's end shall prove bittersweet - a two-edged sword .

Great points in favor of a cheap mechanical cable pull disc setup. But unlike the lady or you, I am not living up there to be riding long enough to go through rims regularly. And my earlier point about build and cart versus rent locally applies here as well. If I build, It has to be a drop bar. And building one is being planned around a pretty expensive Tiagra 9 speed drop bar drivetrain. A caliper brake drivetrain and shifters. And since the set includes a pair of Shimano Tiagra calipers in it as well, I am loathe to waste them and look for braking workarounds or different wheel sizes (though I recognize that for a bike of this nature a 650B or even a 26 inch wheelset would be better suited). So essentially I'm looking for either a readymade donor road bike or a donor road bike-ish geometry/shape flatbar hybrid with 700c wheels stock.

That's the way I am thinking "currently". But as you can see, my conversation with you and now Prabuddha is causing my thinking to evolve as we sift more through the possibilities, which is what forums and discussions are great for anyways. So thanks a ton and keep the thoughts coming.

Cheers, Doc

[papr23]

Any bespectacled cyclists here? What glasses do you use while cycling? Any recco for cheap sunglasses with prescription lens?

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I hate to say I told you so. But I did.

I know, I know, Doc - you and others ... was very conscious of that advice that day, even as I pressed on. As mentioned I had been higher/ longer already with no issues, so still not sure what the exact cause was. Maybe due to it being my first ride in a week? Maybe due to pushing harder than usual in the early part?

Whatever, trying to ride through the pain was my big mistake. "Something" (common sense / good advice, maybe?) was telling me to turn back, but the draw of the road and of new places and fulfillment of longtime goals was just too much... I have this longtime tendency to learn things the hard way... things I already "knew" even!

Originally Posted by ebonho

Is it a 36 hole hub Eric? Will it take a 7 to 9 speed cassette?

I think the 6-7 speeds (shorter stack) and the 9-11speeds (longer by a few mm's) largely use only these two different freehub body variations for cassette mounting, with a few aberrations re: road vs. mtb in the 10/11's. Good and very comprehensive related article here, if you haven't seen it already: https://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#11

That said, this was 36-hole for standard 8-11 gear setups, will work for 7 with a spacer behind the stack. I bought and then returned it due to the probably higher weight vs. the Deore, and also the lack of proper rubber seals. Good deal otherwise, and if you want me to pick it up for you I'm sure we can work that out.

Originally Posted by ebonho

OR I simply pick up one on rent from someone reliable (like you) when I do the ride.

Would be very happy to serve you in this regard, if I have anything workable for you in the stable - not likely to be any drop-bars though... in all Manali for that matter! The Firefox/ Trek/ Scott/ Bergmont showroom guy has a lovely Bergmont gravel drop-bar as his personal ride this past year, and one Trek dropbar in the showroom, but that's all I've seen till now. Oh, and a few roadies on their way into town a couple weeks back, in the rain. No rentals as far as I know. I suspect they'll start increasing, but not likely on the scrap-pile!

Originally Posted by ebonho

Bottom line is I want a drop bar gravel bike tourer.

Perfectly legitimate desire - you've been riding long enough to know what works tor you and what you feel you can appreciate/ enjoy in the longer run. In that pursuit, just might not want to compromise too much re: weight. If you can get the form/style you want worked out under 14kg's, great...

-Eric

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ringoism

I know, I know, Doc - you and others ... was very conscious of that advice that day, even as I pressed on. As mentioned I had been higher/ longer already with no issues, so still not sure what the exact cause was. Maybe due to it being my first ride in a week? Maybe due to pushing harder than usual in the early part?

Probably a mix of a sudden ramp up on activity load (both volume and intensity) acutely aggravated by jumping on to a different bike. Very likely in a position that stretches out your knee just that tiny bit more than the previous one. Usually 5 mm beyond a point is 5 mm too much ...

That said, this was 36-hole for standard 8-11 gear setups, will work for 7 with a spacer behind the stack. I bought and then returned it due to the probably higher weight vs. the Deore, and also the lack of proper rubber seals. Good deal otherwise, and if you want me to pick it up for you I'm sure we can work that out

Thanks Eric. I'm definitely interested. Either for my ACT somewhere down the line (I've just managed to find and buy a brand new 14-34 Shimano MegaRange freewheel) or for the 9 speed Tiagra groupset if the donor bike does not habe a freehub body. If it's possible for you to post some photos so that I can confirm first with my mech.

Would be very happy to serve you in this regard, if I have anything workable for you in the stable - not likely to be any drop-bars though... in all Manali for that matter! The Firefox/ Trek/ Scott/ Bergmont showroom guy has a lovely Bergmont gravel drop-bar as his personal ride this past year, and one Trek dropbar in the showroom, but that's all I've seen till now. Oh, and a few roadies on their way into town a couple weeks back, in the rain. No rentals as far as I know. I suspect they'll start increasing, but not likely on the scrap-pile!

Thanks a ton buddy. Those roadies were likely there for the Himalayan Trans Ultra race. Or could be another group from Poona which is riding there currently as well.

Perfectly legitimate desire - you've been riding long enough to know what works tor you and what you feel you can appreciate/ enjoy in the longer run. In that pursuit, just might not want to compromise too much re: weight. If you can get the form/style you want worked out under 14kg's, great...

-Eric

Yup 14 kilos fully ready with bottle cages and pedals and tyres of choice (leaning towards the nearly unpunctureable Schwalbe Marathon Plus, which is a heavy treaded touring tyre) is what mentally I've made peace with for a steel.bike, but a sub 12 kilo tourer built around the Triban RC100 sounds even sweeter.

Cheers, Doc

[emmenhr]

Originally Posted by normaltusker

Welcome to the world of cycling. I feel I am qualified enough to answer this since my cycle as well as all cycles my daughters have ridden till date are from Decathlon.

The cycles are excellent as far as build and quality is concerned and come with lifetime warranty on the body for manufacturing defects. The other benefit of owning a cycle from Decathlon is assured quality service and adequate attention to your cycle when you take it there for services. Spare parts are available 9 out of 10 times. The time when parts are unavailable, they help by ordering it if the part is still being manufactured.

The only negative that I have felt until now is that Decathlon phases out cycles as fast as you can change clothes. So you may buy 1 today and see that it is unavailable 2 months down the line.

Thank you Buddy. Will surely take your inputs and get one from Decathlon.
Happy Cycling!!!!

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Probably a mix of a sudden ramp up on activity load (both volume and intensity) acutely aggravated by jumping on to a different bike. Very likely in a position that stretches out your knee just that tiny bit more than the previous one. Usually 5 mm beyond a point is 5 mm too much ...

(Re freehub body. If it's possible for you to post some photos so that I can confirm first with my mech....

...Those roadies were likely there for the Himalayan Trans Ultra race. Or could be another group from Poona which is riding there currently as well.

The Mall Road FF (etc) showroom guy, Naveen, was out for that event, though not as a competitor (he's more a downhill guy). Pretty much present at all the nearby cycling events, I think, and a good guy to connect with. He was telling me yesterday of some good, properly groomed mtb trails coming up locally.

Will send you pics of the freehub and model number, etc. Which version of the Marathon Plus were you thinking? Seems to be many variations.


Anyway, re: my injury: Actually it was the same bike on which I'd been higher a couple weeks earlier, but you're right, I had just raised the seat and moved it rearward to a position that technically according to fit standards, was closer to "correct".

I realise that "they" also say it comes down to individual physiology and what "feels" "right"... So apart from immediately turning around when I felt the pain, it might have been advisable the next morning to go back to the original ("incorrect"?) position and see how that felt. I'd always heard that we should have only a slight bend in knee at the bottom (or 5-o'clock, max extension), and have ridden comfortably (/modestly) like that on my other cycles... but came across another site saying 30-40-degrees bend, which doesn't sound "slight" at all! I have a feeling I may do better with a bit lower seat. Was out for a brief spin this morning and it felt alright, better when I lowered it an inch. No perceptible pain/discomfort, so whatever was injured, hoping it will not be a long recovery.

Any recovery advice/ suitable exercises for this stage would be appeciated. Also re: process of fine-tuning the fitting, towards future prevention.

Pain seems mostly under the kneecap and represents a cumulative effect at this point - fine in the mornings and becoming prominent after whatever daily exertions by evening. X-ray shows (according to one interpretation) "early osteoarthritis" but as I don't normally have pain/trouble here (even with fairly vigorous mountain-trail descents on foot), I feel any decrease in the cartilage thickness should be possible to overcome with proper cycling-specific conditioning /strengthening / fitting adjustments.

-Eric

P.S. mods: if others would be better served by moving this to the "pain" sub-thread, please feel free to re-locate it).

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Anyway, re: my injury: Actually it was the same bike on which I'd been higher a couple weeks earlier, but you're right, I had just raised the seat and moved it rearward to a position that technically according to fit standards, was closer to "correct".

-Eric

P.S. mods: if others would be better served by moving this to the "pain" sub-thread, please feel free to re-locate it).

That's a double whammy Eric. You increase the height of the saddle (always do it in 0.5 cm increments ... lesson learned by thousands if cyclists the painful way). This extends your knee beyond tge old position.

Then you push the saddle back on the rails. Pushing your pelvis further back. And effectively extending your knee even further

This is equivalent to increasing your saddle height in one shot (by however much) x 2. Not a good thing. Always make one change at a time. Ride. Assess. And then make another change.

The easiest way is to sit on the saddle in your normal position (not fore or aft) and place the saddle at a height such that when your crank arm is in line with your seat tube (not exactly 6 o'clock but a bit short) then with the heel of your foot (wearing your normal cycling shoes) on the pedal, your knee should be almost straight, but short of fully extended locked.

Then when you place the ball of your foot on the pedal your knee will have near the right bend.

If you tend to pedal more midfoot over tge pedal rather than ball of tge foot, that means you need to reach more in comparison to tge ball of the foot, with regard to the pedal. If you then use the above heel over pedal knee almost straight method, your knee will get more than optimally extended when you pedal with your midfoot normally. The way to counter this is to do the heel over pedal in line with the seat tube but now with the knee slightly less extended than before. This will give you tge required correct non stretched reach to tge pedal while pedaling normally.

The litmus test is ask someone to observe (or film) you from behind when you're riding. Your upper body and pelvis should be still with no rocking of the pelvis to either side at the bottom of the stroke.

Cheers, Doc

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ringoism

I realise that "they" also say it comes down to individual physiology and what "feels" "right"... So apart from immediately turning around when I felt the pain, it might have been advisable the next morning to go back to the original ("incorrect"?) position and see how that felt. I'd always heard that we should have only a slight bend in knee at the bottom (or 5-o'clock, max extension), and have ridden comfortably (/modestly) like that on my other cycles... but came across another site saying 30-40-degrees bend, which doesn't sound "slight" at all! I have a feeling I may do better with a bit lower seat. Was out for a brief spin this morning and it felt alright, better when I lowered it an inch. No perceptible pain/discomfort, so whatever was injured, hoping it will not be a long recovery. .

Pain seems mostly under the kneecap and represents a cumulative effect at this point - fine in the mornings and becoming prominent after whatever daily exertions by evening. X-ray shows (according to one interpretation) "early osteoarthritis" but as I don't normally have pain/trouble here (even with fairly vigorous mountain-trail descents on foot), I feel any decrease in the cartilage thickness should be possible to overcome with proper cycling-specific conditioning /strengthening / fitting adjustments.

-Eric

P.S. mods: if others would be better served by moving this to the "pain" sub-thread, please feel free to re-locate it).

Bend in degrees is difficult to measure precisely without a goniometer. But 23-27 degrees is the usual target range.

Pain at the front of the knee just undeneath the kneecap could be dye to actually the opposite of wgat you describe - i.e. either a too low saddle or one that is too far forward.

It also comes about due to mashing heavy tall gears, which is what I think you've been doing in your enthusiasm to get higher and go longer. Too quickly.

Cheers, Doc

[Sachin Bhatt]

Have just got myself a Montague Paratrooper MTB. Was trying to look for a Bicycle Accessories’ thread, but couldn’t locate one. May be worth having one here. Until then, had a few questions and would be great if some of you experts in this space could help:
1- Handlebar extender. The thought of having an adjustable extender seemed interesting so that there is more flexibility when switching between rider preference (considering more than one of us may be using this bike). But have read of issues with the adjustable handlebar extenders being flimsy or creaking when moving over uneven roads.
2- Mobile holder. Would be great if there was one which combined a mobile holder with a battery pack and a front focus light. Have had issues where the battery of my mobile has drained out super fast while using maps while biking, hence thought of it. If you believe that it is simpler to have a battery case for the iPhone instead of a separate one pack, please advice. But any suggestions are welcome.
3- Front focus light
4- Lock. Ideally something that can cling onto the bike. Saw the Ottolock Hexaband lock on a review, which seemed perfect, but costs an arm and a leg on Amazon (guess it’s imported and hence the costs, and also has only an ugly orange colour option available on Amazon)
5- Case or bag- to carry small things like wallet, AirPods case, etc
6- Foldable pedals
7- Helmet. Less flashier the better
8- Rear reflector or red light for seatpost
9- Bell. While I love the simple design of the black one available from Decathalon, I dislike it’s operating style; it’s uncomfortable. Rather prefer the older spring-loaded types where you move you glide you thumb along back and forth. Please excuse my naïveté.
Would be great if you could indicate costs with the recommendation. Thanks in advance.

[chethan.ram]

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

Have just got myself a Montague Paratrooper MTB. Was trying to look for a Bicycle Accessories’ thread, but couldn’t locate one. May be worth having one here. Until then, had a few questions and would be great if some of you experts in this space could help:
1- Handlebar extender. The thought of having an adjustable extender seemed interesting so that there is more flexibility when switching between rider preference (considering more than one of us may be using this bike). But have read of issues with the adjustable handlebar extenders being flimsy or creaking when moving over uneven roads.

I would say, you can avoid it for some time as it is a new bike. Ride as much as possible and get used to the bike first before making any alterations. And I am not so comfortable using the adjustable stem. Its my personal opinion.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

- Mobile holder. Would be great if there was one which combined a mobile holder with a battery pack and a front focus light. Have had issues where the battery of my mobile has drained out super fast while using maps while biking, hence thought of it. If you believe that it is simpler to have a battery case for the iPhone instead of a separate one pack, please advice. But any suggestions are welcome.

Please do not buy any cheap mobile holders from amazon, you will risk damaging the phone especially when you ride in rough roads, the phone may fall off. RAM Mounts are pretty good, they are expensive, but worth investing.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

3- Front focus light

Invest in a good light. If you are using it only in the city, please go for a USB chargable ones, NiteRider is a good option. If you are looking at long endurance rides at especially at night, go for the ones which run on AA batteries so that you can always carry some spares with you.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

4- Lock. Ideally something that can cling onto the bike. Saw the Ottolock Hexaband lock on a review, which seemed perfect, but costs an arm and a leg on Amazon (guess it’s imported and hence the costs, and also has only an ugly orange colour option available on Amazon)

Cable locks are not really safe and it is easy easy to cut them off. My suggestion, please do not leave the bike unattended in an unknown place.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

5- Case or bag- to carry small things like wallet, AirPods case, etc

A good saddle bag is good enough for you to carry all these things.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

6- Foldable pedals

Unless you want to carry your bike in the car every now and then, this may not be required.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

7- Helmet. Less flashier the better

Invest in a good helmet, do not compromise. Safety is very important.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

8- Rear reflector or red light for seatpost

Rear light is a must, especially when you are riding in the early mornings and late evening. NiteRider Cherrybomb is a good one.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

9- Bell. While I love the simple design of the black one available from Decathalon, I dislike it’s operating style; it’s uncomfortable. Rather prefer the older spring-loaded types where you move you glide you thumb along back and forth. Please excuse my naïveté.

You can go with whichever you like.

Originally Posted by Sachin Bhatt

Would be great if you could indicate costs with the recommendation. Thanks in advance.

And finally, congratulations on your new possession. Look forward to see you adding some miles on the saddle. You can PM me if you need more details. I will be happy to help you.