One of the surprises of serious biking was the discovery that equipment does matter, that the more money you spend, the easier the ride. I like to think that there is an upper limit, but I have not found it yet.
Bicycle
Currently, I ride a Polygon Diablo, a production model aluminum frame with 3/9 Deore gearing and mechanical disc brakes.
Eyewear
Wearing contact lenses, I have to be especially careful of my eyes when riding. In fact, my eyewear supplies take up a whole compartment of one saddle bag. I wear Oakley radar wraparounds for most of the day.
Pedals
My Crank Brothers eggbeaters repeatedly prove their worth during the local rainy season. Often, I am forced to push my bike through patches of slippery, clay mud on the road, as minor landslides are frequent. I need only to scrape most of the mud out of the cleats, then hop on my bike and ride away.
Footwear
Cycling in the tropics would not be anywhere near as fun without these Shimano sandals. Comfortable, elegant and durable, they are as functional off the bike as on.
Safety
Even though I never ride at night, these CatEye headlamps are invaluable. For most of the day I set the light to flashing mode, warning trucks and buses, ofen approaching two abreast, that I am sharing their road.
