The Tester Approves thread (see first post)

An attempt to compile all of mdcc_tester's recommend bits and pieces into a helpful and informative guide, so we can all remember which chains etc. to buy and don't have to trawl through the AQA thread.

1/8" chains: 1Z1 for outdoors, 1R8 for track
3/32" chains: Wippermann 7Z1 for outdoors, 7R8 if you're running 3/32" on the track
10-speed chains: Any Wippermann or KMC
Sprockets: Phil all the way
Square taper BBs: Shimano BB-UN55, if you must
Drop bar levers: SRAM S900 are the best, SRAM S500 are functionally identical for half the price. Tektro RL340 have been recommended on here previously at ¼ of the price of S500s
Basic seatposts: Kalloy (see below)
Brake calipers: Tektro (see below)
Hubs: Joy Industries (Novatec - see below)
Cables: Transfil (see below)
Helpful general rule: Stick to companies which specialise in one thing: Tektro brakes, Wippermann chains, Joy Industries (Novatec) hubs, Kalloy seat posts

There are probably more recommendations out there, if you find them I will add them in. I hope it's not just me who will find this thread useful. Now you can just chevron people this way when they ask again which chain to buy.

Also the links are to where the components were recommended, not where to buy them. Google can do that bit for you.

Edit: Why should we listen to Tester? Well we don't have to. But he knows more than me, and possibly more than you too, and I think he's been racing bikes since before I was born. And he cares about more than just aesthetics too [insert picture of Koga track bike here] so generally I tend to trust his views on componentry. But then I go and buy the flashy gold one instead.