Where to, boss? ALDI, and step on it! Cheap Aldi Cycling Stuff

I got some of these last time they were on sale and if they're the same this time they're all metal and come in a plastic storage case. If they're not something you use all the time they're worth £8 for sure

Be wary of cheap digital calipers. They can suffer from "brown out" as the battery drains, even when left switched off. This causes the measurements to be wildly out.

AvE on youtube did a review compared to his Mitutoyo ones.

I have a cheap set, but I keep the battery out (there is a hole in the foam padding inside the case) and I don't use them for anything that needs to be madly accurate anyway.

AvE

Ever read the comments on his channel? It's the saddest thing. Dozens of grown men aping the speech of some random dude on Youtube.

NEVER read the comments!

But those Mitutoyo calipers do seem to be skookum choochers

cringe

(he sort of reminds me of a smarter version of my dad).

I just enjoy stuff being taken apart. There are many better machinists and craftspeople channels out there but other tool reviews are usually sponsored so have a different type of wanky fawning going on.

Just picked up a set this morning and yes - steel rule and blades. Seem Pretty good quality for the money, although can't vouch for accuracy.

in terms of super accuracy there not 100% but just general measuring to millimetres they're fine. I've got a pair which sound like yours and a mitutoyo pair which the cheap ones are a copy of and the difference is quite noticeable. mostly in quality admittedly but there is a difference when measuring finer things

Noted, thanks!

Can the cheap ones tell the difference between 27.2 and 27.0 seat post or 25.4/26 bars.

It's this kinda job I need generally, where there are two 'standard' diameters less than 1mm apart.

I have about every size seat post clamp in my spares box. Next time I need a new clamp you can guarantee I won't have the right size and when I order one, the first one won't fit too...

I had a bit of measuring spree with mine to try it out. I was getting some slightly unexpected and inconsistent results. I'm not sure I'd trust it to 0.2mm to be honest.

They are ideal for this type of thing, generally the accuracy of these devices is more than enough for most stuff on bikes as in engineering precision bike parts are in general pretty agricultural.

One of the differences between cheap and expensive digital calipers is the speed at which you can move the jaws and still get reliable results. I have one of the Aldi ones as well as a very old digimatic whose display is going having been subject to some very strong magnetic fields. The measurements compare very well between them, in the region of a couple of hundredths of a millimetre which is in the region of operator "feel".

Do you mean I should be moving the jaws slowly in order retain accuracy?

Yes but not glacially slow. The cheaper ones can sometimes either fail to read correctly or give errors if moved very quickly.

As an assist when measuring, clean the jaws, put the jaws together, zero the instrument , measure, put the jaws together and ensure the reading is zero or very close to I e. 0.01 or so.

Good tip, cheers!

yeah mine do seat post sizes fine, just close them tight and zero them and be careful with the jaws. as mentioned above when you move them quickly they can go out.

Thanks all. Time to invest my pennies...

My cheapy "carbon" ones drift more when the battery's low.

Cycle stuff for sale at Lidl TODAY - https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offers.htm?id=145#theme170

Bought the white pannier bags and a workstand.

Ta elswick :)
just been into town and wandered in, bagged a chain cleaner, not dissimilar to a Park Tools one i had years ago, 50ml of chain oil and 50ml of cleaner with it.
Needed some cheap shades so bagged a pair of those.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QePcj9BplMQ

Floor pump looks a good buy.

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Been using their workstands for years - good value for money for the amateur.
Saw ZZ Top in the earlier 80's at the Hammersmith Odeon - best gig ever ( first trip to London as a kid, fishing knife in the bag for protection ! ).

The pump isn't bad for £6 got one for work so I don't risk leaving my good one somewhere. Also got a red set of the panniers, clips are shit but should be ok lightly loaded.

I've got 1 pair of Aldi touring shorts 32-34 waist, black, barely worn, going for free.

Also a red short sleeved jersey (not merino) small 34-36 chest. Also gratis.