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.

Good thread Tom. You can definitely tell it's been half term. Good to see you've had some spare time for a change.

I was thinking about making one of these the other day.

Brief description of why mdcc_tester's reviews are worth listening to would probably be handy.

Because he knows all.

And 25% of all questions are "What does tester think is the best .......?"

"Transfil (see below)" see where?
Phil are fine but overpriced
Shimano >>> Tektro

Transfil follows the same general rule as the other parts - I think they're a cable specialist.

...and don't have to trawl through the AQA thread.
Tell me about it!

Good work: five star thread

Apologies for the ignorance. But who's this guy? Some sort of guy on drugs?

Erm.. wtf

Tester's really tynan.

Is he like an aerodynamic Sheldon Brown?

Has tester approved this thread?

No apologies, whoTF is Ttazz?

Has tester approved this thread?

Not yet. I'm expecting bootleg versions any time until it is given official status.

No apologies, whoTF is Ttazz?

An mdmc pusher ;)

Subscribed

n/a

if shimano need new components tested to destruction there is only one man they call

just saying

Indra?

^Haha repped

Seems next to impossible to find Kalloy from UK suppliers.
Shame since they seem quite reasonably priced in the US. But that means almost half the cost of buying one will be the shipping costs.