Hybrid bikes, road bikes, and other bicycles have several essential peripheral items such as lights and locks.
Each item has a standard well-known manufacturer.
For example, CatEye and Lezyne are well-known for lights, and Kryptonite and ABUS for keys.
Products from well-known manufacturers are more expensive, but their performance and quality are commensurate with their price, and they are more durable and reliable.
If you can afford it, it is best to purchase a product from a reputable manufacturer.
However, since bicycling is an expensive hobby, we would like to make it as inexpensive as possible.
This is why we are interested in very inexpensive bicycle items sold on Amazon and other retailers.
It’s cheaper than the products of well-known manufacturers, but “Is it really safe to buy it?” Can I use it properly? and “Is it really safe to buy?
Recently, inexpensive products made by Chinese suppliers have come to be sold, and surprisingly good quality products can also be found.
I think that there are many products that are satisfactory enough even if you don’t stick to famous manufacturers.
Of course, “cheap is bad,” but there are some very cheap products made in China that are good to buy.
Bicycle Keys
D-shaped locks are at the same level except for the two strongest, ABUS and Kryptonite.
This is one of the bicycle items that has made me think that bicycle locks don’t have to be specific to a particular manufacturer.
Personally, I recommend D-shaped locks for bicycle locks, and the famous ABUS and Kryptonite are certainly reliable.
However, a D-shaped lock provides a reasonable level of protection regardless of manufacturer, and if the theft is such that the D-shaped lock is broken, it will be stolen no matter what.
Many of the D-shaped locks in circulation are OEMs of a Taiwanese manufacturer called ULAC, so other than ABUS and Kryptonite, they all look similar no matter which one you choose.
Also, in the case of D-shaped locks, there are not many made in China that are very inexpensive, and the price is about $20 at the lowest, so it may not be something that can be made that cheaply.
Wire locks can be very inexpensive products.
Many wire locks are made in China at very low prices!
Wire locks are available from well-known manufacturers, but none of them seem to be very serious about it.
Wire locks can be easily cut with wire cutters, so they may not be something that serious key makers take seriously.
Wire locks are not very expensive, even from well-known manufacturers, and you can find many very inexpensive locks for less than $10.
In extreme cases, you can even find wire locks of reasonable thickness at one-dollar stores.
Bicycle Clothing and Gloves
I consider clothing to be consumable, so I’m fine with very inexpensive Chinese products.
Perhaps Pearl Izumi, Asos, and others have better performance as wear, and I am sure they are superior in the areas of durability and comfort.
Fortunately, the silhouette of bicycle clothing does not change with fashion as much as that of ordinary apparel.
You can wear clothing from any manufacturer and it will look similar, so you don’t have to worry about what is out of fashion.
This is one of the reasons why we do not have to be particular about the manufacturer’s products.
You won’t find poor quality when you buy inexpensive bicycle clothing. There are bike clothes of similar quality available for half the price or less, making them a good value.
The advantage is not only inexpensive.
With a well-known manufacturer’s product, you may end up wearing the same design as someone you don’t know.
With a very inexpensive no-name manufacturer, there are countless designs and many plain patterns, so you can rest assured that you won’t end up wearing the same design as someone else.
I think cycle gloves are more expendable than clothing, and if there are cycle gloves available at a very reasonable price, that is good enough for me.
If you are not particular about the manufacturer, a very cheap jersey from a no-name manufacturer is perfectly acceptable.
Cycle Computers
The most famous cycle computers are GRMIN.
However, if you do not intend to make full use of the data, a cycle computer made in China by an unknown manufacturer should be sufficient for your needs.
A key factor in selecting a cycle computer is that it should be equipped with a backlight to ensure visibility at night.
Surprisingly few models from well-known manufacturers have a backlight.
Even if they do, they are expensive models that cost more than $100.
Very inexpensive cycle computers made in China are usually backlight and can be found quite cheaply at prices ranging from $20 to $40.
You will be surprised to find that the specifications are often better than those of cycle computers from well-known manufacturers, but the price is often lower.
“Will the data be accurate?” “Will it break down quickly?” Many people do not need detailed and accurate data.
But think about it. Many people do not need detailed and accurate data.
For speed and distance traveled, it is not necessary to choose a particular manufacturer.
If you are not considering using online services such as STRAVA, and if all you need is to measure speed and distance traveled, then there is absolutely no need to stick with a manufacturer’s product.
About items around bicycles that I have come to believe can be made with very inexpensive products.
Lights, locks, bicycle clothing, and cycle computers are now available at very low prices that were previously unthinkable for adequate quality if you do not care about manufacturer, design, or professional performance.
Of course, there are times when you get a bad product, but the thinking of Chinese manufacturers is to ship everything without inspection and replace it with a new one if there are complaints of malfunctions or initial defects.
In such cases, you can simply have them replaced as soon as possible.
If you can ignore this situation, I think that buying a very inexpensive Chinese product may be a good option.
On the other hand, when it comes to tools that require precision and safety helmets, choose products made by the proper manufacturers.
I am glad that good quality bicycle items are now available at very low prices, and I am happy that they are wallet-friendly.
However, I also have a bit of a mixed feeling because I think that many manufacturers will be destroyed by Chinese manufacturers!
Incidentally, I believe that products with specifications equivalent to those of high-end products are available in China, but the cost of making high-quality products in China would be higher, so the advantage of choosing Chinese products would disappear.
In this regard, well-known manufacturers have the advantage, and I think this is the way for manufacturers to survive without being destroyed by super-cheap Chinese products.
Chinese makers may be well aware of this situation, and there are not so many high-end products on the market, but rather, there are many products that are good if they can be used reasonably well.
The above is an introduction of bicycle items that I have come to think are good for very inexpensive products.
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