What bike items have you bought more than once?
 

What bike items have you had to buy more than once because the first one wasn't good enough? I find myself constantly having to buy things again, like saddles - the first one I bought still didn't alleviate sitbone pain, even though I was fitted for it at my LBS. Or bike shorts, because the padding wasn't quite right. Or bike pedals, because I thought SPD pedals would be easier to clip in and out of, but then decided to go for a true road bike pedal. And of course, the shoes I bought only has 2 bolts, not 3, so that's another pair of bike shoes.... Is this just a normal cycle or am I just terrible at buying bike accessories? :lol:

tubes

Tires.

Chains

I've bought a couple of crappy pumps.

Bicycles

helmets!!

I keep smashing them.. but I bought an identical one to see if it would last longer than the first one :p

Co2 cartridges

I had a folding grocery bag pannier that had hooks on it that were poorly designed. It kept working its way loose from the rear rack whether it was empty or full. Finally, it fell off my bike while I was riding on a busy road, fortunately it was empty. I heard it land and figured out what had happened, and just kept pedaling. Some guy told me I dropped something, and I (nicely) told him there was no way I was going to bend over in the middle of a busy road to pick the useless thing up. I was stupid enough to buy it at the Nashbar bankruptcy sale and couldn't even return the damn thing.

OP, everything you mentioned. It takes awhile to figure what you like, then either your body or the product changes. And it begins anew. Embrace it.

Water bottles. Never been happy with the design or keeping liquids "cold" for very long....until recently.
The insulated Camelbak I picked up has been pretty good at keeping the Gatorade cold. Fill the bottle completely with ice, then pour in the Gatorade (I like it diluted)
The one-way valve is also a nice feature.....

Blackburn?
I bought that one.... There were some screws in it that kept it from latching... 2 minutes worth of Dremel work and it's perfect.

tires
brake rotors
bar tape
head lights
tail lights
seat bags
saddles
multi-tools
clip-less pedals
bottle cages and bottles
cassettes
chains (after worn)
pumps

Since the OP said “because the first one wasn't good enough” rather than because of wearing out or breaking, my list would be:

• Saddle
• Seat Bag
• Pumps - floor and mini
• Bike Computers - been thru several of them
• Pedals
• Water bottles and cages
• oh yeah, the whole bike a couple times

Everything - except the seatpin from my 1967 Peugeot UO-8. That pin has been in near continuous service (and around 70,000 miles). Still going strong on.

For clothing especially only some of it is going to work out,

and some gear is worth buying because it might be good and it will be gone soon so get it now.

Preferences evolve, styles change, and obsolescence is planned.

Normal.

Things I have had to buy multiple times because I bought the wrong thing were probably rotors for my touring bike. I went with TRP but really wanted the XT Ice-Techs so I ended up buying them when I did the last big tune on my touring bike. Beyond that I haven't really done much buying twice. I tend to agonize over parts for a while and make sure I am getting the right stuff.

I did once buy another set of eeBrakes from Cane Creek but really the only reason for that was it was the limited edition and it matched the bike more and I just had to have them for pure vanity reasons and because I am dumb with money. I did use the other calipers on my Langster so it all worked out.

Saddles are always something to buy and try. I took me some time landing on my current favorite the Brooks C17 Cambium Carved some saddles were given to me and some I did buy but once I tried the C17 carved I was set and bought a bunch more.

"What bike items have you had to buy more than once because the first one wasn't good enough?"
Seriously.. tubes?

No, it was one of those Performance/Nashbar house brands, but I don't remember the name. The clips were just too small to be adapted and just sat at a bad angle.

I think most bike enthusiasts have to experiment with saddles and/or pedals & shoes. When disc-brake touring bikes came out I bought one to replace a rim-brake bike.

Not good enough?

Top of the list would be an entire bike. Oh, the bike was okay. But the frame was too small, the bike was too heavy and I just outgrew it quickly.

But the specific items I've replaced because the first wasn't defective, but not quite right for my needs and preferences (roughly in order of importance to me):

• Saddles -- If the saddle ain't comfy, the bike ain't getting ridden.
• Handlebar/stem -- Major bike fit/contact point for me.
• Tires -- If they don't hold the road and resist punctures the way I ride, they aren't right for me.
• Handlebar wrap and grips (Getting closer to nitpicking.)
• Pedals (More nitpicking.)
• Kit -- shorts and jerseys (Really nitpicking, although snug fitting kit is a bit more aero and better on days with heavy crosswinds.)

Sometimes I'll revisit saddles, handlebars and stems and discover they work for me now, perhaps due to changes in my physical condition, perhaps due to differences in bike design and fit.

I just switched back to a saddle I thought I disliked a couple of years ago. Now it feels great. But I've lost 10-15 lbs since then, so perhaps that was the key.

Serfas Thunderbolt usb lights. I have three; 1 white on the headtube facing forward, two red rearward on the top seat stays.

fellow riders' coffee :grin:

All of them.
Tim

Other than the usual, already mentioned--a rear derailleur for my mtn. bike. The Alivio was getting worn and decided it was time for another, so I bought an LX, decided to upgrade. Well, seems it didn't shift as well, regardless of adjustments, so bought a new Alivio. Guess what-the new Alivio shifted (still does) perfectly! Ya wouldn't think a "lower model" would perform better, but it did-at least in this case.