bdcheung

I'll start: USE Alien seatpost. It's not that bad, but once I got the KCNC post I realized how terribly designed the Cyclops clamp is. Yeah, I "made it work" but now I don't have to.

waterrockets 

Hmm. I make so few purchases, and I'm so careful with them, I really don't have much regret.

I guess I regret my 2nd Dura-Ace cassette, just because it was too expensive. I was a DINK back then though, so no big deal. I'm $30 SRAM happy these days.

cat4ever

Expensive handlebars ($250) that I cracked in a wreck. Now I have a $50 bar.

urbanknight

Sidi shoes

They just don't fit me right, but I just didn't want to settle for the better fitting, cheaper, off brand ones (Cat-1)

carpediemracing 

Any flexy frame. In the past it's been the RR version of the Cannondale 3.0 frame, a Prestige tubed frame, a lugged carbon frame. I rode them all a little bit and then sold them. I actually checked the Prestige and lugged carbon frames for broken BB shells because I figured that's why they were so flexy.

Also any non-mainstream pedal. They aren't mainstream because there is something about them that makes them a bit harder to use.

And any non-mainstream night light system. NiteRider or nothing. I have a pile of batteries, lights, and various cords and wires and such, all useless. Vistalite, some Canadian light company, one or two others.

+1 on USE Alien post, although they are pretty light.

I'm pretty conservative with buying things so even my failed experiments aren't too bad. I'd rank aluminum derailleur pivot bolts, ti bolt kits, stupid skewers (American Classic, whatever the first "light" ones were, basically all but the Salsa Flip Offs), and cheap ti seats among the "I wasted my money" things.

cdr

dutret

Mine were only $130 but still. The worst part is they fit my hands so well I constantly have to resist the urge to replace them.

MDcatV

1 - cervelo R2.5 frame, wally mart carbon is probably better than that P.o.S.

2 - fizik arione saddle - phantom weiner anyone?

3 - white handlebar tape - looks hawt and is oh so pro when clean, but gets dirty far too fast and needs changing far too often for me.

wanders

Cane Creek Aerohead wheels with titanium spokes. At my delicate #215, the flex was downright terrifying.
Ridden about 50 miles and sold on ebay at a $250 loss.

El Diablo Rojo

Buying a first gen Orbea Orca.....god I hated that bike.

BananaTugger

B-T-P carbon front dérailleur clamp.

Panaracer Stradius Pro Tires.

asmallsol

dura ace Wh7700 wheels



Front has held up great, the rear not so much.

caloso

Conti Attack/Force tire combo.

ri_us

Michelin tires. I hate putting those things onto, or getting them off of, wheels.

ericcox

Currently having a racing bike at all is probably a waste of money for me at present.

But I typically buy things at a pace closer to Waterrockets than to the typical road weenie -- i.e. a new bike a decade -- so I don't have many regrets.

Nevermind -- thought of one -- the on clearance Northwave Hornet shoes. Never could make them comfortable, but I only paid $55 and got a year out of them.

FatguyRacer

Whipperman Conex S.S. chain.

cmh

Silca SuperPista pump. I can't believe a bike pump can be such a pain in the *****.

CastIron

Cheap (read: crap) wheels. Numerous saddles.

ken cummings

Any plastic saddle.

MDcatV

I forgot about my cyclocross experiment with a surly cross check. plumbing quality tubing, low grade plumbing quality tubing. that thing was so effin' heavy that I dreaded shouldering it. One practice session I taped maxipads to my right shoulder to protect me from that thing - it had to weigh more than me!

ElJamoquio

That takes chutzpah, as it were.

MDcatV

under the jersey, and I've told very few people about this time in my life.

ElJamoquio

At the risk of divulging my top-secret time machine, how about using a top tube protector?

*new*guy

bummer. i really like those tires.

for me, 10 speed brifters when i had perfectly functioning 9 speed.

caloso

Yeah, I don't know. I wonder if it's just me. I put on the 22mm Attack and it just looked too low profile to handle the crappy country roads we race on around here. So I got a standard 23mm GP4000 for the front. Then with only about 200 miles, I got a huge slash on the Force tire in the back. So I got another 23mm GP 4000 for the rear. I wish I'd just gone with those in the beginning.

I'm with you on the 9-speed stuff. I'm thinking of hoarding as many Ultegra 6500 cassettes as I can afford.

mollusk

The biggest waste of money was some gel bar wrap. I rode with it on one time then took it off and threw it away. I like to feel the road, not grab something that feels like an overripe banana.