6th Gear on my Lamborghini Diablo !

Here are mine:

Aerus Composites seatpost. Extremely adjustable, bladed seat post. Very comfortable, and allows a wide range of fore/aft positioning to get you as far forward or far back as you like.

DeSoto 4-pocket Power Tri Shorts - the most comfortable piece of clothing I own. I do all my cycling and bricks in these shorts. Add in the 4 pockets and a Fuel Belt, and you can carry all the nutrition you need for those long runs/bricks.

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Steve Perkins

Silicone swim cap. I bought it as a newbie because I read that they last longer, and thought I needed one for pool swimming. Well, it wasn't too long before I realized that I didn't need to buy one, as I now have a multi-coloured stack of ones from races. However, this year as I was doing more open water swimming I brought it out... holy cow, that is the most comfortable swim cap ever. I hate the latex ones they give out at races, but this one is some incredably comfortable. Highly recommend it.

All the rest of my gear is pretty average, so nothing else really to rave about.

42x16.

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http://mclean.errl.org.uk

I'll second Thompson Seatposts, and Aquashere Kaimen Jr. goggles.

I'll add Michelin Pro Race tires for racing/training and Continental GP3000's for a little more durability;

Sugoi Wireless tri top for a proper fit;

Yaqui Aerolite for a proper fit;

Cateye Astrale for cheap cadance;

And Asics Kayano's, because they're the best running shoes ever made.

Bike:
- Thomson Masterpiece Seatpost
- Time RXS Pedal
- Specialized Water Bottles (Usually Rebadged, But Specialized Makes Them)
- SRM Pro
- Ritchey Stems
- Born Cyclist Cream
- Snap-On Torque Wrench + Hex Key Bits
- Starrett Digital Level
- Blackburn Floor Pump
- Ultimate Bicycle Stand

Run:
- Brooks Runderwear Underwear
- Nike DriFit Visor
- Brooks Clothing

Swim:
- Speedo Vanquisher Goggle
- Tyr Catalyst Paddle
- Stretchcordz

Misc:
- DeFeet Aerator SpeedE Socks
- Bullfrog Sunscreen
- The Stick
- TP Massage Tools

All stuff that works to the highest degree...

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

You win!

Ah, your list prompted me to think of some things for this thread:

TOTALLY agree on Specialized water bottles. None better.

Finis Tempo Trainer - $30 gets you your own full-time Pose/ChiRunning cadence coach.

Amphipod belt - carry as much or as little water and fuel as you want, no bouncing.

Assos chamois cream (never tried Born). Minty fresh!!! ;-)

Sidi bike shoes - I have mtb, road, tri - love 'em all.

Nike DriFit run pants - for cool/cold weather running, just the bomb.

Sporthill run shorts - weigh nothing, don't chafe, look good, feel great.

Agreed on DeFeet socks. Although, the "free" PI ones I get for giving $ to IMBA each year are a very close second.

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float , hammer , and jog

Would you guys elaborate on what it is that makes the Tompson Masterpiece such a must have? I'm building a bike from scratch right now, I have handpicked every component for it and the seatpost is the only thing I haven't bought yet. I've owned a lot of bikes in my life and rarely gave my seatpost much thought and I've luckily never had one break. Why do I want to pay as much or more for the Tompson as I would a carbon or Ti post?

Well, first off you need to understand that a carbon seat post does not - in any way - make a bike more comfortable to ride. Same for Ti. A post is a post is a post.

What makes the thomson so nice? First of is the build. It is one piece, top to bottom, there are no welds, no epoxies, nothing but machined aluminum.

It is also extremely light. Weighs less than most carbon posts.

It is stronger than any carbon post because of how it is built and what it is made from.

Carbon posts slip. The Thomson has little ribs going down the length of it, it will not slip - at least mine never has.

The seat clamp can handle some insane amounts of torque - your seat will fail before it will.

It is a microadjust post - if you want the nose just .5mm lower, the Thomson can handle this for you.

If you are not a weight weenie, get the Elite. It's heavier, but just as strong.

Thank you John, good summary. I'm not a weight weenie, but I am a gear-a-holic, so I'll probably end up buying the Masterpiece.

If you can see one at your LBS before you buy, you'll know immediatly. Beautifully machined, clamp is not a seperate piece, all one. Graduated degree markings on clamp w/ no worries about ever rattling loose. I had to buy one of these beacause my Look takes 25.0mm and that is a weird size combined with my need for an extra long post, limited my options. Had an American Classic, it was relatively a POS compared to this beauty.

Hope that helps,

Kevin

Basically, it comes down to craftsmanship. Thomson posts are the Rolexes (or whatever other fine watch you prefer) of the seatpost world. The tolerances, design, and finish are all excellent.

It is very light -- comparable in weight to any other material.

Vs. carbon -- you don't have to be as concerned about pinching the post at the binder. There is also not the concern about the clamp/post joint with a solid post like the Thomson.

Vs. ti -- only concern is finding something that is of the same quality. Ti is an excellent material, but if the workmanship is not as good, why bother? The Masterpiece is machined to perfection, not extruded. The beautiful oval inner wall is something you just won't see on any other seatpost.

They also have a "bending fuse." Seatpost will not snap off, but will fail in bending, meaning you will be much safer in the event of a catastrophe. It is a little thing, but offers peace of mind. The failure loads for the Thomson post are also ridiculously high. So the likelihood that you will ever need the safeguards they put in place is minimal. But they still put them there for you.

http://lhthomson.com/masterpiece_features.htm

Yes, some of it is marketing. But there is a reason it is the gold standard.

Thomson makes two things -- stems & seatposts. That's it. Both are excellent.

The seatpost just works. Set it, forget it, and you will never notice it. And that is what makes it so great.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

I second the Thomson Masterpiece and Elite posts. I'll use nothing less on my bikes (well, except my cyclocross/commuter... it's just a cheapie).

Here are some other nominees:

1. Chris King headset. The gold standard. The only thing that hurts them is the price. You can get a very nice FSA Orbit X headset for less than half the price and it will work fine.

2. Campy Chorus/Shimano Ultegra. For the price, they can't be beat. Good enough to win pro races, but cheap enough to be affordable for lots of people. Yes, every group has its shortcomings, but these two win in my book.

3. Body Glide. It works.

4. Puma H-streets. Quickly becoming my favorite shoes.

5. Jandd transition bag. Lots of room and compartments. Comfortable to wear. Works well.

6. Reynolds forks. They're strong, light, and like the other nominees- they just work. The only thing taking away from them in my mind is the carbon steerer. I'm slowly beginning to accept the whole compression plug deal, but I do prefer an aluminum steerer and star nut (like my Bontrager XXX Lite fork- 370 grams with an Al steerer!).

7. Giro Atmos helmet. Light, well vented, and comfortable. Very sharp looking, too.

8. Sidi shoes. I have yet to find anything better (and I own 4 pairs to prove it).