Hi Andre!
My own list echoes yours in part, but goes a bit further. The really important things on or about my bikes aren't branded components per se, but functional design concepts...
Appropriate fit with all hardpoints where I expect them so I am not hurting on the bike. The frames may vary in size and even design, but the contact points are identical to within a millimeter or so.
Drop' handlebars so my palms can face each other and my wrists, elbows, and shoulders don't hurt, plus multiple hand positions.
A leather saddle so I...don't hurt on the bike.
Appropriately low gearing so I can continue to ride with my fast-light hummingbird cadence...saving my knees.
A drivetrain with reasonable longevity so the parts last awhile. For me, this has been derailleur drivetrains that are <9-sp (I still use 5- and 6-sp freewheels with friction shifters and 7-sp cassettes very happily) and, of course, the Rohloff drivetrain.
(Generally:) User-replaceable, preassembled deep-groove Conrad-style cartridge bearings with seals. A boon for high-mileage cyclists -- replace the cartridges to renew the component.
A steel frame so I can enjoy the advantages that are appropriate to me and am (once again) comfortable.
Appropriately wide tires for sure-footed traction, cornering, and good comfort at lower pressures on mixed terrain.
Mudguards (fenders) for all-weather cycling to keep my clothing, feet, and drivetrain clean and dry insofar as possible. The front must have a generously long mudflap. If riding in the company of others, the rear also needs a generously long mudflap for courtesy.
At least a rear rack so I can carry/store things like extra clothing I might need to don or doff during a ride.
A spares/tools bag for self-sufficiency (with a VAR 42500 bead jack, of course)
A manual tube pump for self-sufficiency; frame fit and field-rebuildable.
Decent lighting for riding safely well into the night.
Lots of onboard water storage. Despite living in an area with generous annual rainfall (the Willamette Valley), water is not readily available on most rides (tap handles are removed, or unauthorized access to water is considered prosecutable theft.
Each bike must be an all-'rounder in function, capable of being an "only" bike if required; life is too short for overly specialized machines in my use.
The bike most likely to meet all the above requirements is a touring bike, so that's what I have. They all weigh about 14-14.5kg except the Nomad, which is a super-duty tourer. The are no night-and-day differences between my bikes, but the shades of grey vary to a greater or lesser extent.
I'm a long-distance day rider and camping-tourist, who rides where the terrain varies a lot and often in remote conditions. For these reasons, my bikes need to allow for comfort over a long time in the saddle and self-sufficiency so I can avoid trouble or get myself out of trouble should it arise (on many or my regular routes, I might not see a car in two weeks' time).
Regardless of brand or design, I want my bikes to be reliable so they don't break down (especially mid ride, which would leave me stranded and in a real fix) and to be so comfortable disappear beneath me no matter the ride. Thinking about it, every bike I own meets this brief, though they all go about the task in subtly different ways. Like your own bike, Andre, once setup, mine go for decades without
need for upgrade or replacement except as desired.
I buy good, well-considered components, and this has paid off in longer service life, less frequent maintenance, and greater reliability, so smart money well spent. My bikes last a long time and I keep them a long time (I can't bear to part with them and most won't realize a large enough price to offset their loss), so I don't buy many or often 'cos there's no need. Money saved on replacing components or even whole bikes goes instead toward funding tours so I can actually use the bikes; not a bad deal!
That said, I surely have my Favorite Components that make it all readily and reliably possible. They are so well developed as to be invisible in my use, content to simply perform their tasks superbly and reliably -- most for hundreds of thousands of kms and over decades in my use:
Brooks B.17 saddle with powdercoated rails (too many broken chrome rails)
Thudbuster ST or LT suspension seatpost or a rigid forged 'post with long layback to support my Brooks mid-rails
Compact-reach, shallow-drop handlebars
Full size frame-fit, field-rebuildable Zιfal HP/HP-X or Silca Impero with Campagnolo steel presta head.
Velox rubber bar-end plugs to save both top tubes and knees
Shimano Click'R T-400 SPD pedals and MO88 shoes (or SunTour Superbe Pro road quills and Detto Pietro Art.74 racing cleats)
SON28 dynohubs with B&M lighting (Toplight Line Plus taillights, Cyo Deluxe headlight) and charging systems (Tout Terrain The Plug 2+ or B&M e-Werk). Individual tubular 3M spoke reflectors fit in this category.
Tubular steel pannier racks (Thorn and Tubus)
Phil Wood Waterproof grease. Full stop. Only thing I've found to be proof against corrosion caused by blowing alkali dust, volcanic ash, and heavy water exposure.
Cold-forged cranks (Sugino, Shimano)
1980s-decade SunTour, Shimano, and Sugino derailleur drivetrain components with sealed cartridge bearing deraileur pulleys
Stronglight, Tange, and Saavedra tapered roller-bearing threaded 1in headsets (
because of theirgreater friction and larger contact area); otherwise FSA or Cane Creek cartridge-bearing headsets for threadless forks.
Double layers of padded tape compression-wrapped over Grab-On foam grips with or Morgan Concepts grips (RIP)
Kool-Stop rim-friendly salmon formula brake pads
Big water bottles that have no odor/aste/BPA and don't leak (Zιfal Magnum 1l)
AXA (Defender) and Trelock (RS450) frame-mounted ring-locks and choice of cable or chain, depending on where I park.
"Wide enough" tires I can ride fast and far. I prefer Schwalbe Duremes, Bontrager road slicks, and certain Maxxus/CST/Cheng Shin Tire models -- loved their Model 917). Presta valves only for me.
SKS Chromoplast or PlanetBike polycarbonate mudguards (fenders) with BuddyFlaps (
http://www.buddyflaps.com/ )
Click-Stand with BikeBrake parking brakes (
http://www.bikebrake.com/ )
A really waterproof saddle cover when parked in rainy conditions
A decent and robust *wired* computer with ride time, speed, trip and total distance, and average speed functions. I prefer PlanetBike Protege 9.0; great except for the maddening fault of the average speed timebase being limited to 10 hours. Otherwise, the Specialized SpeedZone. Both have robust cables and decent spoke magnets that stay in place. I don't need cadence; mine is always 110-120RPM.
DT Swiss, Sapim, and Wheelsmith/Asahi spokes
Reliably waterproof underseat tool bag to prevent tools rusting (I prefer Ortlieb)
Beloved but wholly optional additions include a SkyMounti inclinometer, CueClip cuesheet holder and PlanetBike 10mm nylock nut-and-drawbolt mudguard stay hardware (
http://ecom1.planetbike.com/7006_7.html )
A coupla differences 'tween us, Andre:
a thin layer of dust is wiped off it once a year and every several years, if it hasn't been cleaned by a heavy rain, the bike might even get washed.
<twitch, twitch>
I cycle in street clothes
Always high-function, cycling-specific clothing for me. When on the bike, my job is riding it. I love my job, so need to wear clothing that lets me do it best. Street clothes don't work for me; they hold me back or cause damage/injury over the time/distances I ride.
All the best,
Dan. (...who enjoyed the topic
)
