You get what you pay for...

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Surely the correct pressure is: "hmmm? Yeah, be reet" A bit like the correct torque setting is either: umph!, gnnn! or "come loose now you bastard!"

That's why I also have a torque wrench, Bob!

Honestly, I don't mind paying a fair price for a gadget that enhances the riding experience. I know a lot of people don't give a monkeys about tyre pressure, etc, but I have that cycling OCD, so things are either right or wrong, and I feel much happier knowing it is closer to right, never mind any potential practical benefits. TBH it is just placebo effect that the industry is selling us, but that's OK as nothing is more powerful in improving a situation than frame of mind. If all the product does is make that a bit better then that's a result.

[Cheeky Monkey]

I suppose shoddy but overpriced workmanship isn't country specific but Italy does have a lot of it.

I think you should qualify such sweeping generalisations Shafiq. Personally I wouldn't consider engineering companies such as Ducati, Ferrari, Campagnolo, Sarto, Magneti Marelli and Riva Yachts as shoddy. At least Italy has an engineering industry unlike the UK that exported much of it's manufacturing to the Far East years ago.
Btw, Silca products are manufactured in the USA.

Indeed. Though I notice you haven't mentioned Alfa Romeo or Fiat

[Boab]

I suppose shoddy but overpriced workmanship isn't country specific but Italy does have a lot of it.

I think you should qualify such sweeping generalisations Shafiq. Personally I wouldn't consider engineering companies such as Ducati, Ferrari, Campagnolo, Sarto, Magneti Marelli and Riva Yachts as shoddy. At least Italy has an engineering industry unlike the UK that exported much of it's manufacturing to the Far East years ago.
Btw, Silca products are manufactured in the USA.

Indeed. Though I notice you haven't mentioned Alfa Romeo or Fiat

*cough* Lancia Beta *cough*

[jameso]

Honestly, I don't mind paying a fair price for a gadget that enhances the riding experience. I know a lot of people don't give a monkeys about tyre pressure, etc, but I have that cycling OCD, so things are either right or wrong, and I feel much happier knowing it is closer to right, never mind any potential practical benefits. TBH it is just placebo effect that the industry is selling us, but that's OK as nothing is more powerful in improving a situation than frame of mind. If all the product does is make that a bit better then that's a result.

That's about as good a reason as I'll ever hear for buying something that doesn't make sense to those of us who like simple stuff, because I can relate to the finely set-up bike right/wrong thing. Eg apply what you're saying to analogue measuring tools or comfort enhancement.

[johnnystorm]

I suppose shoddy but overpriced workmanship isn't country specific but Italy does have a lot of it.

I think you should qualify such sweeping generalisations Shafiq. Personally I wouldn't consider engineering companies such as Ducati, Ferrari, Campagnolo, Sarto, Magneti Marelli and Riva Yachts as shoddy. At least Italy has an engineering industry unlike the UK that exported much of it's manufacturing to the Far East years ago.
Btw, Silca products are manufactured in the USA.

I've had a couple of Ducatis. They were very charismatic, but definitely shoddy. The German influence helped improve things a great deal.

[Cyclepeasant]

Re shonky engineering.
I am biased towards Italian cars and bikes ,and admit it's nearly always the ancillaries that let them down , amazingly,some are German or Japanese parts on Italian bikes.

Having a motorcycle dealership upto 2004 ,the big four Japanese manufacturers made some schoolboy engineering errors over the years, amazingly,they managed to quietly get away with it most of the time,even when they repeated the errors on later models.

I am sure Stu , with his experience,will know exactly what I mean!

(Lancia/fiat used some poor quality recycled sheet steel for car monocoque bodies during 70-80's, Lancia never recovered in Europe because of the beta series! )
I admit I loved my alfasud,but it gave way to a mini moke...aaah happy days!!

[Cyclepeasant]

Sugar!
Forgot to stick to the point!
Generally speaking from experience,
Take cycle groupsets,
Midrange represents good engineering and value,ie. Deore LX/XT or 105/ultegra against XTR OR Dura Ace,
At high end ,the returns are diminished,
a much higher price,
a fractional weight loss,
barely perceptible function improvement.
Sometimes it's a placebo effect to have high end. Or asthetics!

[Lazarus]

I have it on very good authority [cannot name them but they would know] the only real difference between shimano stuff is weight rather than reliability or longevity
You may think you can feel a difference but i am not sure how real it is [though mine are all ball park the same a Saint shifter an SLX and an XT .Honestly i would have to read it off them to say which was which,

[TheBrownDog]

I've had a couple of Ducatis. They were very charismatic, but definitely shoddy

I've had a couple of Ducatis as well and my experience was very much like that. You'd be riding along, enjoying the engine noise, the way it'd punch forward and lighten the front wheel at lowish revs and the very tight handling then, suddenly, something, anything or everything would go dramatically wrong. I can't go into details: it's simply too traumatic. Suffice to say sitting shivering on a deserted stretch of the Great Ocean Rd in Victoria at 3am after my 906 Paso comprehensively shat itself was not the highlight of my motorbikering experience. Should never have bought it, but the exchange rate at the time made it just a tad more expensive than the latest CB750, and who wouldn't?

But buying a Ducati was always a lottery. Silca pumps shouldn't be. Somewhere in the bowels of my ex-wife's garage (you at the back, stop sniggering ...) is a Silka frame pump I came upon (I said stop it NOW) before we married, so over 30 years ago. It snuggled happily on the seat stays of several road bikes and tourers. But it was just a pipe with a valve in it, basically. All you needed then. All you need now, I reckon.

[Cyclepeasant]

Oh dear TBD!
I can sympathize with you.
I have had a few friends whom have had bad experiences with ducatis.

Mine however have all been very good.
I still have a high mileage 1994 900ss, I admit I use my Guzzi California stone 02 the most,then the Guzzi V11 sport. Ducati only occasionally,

cycling takes precedence 99% of the time.

[ZeroDarkBivi]

On the other hand...

Assos have been absolutely outstanding. I still have shorts from 20 years ago that are used every week (indoors now) and are still in decent condition. When I had a crash they repaired both the jersey and bib tights for free, even though they where over 2 years old. I recently bought some bib shorts that I didn't get on wirth and they have told me to keep them and refunded me the payment. All of their stuff has been exceptional quality, innovative, functionally focussed, and, in my opinion, aesthetically as nice as anything from the fashion brands (you know who I mean).
Doesn't get much better than that, and I will continue to buy their stuff from the heavily discounted archive section of their website.

And another thing... 3T - Nothing shoddy about that Italian brand! TBH the national affiliations are all a bit of a nonsense now when the majority of mass produced bike parts are manufactured in Asia. I have three bikes that claim to be Canadian, Swiss and Italian, but most likely all made in Asia. The key factor is they were all designed by the brilliant Dutch-born Gerrard Vroomen. And that's more important than the badge on the frame.

[JohnClimber]

Almost sounds Swedish, James. : )

Greetz

S.

Only just seen this thread. Been busy in the garden and painting the house and all that stuff.

But hats off to Jameso.
You sir have won the internet with this post, #HatsOffToYouSir

[boxelder]

I admit I loved my alfasud,but it gave way to a mini moke...aaah happy days!!

As a kid, we had a cassette with a song about Mini Mokes. I've not thought of it for decades, until you wrote that.
Good old You tube.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps8OEjD22GM

[lune ranger]

I have three bikes that claim to be Canadian, Swiss and Italian, but most likely all made in Asia.

Quite likely that it was the same factory as well.

[Alpinum]

Assos

Whilst you not specifically stated that Assos were Italian, it comes across as such in your post. They're actually a Swiss brand. I've cut the labels off, but think Assos has (most of) their stuff made in Bulgaria and Greece.


DCF tool roll sounds similar to bluetooth pump