Silca
This does what it says it does: holds roadside repair tools under your seat. It looks good and compresses well. It is difficult to get anything out of it, so I use it only for emergency supplies. Reviewers who had it fall off were not attaching it correctly. I use it for 50 mile rides and it is secure, but make sure you fold it as instructed, velcro it tightly, position it with the BOA bands across its center, and then tighten the BOA well. Then work it back and forth a bit and retighten a few more clicks. Finally, check it after the first few miles (not necessarily by stopping - you can just reach under the seat and see if it's still tight).
Note: my 3 star value rating is uninflated: the price is neither high nor low. It is worth what it costs.
Boa closure ensures a nice firm fit, never worried about it coming open. The roll-up offers a bit of bulk inside, so you may find yourself picking and choosing what goes in, but it fits the essentials. The only issue I've had is that depending on your saddle and positioning it does sometimes slip a bit, but that's resolved by finding the position to best keep it close and tightening it down like crazy. 4 stars on value simply because there are some other products that come in at almost half the cost that perform almost-as-well.
With the advent of quick-links for our chains (finally!) taking the time to periodically clean and lube your chain thoroughly has never been easier. For years I never thought there was a whole lot of difference between lubes as long as you used something, but then came FrictionFacts.com showing us the massive difference between lubes and chains and I started paying more attention. For those of you who do the hot wax thing, this stuff sure looks similar when you're done with the process, and it is certainly more conveniently than having to cook.
For my everyday riding I am not that persnickety but being a serious time-trialist, when it comes to my time trial bike I spare almost no expense. So after watching Silca's vids and reading about this product I bit. I took the time to clean my chains (I bought a second so I could quickly rotate) as suggested and applied the SSSCL by completely submersing the chain so the stuff could penetrate deep into the pins and rollers.
I squeegeed it off and hung to dry as instructed. Upon reinstallation my drivetrain felt "like buttah." The question now will be how durable the stuff is. If it indeed lasts roughly 200 miles after a completely thorough cleaning and application, then the higher cost can certainly be justified for everyday use. If you are careful during the process, you really use very little per application. For right now I plan to use it only on my TT bike, but that might change going forward.
I just raced with this lube yesterday in the state championship 40k TT here in NC. Everything I did and used was near identical to last year on an identical course, and I was almost one minute faster. And at 61, I ain't getting any younger! Was it the SSSCL? Who knows for sure, but I can't stop using now! Wait for a sale and give it try.
I have a Silca Pista pump that's about 25 years old. I wanted to love it, and really tried hard. I bought it several different chucks, and I bought it new gaskets. But I could never rely on getting a good seal on a threaded presta valve, and mostly used another pump.
Then, one day, BikeTiresDirect tempted me with a sale price on the Hiro V.2. It's beautifully made, light and easy to use. It seals perfectly every time, and goes on and off without a struggle. Now I use my Pista pump all the time.
