Certified Real Jams
If there’s something listed on this page it has earned the title of being a truemarmalade certified Real Jam, meaning it has withstood the rigors of full time bike touring long enough without fail to be a product that I would recommend wholeheartedly. Promo codes and affiliate links will get you a discount and/or get me a couple bucks for coffee.
Ornot Mission Shorts
Everything that Ornot makes are well designed and executed with care and skill. I’ve spent the last few years wearing nothing but their clothing, both riding and socializing as well as sleeping, and their Mission Shorts have lasted me over 12,000 miles of riding on a Brooks Cambium saddle (notoriously rough wearing on fabric) while looking and feeling as good as day 1. Shown in this photo at mile 10, 243.
Affiliate link: https://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=pl&ti=9861&pw=415261&mi=23377&pt=3&pri=5255
Ombraz Armless Sunglasses
Being someone who didn’t know trees had leaves until I got my first set of glasses, they are something I absolutely need to exist in the world and being an inherently fragile object I went through multiple pairs a year until finding Ombraz. They are unique from literally every other glasses by having paracord as their temples allowing them to have a built in retention system to dangle from your neck when not in use and removing the hinge, the spot where most glasses end up breaking. Mine are both RX and transition which is offered by Lens & Frame Co through Ombraz, If you so desire. I have also affixed a rear view mirror which is made by https://www.cyclingmirror.com/
Affiliate link: https://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=pl&ti=8997&pw=415261&mi=21957&pt=3&pri=159
Bedrock Cairn Sandals
Going from a spandex wearing clippy-cloppy shoes wearing cyclist for nearly a decade to flat pedals and sandals is something I never would have predicted, but there are so many benefits to letting them dawgs out that I’ll never go back. My feet don’t sweat while riding, I don’t have to wash socks every day, and being able to hop off my bike and clamber around on any type of terrain without the worry of slipping on cleats is such a convenience. I have modified my Bedrock Sandals by swapping out the plastic ladder lock buckles for aluminum ones made by Austere MFG.
Direct link: https://bedrocksandals.com/collections/all-cairn-sandal-models/products/cairn-evo-3d-pro?variant=31278679064649
Use code: MarmaladeBedrock15
Wolftooth Waveform Pedals
As mentioned above I have spent many years using the clippy sorts of pedals and while they certainly offer a well researched mechanical advantage over flat pedals, any marginal gain they may bring me would absolutely be negated by some other aspect of my ridiculous bike. Connecting with Wolftooth at MADE a few years ago they provided me a set of their Waveform pedals with the directive to run em until they die. Zero upkeep, zero maintenance, just see how long they last. My left pedal lived a hard life until around 19,000 miles (shown right) at which point the bearings exploded and WT sent me a replacement set, but I decided to only swap out the broken one to see how long the right pedal would continue thriving. At the time I’m writing this on May 31, 2026 the right pedal has 30,993 miles and is still spinning perfectly smooth with only a slight amount of side to side play.
Affiliate link: https://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=pl&ti=7341&pw=415261&mi=18985&pt=3&pri=225
Gevenalle Shifters
With so much of cycling pushing tech forward faster and faster it’s been nice to rely on something as simple as friction shifting for the past 70k miles of bike touring. There’s a particular satisfaction in being able to dial in the exact gear by hand rather than just tapping a button to do it for you, especially when it allows me to micro-adjust on the fly as my chain stretches. I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to ride a bike chain for more than 3-5k miles but my most recent drivetrain lasted 10,000 miles without too much trouble.
Direct link: https://gevenalle.com/products/cx2?variant=52528480092469
Cane Creek Stages Eewings + Hellbender 110
Traveling the country on a 200lb cargo bike puts an incredible amount of wear and tear on every component and after breaking a few that were constructed of lesser materials I upgraded to what I truly believe is the best crankset in the world. I probably can’t appreciate the performance gains causing other cyclists to choose Eewings but for me being able to trust that the parts on my bike will never let me down, no matter where I am or how hard I ride, is truly invaluable. As a type 1 diabetic another bonus is having the Stages PM track my calories burned more accurately than a HRM helping me stay fueled and keep my blood sugar numbers in a safe range. Cane Creek has engineered and crafted something so perfect that even after 50,000 miles of fully loaded riding in every imaginable condition I’ve yet to have any problems. Plus anytime someone notices them on my rig it’s always a delightful IYKYK moment.
Direct link: https://www.canecreek.com/collections/cranks/products/eewings-g1
Silca Elettrico Pump
It feels a little crazy to imagine that someday I wouldn’t rage mode turn into the HULK upon getting a flat tire, but adding this little box of magic to my kit has done exactly that. I’ve been a big fan of everything Silca makes for over a decade now both due to their attention to detail as well as engineering expertise no matter what the product is. Whether it’s a pump, bottle cage, or chain lube; you can trust that it’ll be the best you’ve ever had on board and something you can rely on mile after mile after mile. There’s been countless group rides where someone’ll get a flat and my Elettrico pump will save the day getting us back on the road in just a few minutes. Bonus that it charges easily from my dynamo hub and solar panel so it’s always ready to go.
Direct link: https://silca.cc/collections/elettrico/products/elettrico-ultimate-inflator
Also worth mentioning is the T-Ratchet multi tool that they also make. It is hands down the most versatile ratcheting multi tool that I’ve ever used and is easily customizable swapping in any specific bits that your build may need. The link below leads to the Silca website where they sell the 2nd generation of this tool but the original one is actually superior. They’re pretty easy to find on ebay and you can identify 1st gen by looking for a silver switch on the ratchet vs the black plastic switch on the 2nd gen.
Direct link: https://silca.cc/collections/multi-tools/products/t-ratchet-ti-torque-kit-2nd-generation
Spurcycle Bell
I truly believe that every bicycle is better with a bell on it. Whether you use it to safely signal to pedestrians that you’re passing (and the chime from a Spurcycle is the perfect combo of loud and polite) or just spreading some joy while out on a ride, this is the best addition to your handlebars. I’ve had over 30 bikes in my previous life and every single one was equipped with a Spurcycle bell no matter what it was and thanks to them offering plenty of mounting and color options it was always a perfect fit. The bell currently on my cargo bike was the first I ever ordered from them back in May 2015 and is getting close to 100,000 miles on it. I was fortunate enough to visit their HQ in Bend, OR where they swapped out the stock hammer for an orange one and it made me fall in love all over again.
Direct link: https://www.spurcycle.com/products/better-bicycle-bell
Grepp Washable Handlebar Tape
While yes the main marketing point of Grepp handlebar tape is that it can easily be removed, washed, and reapplied to your bike giving it a brand new day-one type of feel…instead of listening to marketing I decided to see how long the tape could last with zero washing. Turns out Grepp made tape so damn good that I ended up getting just over 45,000 miles (72,000km) before it finally began to fall apart enough to motivate replacing. At that point it was embedded with so much dirt and grime and certainly a few billion of my skin cells that it felt a part of me, in some delightfully strange way. It’s a bit different to install than tape you may be used to so if I may offer some advice: cut the end off at a 90º angle rather than the 30º that you’re used to. This’ll help prevent fraying of the end so if you do choose to remove and wash, you can put it back on without any trouble.
Direct link: https://www.grepp.cc/shop/gripper-reusable-handlebar-tape-5#attribute_values=1
eThirteen Casette Helix Race 12-Speed 9-52T
Another omg they made an orange one so of course I had to get it!!! Easy purchase choice, but dang also it allowed me to go from 51 to 52 on the top end and 11 down to 9 on the bottom??? Heck yeah for a little more climbing and a LOT more top speed. Sure I rarely make use of it but when there's a downhill tailwind I'll easily break 30mph without spinning out. Bonus points to e13 for making a bit of kit that survived the 10,000 mile challenge on my rig.
Direct link: https://www.ethirteen.com/products/helix-race-12-speed-9-52-cassette
Madrone Jab Derailleur
One of the best things about @made.bike is the opportunity to meet the people who actually make the cool bike stuff. I had been rocking the same big name derailleur on this entire tour (nearly 60,000 miles on it) and while it'd been working just fine, they'll never care who I am or about what I do. Knowing the names and faces and shaking the hands of the people who actually make this beautiful object means I'll be able to share the wear and tear progress directly with those who can use my input to make better things, not just sell more things. As of June 25, 2026 I'm hitting 13,000 miles (20,000km) on my Jab and there's no sign of any wear or tear, other than my inability to remember to clean my jockey wheels...
Direct link: https://madronecycles.com/products/custom-jab-derailleur