Commuting - Newbie Commuter

I am a newbie commuter, and I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice about gear? I think I've got the bike thing down okay. My commute is about 18 miles each way from downtown Manhattan to Northern NJ accross the GW Bridge. I have to say that I love riding my bike to work! But I want to go all the way and ride everyday.

What kind of clothing do you recommend for rain? Is there anything that is used to cover your helmet?

What about lights? I just bought a 5w vistalight. But this does not seem sufficiently bright. I feel as though I outrun the lamp. Economics is definately an issue, so I am looking for options that won't break the bank.

Thanks in advance for your help.

For riding from Manhattan to the GWB, I would suggest orange reflective body armor, and a can of pepper spray! Seriously, though, wear lots of reflectorised clothing. A gas mask might help in and around I-95.
For rainwear, find something water repellant, but not waterproof. The reason is that you will stew in your own sweat in a waterproof suit. Besides, do you really want to risk broadway cabbies in a downpour on a bike?? Your bike will thank you as well. You can cover your helmet with a showercap.
If you can outrun a 5w light, you are either riding faster than Lance, have dirt on the lens, or don't have it aimed properly. Blinking lights are more important in traffic, anyway.

For rain riding, plastic bags inside panniers/backpack whatever. The waterproof pannier is an oxymoron. As far as clothing goes, concentrate on keeping warm rather than dry (come and live here for a while if you don't see a difference ;) ).

That sounds like a cool commute. Does the GWB have a pedestrian path or something or will you be riding with traffic? I've driven over it before and really can't imagine biking over it with the traffic. Just wondering.

I've also got a vistalite system with two 5watt lamps. I usually run one 5watt lamp, in order to get the longer run time, and i can definitely outrun the lamp. That's on my singlespeed MTB by the way and I'm no Lance, but I am riding on unlit semi-rural roads.
With the two 5watt lamps I feel much more secure. I also have a couple of 15watt lamps that i was sent by mistake. One of these lamps work as well as a car's headlights. It's unreal, but run-time is severly reduced. I don't currently have a use for these 15watt lamps, but figured I'd hold unto them. If you think you could use one, let me know.

For the rain, I'd suggest getting some good full length fenders. The water flying off your tires will get you soaked in no time and that water is often filthy. Yeech!!!!

Good luck with your commute. We'll all be cheering for ya.

Jborok,
I recommend browsing back through the archives. Note the page numbers at the bottom of the screen. There have been a number of excellent threads an many aspects of commuting, including rain gear, lighting, and other equipment. I know I wrote a long, detailed post 3-4 months ago to a similar question, but I don't have time to reproduce it right now. I just brought it to the top of the heap for you. You will find many interestiing ideas and suggestions. What are you riding?

Welcome to the "cult"! 18 miles each way is a healthy commute. Keep us posted as you proceed.
Regards,
Raymond

Originally posted by RainmanP
18 miles each way is a healthy commute.

Ya, that's for sure! 18 miles each way - three cheers for our new commuter!

Originally posted by jborok

.......I think I've got the bike thing down okay. My commute is about 18 miles each way from downtown Manhattan to Northern NJ accross the GW Bridge.........


Wow, and I thought I am doind well with my 9 miles-each-way commute.. Hummmm.. now were did I put this map again??? :) :)

A

Thanks for all the input. I will search the older posts on the board for more detailed information. As for what I am riding, I bought a closeout (cheap) on at GT zr 5 roadbike. I wanted a road bike because of the distance of the commute. I put a gary fisher rack on the back, which seems quite sturdy. I added a racktop bag to put my lock, the Kryptonite New York Chain (it weighs a ton!), and the other extra gear that I need. I have covered the bike in innertubes to make it look less enticining to thieves. The commute is quite pleasant. NYC has added a bike path that goes from Battery Park to the George Washington Bridge which runs along the Hudson River. I jump off this path at 95th street to ride Riverside Dr which I take to the bridge. There is a bike path on the bridge that I ride to get to NJ. From the Bridge it is about 6 miles to my job. The ride in NJ is the least pleasant of the commute as some of my ride takes me accross cloverleaf ramps for major hwys that are not bike friendly. This is especially true at night. In addition to the vistalite I mentioned, I am using a green blinking light of the front of my bike. I have two blinkers on my backpack. and one big one on the rack mounted bag. I still don't think that I have enough. Thanks again. I was really happy to find this site. There are not may really good resources on the subject. You guys are great!

I would suggest keeping 1 lock at work and another at home, so you dont load your bike any more than necessary. The blinking lights are very directional, and I have noticed that when they are on backpacks they are almost invisble to following vehicles. Mount them on the bike so you are sure they are pointing in the direction from which you want to be seen. My commute is 17 miles each way, but I only do it in fine weather and hardly ever ride 2 days following.

Hi, I've only been commuting for a little over two weeks and mines only 14 miles one way (I cycled home once but for now I'm cycling all the way in and just to and from stations on the way back (hey - I'd only been on a bike for one day in the last twenty years until four weeks ago :))). I'm also a fair-weather commuter at the moment, so about three times a week.

I wear a flourescent yellow waistcoat thats's gotscotchlite reflective strips round it - It really stands out in half-light.

My panniers are the sort with a rain hood - as ChrisL says you'd want plastic bags inside. I have seen a review of some made by Ortleib that were truly waterproof - in that you could carry water in them (I think they were made from lorry tarpaulin material welded together) but I don't know whether any water could get in up and under the lid.

Some people recommend a mirror - personally I can't use my handlebar mounted one.

I carry a saddle bag with a small first aid kit, spare tube, patches, tyre levers and allen key set (oh and a Snickers bar for emergencies (still untouched :D). A pump goes in a pannier, a U-lock on the frame.

My essential item must be a full water bottle - after I've done a hill it's essential :blush:

Enjoy

Richard

I know what you mean about not feeling you have enough blinkies. I use a helmet mounted one plus I've got one mounted on each seat stay and one I put on the back of my rack pack. Sometimes I use a pannier and that obscures one of the seat stay blinkies, but I think the others make up for it. I've also got reflective tape on the seat stays and my helmet. On my rack pack I use a fluorescent triangle symbol, and my pannier has reflective material on it as well.

I'm glad to see you guys are using blinkies and reflective tape.

Remember that moving reflectors are better than blinkies and better than stationary reflectors.

You would be well off to use ankle reflectors and have a reflector on your left wrist (to indicate your turns).

Welcome, Jborok!

Use both blinkies and reflectors. What the blinkies don't do, reflectors will. What reflectors don't do, blinkies will. Try to use both red and yellow reflectors--they are both cheap at auto parts stores. Yellow are brighter, but you need red according to the law. For blinkies, I use rechargable batteries so they stay totally bright. Use both; more is better.

I second Mike's point about wrist-reflectors to signal turns.

Use two lights on the front, if you can. Make them as bright as you can. Rechargable batteries are best at any price.

Be seen!

By the way, if you are "reflector happy", you can buy reflective material at your local fabric shop.

THis is usually in the form of 3/4" strips of reflective tape. It can be sewn onto your favorite jacket or pants or gloves.

Welcome, my commute is 13 miles each way, though Fife to Edinburgh can't be similar to your route.

i generally wear shorts and t shirt in summer, shorts, longs and layers (including goretex yellow top) in inclement weather.

i have a black bike, albeit with esge chromoplastic mudguards which are reflective, but I've covered every nick and scratch on my bike with scotchlite tape and use a fixed red light backed up by a reflector and a blinkie, the front being a halogen cateye lamp and blinkie.

Like Pete I've invested in a battery charger and rechargeable batteries, as my fron t light lasts about 8 hours so won't cover a whole week.

You'll find your commute sets you up for the day and de stresses you at night.

if you get a chance do us a more detailed description of your ride in, I for one would be very interested.