Commuting - Essential Items?

Being new to cycling, and entering into the realm of commuting to work on two me-powered wheels, I would like to ask and get a consensus of what all of the experts (hopefully that's you) recommend as essential items to have with me on my ride.
Not really interested in nice-to-have items as I'm sure I will have my own likings as I go.
I'm just not sure what I really need. I've even been hesitant to 'test' ride my route to work because I don't want to have something happen during the 'test' ride that I'm not prepared for.

My commute:
Tucson = Great weather, but can get hot. My largest threat is summertime thunderstorms. I will avoid riding during extreme weather, not because of the rain, but the winds from the storms can easily reach 50+mph (even outside of the rainshafts). I'll have an advantage with this as I work as a meteorologist (I should see 'em comin);
8 miles one way;
I can park inside my building in a back office;
Mostly nighttime; entire route has sufficient street-lighting for visibility, so I just need to be seen;

Thanx in advance.

If your commuting to work I recommend getting tires that would be the most flat resistent tire you can find, and that would be Specialize Turbo Armadillos, so that you don't have too worry as much fixing a flat on the way to work (the flat protection extends into the sidewalls as well). I then use a 65 gram Specialize ultralite tube to keep the rotational weight down because the Armadillos weigh 360 grams.

I would also carry a spare tire and tube, the tire can be a racing ultralight folding job just in case you destroy a tire or tube on the way to work, as well as patches (I prefer the Park glueless only because their faster to apply). Then of course some tools too change a flat of course and a mini tool in the event of a needed repair to keep going.

But lighting is the most critical aspect to commuting. You will need a bright taillight and a decent headlight along with reflective stuff on your clothing and helmet. I happen to like the Cateye TLLD600 taillight and the Cygo Metro headlight, these lights are very reasonably priced if your on a budget. The Metro uses 6 D bats but your not tied to a wall plus you can buy batts anywhere if they go dead on a ride-but they give plenty of warning before that happens, and the batts will last 5 hours on one 6.3 watt flood and 2.5 hours if you use both the flood and the 6.2 watt spot (I get 12 D's for $8 at Walmart-their house brand-and they lasted a year of riding and commuting). I recently added those Glow Sport Roadlite taillights that replaces the handlebar end plug with a red led-these things are brighter than you think. Most accidents occur to cylist from behind.

This is what I now consider essential items for my commute:
For me:
- Weather appropriate clothing (right now: Polypro T-shirt, Fleece, Windproof shell, windproof tights). It does not have to be cycling clothing at first, but after a while you come to realize it is a lot more comfortable...
- Helmet (windproof headband or baklava as dictated by weather)
- Clipless shoes: THE most overlooked item. Toeclips give you a hint of what you are missing, but once you wear clipless.... wow. It's really easy to use and you can get some rather affordable deals online (shoes+pedals<$120). If you commute in a city environment (Stop&Go) this really makes a difference. You NEED this...
- paniers: I used backpacks and messenger bags... paniers work better if you carry heavy loads like a laptop, food, clothes....

For the ride:
- patch kit (spare tube, levers and a pump)
- clipless pedals (see above rant)
- rack (same)
- fenders: yep....
- lights: depending on your commute (city vs countryside) this is either to see or be seen. To be seen, I use Cateye LED lights (Opticube is really bright!). Very small, bright and batteries last forever. this is the one I use (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=17623)
- computer: A great motivator..
- Local Map: In case you get lost while exploring...
- Water bottle: You gotta drink...

If you are a bit more specific about your commute (how many miles, weather, ability to park at work, ...), you will get more helpful information from this forum...

If you are a bit more specific about your commute (how many miles, weather, ability to park at work, ...), you will get more helpful information from this forum...


Ah, I should have included that...
My commute:
Tucson = Great weather, but a little hot. My largest threat is summertime thunderstorms. I will avoid riding during extreme weather, not because of the rain, but the winds from the storms can easily reach 50+mph (even outside of the rainshafts). I'll have an advantage with this as I work as a meteorologist (I should see 'em comin);
8 miles one way;
I can park inside my building in a back office;
Nighttime; entire route has sufficient street-lighting for visibility, so I just need to be seen;

<snip>

Most accidents occur to cylist from behind.

love your post and your pretty spot on w/ lots of good advise and yes i have been hit from behind (by a driver going 70) but by far most cyclist accidents occure from the side, statisticly speaking. only 10% are from behind. this is due to number of reasons. good site to read up on is

http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/traffic/index.htm

i had another really awesome site but it's web address fails to be in my current book marks. my appologies. if i run into it again (and i'll probably spend the rest of the evening looking for it) i'll post it here.

but this has nothing to do w/ gearing up your bike and i degress. please excuse.

cheers
kat

You will get a different answer from every responder. I carry the basics, plus a cell phone, deodorant. Flats are a real pain commuting so use a good tire. It really depends on your situation. Some guys have showers, I read about one guy whose business is so anal retentive they only allow pants and skirts. So he puts a skirt over his shorts to get past the guards.
The heat must be brutal when you get out of work. I have some potassium tablets I got from Walmart for a couple bucks.

If you dont take a cell phone, take change so you can make a call if you are delayed by a flat. I have a good lock at home, another at work and carry a lightweight lock on the bike in case I have to stop for a coffee, pee or whatever on the way. Figure out alternative routes, as you may find the shortest is not necessarily the quickest, and the quickest may not be the most enjoyable.

love your post and your pretty spot on w/ lots of good advise and yes i have been hit from behind (by a driver going 70) but by far most cyclist accidents occure from the side, statisticly speaking. only 10% are from behind. this is due to number of reasons. good site to read up on is

[kat

That Ken Kifer site is a very good site for information and is one I have bookmarked...I just never read the accident statistic thing! I was going on personal experience when I quoted the rear accident thing. All my friends who had accidents involving cars were hit from behind! The only accident I had involving a car was due to it cutting in front of me and I hit the front of my bike on the side of their car. Anyway I assumed that most accidents were from the rear since everyone I knew was hit that way, including a friend that was killed the same way. I don't include folks opening their car doors into the path of a cyclist as a moving car VS bike accident, I have friends that has happen to. Anyway based on my experiences is the reason I now use one main taillight and the 2 little handlebar end plug lights.


Thanks for sharing that Kifer site Kat!!!

love your post and your pretty spot on w/ lots of good advise and yes i have been hit from behind (by a driver going 70) but by far most cyclist accidents occure from the side, statisticly speaking. only 10% are from behind. this is due to number of reasons. good site to read up on is

http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/traffic/index.htm

Agree with this. I've actually had five collisions with cars, only one of those was from behind.



i had another really awesome site but it's web address fails to be in my current book marks. my appologies. if i run into it again (and i'll probably spend the rest of the evening looking for it) i'll post it here.

Might you be referring to www.bicyclinglife.com by any chance?

Figure out alternative routes, as you may find the shortest is not necessarily the quickest, and the quickest may not be the most enjoyable.

The best thing to do is to actually ride the alternative routes, preferably on a Saturday morning when there's some traffic around, before going "live". There will always be little things (such as length of time different traffic lights take to change and so on) that may not be apparent without actually riding it first.

Helmet
Mirror
Bell / horn
Lights as necessary / reflectors
Rain gear / fenders as necessary
Basket / rack and panniers / daypack / messenger bag - your choice
Good multitool
H2O
Sunglasses
You might be able to skip the patch kit and pump if you use tuffy tire liners or kevlar tires, but I lived in Albuquerque for six years and I know that goat's heads and other thorny plants can raise hell on your tires in the SW

What you take depends on how far, what the weather is like, and what facilities you have at work.
You dont need to carry a spare tyre, but a tube is pretty essential.
Im not with NYC on the Clipless thing. I use toe clips, because I get off ands do stuff along the way, and like to ride using normal shoes. If your ride is like a long training ride, they are more appropriate, but really, you can ride without them, therefore they are a nice-to-have rather than essential. Newbie riders should think twice before taking to busy traffic with clipless systems.
Do you need to carry clothing? A pannier bag/rack is easier on your back, but as back-pack is more convenient for shorter rides. I use both.Dont forget plastic bags, always useful.

The only time I wasn't able to complete my commute was when I broke a chain; if I had had a bike specific multi tool at that time I wouldn't have had to call the wife to bail me out. One witha chain tool might be a good call.

I think it would depend a bit on how far your commute is. Mine is 4 miles so it's easy walking distance too. If anything went wrong with my bicycle, I could complete the journey on foot.

Therefore for my commute, the items I consider essential are:

1. The bicycle - a mth bike with fairly wide, knobby tires so that I sit fairly upright (better for seeing what's going on around me), and so that I can make my way through all the debris next to the curb without worrying about flats every few feet.
2. Lights - headlight and taillight (my commutes are still partially in the dark)
3. Rear fender - not a whole lot of help, but better than nothing
4. Lock - gotta lock it up or it may walk away
5. Helmet
6. Backpack - to carry my stuff
7. Rain gear - either on me or stuffed into my backpack just in case. This includes a waterproof jacket, splash pants, and booties
8. Cold weather gear - either on me or stuffed into my backpack just in case. This includes headband, balaclava, full fingered gloves. There may be some days in the heat of summer where I'll leave some of this out
9. Tools - I have a few in a small seat pack - a small multitool, tire levers and patches
10. Cycling gear - I wear the "usual" stuff, shorts, jersey, tights, jacket, mtn bike shoes (easier for walking), gloves, reflective gear
11. Change of clothes & toiletries for work
12. Lunch & coffee break snacks

I do not take a waterbottle with me on my commutes, but if I were commuting a longer distance than 4 miles, I would.

I do not take a waterbottle with me on my commutes, but if I were commuting a longer distance than 4 miles, I would.

I did when I rode only 3 miles to work so that I could have something to drink while I worked!

Agree with this. I've actually had five collisions with cars, only one of those was from behind.



Might you be referring to www.bicyclinglife.com by any chance?


yeah i've only been hit once so far *knock on wood* and i should technically be dead seeing as the gent hit me going 70 mph (120kmp {that right?**) hit me hard enough that i cracked his dashboard by moving his engine. drug me 140 ft, flew 50 ft and skid another 20ft. took me three days but i did walk away from that. was of no fault of my own. his tyre blew out. think he had been traveling about 90 before he hit me...

anyway i degress here scuse me.

as to that site your refering; it's a good site and i've seen it before but unfortunetly it's not the one i'm thinking of. site i'm thinking of had lots of statistics and articules (sp?) on cyclists who had been killed on the roadway and a farely good break down on why. i just can't find it in my saved links. i'll find it at some point... i hope. i'm sure a google search on cyclists on the roadways will come up w/ several good starting points.

cheers chris
kat

Since I read your other lighting post here are the drop dead must have for riding:

a good multi tool (you can get them for under $20)
a set of small bike wrenches (also easy to find an inexpensive set)
an extra tube
patch kit
air pump
if you have presta valves on your tires an adapter for schraders pumps
tire levers
helmet
tire patches (I know an easy way to make home made ones)
water
Mr tuffy tire liners
cable ties
a good lock (don't do cheap here the extra investment is worth it)

A lot of this stuff will fit in a good under the saddle bag.


As far as deodorant and that kind of thing I just buy extra to keep at work so you don't have ot haul it back and forth with you.

If goat heads are a problem on your commute you can tie pieces of leather boot straps to your frame so they hang just above your tires. That will knock most of them off before you do any damages

Things you might want to add as time goes on are fenders and a rack. also tire flies ( get them at an auto store) for your tire stems they help a lot to be seen at night. I do prefer clipless pedals, but that isn't that necessary.

When beginning a new commute, I find a street map to be a good idea. Often the best route on a car is not the best route on a bike, and if you're at all unfamiliar with the side roads in the area you'll be cycling thru, a map is a great idea. You can generally toss it after a couple of weeks.

A lot depends upon the nature of the trip. For example, I do a 10 mile roundtrip urban commute in my offfice clothing. I don't carry anything. Breakdown/puncture -- just flag down a cab.

In a rural situation, you are going to have to make repairs in the field to get to your destination. Not many cabs in the desert! That would minimally be a patch kit anfd pump. If it is rural Arizona, I'd suggest a water bottle also.

Depending on the type of bike you ride, the distance, hills, and how fast you go, you may want to ride in cycling clothing and bring office clothing with you. This requires a rack, panniers, or backpack. If you do ride in office clothes, you will not want to wear your sport jacket or suit jacket in the summer! It needs to be either carried or left at the office. (hint -- if you carry clothing, roll it -- don't fold it. Rolled clothing will not crease, but folded most certainly will!) Also, if you ride in office clothing, fenders are essential, as are rubber bands on your pants legs if there is no chainguard.

If you don't need to dress up at the office, you will still find it convenient to be able to make a shopping trip on the way home sometimes. So some means of carrying stuff is very useful, although not strictly essential.

I'd suggest "pre-running" your commute some weekend to see how it goes and what items you discover you need.

I think that some sort of battery front and back light is essential for night riding. They are cheap and make you much more visible.

Remember that every day, millions of people in Bejing and Amsterdam just hop on their bikes and go to work without a second thought. Here in the States, I think we tend to make it too complicated. Expensive and exotic equipment can make it much easier, faster, and more versatile, but you don't need any of it just to start.

Paul

I keep all of the following in the pack under my seat:


-Long shelf-life protein bar, in case I bonk (avoid the ones that are disguised candy bars).
-Folding allen wrench set (needed this to tighten handlebars once)
-Ratchet and/or crescent wrench that fits brakes
-Spare inner tube AND patch kit no matter how good your tires are (belt and suspenders are good here, and I have blown a spare)
-Air pump and CO2 (belt and suspenders are good here, too)
-Tire levers
-Chain tool (if your chain breaks and you don't have one of these, you're dead in the water)
-Spoke wrench (this will probably be good enough to allow you to limp home, even if one spoke breaks)
-House keys in a pouch within the pouch (I think keys should have to fall through two barriers before they hit the ground)
-Small amount of cash


As far as clothing/safety equipment:


-Front and rear lights, generator lights would probably work well for your conditions
-Rack and panniers
-Bell
-Clipless shoes
-Good Gore-Tex/or vented nylon reflective shell
-Rain-resistant booties
-Fenders

I agree that a trip computer helps keep you motivated, but you might have a hard time reading it at night. 50 mph winds would probably put me on the bus. If you want good heat clothing, look at underarmor shirts. They are high quality and generally less expensive than specialized bike clothing. If it's raining when warm, you might just want to wear bike shorts, bike pants, and light socks. You could then just live with the fact that you're wet. Clear double-paned ski goggles could protect your eyes from heavy rain.