Commuting by bike is as complicated as you make it to be. The level of complexity depends largely on your requirements for safety and comfort... and your needs for gadgetry and your fashion tastes . The higher the requirements the higher the complexity. Take a fixie ninja biker: his/her commute is minimalistic because he/she doesn't care about safety and comfort. Take me with my dual horns, four waterproof panniers, several lights, reflective tape, dedicated commuter clothing and it's very complicated But I like it!

A.