Solitude.

My morning commute is the half hour of my day before the craziness of work sets in. Heck, just last week I got to work and somebody was already asking me questions in the locker room, as I'm heading toward the shower.

$99 for a cycling jacket? I paid $20 for a brand XY one and it's the best thing since coaster brakes. :D

- no not, really

Everything's relative though guys. It's very likely that $225 (the price of the rapha on sale) is a lot less money to some people than $99 is to you. These forums are like a person with multiple personality disorder. One day we're worshipping some high-end part or bike or light and the next we're bashing someone for spending "a fortune" on said part.

So for fun I did a thought experiment to help me determine the most essential gear for my AM commute under two different scenarios: Winter and Summer

For both I start with my de-accesorized (i.e. 'naked') bike, no bottle cage, no lights, no speedometer, etc. and with totally naked me.

Scenario 1: Winter, dark, 25F
I, totally naked, jump on 'naked' bike. It would not be safe, but even without lights I probably could make it to work with extra care and acting as an 'invisible' cyclist, giving up ROW even when I had it, jumping on sidewalk in presence of others who can not see me as I am unlit, etc. It would quickly become painful. The cold would hurt. My bare feet on my clipless pedals and stepping on cold rough ground would hurt until the numbness took over. Perhaps some bleeding and begininging of frostbite. But I could make it to work. Now I consider what one item would help the most. I think it would be shoes. They would help protect my feet from the cold and physical contact with pedals and ground.
Conclusion 1: In winter shoes are the most essential item

Scenario 2: Summer, daylight, 75F:
Again, naked me jumps on 'naked' bike. Again I could make it to work. I could ride more normally relative to winter as lights are not needed. My bare feet on clipless pedals would hurt some, but nowhere as bad as in winter. Here the most likely thing to prevent me from getting to work is being stopped by police as in the daylight (unlike in the winter scenario) I would clearly be seen as naked and even as I don't pass police on the way to work often, surely someone would call it in to the police and they would quickly find me and I would not make it to work. Bike shorts would prevent this.
Conclusion 2: In summer bike shorts (or equivalent) are most essential

Al

my two legged kickstand,great for changing a flat,i ride home open garage leave the bike sitting on the stand,it never falls over,i have one on both of my commuters

Lights! ;)

Sweat on the way to work, naked junk freezes to seat :eek: , unable to get off of bike and attend work.

I think the heat would stop any freezing. I mean I hope. ;)

Al

You SURE about that? How long is your commute? I don't think I'd make it if I were naked. That wind chill can be serious... A little bit of hypothermia and you wouldn't be able to pedal. :eek:

I was thinking my commute, only 8.5mi
The coldest I've ever ridden in (recently in last 15yrs) is 21F. I've done a few 25F commutes of 8.5mi. I think it would be possible clothless if pushing hard, not pleasant and prone to cold damage/hypo certainly. I really don't know though. I've done that 8.5mi commute at 30F with shorts and t-shirt (poor planning) and it was not so bad. Anyway the point was that the one item at that temp that would be most important would be shoes.

Anyway it was just a fun thought experiment. Maybe a wool hat would be better (wool bodysuit doesn't count ;) )

Al

Yeah, yours is a little shorter than mine (10-11) and you're in AZ... is it flat? I was thinking about mine, which has lots of hills. Going uphill, no problem: lots of work at a low speed... but downhill cruises nekkid in 25 degree weather at night would majorly suck.

Its flat (the commute) - but it can be very dry too. Dry 25F can really make one very cold with any added body moisture quickly evaporating.

All these scenarios would suck - I was just trying to figure the one item that would make it suck a bit less.

Al

Glock.









































Trollin, trollin, trollin....

my backpack -- hydration, tools/supplies, reading material for lunch/breaks, and capability of carrying $25 worth of personal supplies that i may need to buy before going home. also, can carry my work shoes (which i usually leave at work -- yes, i spray 'em, just like the bowling alleys)

5-6 miles depending on route. I get thirsty!

1. extra Tube and patch kit
2. Head Light
3. Tail light

All are my most valued equipment in that order.

I have all the gear I need, and then some. But none of it is really valuable.

So what do I value most?

Having a job that I can commute to on my bike. That's what I call a value!

I'd have to say that's the best answer so far!!

I know it's evil and wrong, but it's my iPod. I listen to podcasts:
the Fredcast -- all about bicycling. Best podCast on the web. www.thefredcast.com
Fresh Air -- NPR
This American Life -- the other reason to buy an iPod
All Songs Considered -- NPR music stuff

I have many favourite things I use for my commute, but the latest thing that has me smiling right now is the ear protectors I stapled to my helmet straps last night and tried out this morning. Similar to these: http://store.airbomb.com/ItemDesc.asp?IC=HE1100. I made mine out of an old polar fleece top and stapled it to the straps for now. It stops wind noise almost completely. Up until now it was driving me batty. Problem solved.

Honourable mentions :
Good Lights
Good tires that don't flat all the time.
Music Player.
Comfortable Seat.

A destination.

If it were not for work, I wouldn't have so much fun getting there and back.

Al

Are you guys talking about your commute?

Park chain cleaner. This thing keeps my gears and chain running smooth. In winter this gets used about twice a week to keep the salty dirty grit away. A pump and tube are quite good as well though. Oh and levers to get the tyres off.