The #1 thing you've bought that has made your commute easier
01-31-12, 01:31 PM
#76
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A house (in the same city as my workplace)
01-31-12, 03:49 PM
#77
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01-31-12, 04:20 PM
#78
One Man Fast Brick
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A rear rack and panniers probably has to be #1 for me. Good lights are important and all since my commute this time of year is in the dark morning and evening. But my commute is just too far and I carry too much to think I could really have continued doing it (or at least wanted to do it) as long as I have without panniers.
01-31-12, 04:52 PM
#79
Banned
Zzipper Thriller Fairing .. made my Hour long, rural mostly, commute more comfortable,
because the fairing on the front of the bike made things quieter
for the books on tape on the cassette player in my earbuds,
and the wind in the winter, is not going thru my clothing.
Had a high and close setup aero bar kit, for the armrests.
because of the fairing, made the need to get low, un needed.
now shorter route I got a Rain Cape, and etc. I can put it on and stay dry.
mudguards, Dynohub lights, front pannier rack.
because the fairing on the front of the bike made things quieter
for the books on tape on the cassette player in my earbuds,
and the wind in the winter, is not going thru my clothing.
Had a high and close setup aero bar kit, for the armrests.
because of the fairing, made the need to get low, un needed.
now shorter route I got a Rain Cape, and etc. I can put it on and stay dry.
mudguards, Dynohub lights, front pannier rack.
Last edited by fietsbob; 01-31-12 at 04:56 PM.
01-31-12, 06:31 PM
#80
kamikaze college commuter
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Velcro leg straps from a Japanese variety store. For 99 cents I can go places without getting my right pant leg smothered in bike grease and my left worn out by rubbing against the tire.
01-31-12, 07:11 PM
#81
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Arkel large handlebar bag. For real shopping, the panniers win. But when you just pick up lunch and want to pedal over to a quiet patch of grass for a solo picnic, the handlebar bag is where you pack your lunch.
01-31-12, 09:00 PM
#82
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Not always great but when I commuted in Memphis, TN they were great. They were the only thing that kept me from flatting 2 or 3 times a week. Believe me, I tried the puncture-resistant tires and they just couldn't handle the needles from the shredded steel belted radials that were everywhere.
03-02-12, 03:36 PM
#83
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How exactly did you mount it? I have one that won't quite work due to the narrow bars, the levers and cables are in the way. If they only made the attachment an inch or so further away it would work out much better.
03-02-12, 03:52 PM
#84
12mph+ commuter
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Fenders are probably the thing that added the most commuting mileage to my year. Also, studded tires added about 4 months of safe riding in the winter.
03-02-12, 04:21 PM
#85
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Probably the two biggest were the tire liners and dynohub/lights. Changing flats every other day sucks, and the lights let me commute year-round. Both saved me tons of time. I could have done without either, but it just made it soo much more enjoyable. Just jump on the bike and go! No batteries, no patching tubes every night.
03-02-12, 04:27 PM
#86
Riding like its 1990
a car
no really, probably the rack with trunk bag and fold out panniers. I can carry a lot or fold them up and just have the bag without big panniers flapping empty
no really, probably the rack with trunk bag and fold out panniers. I can carry a lot or fold them up and just have the bag without big panniers flapping empty
03-02-12, 04:45 PM
#87
nashcommguy
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Zzipper Thriller Fairing .. made my Hour long, rural mostly, commute more comfortable,
because the fairing on the front of the bike made things quieter
for the books on tape on the cassette player in my earbuds,
and the wind in the winter, is not going thru my clothing.
Had a high and close setup aero bar kit, for the armrests.
because of the fairing, made the need to get low, un needed.
now shorter route I got a Rain Cape, and etc. I can put it on and stay dry.
mudguards, Dynohub lights, front pannier rack.
because the fairing on the front of the bike made things quieter
for the books on tape on the cassette player in my earbuds,
and the wind in the winter, is not going thru my clothing.
Had a high and close setup aero bar kit, for the armrests.
because of the fairing, made the need to get low, un needed.
now shorter route I got a Rain Cape, and etc. I can put it on and stay dry.
mudguards, Dynohub lights, front pannier rack.
03-02-12, 05:28 PM
#88
Intrepid Bicycle Commuter
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Brooks Saddle. Few things can make a long bike ride easier than a great saddle. And my commute is rather long.
03-02-12, 05:42 PM
#89
Bike addict, dreamer
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03-02-12, 06:26 PM
#90
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The #1 thing you've bought that has made your commute easier
3w flash light mounted low to spotlight potholes
1w flasher on handlebars
1/2w steady on top of helmet
flasher on back of helmet
Mars 4.0 clipped to Zimbale 18L bag or seatpost
Fenderbot
Perhaps just as importantly as powering my lights for seeing and being seen, the charger enables me to always have FRESH batteries. I so often see people riding around with what would be at least halfway decent lights, but their batteries are so low they are nearly useless.
03-02-12, 08:02 PM
#92
Slogging along
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Touring shoes.
03-02-12, 10:31 PM
#94
Senior Member
For me, it's the plastic rack box I bought from Decathlon - it's lockable and quickly removable,and being plastic means that it's waterproof so all the stuff I put in it stays completely dry.
As a couple of runner ups, the winter riding jacket I also bought at Decathlon has been great for this winter, and the Shimano RS10 wheels I bought to replace the original crappy wheels that kept having spokes snap have made broken spokes a thing of the past.
As a couple of runner ups, the winter riding jacket I also bought at Decathlon has been great for this winter, and the Shimano RS10 wheels I bought to replace the original crappy wheels that kept having spokes snap have made broken spokes a thing of the past.
03-05-12, 01:15 AM
#95
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Buying a lighter frame with lighter parts, but most dramatic difference was swapping 26" inch knobby tires for a set of 700c wheels and road tires.
03-05-12, 08:19 AM
#96
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03-05-12, 12:22 PM
#99
No one carries the DogBoy
MTX QR Bag/Rack combo.
03-17-12, 10:27 PM
#100
Senior Member
I bought a good pump. I can top up my tires in a few minutes and it makes my ride a breeze.