noglider 

It's very unlikely to damage your wheel. But a broken spoke could cause the wheel to wobble so much that it doesn't roll through the brakes. I once broke a couple of spokes and the wheel wouldn't even roll through the frame, never mind the brakes. I don't carry spare spokes, as something like this is not likely to happen. As luck had it, I had a spoke wrench, and I loosened the right spokes to reduce the wobble sufficiently to get home.

I really would not worry about spoke breakage on a commute unless your distance from civilization would leave you stranded. And if you do carry spokes, you need a spoke wrench, a cassette removal tool, and sufficient skill to do the repair.

CesarGartrell

Here are the commuter checklist that I've been using in my years of bike commuting:

Water (in bottles or hydration pack)
Eye protection (sunglasses or clear lenses)
Street map (if not very familiar with the location)
Handlebar bag (for your stuff)
First-aid items
Lock (I prefer using a tracking device to really ensure security)


These things are really important especially for those newbie commuters.

Skipjacks

You left out coffee.

Commuting means an early morning ride.

Coffee is essential to teh health and well being of you and everyone around you.

wphamilton

Different strokes. I don't carry any of those on a typical commute.

My checklist is: bag with clothes, work ID card. That's all, except for a quick bike-check.

CesarGartrell

What are the accessories needed to keep my bike safe when I'm inside the office?

Darth Lefty 

A boss who tolerates your bike in your cubicle

Skipjacks

This.

My bike is sitting next to my next in my office right now.

It's nice and safe there.

Nothing will happen to it, guaranteed.

Honusms 

Mine stays in my office and out of direct line of sight of the doorway. Frame/wheel lock engaged, of course.

Sullalto

And if you show up on time, and get your work done with a good attitude, while being the slightest bit personable-that's most of them. Good employees are allowed a surprising amount of leeway and eccentricity.

Sullalto

The bigger issue is thieves tossing the bike in the back of their van/bed of their pickup. Lock the bike to something other than itself.

noglider 

It depends on what we mean by wheel locks. Those Pinheads or Pitlocks are pretty good, and I see people who lock their frames to something secure and don't lock their wheels because the locking skewers are good enough to keep the wheels locked to the frame.

Wheel & Seat Locks

Honusms 

My wheel lock is only to prevent someone from casually rolling her out of my office past the other employees. She weighs nearly 50# so she's hard to sneak by anybody without questions being asked.

bugly64

I work on a military base and park my bike next to my locker. My biggest advice for new commuters is have a backup bike, learn to do some maintenance, find a good local bike shop for support/to support, and get a whole bunch of quality lights.

Abe_Froman

I'm got it pretty good...I work at a car dealership. Ride ride through the service entrance door, park the bike inside. If weather has been poor, I'll take the bike to the car wash to give it a wash.

Must haves for commutes:

1) Lights
2) Spare tube/inflation
3) Motivation

khyricat

WOW.. finally read all 31 pages of this thread!

A) Thank you all
B) some good advice and good ideas for when I start commuting in the spring... I figure when I am getting close I'll talk to the boss about bringing the trike into the back storage area or the water room or worst case my shared small office. I don't think she'll have a problem with it somewhere indoors the twice a week I plan to bike commute... if not there is a rack in the shopping center
C) I will be in essence riding past 2 LBS' - one at the start of the commute (about 1/3 of a mile from home) and one in the same shopping center as my clinic at the other end.. not sure how much of a repair kit I'll carry with that in mind.
D) this has started me looking at routes with bike/trike in mind- THANK YOU!
E) I will have the rear basket and was debating getting a front one for groceries- I think I'll make sure it's removable, I don't think I'll need it to commute
F) a glasses or helmet mirror, rear fenders (it comes with front) and lights got added to the list- already planned on a bottle holder in front- extras can go in the back)
G) Someone posted about colored chain and a master lock, I think I'm going to go that route along with the existing high end U locks DH and I have (U lock front tire, frame, chain and whatever I am locking to, chain to solve the 2 rear tires/basket issue)

Still debating some of the specifics, but I love some of the clothing/cleanup at work end suggestions and think I have some workable ideas when it gets to it... unfortunately no shower at work (unless I want an ice cold chemical shower- skipping that thank you), so bathroom and probably washcloth/towel it is.

I know no matter what unless job changes it will be a 2 day a week commute- the other 3 I am in Detroit which is 45 miles away by HIGHWAYS and further on local roads.. so not happening.. but DH and I plan to ride a lot on weekends too next summer, really looking forward to this!

I used to bike commute- at 2 different points and on different bikes- road bike with folding baskets/rack, and hybrid with nothing and a backpack.. the latter was a less than one mile commute or I'd have been looking for a new bike again as it didn't have a way to attach a rack.

Also- FIT IS HUGE... as a petite woman that is something I learned 30 plus years ago.. wishing I had my old road bike still, but living in a place without an indoor place to park it at one point it got too weather beaten and I wound up replacing it when I moved here 20 years ago with the bike that hasn't been used in 5 years and I'm about to replace with a trike... (upright).

WinterCommuter

I have 2 bikes that i use for commuting. My summer/good weather bike is a specialized sworks road racer. For winter commuting, i have a gary fisher mtn bike with spudded tires. I don’t ever ride at night but i run a set of blackburn rechargeable lights all the time. I also carry a folding tire in my backpack. It’s much easier to change out everything than search for a sliver of glass (or whatever) when there’s an important meeting to attend. One of the lbs offers showers and secure bike storage, well worth the $10/month they charge. I guess, secure bike storage would be my biggest concern if i were starting out, everything else you can pretty safely trial and error. Good luck and keep the wheels down!

wrobertdavis

I have a front rack with small basket attached. Currently I use Zipties to attach the basket. I really would prefer some kind of quick release attachment for the basket. It needs to hold the basket to the rack - not the handlebars. I have searched all kinds of clips, bolts, and fasteners and have not found anything that works like the zipties. Currently I just cut the ties to remove and put new ones on for reattaching.

WinterCommuter

Instead of “zip tie-ing” the basket to the top of the rack (i assume without a photo). How about bungee the basket to the rack? It seems like it might be doable. It might take some fiddling, reinforcing, or an additional platform for the backet.

wrobertdavis

Thank you for your comments. It has triggered a whole new line of thinking for me. I had not considered any form of strap or cord for securing the basket. It hit me that many rear rack bags are secured with velcro straps. I'll be trying a number of new approaches now, thanks to your comments.

Bob

WinterCommuter

good luck! Glad i was able “help” even if just a bit.

Short Cut

https://smile.amazon.com/Voile-Strap...s%2C128&sr=8-9

Check out Voile straps. The Nano version could work well for that application.

wrobertdavis

Before I saw your note, I had just installed some heavy elastic velcro straps that are working. I am not familiar with Voile straps. Indeed they look like a perfect solution - probably longer lasting than my velcro straps. I will order some to try them out and report back. In the meantime, here is a photo of my current solution.



Stretchy velcro straps hold basket

Irishred

This may be good advice for all commuters, especially older ones-
The thought hit me yesterday morning while riding in to work (about 6 miles or so) at 28f...I was watching for places (stores) that might be open along my route at 6am where I could make it to on foot if I had to should I have a flat on the way to work. I was thinking that I would be able to take the wheel inside out of the cold to fix a flat tire. No places were open that early. Then I thought that it may be good to change out a tube outside while at home when it's 25f just to see how well my fingers work at that temp. and make sure that I can change out a tire when it's that cold. My minimum temp to ride to work is 25f depending on the wind. When I was younger, working fingers would not have been a problem, but now at 78, I'm not so sure...the skin is thinner and not as much fat in my hands.

Irishred

This is for the person who is having a hard time being seen from the side-
Get two extra blinkies and mount them on your bike, one aimed to one side and the other to the opposite side.