1st items to get?
 

Picking up my new bike in a few days, a Fuji Crosstown 1.0. When I pick it up I can get 25% off accessories on that day. Many items I can pick up later as i go but, the expensive ones I would like to get on the day of purchase. Anybody have any must haves ideas?

City street riding

Thanks!!

stashu

My list so far

1st choice-- ***Helmet***
Fenders
small bag
rear light
tube---continential brand?

Headlight
Computer
Shorts
Jersey

front light?
Pump or other method to blow up your tubes
tire levers
water bottles
water bottle cage
change that small bag to a big bag
1 spare tire to keep at home, so if you shred one you'll have it, go ahead make it 2.
u-lock
big cable lock
big chain lock to leave, if you park in the same place every time

Tube, tire levers, multitool, frame pump, floor pump, helmet , lock, bike shorts.

1. stuff to change a flat tire
tire levers
extra tubes
frame pump

2. Ulock if you're going to lock up

3. lights if riding at night.

4. multitool


everything else is optional, IMO.

gloves
blinkies

1.) Lights. At least one front and two rear blinkies. Extra batteries for the blinkies (almost all use AAA). A good "see stuff" headlight, which generally run at least $150, if you're riding away from streetlights.

2.) Lock. Up to you how much security you want.

3.) Something to carry cargo.

4.) Stuff to fix a flat. A tube or two, tire levers, a patch kit, some tire boots, and a pump (I recommend a Topeak Road Morph G or Tubro). Also practice taking your tire off the rim at least once at home.

5.) Fenders if you plan on riding in the rain or on wet streets.

6.) Multitool.

7.) Gloves.

You don't need bike shorts or a jersey for riding around a city.

You don't need a bottle cage or water bottle (just toss any old water bottle in your bag/panniers).

You don't need a computer.

I picked up a bike pump yesterday (topeak road morph G). Is there anything special about tire levers? the performance bike brand had some bad reviews so I'm thinking Pedro's? the crank brothers lever seems highly rated, do i only need one of them though? (looks like its only one lever vs. 2 or 3 in other sets). My local store also had some plastic/steel core levers, worth the weight?

I'm also planning to get the Park HCW-6 (combo headset and pedal wrench) so i can install my pedals (forte campus). any multi-tool recommendations?

It depends on what you want to do with the bike.

After helmet, my list of firsts would be:

Pedals (if that bike, like most, comes with cheap, plastic ones)
Shoes if you want clipless pedals
Bottle cage and bottle
Pump (whatever kind you want)
Patch kit
Spare tube (may as well get a couple at least)
Floor pump (though you can live without it if your have hybrid wheels that use automobile valves)
Little cycling toolkit (even if just to tighten things that come loose)
Saddle bag of some kind (the under seat kind, get a larger one than you think you will need so you can stuff other things in it besides the tube and toolkit)


Nice to have:
- whether you end up wearing cycling clothes or not, it's very nice to have cycling gloves.
- some chain lube (I like ProLink)
- a bottle of Pedro's Bike Lust cleaner.

Anything else like lights, rear rack, etc. depends on what kind of riding you plan on doing.

Just my opinion, but if you get that discount, I would go ahead and just buy the biggest ticket item: clipless pedals and shoes. For that kind of bike, I don't think you could go wrong with Shimano M324 pedals (regular pedal on one side), and walkable shoes.

Floor pump, cause there's nothing more annoying then walking your bike to the nearest compressed air source.

as said, get a good multitool.

a good cable lock.

@maddyfish- great idea about leaving a big lock somewhere that you lock up regularly. hadn't really thought about that, seems obvious now.

This is where it starts getting expensive.

Mandatory for any planned use:

• Helmet
• Small frame pump or CO2
• A tube patch kit and tire levers.
• A lightweight multi-tool for re-securing loose parts 10 miles from home.

Some bikes don't come with pedals. If yours is one of those, you need pedals.

Only buy fenders if you intend to ride in inclement weather or immediately afterward. I bought a pair that I kept on my bike for awhile, but when I left the Pacific Northwest and moved to So. Cal., I no longer needed them. Even in Portland I took them off during the summer and put them back on in the winter time.

Lights: If you will be riding at night, get a couple blinkies in back, and in front, get the nicest light you can afford. The small models with internal AA batteries are inadequate for real night riding. I recently bought a Night Rider Trail Rat 200. I would consider this the minimum requirement for front lighting.

Home shop: You need a real floor pump, and probably a few real tools too.

Gloves: For any ride longer than 30 minutes, I prefer gloves.

Bike shorts: They do make a difference.

A jersey, preferably high-visibility.

A pair of real bike shoes and clipless pedals.

A helmet liner to wick sweat away from your eyes.

A rear rack if you intend to carry a load.

A rear trunk and/or panniers.

A car rack.

.... do you see where this is going?

Helmet should be at the top of your list.

OP: this is debateable. make up your own mind about whether you want to wear one or not. plenty of us don't, and get along just fine.

This has been debated to death but I'll say it again. And plenty of people get along just fine not wearing seatbelts or air bags. I have driven 10s of thousands of miles and never had to use them but I am glad I have them. A novice is going to fall so the chances of hitting one's head are also increased.

It is risk vs. reward. There are only 3 rewards I see for not wearing a helmet.

1. You don't look like a dork. Frankly I don't care what other people think about the way I look so this is not a valid argument for me.
   
2. Comfort factor. Usually I forget the darn thing is really on but I imagine it would be slightly cooler without the darn thing.
   
3. Cost savings. You can buy a helmet for $30 or less hardly stacks up to what you put into the bike.

There is only one benefit I can think of to wear a helmet. That is it may or may not save your life in the event of an accident.

Seems to me that the benefits of wearing a helmet far out way not wearing one.

And the idea that a helmet provides a false sense of security and you are less apt to be more careful is an invalid one. I don't want to fall or crash period, hitting my head or not.


Oh another benefit of a helmet is with a cover, it is a great way to keep rain off of your head. :)

everyone has the right to make that decision for themselves, whatever the reasons! full disclosure: I DID wear one for about a year, and then decided I didn't really need it. I have not felt unsafe or uneasy without one since.

If your bike shop is a big chain like Performance, make sure that you take advantage of their price match guarantee.

a helmet is a must imo. When i was a teen, a bit dumb and wreckless i fell and needed over 15 stitchs in my scalp..not alot of fun sitting in the hospital for 2 days either.

i was lucky..better to look like a dork and be a little uncomfortable instead of one day becoming a Veggie.

Not what to get but make sure you are fitted correctly to avoid injury. A good pair of shoes and floating pedals is important.

I am a fairly new bicyclist. I just bought 3 Giant spare inner tubes for $10 last week.

Today I bought Lennard Zinn's book on the Art of Mtn Bike Mtc and a headlight.

My next planned items are (in no particular order): floor pump, patch kit, tire levers, wedget kit combo, multi-tool, cyclocomputer, repair stand, & a trailer.

After that, hopefully I won't need to spend money on anything else.