RPM Cyclery Wants To Know…and so do I!

Aug 19, 2006 By RL Policar Posted in The Archives Tagged with Commute by Bike

RPM Cyclery of Lake Elsinore, California wants to know from our readers…

What kind of gear would seasoned bicycle commuters recommend to folks that are new to commuting?

I had a few things to recommend:

A good quality bike. ( no Wal-Mart special bikes)

Pump

Patch Kit

Helmet

Lights

Bag

Did I miss anything else?

0 thoughts on “RPM Cyclery Wants To Know…and so do I!”

Moe says:

August 20, 2006 at 2:34 am

Rear rack
Water Bottle
Sunglasses
Fenders
Extra Tubes
Mace or Pepper spray

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Nick says:

August 20, 2006 at 7:09 am

– mini first aid kit (I carry an antibiotic ointment and a few band-aids, large and small)
– a multi-tool

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steve says:

August 20, 2006 at 8:28 am

For colder weather climes:
* gaiters
* earwarmers/balaclava
* ski goggles
* small plastic grocery bags for vapour barrier for the feet
* chemical hand/feet warmers in case you get stuck somewhere in the cold (eg, changing a flat)
* overmittens for wind protection, ski gloves, liner gloves
* glasses with interchangeable lenses with dark lenses for sunny and clear, yellow or orange for night usage (eg, the ones at http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=G5081 – which has a nice description of what the different lenses are for)

For night-time riders:
* reflective tape on the bike and helmet
* bright front light – more than just a small LED (especially for suburban/rural areas with less lighting)

Home maintenance kit:
* chain cleaner and chain cleaner fluid
* spare brake pads
* grease and oil
* 2/2.5/3/4/5/6mm hex spanners/keys/Y tools
* complete set of spanners to fit the nuts and bolts on your bike (I found my adjustable spanner rounded everything off after a while)
* plastic boot tray and sheaf of newspapers to protect the floor while cleaning the bike
* a guide on maintaining your bike – the appropriate book from Zinn (as listed at http://www.zinncycles.com/books.aspx) is usually what I recommend, and he also has DVDs now too

Always a good idea to carry a cellphone, too. I have my name and home phone number printed on waterproof plastic “paper” and stuck to the inside of two of the vents in my helmet as well, that way if I’m in an accident it should (hopefully) be easier to identify me.

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karatemonkeykid says:

August 20, 2006 at 3:42 pm

Gloves
tire levers

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Vaughn says:

August 20, 2006 at 5:34 pm

I find it odd that no one has yet mentioned a lock!

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CommuterGuy says:

August 20, 2006 at 9:41 pm

Lights: flashing white(front) flashing red(rear)
Reflective sidewall teires and reflective vest: Nobody can say they did not see you!
Spare tube: patch the flat one in the comfort of your office or home.
C02 pump
Multi tool
Fenders
Rack with short bunge cords
Pepper spray: not for dogs; for hostile/assaultive motorists
Bike computer

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Nick says:

August 20, 2006 at 10:20 pm

There are already things on this list that I wouldn’t even take touring! We’re really putting everything on, aren’t we? This is gonna get heavy. Since weight doesn’t appear to be an issue, I’m gonna add some things:

– dictionary
– soccer ball
– Law and Order Season 1 on DVD
– iron and ironing board
– novelty fake dog poo
– Scrabble deluxe edition
– windex
– world atlas

You think you won’t need these things until the one day you leave home without them…

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Nicole says:

August 21, 2006 at 3:05 pm

I’m with Nick — the “essentials” list is getting a bit heavy. As a new commuter or someone thinking about commuting by bike, I would be very intimidated by that list.

So, my essentials list as a somewhat new commuter myself:

* a bike (quality or not)
* helmet
* pump
* lock
* means of carrying “stuff” (if you bring your lunch or papers to work, etc or if your commute requires a change of clothing)
* sunglasses (blocks sun and keeps objects out of eyes)
* front light and back LED

I’m leaving out maintenance type stuff as that’s part of taking care of the bike, not required commuting gear. And, honestly, a quality bike, patch kits, and extra tubes, etc aren’t necessary either unless one has a lengthy commute. My commute is 7 – 8 miles round trip, and my sweet $40 ride (mid-eighties model hybrid Bianchi) is awesome.

Now for the nice-to-haves:

* gloves (adds hand protection and makes ride more comfortable)
* fenders (allows for rainy weather commuting)

Caveat: My lists are for fair weather commuting. Obviously, with cold or otherwise inclement weather, the stuff needed to make the ride comfortable increases.

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Low dose xenical. says:

June 4, 2007 at 12:07 am

Xenical….

Xenical 120….

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