A Guide to Bicycle Gear for Commuters

Like many others in a growing number of daily commuters who choose to find more environtmentally-friendly, health-conscious, and affordable ways to commute, I have switched my commuting option to cycling. I first purchased my electric bike three months ago, and I've been taking it to work a majority of my weekdays ever since.

As the days and rides go by, I've purchased more and more gear to make my rides safe and comfortable. I needed the right gear to brave the dangerous, car-infested roads ahead, especially since I commute on a daily basis. I've devised this handy-dandy list to help current and aspiring cycle commuters like myself get the gear they need to stay safe, stay visible, and ride comfortably. Not all of these are absolutely essential, but they are all worth consideration.

Safety Gear

Helmet

If you think for some reason you do not need a helment while riding your bike, think again. Select a helmet that is comfortable and fits well. It's shouldn't slide around on your head, but it also shouldn't be too tight. Helmets become less effective as they age, so inspect your old helmets thoroughly, and make an educated call on whether you need to replace it or not (most helmets expire after five years).

Padding

Padding includes knee and elbow padding. I know you're probably imagining a small child with their new bike on training wheels, wearing excessive padding. These are very optional. I do not use these, personally. It's up to you to make the call on whether you need these or not. I tend to wear thicker attire like heavy jackets that protect my elbows. If you've ever had knee surgery or a prior knee injury, you may consider knee padding for extra protection in the event an accident results in an impact to your knees.

Goggles

This is another optional safety item. If you bike on roads with cars where there is a lot of dirt or gravel that can get kicked up, goggles might be a good safety option. A pebble straight in the eyeball could cause the rider to swerve into traffic, resulting in an accident. Again, you make the call. If you wear glasses, that's probably enough. My glasses have protected my eyes from more than a few flying pebbles.

Sunglasses

Some parts of the year, the sun might be right in your face, obscuring your view ahead, and blinding you. Get a pair of snazzy sunglasses to keep your view clear as well as protecting your vision.

Rear-View Mirrors

If you're going to be biking alongside cars, I highly recommend at least one rear view mrror. You can get mirrors that attach to handle bars, or ones that attach to glasses. I wear glasses, so I use a compact clip-on mirror. Having to rotate your head and look behind you doesn't give a clear view of what is going on behind you, and it can also cause you to swerve into traffic if you lose balance.

Visibility Gear

Lights

Definitely do not skimp on lighting. Even if you ride in the daytime, a blinking light will catch the attention of a nearby driver, alerting them to your presence. I currently have a front handlebar light with multiple blinking settings and USB charging. It's an amazing little light, and I love it. I also have a blinking rear light, which I clip to my lunch box. For night riders, I'd also recommend something to make you visible from a side view as well, such as string lights or spoke lights. You can also purchase lights that attach to your helment. At the very least, you should have a front and rear light, both with blinking and solid options.

Reflective Clothing

Reflective clothing ensures drivers not only see your bike lights, but they see you as well. Trust me when I say you can never have enough visibility. I've been in far too many near accidents in my evening rides home where cars will venture too close to me. After each incident, I purchased an additional accessory to increase my visibility. Now, I think I'm more visible on the road than other cars are. I currently use a reflective windbreaker and reflective ankle bands. The ankle bands give nearby drivers the visual input that you are currently peddling, which means you are a moving object, and not a stationary one.

Bike Horn

I would not go without a bike horn. If a driver doesn't see you and is getting to close to you, screaming at them may not be the way to get their attention. A loud, obnoxious bike horn will. I currently have a handlebar-mounted, battery-powered horn. A little button with a cable attaches to any other spot on the handlebars. I keep it close to my hands in case I need to press it quick-like. I haven't had to use it recently since I've upgraded my visibility, but it's important to have nonetheless.

Convenience and Comfort

Racks

I can't believe I ever rode a bike without a storage rack. Once I had one, I stacked everything I could on it to keep my back from bearing any extra weight in my backpack. I currently use it for my lunchbox, in which I carry my breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner to work every day. That's about 3 extra pounds that aren't burdening my back. Don't forget to get some bungee cords as well to secure your items to the rack.

Panniers

I've been riding with my fantastic Timbuk2 biking backpack for a little over a year now, and it's been great. However, I'm taking classes again, and I'm forced to bike to school with a very heavy backpack filled with nearly 10 extra pounds in textbooks. This has caused some moderate pain in my upper back, and has forced me to switch to another way of transporting my goods. To resolve this I bought a set of panniers. Panniers hang (typically) over the storage rack of your bike, and hang from the sides. They can hold a lot of gear, and can keep you from having to carry any weight on your back at all. If you carry a lot with you, you will want some panniers. Your back will thank you.

Handlebar Bags

If you tend not to carry around more than your keys, wallet, and phone, a smaller bag will do you a lot of good. I prefer handlebar bags for their accessiblity, and they often come with a transparent sleeve for your phone. There are, of course, other bags, such as saddle bags that clip on to your rack, or ones that can wrap around the the frame of the bike in just about any place.

Phone Mounts

If you use GPS frequently, these will be essential. It's nice to have a place to easily access and view your phone, if needed. DO NOT USE THE MOUNT TO WATCH TV OR NETFLIX OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. Watching a show while biking on the road with other vehicles is extremely dangerous. Keep your eyes on the road.

Bottle Cage

It can get tiring for longer rides, so keep a bottle of water with you at all times. Bottle cages are inexpensive and easy to install. Every bike should have one.

Seat Cushion

You're going to be sitting on your bike seat for many hours if you commute as often and as long as I do. Keep your tushy cozy with a seat cushion. I recommend gel cushions. It is my opinion that they are the most comfortable option. BONUS TIP: Take plenty of time adjusting your bike seat height and position for maximum comfort.

General Essentials and Maintenance

Locks

Every bike needs a good lock to prevent and deter theft. I use a combination of a u-lock and cable (non-locking). I wrap the cable around my front tire and body. The hoops go onto the u-lock, which I use to secure my bike to a rack. The cable prevents tire theft. Unlike cables, u-locks cannot simply be easily snipped off with cable cutters. I highly recommend a u-lock.

Multipurpose Bike Tool

These can easily be found at stores like Target and Wal-Mart. They are a sort of "swiss army" tool kit with varying sizes of allen wrenches. I keep one with me always, as my bike seat occasionally comes loose and needs to be tightened, or I'll find my seat is not in a comfortable position, and needs to be adjusted. They're very small and easy to carry around, so I don't recommend going without one.

Portable Bike Pump

These aren't required, but can be handy for longer commutes. I do not currently own one, as I use the large pump at my home to fill the tire in the evenings when I get home, as needed. BONUS TIP: Check your tire pressure often. Ideally, you should be doing this each day when you get home. A quick squeeze with your hands will do.

Spare Tube

Again, this is something for those with a long ride. Luckily, I've only had a tire pop on the commute once, and it was nice to have a spare tube to change it out. It can be difficult to change a tube, so if you are not savvy when it comes to changing a tube, you probably won't need to carry this around. I would also recommend keeping a set of tools specifically for changing bike tubes. It can be nigh impossible with your bare hands.

Weather Gear

Weather conditions differ far too much for me to give any advice on what to buy for certain. My only two recommendations for all conditions is a long-sleeve wind breaker to keep out the breeze and for protection from the sun. Get a reflective wind breaker for an added bonus of visibility. I also recommend a balaclava mask. It protects your face from the sun, and keeps little buggies out of your mouth if you like to sing out loud like I do. Here are a few other choices to consider: leg warmers, water resistant jacket, and gloves.

Conclusion

There you have it. It's quite a large shopping list, but when you don't commute in the safety of a sturdy, warm car, you truly need the extra protection. Please share in a comment what gear you use that I may have missed.

To all you bike commuters out there, stay safe, and to all the car commuters, please watch out for us on the road!