This article is part of a series we are writing on getting started biking for transportation. Articles include:
- Taking the Plunge
- Picking a bike for everyday transportation
- Putting it all together: The accessories you need to successfully bike for transportation
- Locking Your Bike: Will your bike (and wheels for that matter) still be there when you return?
- Biking Safely in Traffic Video
- Tips for biking with kids
- Fixing a flat (coming soon)
- Basic maintenance of your bike (coming soon)
What do you really need to cycle around town?
While part of the joy of cycling is the freedom from all the technology and stuff in our modern world, there are some basic things you need to have with you to ensure you have a good experience and aren’t stranded or forced to ride in dangerous situations. Some of these items may already be installed on your bike. If not, your local bike shop (LBS) should be able to get you set up.
I’ve divided the list into categories of must haves, should haves, and could haves. Please don’t let the lack of the right stuff stop you from riding (except maybe for the first category.) Cyclist tend to be kind of gear obsessive and at times snobby about which gear you should or should not have. Do what works for you. I do think many of these things will help you have a better experience and increase your confidence leading to more riding.
Also, there are a lot of manufacturers for most of this stuff. I’ve avoided singling out a particular brand unless I think it’s really great. Check our product reviews for recommendations on particular products.
Must Haves: Things you should always have with you
Something to carry stuff in
Whether it is a backpack, messenger bag, pannier, or basket, if you are using you bike for transportation, you’re going to need to carry things. Experiment with what works best for you. I use a messenger bag, Marcus uses panniers, his wife uses a milk crate on a rear rack, my wife uses collapsible rear baskets. If you plan on doing shopping on your bike, definitely go the rack/basket route.
Lock
Want your bike to still be there when you get back? I thought so. U-locks are a good choice or heavy chain locks. Avoid thin cable locks that can be easily cut with bolt cutters. Our upcoming article on best practices for locking your bike will help with this.
Patch kit
Someday your going to get a flat. I’ve gone well over 12 months without flatting then flatted multiple times over a 2 week period. Both glue and glueless kits are cheap (less than $5), small, and light. Throw one in your bag. You’ll be glad you did.
Spare tube
Sometimes you just can’t fix the hole in your tube with your patch kit. Pack an extra tube in a zip lock bag just in case.
Tire levers
Pick a tire lever, any tire lever
See our upcoming flat repair article for how to use these. Some tires will come off easily by hand, but many will need these to get off. I’m partial to the design of Pedro’s tire levers for ease of use and durability.
Pump
Once you get that flat fixed, you’re going to need air. You can get a frame pump that will stay on your frame with the pressure of the handle or a mini pump that can be put in a bag or attached with the parts they come with. Usually the frame pumps will fill your tire with fewer pumps. Make sure the pump head matches your valve type or get one with a universal head.
Lights
You don’t want to be limited by only riding in the day. Riding at night especially in the summer is a blast and shouldn’t be missed. Sooner or later your are going to be riding at night, and you’re going to need a light. You are actually required by Texas law to have a front light and a rear reflector, but don’t skimp on this: get a rear light too. (In fact get several, enough to be a Christmas tree. You’ll be more visible and very festive.) I tend to run them flashing unless I need the light to see as I think you are more noticeable to drivers that way. Battery operated lights are easy to find, and you can get a decent front/rear set for less than $25. They can be mounted to your frame, handlebars, helmet or in the rear your bag and sometimes fenders. You can also look at dynamo lights, which are powered by your pedaling. If you go this route, try to get LED lights take will continue to flash once you’ve stopped so you are still visible.
Should haves: Things you ought to have
Picking a helmet: For me the more vents, the better
Helmet
OK, there are a lot of cycling advocates in Austin that are going to bitch that I didn’t put this in the “Must Have” category. The fact is I never ride without a helmet. It will not save me from death and injury in all crashes, but it can’t hurt and they have saved the lives of many. I highly recommend them, but don’t let not having a helmet prevent you from riding. When picking a helmet, I pick the one that is the 1) coolest looking, 2) with the most vents, 3) within my budget. Keep in mind all helmets must meet the same safety standards so a $20 helmet should be as safe as a $150 helmet. The extra you are paying is for the extra features and brand name. I like to remain as cool as possible (both in looks and temperature). Helmets in the $100 range meet this convergence for me. My wife has a very cute helmet that works for her that was $40. I’d get the one you like best within your budget. The helmet manufacturers recommend a new helmet every 2-3 years as the materials start to degrade over time limiting the protection. This may be a way to sell more helmets, but I follow it anyway.
Fenders
Staying clean on the bike starts with fenders. If your bike has frame and fork eyelets, go with as full a fender as you can get with some sort of mud flap at the bottom. This will give you the most protection. If you are riding a more performance oriented bike without these frame features, Planet Bike and SKS now make fullish fenders that will work on your frame. Avoid mountain bike style fenders like the SKS Mud Max as they provide little coverage.
Mini first aid kit
Scrapes happen and it’s nice to have a bandage when you need one. You can pack a store bought kit or do what I do and put a couple bandages of different sizes, antibiotic ointment, and a travel tube of acetaminophen (Tylenol) in a ziplock bag.
Basic toiletry kit
A comb, deodorant, maybe hairspray/gel, a small towel. Go for travel versions of these for space. Not totally necessary but nice to have if you get a little sweaty.
Wet wipes
These are to get freshened up or to get bike grease or dirt off your hands. Get a small travel pack from the baby aisle at the grocery store.
Chain guard
This piece of metal or plastic covers your chain crank and chain and prevents your clothes from getting dirty or caught in the chain. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of good options available after market in North American right now.
Ankle strap for those without a chain guard
Leg Strap
If you ever wear pants and you don’t have a chain guard, you’re going to need one of these (or risk rolling up you right pant leg to show your legs.) These straps are velcro and wrap around your leg to keep your pants away from the chain and crank.
Spare batteries for light
This is less necessary if your lights take standard batteries. If so, you can stop at most convenience stores. However, some lights take small round watch style batteries, so it’s good to have an extra.
Sunglasses
Getting hit in the eye at 15 MPH by a bug is not a pleasant experience. Any glasses will do, but I’d go with wrap around or large lenses. Also, many of the performance oriented glasses come with swappable lenses so you can wear clear glasses at night.
Cycling cap: stylish or neo-nerd?
Cycling cap
These are either jaunty or dorky depending on your style and head shape. Cycling caps are however really good at keeping your head warm and keeping rain out of your face while riding. They will also fit your head under a bike helmet.
Rain jacket/poncho
Your fenders help with the road spray but what about the stuff from the sky? You can get full commuter jackets and pant sets with all kinds of zippers for vents, but a short poncho can work as well if you are sitting more upright.
The Multitool: All you need?
Multi-tool
These tools have a variety of hex wrench and other tools in a Swiss army knife design. They are very useful especially when you are just getting started to do minor adjustments on the fly. In fact, the first couple of years I rode I used one of these as my only tool for working on my bike. I highly recommend the Crank Brothers Multi-17 to cover all your bases.
Spare change
Just in case you need to catch the bus, get a coke, or make a call (they still have pay phones, don’t they?) Listen to your mother!
So many colors
Water bottle & bottle mounts/cages
This is pretty much a necessity in Texas. If you don’t have a water bottle mount on your bike you can get a basic metal one for around $5. If you don’t have bosses on your frame for a water bottle, there are also water bottle cages you can get to go on your handle bars. As for bottles, any will do, but I really like the insulated Polar bottles for our Texas heat. These bottle keep your water colder longer than traditional bottle.
Slick tires
If you have a mountain bike or hybrid, chances are you have knobby mountain bike tires. Unless you just want to expend more energy or take a rugged trail home, swap these for road slick tires. They are much more efficient and in the larger sizes handle trails like the Hike & Bike fine.
Wrench for bolted wheels
If you do not have quick release wheel skewers, you are going to need a wrench to get your wheel off if you get a flat. I think a small crescent wrench is the most versatile option to have.
Could Haves: Things you might want to have depending on how you roll
Kickstand
While the cool roadies and fixie freaks have an aversion to these, a good kick stand can’t be beat when you need to keep your bike upright while loading and there is no wall available. If you load heavy stuff a lot, look for a doubt foot stand as they’ll be way more stable.
Bell
While charming in sound, bells only do a marginally job of alerting pedestrian of your approach. (They usually veer towards me when I use a bell.)
Mirror
Good for lane changes, mirrors are available to mount on your handlebars, helmet, or road bar bar-ends.
Reflectors
Your bike will probably have reflectors already on them, but like the lights why not add more! Reflective strips and vests are available for not a lot at your LBS.
A Snack
Because you might get hungry.
Pedals with aggressive tread
If you are wearing regular shoes, pedals with metal treads are good for secure, hard pedaling without the worry of your feet slipping off. The down side is pedaling barefoot hurts on these.
A very versatile pedal
Clipless pedals and bike shoes
You do not need special pedals and shoes to bike, but if you bike longer distances or do club rides, these are not a bad idea as you’ll get better transfer of power to the pedals. Working like ski binds, your cleat equipped shoe locks into the pedal. When you want out, you just twist your foot and the bind pops lose. I recommend SPD style pedals because you can get shoes with recessed cleats that are fairly comfortable to walk in. The downside is that these pedals aren’t much fun to use if you aren’t wearing cycling shoes. For the ultimate in versatility, Shimano makes a pedal that has SPD on one side and is a metal platform pedal on the other.
Cycling cloths
If you like to ride fast, long, or have a latent addiction to lycra, go for it. Cycling shorts have padding (called a chamois) that help make longer riding more comfortable. Cycling jerseys are great for sticking miscellaneous stuff in the various back pockets. I would skip the normal looking shorts with a hidden chamois. These are not going to be comfortable or sanitary for all day wearing. Instead, wear standard cycling shorts and change when you get where you are going.
Change of clothes
Necessary if you wear cycling clothes or it rains.
Zippers pouch
Zipper pouch bags are good for keeping wet and sweaty clothes from contaminating your entire bag.
Shower supplies- shampoo, soap, towel, etc
If you are lucky enough to have a shower at work or a nearby health club, pat yourself on the back.
Light weight sweater
When the weather turns cool, I like to pack a light weight wool sweater which fold up fairly small. In Texas, it can be warm in the morning and cold by afternoon. I’ve been saved by quite a few chilly rides home with a nice v-neck.
Gloves
I’d skip the cycling specific gloves with the cut off fingers and gel padding. Unless you have a long ride, you won’t need them. I would pack some full finger gloves when the weather gets cold. You’ll be miserable without them when it gets below 50 degrees.
on Aug 12th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Very thorough rundown of what to consider when you commute. I am afraid if you take all of this stuff you might not make it up the hills in Austin though. In Houston the inclines are less of a problem.
I look forward to the future tips.
on Aug 13th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Actually, I ride with most of this stuff every day without any problems on hills. If you pick the right stuff based on light weight and size, you can take them and still have room for the things you are carrying.
on Aug 16th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Do you really carry all that stuff? First, if one has a patch kit why bring a spare tube? If you are wearing a helmet, what is the point of a cycling cap? Leg straps, why not roll up your pants? Chain guard; well if you are rolling up your pants or wearing straps why would you need it? Spare battery for light; come on you will notice before you would need the battery. As far as the pump I use CO2 just because it is simple.
All I have on my commute is a plastic bag for my saddle and lights. No tube, no patch kit, no extra clothes, no tools, and no pump. I have only needed a spare once, and I only needed a tool twice (including the popped tire). When I need the tool I borrowed it from someone. But since my entire commute is in the city I don’t worry too much about the extras.
on Aug 16th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I love this. Great information for bikers. I too have multiple flashers on my bike … looks kinda like a rolling pinball machine. I run them day or night. I have no desire to get hit by a car.
On one note, I disagree with the gloves direction. I think the gloves made specifically for biking with padded palms, webbed back and open fngers are a must. Just like getting flats, sooner or later you’re gonna have a spill. The protection offered to your hands will prevent asphalt burns or small rocks from embedding themselves in the heels of your hands. Ouch!
I’m 47 and I also like the padding to my hands as I ride.
I carry a thin pair of thermal protective gloves that I can layer inside my leather gloves for cold weather riding. I live in the central San Jouaquin Valley in Ca so I can ride almost all year, but riding through the valley fog leaves your fingers numb after a few short minutes. The thermal gloves help immensely.
I like the yellow lenses for my glasses on cloudy days.
Great info!
on Aug 17th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Beg to differ on a few of these. In London we all wear hi-viz jackets except for a few clever-so-and-sos that bought into the helmet FUD. Hi-viz is the way to go, those extra reflectors on the bike are near invisible compared to a proper jacket. The cheap ‘builders’ ones are better than the ones sold in bike shops, they also comply to standards. Visit the 3M site if you don’t get what hi-viz is all about.
I am agreed about clip pedals, however, it is SPD not SPD-SL that you want. The soles on any proper bike shoes are stiff enough, the racer ones OTT – and garish.
Water bottles. That depends on distance. There is huge pose value in being able to drink whilst waiting at the lights, however, if you enjoy your beverages it is best to wait till work time.
Pump. Whoever said CO2 doesn’t get it. The best pump is the most straightforward small one. I have had fancy ones fall apart on me. A mini-pump on the bike is one, the track-pump at home is the other one you need. This one has the valve and you check your tyres every fortnight to make sure they are at the number written on the tyre sidewalls.
Lock. That is a heavy option. Leave at home and have one at work. Don’t carry it unless you are shopping in town or going to the pub. If you don’t have a lock and you do stop off en-route you can do so at a garage or somewhere else where you can keep your eyeballs locked onto your bike and not be more than six seconds away.
Bell. This depends on your route. If you take any shared pedestrian/cyclist underpasses then the bell lets people around blind corners know you are coming.
You are right to put helmet in the b-list. Despite every car driver being able to tell you an anecdote they are only of use off-road where you are likely to fly over your bars or if road-racing in tricky sprint situations. In Holland people say ‘nice hat’ when they see some idiot with a chunk of Chinese polystyrene on his/her head.
Mobile phone needs to go on this list somewhere, not that I have had to use mine for emergency purposes, it is just cool to use one on a bike when car-drivers are banned from using theirs.
Slick tyres. I think you should insist on kevlar protection unless you are road racing with a team car behind.
Shower supplies and clothes. These can stay at the workplace, or you can just swap your under-garments to freshen up.
Snack. This is part of the emergency repair kit. Chocolate tastes a million times better when it is dark, wet and cold with a flat tyre to repair a long way from home.
Spare batteries for light. Really you should be using rechargeable AAA cells in your flashers, with spare lights on the bike, on the same battery format.
Rear lights. Get two. Reason being that the batteries that look good at the start can fade a short distance down the road if you forgot to charge them. This is less likely to happen with two lots of lights. Also water ingress is a problem, as are brackets working loose. Two rear lights is a must.
Lube. What happens is that the rain washes this off the chain and you only realise this on the next journey, once you have set off. Ten miles is intolerable with a dry chain, so pack a small bottle with a top that works.
Sun-cream – depends where and when you ride, however noses can get burned quickly when cycling as can calves.
Trouser-bands. These are important for safety. If wearing trousers you don’t want to go straight over the bars because clothing got caught in the chain.
Bag to put it in. I have all the options, but the one I use is not on your list – saddlebag. These are the best – the old fashioned ones in cotton duck – because the weight is where you want it, as are your nik-naks. Shame they don’t sell them or saddles with the pre-requisite loops.
One commenter here carries nothing. That is fine if you only go half a mile into town centre, in fact advised – who needs to carry anything if going that sort of distance? You don’t! A walk more than half a mile is a bit far for me though, and I think this list needs to recognise that. If you are riding 100 miles a week to and from work or elsewhere you do need to be prepared.
on Aug 17th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Thanks for the great responses.
lvleph- This is not meant to be a list of everything you HAVE to carry but things that will make your ride more enjoyable, especially for someone just starting out. I do beg to differ on the spare tube. I’ve had several instances of tubes tearing at the valve which cannot be patched. Also, a helmet keeps your brain in your head, a cap keeps your head warm and rain out of your eyes. I think they have two different purposes. The leg strap is mentioned as an instead of if you don’t have a decent chain guard. Thanks for mentioning the CO2 cartridge. I don’t use them and forgot to mention them.
Charles- Thanks for the recommendation on gloves. I use regular gloves and they work just fine for me, but cycling specific gloves will work better especially for longer rides.
Edward- Great comments. Want to be a columnist for AustinBikeBlog?
on Aug 20th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
A useful list.
Personally I would put a mirror at least on the “should have” list.
I use a regular “ball cap” instead of cycling cap. I like the larger bill on my hat, but any hat worn under a helmet seems to look dorky.
on Sep 3rd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
You forgot to mention handlebar tassels… although some may see them as optional, they are almost essential in my book.
Not only do they make you more noticable to drivers, they remind you that “cycling is fun” when your slogging up a crazy steep hill on a sweltering Austin afternoon.
on Sep 3rd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Really good point on the “fun part” – and yes it can seem pretty miserable, at moments when you’re really straining, surrounded by traffic, and it’s 105 degrees on the pavement.
on Nov 2nd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I find that cycling gloves keep my wrists from getting sore due to vibrations. YMMV.
on Nov 2nd, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Good point on the gloves, but I think a lot of that depends on your bicycle’s frame materials, and your grips. On an aluminum framed bike, yes, I would definitely go for gloves.
on Jan 23rd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I would say that gloves, specifically Specialized Body Geometry gloves, are necessary on an all-aluminum bike for any distance beyond a couple of miles. As for flats: you should never need a spare tube. If your tubes are ripping at the valve, your wheels have too large a valve hole (perhaps you’re putting a presta tube on a schraeder-drilled rim) or you’re not aligning the tube properly with the wheel. Any puncture flat is repairable. Pinch flats and all blow-outs are basically avoidable. One patch-fixing bit you missed, though: tire patches. Especially on >100psi road tires, the tube can blow out through cuts in the tire (admittedly, if you patch the tube there and align it, the patch will reinforce the tube). I use the pre-glued tube patches as tire patches (but they make terrible tube patches, as they develop leaks, at least at high pressures). Also, for more than casual riding, or when biking is the primary exercise, clipless pedals should be in the should-haves. Platform pedals, and to a lesser extent clips, result in much worse muscle imbalances.
on Sep 3rd, 2009 at 7:44 pm
A complete list for sure! I have some pretty detailed information about how to decide *what to carry your stuff in* on my blog here: http://www.livebikework.com/?p=47 — starting with these questions:
How much and what kind of stuff will I be schlepping?
Will I be schlepping stuff year-round?
Will I need to pick up or drop off stuff before or after work?
Do I also need to prepare for additional activities, like going to the gym, a knitting club, a dinner party?
Do I need to schlep in some nice clothes for work?
Do I schvitz like mad, no matter what the season or weather?
Oh my God Honey, I forgot The Kids.
on Dec 8th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Lots of good points, all!
Edward, you make a lot of good points, but I think you’re looking at things from the point of view of (an experienced, thoughtful) someone riding in chilly, rainy London. The weather has a lot to do with how you ride.
Chain lube isn’t as necessary in drier climates. Riding in Seattle, I think it’s still only necessary when I get home. I’ve even heard that the high end waterproof grease liquefies in hotter temperatures, but I can’t vouch for that.
And a water bottle, on a 100+ fahrenheit (38+ Celsius) day, is pretty necessary for 30 minutes or more of brisk riding.
…and as far as helmets are concerned, you can quote that popular study (stating that drivers were actually more careful around female riders without helmets than anyone with a helmet, etc, etc.) all you want, but…
I know one person at least who should’ve been wearing his helmet when he wrecked. The person I’m thinking of was on a bike path, ran into another cyclist, and his orbital bone (outer eye socket) was crushed. He’s gone through a lot of expensive surgery just to use both eyes again. If you value your quality of life, wear a helmet.