Part 2: Cycling Equipment for the Commuter: Locks, Lights and Racks

Part Two:  The other accessories 

Last weeks blog I discussed the basics you will need to become a bicycle commuter. I talked about the bicycle purchasing process, wheels, tubes and tires, pedals and helmets. This weeks blog topic for cycling commuters will cover the next few highly recommended items you will need to become a safe commuter. Lets start with keeping your bicycle safe.

Hopefully you wont have to take such extreme precautions.

Locks

First thing to know is that NO lock is 100% thief proof; EVERY lock can be broken by a motivated thief. Learning good locking techniques (secure wheels to the frame, remove lights and computers, etc.) and accurately assessing the threats are critical to prevent the wrenching pain of a stolen bike.

My experience has been nothing but positive with the Kryptonite and OnGuard brands.  Both brands cover all the types of locks including cable, chain, u-lock and combo u-lock with cable. However the OnGuard also has locking skewers so you won’t have to bring a second lock for your wheels.

Another consideration when locking your bike is the make sure it’s in an area you will feel safe coming back to in the dark. If you have a nice beautiful top of the line bike be careful of using that as your commute as thieves are guaranteed to go after your bike before the others on the rack. If you have to use your racing bike for commuting check with your company to see if there are bike lockers and how to get one for your prized bike. Lastly making your bike more secure than the other bikes parked around it will increase your chances of coming back to an untouched bike.

Lights

There are four sides you can be approached by a car, front, left side, right side, and rear. You need to be protected and visible from all sides. You will want a red rear light at minimum two would be great. I use the two rear light set up and one is one flash while the other is on steady. The sides are a bit tricky as there are few lights out there but you can find a few valve attached ones and a few spoke attached ones as well.

The reason I believe we need lights from the side is that when you only have reflectors you can’t be seen until lights are shining on you and sometimes that may be too late. But when you have lights on you are more likely to be seen earlier and given the space you need to go on with your commute.

A few of my favorites are the Light and Motion brand and the Nite Rider brand.  Both of these brands make battery operated and rechargeable battery pack lights. I highly recommend to use the brightest light you can afford, preferably at minimum 300 lumen. Not only will it illuminate your way, but you will get more respect from motorists. I've found the brighter the light, the more respect from motorists.

Panniers and Racks

Last but not least is your rack and pannier set up. Without this you will have nothing but a backpack option to bring your work stuff with you. In the last blog I mentioned the rivets (threaded eyelets) for attaching a rack to the bike. However if you do not have these you can still install a rack by using the seat post as your attachment site. The seat post attachment has limitations though. Many racks have a maximum weight limit so you will have to pack light, and these also cannot be attached to a carbon seat post as the weight of the rack cam crack the seat post.

Seat post rack

A rack is a rack so as long as it fits and supports the amount of weight you plan to carry any brand will work. When it comes to the bag this is a different ball game. There are trunk bags, trunk bags that expand into a trunk and saddle bags, single side bags, double side bags (saddle bags), water proof, wire baskets, really just about anything you can think of. My personal preference is the trunk pack that opens up to have saddle bags attached to it.  It provides plenty of room for commuting to work, your lap top fits perfectly in the saddle bag, cloths in the other saddle bag and lunch in the top trunk. And when you aren’t commuting just going for a ride it can be folded up into just the trunk pack.  Whichever one you choose keep it simple, light, and multifunctional (water proof is always a good choice) so you won’t get caught not able to bring something with you.  

Thanks again for reading and stay tuned next week for the conclusion of bicycle commuting when I talk about how and what to pack. If you have any questions please feel free to add them at the bottom here or email me at VeloGirl@gmail.com.