Preparing for the commute - What to take?

[endoman]

What are Crud Racer ones like?

I used them all last winter as they are about all that fits my road bike. No problems and protect v well. I shall put them on again this year, just take your time fitting them. If you can fit proper guards on then I would do that, I have some alloy ones on the hybrid, they are stopping on for good though.

 

[400bhp]

I used them all last winter as they are about all that fits my road bike. No problems and protect v well. I shall put them on again this year, just take your time fitting them. If you can fit proper guards on then I would do that, I have some alloy ones on the hybrid, they are stopping on for good though.

very very important that.

Fit in haste, repent at leisure, or sommat.

 

[fossyant]

Cruds are quite good by all accounts, although I have noticed they do rattle a bit (riding with others) - rattles drive me insane.

SKS chromoplastics are the best - £30, but take a while to fit. Get them in black !

 

[akb]

My mudguards stay on my bike all year round. Especially with the 'British Summer' we have just had. Nothing worse than accidently riding through horse shite on the road without panniers.
As do both my rear and one of my front lights. No harm in being seen.

As a thought reference paying that bit extra for decent kit. Will your bike be kept in a secure place. Knowing what kids and colleges are like these days, any opportunity to pinch something and they will do it. I wouldnt spend £120 on panniers/rack purely for that fact. If what you have fits, and is secure then go with it. I used to bike to school, and trust me, anything left loose on the bike in the morning will be gone by evening. Water Bottles, bells, anything that can be removed will be.

 

[endoman]

Cruds are quite good by all accounts, although I have noticed they do rattle a bit (riding with others) - rattles drive me insane.

SKS chromoplastics are the best - £30, but take a while to fit. Get them in black !

The SKS are what I have on the hybrid, not alloy as I thought. My Cruds are totally rattle free, just check the connection nuts every so often.

 

[400bhp]

My mudguards stay on my bike all year round. Especially with the 'British Summer' we have just had. Nothing worse than accidently riding through horse s***e on the road without panniers.
As do both my rear and one of my front lights. No harm in being seen.

As a thought reference paying that bit extra for decent kit. Will your bike be kept in a secure place. Knowing what kids and colleges are like these days, any opportunity to pinch something and they will do it. I wouldnt spend £120 on panniers/rack purely for that fact. If what you have fits, and is secure then go with it. I used to bike to school, and trust me, anything left loose on the bike in the morning will be gone by evening. Water Bottles, bells, anything that can be removed will be.

Not a bad thing

 

[400bhp]

Cruds are quite good by all accounts, although I have noticed they do rattle a bit (riding with others) - rattles drive me insane.

SKS chromoplastics are the best - £30, but take a while to fit. Get them in black !

On a road bike with little clearance between frame and brake?

 

[SportMonkey]

2 spare tubes (http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-a...er-tube/212-4072.prd?skuId=212-4072&pageLevel)

Those are awful, I had one as an emergency. Just buy a job lot (say 10) from Rutland:
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/23735...Tube---700x20-28c---Pack-of-5--10-or-20-.html

 

[Glow worm]

Sorry if these suggestions are mentioned upthread - haven't read through it all.

Wet Wipes or similar are always handy after any emergency fettling.

Also a couple of bungee cords. Have had a few catastrophic failures over the years and have found an emergency bodge job with cords (such as holding a sheared pannier rack together and even once a broken saddle temporarily in place) to be bloomin' useful! You can also secure extra stuff that won't go into your panniers to the top of the rack with cords.

I always carry a plastic bag or two for any rubbish like banana skins, old wet wipes and other crap though maybe that's more a suggestion for touring rather than commuting.

Pannier covers are good too. Even if your panniers are waterproof, they'll keep not only the water off'em but all sorts of other crap from the road too to help the panniers last for a bit longer.

 

[Lee_M]

well don't I feel an idiot

After stating my minimal commute gear yesterday I set off today

Wasn't feeling good following major open mouth surgery (I was promised a small filling, but it was more like digging the channel tunnel) but decided Bradley wouldnt have cried off so off I went.

Got into Victoria park and my chain snapped!

I can highly recomend the Bike Hub app on the iPhone for identifying the closest bike shop!
and also thanks to Perlie Rides for fixing for me - new chain and new rear cassette done while I waited

 

[Theseus]

A couple of other things to take ...
... your time. It is not a race, which lead onto the other
... care. Ride safe and don't try to ride in narrow gaps between moving traffic

 

[Trail Child]

Wet wipes, spare tube, mini pump, bike u-lock & cable, Gu gels, water, work clothes, my work bag. We luckily have buses with bike carriers that I can use in an emergency.

 

[fossyant]

On a road bike with little clearance between frame and brake?

On matthews bike he has clearance big enough you could drive a bus through - SKS would fit. Cruds if not much room though.

I am happy to report having two road bikes that won't even take cruds the clearance is that tight.

 

[fossyant]

Oh yes, a little bag with wet wipes. I'd run out when a pigeon pooped all over my bars and hoods - not nice.

 

[Matthew_T]

Oh yes, a little bag with wet wipes. I'd run out when a pigeon pooped all over my bars and hoods - not nice.

I have had a seagul poop all over me in the past.

I do have wet wipes for cleaning my bike (they are bloody good at it!) but will get some more as I am near then end of the pack.