Bike Commuting Essentials: Stock or DIY?
If you’re just starting out thinking about bike commuting, you may get discouraged before you even begin, feeling that you need many fancy, complicated and expensive accessories and garments. In fact, all you really need is a bicycle in safe working order, and a few carefully chosen key accessories to round out your commuting setup. As you get more experience, and hopefully incorporate more biking into your life, you can add other equipment as needed, or improvise around a few things that may not be within your budget.
Below, we break down the essentials from the nice-to-have’s, and give you an idea of what each item might cost.
Non-negotiable:
Your bike MUST be safe to ride.
If you've purchased a new bike from your local professional bike shop, it should be safe to ride, and include some follow-up service and maintenance for a period of time. (Click here to read about what's included with new bikes we sell at Cosmic Bikes.)
If you wish to use an existing bike, please get it assessed and serviced by a competent bicycle mechanic. A full comprehensive tune-up on an older bike might run $175-350 between labor and parts.
Must have :
There are quality purpose-made bike commuting essentials you should have. These essential add-ons will keep you safe and your bike secure, and add about $170 to the price of your bike.
Helmet ($40 and up)
Lock ($50 and up)
Spare tube and pump (about $50)
Lights, if you ride at night ($30 and up)
Nice to have:
These accessories will make your commute more comfortable and efficient, and turn your bike into a versatile vehicle, maximizing its usefulness and your investment. These will add another $200.
Rear rack ($40 and up)
Quality street tires ($90/pair)
Saddle that fits your butt ($50 and up)
Mirror ($20). While it's possible to ride safely without one, not having to look over your shoulder keeps your eyes ahead, and may help you avoid potholes and car doors. (
What you can improvise:
These accessories can add up to a quite a lot of money. While ultimately the purpose-made, bike-specific gear will pay for itself in further increasing the utility of your bike, you can get by with home-made or thrift shop substitutes until your budget allows you to upgrade to the real thing.
Bicycle panniers are nice. We especially like waterproof Ortlieb Backroller Classic bags, and Jandd and Banjo Brothers Grocery Panniers. However, these can set you back a couple hundred dollars. If that's not in your budget right now, follow other savvy commuters on limited budgets who have repurposed found milk crates, storage or shopping baskets, mail carrier crates, or even plastic waste bins fastened to a basic rear rack (see above). If you don't have a rack, a cheap thrift-store backpack can be your schlepping companion until you save enough bus fare to pop for some bike-specific luggage.
It's great to have a full set of fenders ($55-70 plus installation), if you’re starting you commuting in the warmer months, they are probably not needed immediately. We’ve see bike commuters get quite creative with what’s on hand: fenders fashioned out of soda bottles, stiff cardboard and pieces of car tire. Affix one piece to the end of your rack (see how useful that $40 rack is?) to extend it's reach, and zip-tie another to the down-tube of the bike to protect against spray from the front tire. In and emergency, you can shove a tightly rolled and flattened newspaper, covered in a plastic bag, through your rack as a makeshift fender.
Newsflash: your rain gear does not have to be bike-specific! It also doesn't absolutely have to be breathable. A fancy Gore-tex or similar rain suit can run into hundreds of dollars, but basic, reasonably functional rainwear can be picked up at thrift shops and camping stores. If your commute is not very long, or if you don't plan to ride in the rain frequently, an emergency poncho might be right for you.
What you can dispense with altogether:
Horn. Use your loudest outside voice.
Padded shorts. A good fitting saddle (see above) may do the trick.
Messenger bag. These can be pricey, and are not necessarily that functional if you are not actually a bike messenger. Go for that thrift-store backpack instead.
If you're just starting out, all you need is some clothes you can move in, comfortable shoes, the four accessories listed at the top, and, of course, your bike. Start simple, and build on what you think you will need.