Cycling accessories

Afternoon all. I ordered my first road bike this morning, aside from pedals, helmet, shoes, shorts and jerseys (all already ordered or purchased) is there any other essentials I require? 

I have come up with the following list - any other suggestions would be much appreciated:

cages/bottle

spare inner tube

pump

puncture repair kit

bag for tube and repair kit

gloves

 

Last but not least........ a winning lottery ticket or large inheritance 

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Comments

  • First thought would be tyre levers, assuming they're not in the repair kit

  • Track pump for home and mini pump or Co2 for roadside repairs

  • Bottle and cage are essential.

    Spare tube and levers.

    Repair kit could wait a bit.

    Sunglasses.

    Sun cream.

    Bandana for under helmet.



    When the weather changes you'll need another bank Loan to pay for cool weather gear.
  • zip ties and £10 for emergancy - i put mine in a zip lock bag which can double up for a bit of water proofing for my phone if it rains

  • CO2 pump AND mini pump, in my (bitter) experience
    Chamois creme (for happy botty on long rides)
    Bento box if you want an extra little place to stash goodies on a long ride
    Multi tool - it can wait, but if you're going to get one, make sure it has a chain splitter on it, and later on you might consider carrying a couple of power links in case the chain goes

  • Thanks for the advice, I shall add these items to my ever growing list. 

  • Spare inner tubes* make that a plural, cycle computer too is very helpful, a basic one will work fine, or you can go all swanky and get a garmin 910/810/800 etc but a standard 30 quid wireless computer does the job... Oh and clip on tri bars assuming its a road bike not a TT you can get a cheap set off eBay etc

  • I saw a wireless cycling computer in Tescos for £15 - is this likely to be a waste of money? Are any of the iPhone apps any good for this? 

    I think I will wait a little while for the tri bars - I will get used to the cleated soles first before I try something else that looks like they are likely to make me fall off! 

  • I would maybe go a little bit more cash like a cat eye or whatever, all it needs to do is tell you... Speed... Time elapsed.... Avg speed.... That's really it everything else is a bonus... Don't need too spend more then say 30-40 quid

  • another +1 for cat eye, they are not hugely expensive, something like the strada will be about £35
    I have a mini pump that does both pump and CO2
    Check out places like Planet X and CRC for their sales ...

  • GertieGertie ✭✭✭

    You also need to factor in the costs for your winter bike, TT bike and mtb.

    Remember that the number of bikes you need = number of bikes you own + 1

     

     

  • Thanks, I will check them out. 

  • Gertie wrote (see)

    You also need to factor in the costs for your winter bike, TT bike and mtb.

    Remember that the number of bikes you need = number of bikes you own + 1

     

     

    Haha, that is my current principle when it comes to fishing rods. I can see this turning into an extremely expensive hobbie. 

  • GraemeKGraemeK ✭✭✭

    Water proof jacket, a gilet, arm warmers, shoe covers, gloves, go for winter, spring/autumn and summer ones, turbo trainer, fixed/single speed bike, hybrid bike, a spare set of clothes or two, you can't have too many. 

     

    Forget the bag, all sundry items, including pump and rain jacket MUST be carried in back pockets. In fact sod the rain jacket, Merckx wouldn't wear one, nor should you.

     

    Whilst n+1 is the correct number of bikes to own, s-1, where s is the number that will cause a divorce is acceptable. 

  • GertieGertie ✭✭✭

    Whilst n+1 is the correct number of bikes to own, s-1, where s is the number that will cause a divorce is acceptable. 

    Good point.

    Has anyone mentioned bike rack for the car and bike box for flying out to a  foreign  Ironman??

  • Insulation tape for taping spokes together when they break - so you can get home...

  • Gertie wrote (see)

    Whilst n+1 is the correct number of bikes to own, s-1, where s is the number that will cause a divorce is acceptable. 

    Good point.

    Has anyone mentioned bike rack for the car and bike box for flying out to a  foreign  Ironman??

     

    I'm in the fortunate position that I am single and live alone. so to get divorced I would have to find someone daft enough to tolerate my a selfishness first - so this sounds like an ideal hobbie for me. 

     

  • Tall, dark and handsome by any chance ??     image

  • GertieGertie ✭✭✭

    One advantage of being in a relationship is that you can ask for Wiggle vouchers for birthdays, christmas and aniversaries etc.

    Also the missus can wash your kit as well.

  • Anyone said lights yet?  

  • popsiderpopsider ✭✭✭

    A lot of these things aren't exactly essential - some of them I've never used or owned in about 10 years of doing 6k miles a year.  

  • Pops speaks wise worms.

    Personally, the obvious essentials list for me includes:
    pedals, helmet, gloves, shoes, cleats. Ask to keep the cheap pedals that the bike comes with, as they could be useful for sprint tri's.
    Then we go into the other essentials that aren't so obvious:
    mini pump, bottle cage (or x2), bottles (durr), little saddle bag, spare tube, stick on puncture kits, (option 1-change tube, bad day-mend punctures), tyre levers, mini tool kit (new bike: you'll need it), a fiver in coins. I have the Cat eye wireless, it also tells the time of day which can be useful. I'd recommend Leynze lights, as they are small and light and I want some. So that's not yet.
    And a big one: eye wear. The best are wrap around safety glasses. No distortion and cheap. Clear AND tints.

    Think about nosh later. Think about winter later.

  • Thanks all, for the useful - and amusing - advice. I have concluded I need to buy the following items: 

    bottles/cages

    pump- co2 & track

    spare inner tubes

    tyre levers 

    gloves

    lights

    bike computer

    bike box

    bike rack

    mountain bike

    tt bike

    single speed bike

    bmx

    entire new wardrobe of summer, winter, spring & autumn clothing 

    girlfirend - to do washing and buy me gift vouchers

    once  all of that is bought to will then need to find another bike to buy

     

     

    Does this list sound fairly accurate? 

     

  • TheExile wrote (see)

    Does this list sound fairly accurate? 

     

    Nope. You missed of fixie and CX bikes.

  • Dam. Looks like I will need to up the number of girlfriends to two in order to get more gift vouchers 

  • Britrisky wrote (see)


    Multi tool - it can wait, but if you're going to get one, make sure it has a chain splitter on it, and later on you might consider carrying a couple of power links in case the chain goes

     

    Personally I'd recomend seperate chain tool and multitool, it'll work out cheaper and get a better quality chaintool.

    But in all seriousness, why on earth has no one mentioned that the OP needs multiple sets of race wheels to compliment the course and conditions?

  • Chain cleaner? Love mine! Garmin?

    If this all sounds a bit daunting, ha ha, so bike, pump, wedgie bag, couple of tubes, tyre levers, mutitool, a bottle, a cage and a mobile phone just about covers it at the start. The rest can come later. 

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭
    2wheels wrote (see)
    Britrisky wrote (see)


    Multi tool - it can wait, but if you're going to get one, make sure it has a chain splitter on it, and later on you might consider carrying a couple of power links in case the chain goes

     

    Personally I'd recomend seperate chain tool and multitool, it'll work out cheaper and get a better quality chaintool.

    But in all seriousness, why on earth has no one mentioned that the OP needs multiple sets of race wheels to compliment the course and conditions?

    personally I'd recommend fitting powerlinks/quicklinks as you don't need a chain tool then in an emergency.  

  • Many thanks for your advice, I now have a bike, and tried it out for the first time this weekend. My initial ride was just around the block and despite spending some time sat on it inside getting used to clipping in and out of the pedals I still had a bit of a drama when I forgot to unclip and then at the last minute removed the wrong foot and fell over. Other than a slightly sore hand and a massively bruised ego no damage was done - I think the local kids found it highly amusing. It felt very strange riding a road bike compared to a mountain bike (and I hadn't even ridden one of those for a good while).

    I went out for a 20km ride with a friend who is a regular cyclist yesterday evening. Once I plucked up the courage to go a little bit faster I felt much more stable and had no issues clipping in and out at lights/roundabouts Etc. I did bottle it at one big roundabout (Lawnswood Roundabout in Leeds) and got off and walked round the pedestrian crossingimage

  • Think about 4 times is the normal amount people fall off before getting used to clips

     

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