Are you new to road cycling? The good thing is that it’s pretty easy to get into road cycling, and apart from the main purchase of a bicycle, it’s not the most expensive pastime you could pick from a long list of regular hobbies that British people partake in. But there are some other essentials…
If you are looking to get into road cycling and you’re not sure what you need to get started, we’ve listed some of the key things you might want to consider. Top of the list is a bike, obviously, but beyond that, you really don’t need much else – just plenty of enthusiasm and energy to turn the pedals. As you find yourself getting more into cycling, there are a few useful things that can make cycling more comfortable and enjoyable.
We’ve listed some key road cycling products in order of importance, starting with…
1. A bike
An obvious one this, but if you’re going to take up cycling of any sort, you’re going to need a bike. Now is a really good time to buy a new road bike, there is a lot of choice at a huge range of prices, and the quality of bikes across the board is really good.
Sure, you can easily drop £10,000 on a Tour de France replica, but there are lots of bargains to be had for under £500 if you don’t want to spend too much.
Read more: The Best Road Bike Bargains for under £500
Bikes come in many guises, this guide gives a good overview of the different types of road bike available on the market.
Read more: Beginner’s guide to bike types
And if you’re not sure where to start with buying a road bike, let us guide you to making the right decision, with this helpful guide.
Read more: Buying your first road bike — everything you need to know
2. Padded shorts
If you’re just planning on very short cycle rides, to the office or college, for example, you can get by just fine with regular clothes. There’s no need to wear anything special.
If you want to get into road cycling properly and tackle some longer distances, perhaps even enter a sportive or join your local club, a really good investment is a pair of padded shorts. Your bum will thank you.
They can be worn on their own, or concealed under baggy shorts if you prefer, and they provide a thin padding that provides a bit of cushioning against the saddle, and can substantially improve comfort on longer rides. Just remember, no underwear under padded shorts.
Read more: Cycling shorts — everything you need to know
You can spend anything from about £40 to over £300, so there really is something for all budgets. Here’s our buyer’s guide
Read more: Best cycling bib shorts — your buyer’s guide & 9 great choices
Read more: Best cheap cycling shorts
3. Cycling jersey
A cotton t-shirt might be just fine for shorter rides, but they’re not really designed for the demands of a longer cycle ride.
A cycling-specific jersey is made from a fabric designed to keep you cool in the heat, and keep you dry when you break a sweat. They also have a long zip for ventilation, and three rear pockets for carrying food and other supplies that you might need on longer trips.
Cycling jerseys also come in many varieties designed for different conditions, from cold weather to hot weather jerseys, and can be worn with other clothing accessories like arm warmers and gilets.
You can pay anything from £5 to £130 for a jersey, here’s our buyer’s guide.
Read more: Buyer’s guide to summer cycling jerseys — plus 14 of the best
4. Water bottle and bottle cage
Cycling can be thirsty work, especially in the summer heat, so keeping hydrated on longer rides is of paramount importance. Most road bikes have bolts on the frame (down tube and seat tube) that allow you to fit a special bottle cage into which a cycling bottle can be fitted.
You can stick a bottle of Coke or Lucozade in a jersey pocket or even a bottle cage, but the former isn’t very comfortable and the latter isn’t the most secure. A cycling water bottle can also be reused hundreds of times, is easy to clean and is easy to drink from on the move.
5. Pump, spare tube, basic tools and chain oil
There are two things that any cyclist embarking on a ride really shouldn’t leave home without, and that’s a spare inner tube and pump. Nobody plans to puncture, but they do happen from time to time, so it’s worth being prepared so you don’t have to phone home for a lift.
A local bike shop will help you choose the right size spare inner tube (or you can read our guide below), and a pump doesn’t have to cost a lost. You can carry both in a jersey pocket or backpack, or better still is to stash the inner tube in a saddle bag, and mount the pump to the frame with the often supplied brackets.
Read more: How to repair a punctured inner tube
Read more: Video: Greg LeMond shows how to quickly change an inner tube
Another thing you might want to consider is a multitool. Multitools are the cyclist’s equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, with a range of tool bits that can be used to make adjustments to the bike, such as raising or lowering the saddle height or tweaking the gears.
If you are really getting into cycling and doing regular rides, you’ll want to keep the chain well oiled so the gears work smoothly and quietly. Chain oil, or lube as it’s commonly called, is available from any good bike shop and a small bottle lasts a long time and doesn’t cost much.
Read more: How to clean and lube your bike’s chain
Read more: The best multi tools — get the right bits to fix your bike’s bits
6. Computer
Because everyone wants to know how fast and far they’ve cycled, don’t they?
This isn’t an essential product at all, but as any cyclist knows all too well, the most likely question you get from friends, a partner or family after a ride is how far did you ride and how fast did you pedal? And if you are new to cycling, it’s fun to track your distance of a ride and use that to measure your progress as you get into road cycling.
Cycle computers can also show you how fast you’ve ridden, your average and max speeds, how much climbing you’ve done, and other measurements like cadence and heart rate. And as this guide below shows, they don’t have to cost a fortune.
You can use a smartphone to record your ride using one of the many available apps, and this is another option, but a small dedicated computer fitted to your bike will cope with rain and hte battery will last a very long time. More expensive computers use GPS and can be plugged into a computer to download all the data.
Read more: Cycle computers — everything you need to know
And yes, we thought about including a helmet in this list, but as it’s not law to wear a helmet when cycling, we feel it’s up your own discretion whether you choose to wear a lid. If you feel safer wearing a helmet then go for it. Good cycling helmets can be bought for as little as £20, just make sure they comply with European standards, to look for certification stickers inside the helmet .
Read more: Best cheap cycling helmets
Is there anything we’ve missed? Let’s hear your suggestions in the comment section.
127 thoughts on “Get in gear – 6 essentials every new road cyclist needs in their starter kit”
cycleings shoes & clipless
cycleings shoes & clipless pedal comes in way before the computer. A computer, come on its not exacly somthing that you need.
∞ -1. Expensive carbon bike with 2 different sets of carbon wheels an a teamcar with driver.
∞. Bicycle computer
Why are you showing a cyclist
Why are you showing a cyclist in dark/black kit, the worst and least recommended colour for safety.
∞ -1. Expensive carbon bike with 2 different sets of carbon wheels an a teamcar with driver.
∞. Bicycle computer
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randonneur wrote:
Agree and it’s quite ironic that 30 years ago everyone patched tubes with the sandpaper + rubber cement + patch. A system which took some time and had limited success for me. While now you can just carry a pack of “leeches” and patch the hole in seconds. As long as you can find it. I tend to swap tubes and then have occasional tube mending sessions to repair all the spares.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Dont forget the yellow crayon to mark the hole and the chalk dust to stop the tube sticking to the tyre. Meanwhile I have a box full of tubes waiting to be patched due to my laziness when dealing with a puncture in the rain/snow and just doing a tube swap. But here’s the question. How many times can you patch a tube. My record is sitting at 8.
wycombewheeler wrote:
I have found that the ‘glueless’ patches like Park’s clear ones work well but have a limited lifetime. They’re great for getting you back up and running but IME should not be relied on as a permanent solution. You can’t beat a carefully applied Rema patch (I find the F0, 16mm across, is best for road tyres).
reippuert wrote:
I suspect that most of the people wearing name of <football> team, do not play for said team, they are just showing their support, as are cyclists in team kit.
As you use the word sneakers, you may be from the colonies. Please substitute the variable <soccer>
reippuert wrote:
Sneakers ?
road.cc wrote:
I would say that it is very irresponsible on road.cc part to give such an advice, especially to new cyclists. New cyclists should be encouraged to wear helmets. There is no reason not to wear them.
rix wrote:
I would say that it is very irresponsible on road.cc part to give such an advice, especially to new cyclists. New cyclists should be encouraged to wear helmets. There is no reason not to wear them.— road.cc
There’s lots of reasons to not wear a helmet: http://www.howiechong.com/journal/2014/2/bike-helmets
Also, there’s precious little data to support the view that helmets increase riders’ safety, so it’s not irresponsible at all to leave it up to someone’s discretion.
However, I do think they should have mentioned gloves. In my view, they’re the number one safety item on a bike that are also beneficial for comfort as well. Whenever I’ve come off my bike, I’ve instinctively used my hands to protect me and I’ve been glad to have the gloves take the brunt of the damage.
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There’s lots of reasons to not wear a helmet: http://www.howiechong.com/journal/2014/2/bike-helmets
Also, there’s precious little data to support the view that helmets increase riders’ safety, so it’s not irresponsible at all to leave it up to someone’s discretion.
However, I do think they should have mentioned gloves. In my view, they’re the number one safety item on a bike that are also beneficial for comfort as well. Whenever I’ve come off my bike, I’ve instinctively used my hands to protect me and I’ve been glad to have the gloves take the brunt of the damage.
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biased and unfundamented.
kukubau wrote:
Thanks for your input. I would argue your point, but I have no idea what it is, nor what “unfundamented” means. Can anyone translate that into English for me please?
hawkinspeter wrote:
I’m going to guess that ‘unfundamented’ means: “without an arsehole”.
I like it as a word. I intend to work it into at least one sentence a day for the next 6 weeks.
kukubau wrote:
I disagree. Actually I think it’s your comment that is biased etc. “Unfundamented” is a new word to me, though, so maybe you’re onto something! 😉
He makes a cogent argument and bases it on research findings. It is rational and evidence based. Look at the Netherlands or Copenhagen. He also mentions situations where he will wear a helmet.
And I wear a helmet for over 99% of my riding (by miles). Mainly because I don’t find the evidence particularly persuasive either way and I know that I (like everyone, I think) occasionally make mistakes in my roadcraft and that this country has too many cyclist hating drivers.
The places that I feel most comfortable cycling without a helmet are the places that there are most cyclists. (That’s because the drivers behave better when they’re used to cyclists and have accepted their presence, not peer pressure!)
hawkinspeter wrote:
There’s lots of reasons to not wear a helmet: http://www.howiechong.com/journal/2014/2/bike-helmets
Also, there’s precious little data to support the view that helmets increase riders’ safety, so it’s not irresponsible at all to leave it up to someone’s discretion.
However, I do think they should have mentioned gloves. In my view, they’re the number one safety item on a bike that are also beneficial for comfort as well. Whenever I’ve come off my bike, I’ve instinctively used my hands to protect me and I’ve been glad to have the gloves take the brunt of the damage.— road.cc
Actually, lights need to be on that list, and in quite a high position. In the UK, they are a legal requirement, and will do more to prevent you being in a collision with another vehicle, than a helmet will at saving your noggin after one.
London Cyclist had a really good article a few years back by an RAF pilot on why you should always commute (or even on solo rides) with flashing lights even during the day [saccadic masking].
zanf wrote:
There’s lots of reasons to not wear a helmet: http://www.howiechong.com/journal/2014/2/bike-helmets
Also, there’s precious little data to support the view that helmets increase riders’ safety, so it’s not irresponsible at all to leave it up to someone’s discretion.
However, I do think they should have mentioned gloves. In my view, they’re the number one safety item on a bike that are also beneficial for comfort as well. Whenever I’ve come off my bike, I’ve instinctively used my hands to protect me and I’ve been glad to have the gloves take the brunt of the damage.— rix
Actually, lights need to be on that list, and in quite a high position. In the UK, they are a legal requirement, and will do more to prevent you being in a collision with another vehicle, than a helmet will at saving your noggin after one.
London Cyclist had a really good article a few years back by an RAF pilot on why you should always commute (or even on solo rides) with flashing lights even during the day [saccadic masking].— road.cc
Lights are a legal requirement in the UK? Since when ??
fenix wrote:
1989 it looks like, Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (RVLR) requires “At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). … Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady frontlamp”
https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/bike-light-laws-in-the-uk-what-you-need-to-know-48568/
Mal
fenix wrote:
Actually, lights need to be on that list, and in quite a high position. In the UK, they are a legal requirement, and will do more to prevent you being in a collision with another vehicle, than a helmet will at saving your noggin after one.
London Cyclist had a really good article a few years back by an RAF pilot on why you should always commute (or even on solo rides) with flashing lights even during the day [saccadic masking].— rix
Lights are a legal requirement in the UK? Since when ??— road.cc
since the nazis took over
hawkinspeter wrote:
With proper mental training, you can override your instincts to put your hands out first, and instead take the impact with your head, which is not only softer, but also doesn’t perform important work like the hands do.
Then there will be no need for gloves.
ch wrote:
British Cycling are doing a training course on this at the moment. Pricey at 120quid but like you say you make the money back in glove costs. It’s like, free money.
hawkinspeter wrote:
Interesting article.. And it all makes sense.. But too hot here to not wear a helmet (Thailand!)
hawkinspeter wrote:
Gloves can be helpful in helping to prevent minor injories to the hands. The number one safety item is, of course, a pair of sunglasses or other eye protectors. Scabby palms heal. Skulls can be repaired. Eyes are fragile and irreplaceable.
andyp wrote:
Irreplaceable? I think not.
rix wrote:
I would say that it is very irresponsible on road.cc part to give such an advice, especially to new cyclists. New cyclists should be encouraged to wear helmets. There is no reason not to wear them.— road.cc
Oh how I loved not having to dress as a cyclist while riding a bike in Copenhagen over the weekend.
Danger Dicko wrote:
Lucky you came back alive, cycling without a helmet? How reckless
rix wrote:
I would say that it is very irresponsible on road.cc part to give such an advice, especially to new cyclists. New cyclists should be encouraged to wear helmets. There is no reason not to wear them.— road.cc
Is the Wrong Answer. To encourage helmets you need to be sure, based on evidence well beyond the anecdotal, that whoever you’re aiming the advice it is significantly likely to be at least no worse off.
The following evidence-based advice is given out to Scottish cycle trainers in the Tayside region:
“Use of a Cycle Helmet may offer some protection in the event of an accident, or may make the injury worse or may make an accident more likely”
Hardly a ringing endosement, is it? But it is absolutely in line with the state of the evidence at present.
As for cost, you can get an EN1078 lid for less than a tenner if you want.
And a saddle that works for the rider is more important than padded shorts. Both together is better still.
+ Strava
+ Strava
I would say a snood/buff is
I would say a snood/buff is fairly important when riding in any sort of colder weather. You can layer up and still be cold without one. It can help stop you getting a sore neck from a cold breeze over it. Even on warm days it will help keep the early morning chill off and can be worn over your mouth as you warm up to help stop throat burn.
The same goes for gloves in any less than perfect conditions!
This is a cycling as sport
This is a cycling as sport article and has very little relevance for cycling as a viable transport option. For the latter:
1) Bicycle. One that allows you to ride in a comfortable position which affords a good view of the road ahead. Number and spread of gears should suit the terrain where you typically cycle.
2) Helmet. Goes without saying really. Especially if you are just starting out. No need for a trivial fall to turn into a funeral.
3) Powerful front and rear lights. Day and night. Helping others to see you reduces the odds of an accident considerably. A hi viz belt is also a sensible option to wear with normal clothes.
4) Being comfortable on the bike will be the difference between sticking with it or sticking the bike in the shed, only to see the light of day for a couple of weeks every summer. Mudguards, to avoid a soggy arse, a quality rack and panniers, to avoid a sweaty back, gloves, cold hands don’t react quickly and underwear that wicks moisture and traps warm air.
5) Lock(s) for frame and wheels. There are always thieves about. Remove everything that is easily removable and put them in your pannier when leaving your bike unattended.
6) Spare inner tubes, pump and basic tool kit. You will get a puncture sooner or later so buy some basics and get to know how to use them before you actually need to use them.
L.Willo wrote:
And. So. What.
HalfWheeler wrote:
And. So. What.— L.Willo
And. So…..
I wrote a list of essentials for cyclists who don’t give a toss about Strava but would like to get around safely and efficiently on the roads using a bicycle.
And. So. Do you want to comment on that list, or would you rather be a muppet and play the man not the ball, as usual?
L.Willo wrote:
Your point seems to be “My version of cycling is superior to others, we are we bothering about anything other than what I approve of? Step into line!”.
But then that seems to be your MO in other threads: you alone have a monopoly on wisdom, everyone else is a dolt. I’m not the only one to notice.
Incidentally I see you couldn’t resist it, another cyclist has died and you’re wanking yourself blind with condescension on another thread about it. Enjoy.
HalfWheeler wrote:
No. More a case of …. you saw the name L.Willo and felt compelled to pick a pointless fight. Well knock yourself out, I am done here.
I thought all of the infamous
I thought all of the infamous willo comments had been removed?
Hey potential trolls, willo was how you really do it.
rix wrote:
I would say that it is very irresponsible on road.cc part to give such an advice, especially to new cyclists. New cyclists should be encouraged to wear helmets. There is no reason not to wear them.— road.cc
Pushing new cyclists to wear helmets risks discouraging new cyclists. Certainly when I first started it pissed me off when occasionally complete stranger cyclists would ask why I didn’t have a helmet on.
Do people giving advice to new drivers start by suggesting it would be safer to not use a car for travel if any alternative is available? Stop strangers in cars and ask if they couldn’t have walked or taken a bus?
Yet the reduction in total mobidity from a driver choosing another mode of transport where possible is greater than that which would result from a cyclist adding a helmet, so I don’t see why people nag about one but not the other.
If one must give safety advice, I reckon it would be more useful to point out things like the dangers of the door-zone or riding in the gutter, and warn about how dangerously misleading a lot of painted-on “infrastructure” is. And even then one should be careful about how patronising one is about saying it.
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
There. Fixed it for you. Free of charge.
You’re accusing me of picking
You’re accusing me of picking pointless fights? Haha, physician heal thyself!
Clipless pedals not needed –
Clipless pedals? Not needed. Pro cyclists, TTers, audaxers and tourists have all ridden perfectly well for decades without them.
Helmet? Not needed. It should go without saying, really (see above).
Computer? Not needed (see above).
Cycling jersey? Not needed. It’s only a variation on a t-shirt, just buy a decent cut and/or size smaller if you don’t like it to flap.
Water bottle? Not needed. Unless it’s really hot a normal person can easily ride for up to 2 hours without needing a drink. This does not apply to fools who’ve bought into the hydration/electrolyte sales hype.
If you have tightened the bolts up properly you’re unlikely to need a multi-tool.
Yes all these things can make cycling more enjoyable but they are definitely not *needed*. But since some people seem to put more effort into (or have more interest in) shopping than riding then these rather pointless listicles will continue to be published.
Simon E wrote:
T shirts don’t have pockets and neither do cycling shorts. There was a guy at uni who rode dressed like that and then put his stuff in a bum bag. Having seen that, I would say jersey is essential.
I drink less than most but on a hot day a 2 hour ride without water would be uncomfortable even though possible. But you could always buy a drink in a shop I guess.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Why do all rides have to be a long excursion requiring significant effort (and full pockets)?
Most of the year the weather isn’t even that warm either. Many people can enjoy simply riding out to a pub and having a pint (or to a cafe and eating cake). Therefore water bottles, cycle-specific wicking garments, SPD pedals and so on are not on my list of “things every new road cyclist needs”.
Simon E wrote:
Why do all rides have to be a long excursion requiring significant effort (and full pockets)?
Most of the year the weather isn’t even that warm either. Many people can enjoy simply riding out to a pub and having a pint (or to a cafe and eating cake). Therefore water bottles, cycle-specific wicking garments, SPD pedals and so on are not on my list of “things every new road cyclist needs”. — wycombewheeler
when I get to the the pub, I like to have my wallet, and when I get home again I like to have my keys. Carrying a phone just in case is also useful.
so pockets are good, no pockets in cycling shorts, you could wear normal shorts buit that just leaves stuff bouncing around against your legs and potentially falling out.
I suppose if you have a tab at the pub, and someone will let you in when you get home, then a t shirt will be just fine.
wycombewheeler wrote:
so pockets are good, no pockets in cycling shorts, you could wear normal shorts buit that just leaves stuff bouncing around against your legs and potentially falling out.— wycombewheeler
I wear normal shorts or normal trousers to ride to the pub, into town or to a gig and never have a problem with pocket contents. Never felt the need to carry a phone. I’m obviously doing it all wrong, I’m not a cyclist at all.
Simon E wrote:
Why do all rides have to be a long excursion requiring significant effort (and full pockets)?
Most of the year the weather isn’t even that warm either. Many people can enjoy simply riding out to a pub and having a pint (or to a cafe and eating cake). Therefore water bottles, cycle-specific wicking garments, SPD pedals and so on are not on my list of “things every new road cyclist needs”. — wycombewheeler
Fair points if you’re talking about cycling in general, but the article is about things new road cyclists need. I don’t want to get into labels too much but to me that implies people wnating to ride a reasonable distance at a reasonable pace, and in that context a water bottle is pretty good advice IMO. SPDs etc not so much.
Sure you can ride for a couple of hours without drinking, but a bottle is hardly a huge outlay so why not?
Chuck wrote:
What is the difference between someone who does ‘cycling in general’ and a ‘road cyclist’? I’m struggling with that.
As SuperPython59 so eloquently put it, many people achieved a hell of a lot more in the past while wearing traditional garb and often pedalling just one or two gears. Look at the photo of the Anfield BC at Betws Y Coed in the 1890s or stories of cycling writer ‘Wayfarer’ riding over the Berwyns in winter. Tommy Godwin rode 100,000 miles over 500 days in 1939 & 1940 on a 14kg steel Raleigh with just 4 hub gears. They would surely piss themselves laughing at the idea that carbon, gizmos and fancy clothing are so necessary before crossing one’s own front doorstep.
But as you said yourself, this is supposed to be about what every road rider needs.
Simon E wrote:
I think a ‘road cyclist’ is meant (in this context) to be a Velominati cultist, wearing lycra and riding a light-framed dropped-handlebars bike, head down and arse in the air on a Sunday morning club ride. …-ish
Simon E wrote:
Look at yout corporeal decadence! Who needs all of that, solipsism is clearly the way forward
This is literally the most
This is literally the most pointless thing i have ever read in my life. I blame myself. i don’t understand why i kept reading. I knew it wouldn’t get any better or suddenly become interesting after the dull opening gambit. Reading this was akin to watching a car crash and I feel dirty.
Kadinkski wrote:
Not sure you’re who it’s aimed at Kadinski, the clue was in the headline.
Six things that all new road
Six things that all new road cyclists need:
1. You must have a strong opinion about helmets. Don’t worry, you need not actually have any understanding of materials science, neurological injury or statistical analysis.
2. Ditto the above re disc brakes. You don’t even need to have tried them, there are plenty of tried and trusted phrases on both sides of the argument which you will quickly pick up from most cycling forums.
3. You must get a Road.CC account. This will provide you with a platform on which to pontificate on the above subjects and others: lights, mandatory insurance, hi vis clothing, shared cycle paths, steel v carbon v aluminium, tyres etc, there’s pretty much something for everyone. Don’t be shy!
4. Do not, whatever you do, spend more than £1k on your first bike. If you do spend more than £1k, tell people that it cost £1k. They will be suitably impressed, tell them it cost any more and they will think you are a dick.
5. A mobile phone – Bollocks to all that fixing punctures at the side of the road crap. Call the missus at the first sign of trouble or bad weather to come pick you up.
6. Spend some time developing a keen sense of paranoia. Trawl youtube for ‘bike rage’ helmet cam videos. You will quickly get an understanding that most car drivers are crazed homicidal lunatics and that most helmet cam posters are crazed suicidal lunatics. With a bit of practice you should not be able to ride more than 100yds without coming into conflict with another road user. Then come here and bitch about it.
Enjoy
Mungecrundle wrote:
Damm I have to get married to cycle. 😉
leaway2 wrote:
No, you just need to cycle with a buddy that is married and has a mobile or carries a puncture repair kit.
The thing every new cyclist
The thing every new cyclist needs the most: below a well meant article to help him/ her, a vitriolic, finger-jabbing, small-cocked, spittle-flecked series of post from supposedly keen cyclists. That’ll certainly encourage people to get on the saddle.
rjfrussell wrote:
It now seems getting involved in their first helmet debate on Road.cc is now as much a rite of passage for new cyclists as the first time they forget to unclip before stopping…
rjfrussell wrote:
one of the great things about cycling is the opportunities to discover how you’re doing it all wrong. Of course, the internet allows many, many more such thrilling encounters than would have been possible for my dear Grandparents in the inter-war Clarion Club, but remember this …
on this forum, you only get told you are doing it wrong by cyclists who have also accepted the correctness of using a computer. If you join a club, then you might still be lucky enough to be told that you are doing it all wrong by those who regard computers as stupid and wrong – and now you’re into a whole new area!
all the above – good quality gloves and lights depending on your journey, mudguards if you don’t like a wet arse, and you only really see the value of good shorts once you’ve had them then don’t – I did a quick ride the other day just in normal shorts and what turned out to be a very loose fitting pair of undergarments beneath. Dear lord, it was 10 minutes of very gingerly altering position to and fro until I got back, terrified I was going to geld myself. Now I remember what is so important about good shorts, I don’t notice they are there …
just ride your bike, it’s great. I took my boy on an Evans Ride-It yesterday. It was in an area I thought I knew, but it mainly all roads I’d never been on, sun shone, I met an old friend, my boy smashed his distance record … it was awesome, riding for fun, not to get to work or before dawn in the rain – normally the only chances I get to go out. Just ride, you will figure out what’s important after a while
rjfrussell wrote:
Post of the year. Chapeau, as they say.
Strava account, or similar.
Strava account, or similar. Amazing how good Strava is for getting people hooked. My other half spends ages looking at her ride afterwards and it helps that she has friends on it too.
Well my only issue with the
Well my only issue with the list is on the cycling shorts – the bit where it says don’t wear underwear. I’ve always worn underwear under my cycling shorts. Am I the only one??
Jem PT wrote:
Yes. Yes, you are.
hawkinspeter wrote:
No. No, you’re not.
Do what you find most comfortable.
MuddyGoose wrote:
Wearing underwear under cycling shorts may be comfortable for a while, but cycling shorts are designed to be worn next to the skin so it should be more comfortable to wear them as designed. It’s not a “rule” to be obeyed – just advice.
hawkinspeter wrote:
No, he’s not. I know someone who didn’t find this out until she rode a 50 mile time trial. Ouch! Needless to say, she has never wore anything under her padded shorts since.
Jem PT wrote:
Probably. Don’t do it.
Where’s power meter on the
Where’s power meter on the list?
I’ve just got one and now I spend my time not looking where I’m going. Good job I remembered the helmet.
As for helmets, some people just won’t be told. My mate got wiped out without a helmet on, fractured skull, coma for 2 weeks…..comes back after long and painful rehab….still won’t wear a helmet.
cheer riotgibbon, your post
cheer riotgibbon, your post made me smile. There’s no end of people telling you what to do/not do. I use a 9 year old Garmin unit to navigate, but when I led a CTC ride last year some riders looked at me like I was using witchcraft !
Oh, and definitely do what is most comfortable – how people laugh at my gloves . . . but I’m not the one with cold fingers.
bigmel wrote:
I stood by the road at the weekend looking at my map. Map. Papery thing that tells you where you are. 😉
Captain Vimes wrote:
If only. A map tells you where everything else apart from you is. Figuring out where you are on the map can be quite another matter 🙂
People do get cross about helmets, don’t they?
Captain Vimes wrote:
Got a few ones of those as well (prefer Michelin). The paper map is imensly more usefull when you i try to find soutable route from A to B in a forign country through a mountainus area han my GPS (plural if i count the iphone as well). And when attempingto find a bike firendly route to the airport the maper map always beats the cyckle specific GPS that insist on a route that involves a freeway..
Is this the £25 30 comment
Is this the £25 30 comment helmet argument or the full £75 200 commenter?
I wonder if all the pro
I wonder if all the pro helmet evangelists here, preach their stuff on car forums as well.
After all even with all the safety devices/systems the number of head injuries of car occupants is much higher than that of cyclists.
I hope their kids wear a helmet as well when travelling in a car… and when they climb anything… and when they play on a playground… and in a bath/shower…
Here’s a helmet for babies.
Here’s a helmet for babies. To wear in the house:
http://www.thudguard.com/
How on earth did the human race get this far without it? Incredible.
I think we may have got a bit
I think we may have got a bit distracted by all this Helmet stuff.
The first thing a new cyclist needs to know is The Rules.
Matt_S wrote:
it’s mostly so car drivers don’t scream at you to get a helmet, and also for when you hit a pothole going 50mph downhill.
Great stuff guys!
Great stuff guys!
bogbrush wrote:
As an Englishman with a thousand years of Angelfolc blood coursing through my veins I will not partake in helmet debates…
Any helmet or non-helmet wearers come near my kids I swear I’ll do time!
Hmm most construcitve
Hmm most
construcitve commentsno, no… mostenlightening comments.. no.. still not right… I read with an open mind and am delighted to see such welcoming construtive comments to this article aimed at ou new brothers and sisters of the saddle.No still not right… can someone help me I’m feeling a little unfundamented, it’s my own fault probably down to my unfettered helmet useage. Was it a full moon last night?
The fact remains that the
The fact remains that the evidence is mixed; to wear, or not to wear, and expectations of what wearing one would do for you in a very specific accident… it’s a matter of faith.
But allow me to play devil’s advocate for a sec… The message that you’re safer with a helmet, however, is pushed by cycling bodies, clubs, events, governments/politicians and manufacturers and retailers – who charge for them. That’s manufacturers and retailers (let’s refer to them as the ‘industry’) making money from selling personal protective equipment that doesn’t have much evidence to support how protective it is.
Is the above claim outlandish?
Does it really take a tinfoil hatter to summarise it as a bit of an ‘industry scam’?
Particularly, as you say, as there is some evidence that helmet wearing makes cycling appear dangerous and that perception puts people off doing it, and also that drivers give helmet wearers less room.
davel wrote:
..except where they don’t of course 😉
http://drianwalker.com/overtaking/
Here is an article from the
Here is an article from the British Medical Journal by Ben Goldacre, Wellcome research fellow in epedemiology and David Spiegelhalter, Winton professor for the public understanding of risk.
http://www.badscience.net/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2013-12-13-17.12.05.png
After looking at research which purports to show that helmets are effective, and population level studies which do not show any reduction in cyclist casualty rates they conclude:
“In any case, the current uncertainty about any benefits from helmet promotion or wearing is unlikely to be reduced by further research. Equally, we can be certain that helmets will continue to be debated, and at length. The enduring popularity of helmets as a proposed major intervention for increased road safety may lie not in their direct benefits- which seem too modest to capture compared with other strategies- but more with the cultural, psychological and political aspects of popular debate around risk.”
I think that nails it. The rest of the article is well worth reading for the cogent way it makes its points.
felixcat wrote:
What do they know about anything? Academics. I had a friend stuck in his new speedplays fall off onto his US$400 helmet and he would have been dead if he didn’t have it on.
Ush wrote:
Haha, good one. Oh wait, that was a joke, wasn’t it?
melliott wrote:
I think so, but when some one thinks that talking about hitting people on the head with bricks is a good argument for helmets it gets hard to tell.
felixcat wrote:
Seems on a par with ghe UK/EU debate where one side quotes Martin Lewis out of context and the other side equates the EU with Napoleon and Hitler.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Seems on a par with ghe UK/EU debate where one side quotes Martin Lewis out of context and the other side equates the EU with Napoleon and Hitler.[/quote]
I think that is unfair.
wycombewheeler wrote:
I think taht this unfair.
“6. Computer”
“6. Computer”
Nope Hate to say it but Strava. Keep the numbers in your pocket and worry about the riding. You don’t need to see them and they do nothing to make your ride any better. Plus, when you get back from your ride, it’s like opening a surprise (or disapointment!!).
I saw a guy in hospial with
I saw a guy in hospital with life threatening head injuries. He collided head-on with another cyclist on a cycle path. One of them was not wearing helmet. Now, try to guess which one was in hospital, one with helmet or without?
For me it is simple, old fashioned, common sense to wear helmet.
rix wrote:
Keep the cool stories coming.
Bro.
rix wrote:
would have thought it better that they were wearing spectacles to deal with their shortsightejdness then they would never have hit each other.
edit- and the practise of better road craft as well.
rix wrote:
Yes, let’s ignore statistics and science and instead concentrate on one specific anecdote.
Honestly, it’s like we never left the dark ages with the complete lack of scientific reasoning in a lot of people. There’s been plenty of people investigating how helmets perform in the real world and even with a lot of invested parties (e.g. helmet manufacturers), we’ve got no clear evidence that bike helmets provide a net gain in safety.
One thing that is proven about helmets, however, is that forcing people to wear them results in some people not wanting to cycle.
(For the record, I choose to wear a bike helmet – it’s like a good luck charm).
rix wrote:
I think it would be equally interesting to ask who caused the collision – the one with the helmet or the one without. It’s not unimagineable that if neither had been wearing a helmet that neither would have been injured, given the mechanism of risk compensation that some have argued (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation). However, this is all anecdote. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence)
rix wrote:
When I was at school a kid got a pretty serious head injury when a car mounted the kerb and hit him. No doubt he’d have been better off wearing a helmet.
Simple, old fashioned common sense to wear a helmet when walking anywhere. Right?
rix wrote:
In that case I’ll stop wearing one, as simple common sense has been frequently shown to be wrong.
rix wrote:
Why is that “common sense” so often is the same thing as “what I believe”?
And it turns into a helmet
And it turns into a helmet debate……..
darren13366 wrote:
Oh, no it doesn’t
So how fast do you need to be
So how fast do you need to be going before a helmet is advisable?
Even if the law allowed, I’d have never ridden my motorbike (even just down to the shops) without a helmet but yet I ‘can’ do 30mph in 30 zone on my bicycle. What’s the difference if I’d fallen in both cases? Are we basically saying cycling helmets are not fit for purpose and you’d need something off the construction and weight of motorbike helmet to see any benefit?
Don’t fancy going for a ride in a Simpson Bandit any time soon though.
Yorkshire wallet wrote:
I believe this to be true (can’t be bothered to find where it originates from):
“Cycle helmets are only designed and tested to withstand an impact equivalent to an average weight rider travelling at a speed of 12 mph falling onto a stationary kerb shaped object from a height of 1 metre.”
So, in theory a bicycle helmet will only be of use up to 12mph. Hitting another moving vehicle is not really considered with bicycle helmets as the forces involved are of a much greater magnitude.
The other thing to bear in mind is that cycle helmets are most effective in preventing skull fractures, but are not especially good at preventing injuries to the brain (e.g. boxers get brain damage without skull fractures). I’d agree with your “not fit for purpose” statement – the problem is that motorbike helmets are significantly more constrictive. Luckily, you’re far more likely to get a head injury whilst travelling in a car or even just walking than you are on a cycle.
Yorkshire wallet wrote:
in all seriousness if you are wanting proper protection then a helmet similar to the full face or 3/4 helmets for motorcycling will be the best option. Though that would then make cycling even more difficult and unattattractive to folk. The old half helmet (pudding bowl) is actually discouraged by a number of motorcycle safety bodies. This is the helmet that is most similar to the ‘roadie’ helmet. I find a certain irony that we are persuaded to wear something that his tested to 12mph impact and by a 1m verticle drop to be deemed protective. Bear in mind many of us avg 20mph on the flat and can hit 50mph on descents which makes these items useful in preventing being scalped. The fact that at <12mph your arms are going to break your fall and not your head doesn’t come into the equation.
Growing up we used to go for 50 mile cycles in regular clothes, gutties and a saddle bag with ham sandwiches for the heck of it and on a single speed. Dad and I would also go for a 10 mile spin after dinner during the summer. Agh changed days.
Yorkshire wallet wrote:
Up to 12mph, and bear in mind that wearing a helmet means that drivers will pass you closer and you’ll have more collisions.
I doubt most will even notice
I doubt most will even notice.
eburtthebike wrote:
I doubt most will even notice.
The only thing I would query
The only thing I would query is the requirement to have bike. Surely, all that is really required to get fun out of cycling is a strongly held set of opinions.
Which adds a third dimension to JK Jerome’s view that there are two ways to have fun from a bike, one was to actually ride it, but the alternative was just to simply maintain it….
I thought this was going to
I thought this was going to be a fun thread, full of insults and witty repertoire about who’s grammar is best and how helmets are more hazardous to your health than bacon, but no, it’s turned into a right load of unfundamented old tosh!
peted76 wrote:
Whose grammar is best.
hawkinspeter wrote:
It is actually better. Not best. You only need a comparitive in this instance. Not a superlative.
giff77 wrote:
comparative
davel wrote:
Obviously not my grammar! That’s more like it…..
Following club run the other month, the fastest kid on the road that day was not wearing a helmet. ‘Why aren’t you wearing a helmet?’ I gasped at him as I stood there looking like a sweaty overweight, but rather aero mushroom.. ‘why do you wear a helmet’ he retorted… I said ‘becuase I once fell off and smashed my helmet, without it I’d have smashed my skull and died’ .. he just looked at me nonplussed and said ‘I could die wearing a helmet’.
True story 🙂
davel wrote:
Obviously not my grammar! That’s more like it…..
Following club run the other month, the fastest kid on the road that day was not wearing a helmet. ‘Why aren’t you wearing a helmet?’ I gasped at him as I stood there looking like a sweaty overweight, but rather aero mushroom.. ‘why do you wear a helmet’ he retorted… I said ‘becuase I once fell off and smashed my helmet, without it I’d have smashed my skull and died’ .. he just looked at me nonplussed and said ‘I could die wearing a helmet’.
True story 🙂
In my younger, dirt-jumping
In my younger, dirt-jumping days, I never used to wear a helmet, never wore one when I rode street in BMX or skateboarding. Ironically the only time I banged my head and got knocked out was when I tried a jump I thought I’d better put a helmet on for. Maybe because I thought I was protected I didn’t ride very well? Who knows.
These days I always wear one unless I am literally rolling down to the shops on the MTB doing about 15 tops. I have a nagging wife, parental responsibility nagging in my head and a mate who did have one of those accidents which would have been better if he’d had a helmet on. I also managed to highside my motorbike at a stupidly low speed and faceplant, once again glad I had full face helmet on, so in general, helmet for me.
Fewer deaths, because fewer
Fewer deaths, because fewer children cycle. Their parents are (rightly?) concerned about all the homicidal berks driving around in their 4x4s, so prefer to keep their children safe by driving them around in 4x4s.
Richard D wrote:
Only too true. Children’s freedom, which is important for their development, has been more and more curtailed over the years.
In 1971 80% of seven and eight years old got to school without an adult.
By 1990 this had fallen to 9%.
Its probable that even fewer are allowed this freedom these days.
How children get to school is likely a good indicator of their freedom generally.
1. A copy of the Velominati
1. A copy of the Velominati rules – oh and a bike (n+1). lol
Don’t take that comment too seriously we’re all cyclist just wear what you want as long as you’re riding who cares?!
I thought number of bikes was
I thought number of bikes was
s = n-1
where s is level at which “s he starts divorce proceedings” 😉
Lets not forget HiViz
Lets not forget HiViz clothing … any accident involving another party will be your fault unless you are wearing HiViz and a helmet.
A copy of the highway code is
A copy of the highway code is also essential … in case a police officer pulls you over and starts misquoting it.
*I should add that I don’t recommend telling a police officer to check the highway code … that is unless you like eating porrage and want to meet Bubba.
How can you mention bibshorts
How can you mention bibshorts to newbies without explaining that you don’t wear underwear with them?!?!!!!
Irresponsible. The real Rules say ‘guide the uninitiated’. Try again.
Number 1 (a bike) is a must
Number 1 (a bike) is a must but the rest are just useful and not an absolute need :-/
It’s about time this article
It’s about time this article got unfundamented.
+1 for gloves. Apart from the
+1 for gloves. Apart from the protection if (when) you fall off, especially if you go for clipless, the little bit of extra padding can make those longer rides much more bearable.
As a dedicated commuter, I’d also put a set of full mudguards pretty high up that list!
And you have to wonder how
And you have to wonder how many comments there would have been if it had contained all of those deleted because they were by or quoted Superpython?
ktache wrote:
Or Willo.
(Gawd, there are so many posters who’ve been banned over the years…)
Padded shorts – Mandatory
Padded shorts – Mandatory
Cycle Computer – Mandatory
Helmet – not on the list because it isn’t law you have to wear one
Yeah personal choice I respect that but ESPECIALLY when you are new to cycling like the article is aimed at its a good idea. You are gonna come crash or come off at some point, probably sooner if you haven’t cycled in years.
Doesn’t have to be typical head injury or lorry running over your cranium situation, tarmac is great to fall on road rash is a bit different to your head, Gota a couple of nice big keloid scars on my face to serve as a reminder of that from my pre helmet days.
That said I do still occasionally ride city rental bikes when I don’t have my helmet with me.
…[Article ends]
…[Article ends]
________________
[BTL begins]…
“Well, I disagree with one point, and the writer is no longer a member of the human race.”
“Yeah? I disagree: where’s your evidence?”
“Really? Where’s your evidence.”
“You’re scum!”
“You’re the spawn of Beelzebub and your BSO is a Raleigh Shopper!”
…
7. A Thick Skin and Sharp Elbows
It seems a pretty sensible
It seems a pretty sensible list of essentials, except for No. 6: a bike computer, which is anything but essential. Given that the cheapest Garmin model is around £150, that’s a lot of money. And the point is that most people nowadays have a smartphone that’s always with them, and even a pretty simple one will run software like MapMyRide or Strava, which give you almost everything you’d want to know about a ride as well as a map of the route you’ve followed. So spending £150+ (and Garmins can go for £600 at the top of the range) seems really wasteful unless you have specialised requirements for your rides.
Furthermore, you can plot a route on Cyclestreets or similar free software and then use a mapping app like Bikegpx to follow that route, turn by turn, so a specialised bike computer is even more redundant.
Rcartes wrote:
Welcome to the madhouse!
Out of curiosity, since Cyclestreets gives you turn by turn navigation, why bother to export its route into something else to do the same?
Pffffffft!
Pffffffft!
You don’t really need a bike – just employ visualisation techniques like the best sportsmen. Picture yourself leaning into corners, powering up hills and leaving other cyclists in your wake. You can also practise getting into the most aerodynamic position whilst walking to the shops, so do some preparation before you decide on whether or not to actually get a bike.
I think “lots of bargains to
I think “lots of bargains to be had for under £500” is starting to stretch things now, at least if you’re limiting to new bikes.
Particularly as the linked
Particularly as the linked article itself now goes up to £550 (though TBF, does include options from £299.99)