Bike Gear

There are a few things that I never go out on a ride without.

1. My riding jacket.
   
   
   
   I practically always wear it on my bicycle, and I usually wear it on my scooter. It is uber-reflective. I consider it to be the opposite of Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. I think it actually has wattage. It also has two side pockets, a breast pocket, a long pouch along the back, and lots of pouches on the interior; it can hold a ton. The sleeves a zipper all the way off if it is really warm, or just partially, to create more air flow in case it’s just a little warm. It is an awesome jacket.



2. My helmet. Duh.



3. A bandanna.
   
   
   
   I usually wear it pirate style under my helmet, which has excellent ventilation, and which would otherwise leave me with irreparable helmet hair. It can also serve as a thin but precious layer between my ears the cold wind in the mornings and evenings. Besides that, there are infinite uses for a bandanna; it is, along with a good pocket knife and an ink pen, a thing that I consider it mandatory for me to have on my person at all times. This morning, I was far enough ahead of schedule that I stopped to pick up some fast food breakfast, which I was able to strap under my saddle using my bandanna.



4. Safety glasses.
   
   
   
   They cost about eight dollars at Ace Hardware, and I wear them every time I ride. It is against the law to ride your scooter or motorcycle without eye protection in Colorado, and the same concerns apply directly to cyclists. A bug or rock in the eye sucks at any speed, and can be deadly at 12 - 18 MPH when in traffic and trying to keep your balance.

That’s it on my mandatory apparel. Sometimes I bring gloves. This morning I rode with my wool gloves even though it was over 50 degrees and not really cold, because my hands have been so dry and cracked lately. I blame it on the wind exposure on my rides.



The other thing I always carry on my rides is what I think of as my bike bag: an old bum bag (fanny pack) filled with wrenches, a patch kit, a spare tube, a small air pump, and my “clean up” kit which consists of deodorant, antiperspirant, talcum powder, and baby wipes.



That’s about it. I do have precautions I take, and things I consider necessary that a lot of people do without, but I don’t consider any of it superfluous or ridiculous. I don’t wear spandex or bike shorts or tights, and I don’t have any of those neon colored bike jerseys. I don’t have special socks or shoes. My bike process is very reasonable.



I'm the dude in khakis and a t-shirt, enjoying the hell out of his 40 mile ride.

Wisdom from Old Schoolers

There was this free fitness magazine published in San Diego that I would pick up at the smoothie shop or the sandwich shop when I saw it or when I thought about it.  It usually focussed on 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, etc, but every once in a while there were some articles and interviews about and with cyclists.

An article in one issue talked about an old timer who used to race around New York and Nre Jersey.  I don't remember his name, but he was full of adages like, "Once you learn to rest while going up hill, then you'll be an effective cyclist." (Meditating on that quote lead me to change my jogging style.)

He also refused to wear synthetic materials and modern racing jerseys. In perfect contrast to fanatics today who are adamant about not letting cotton or wool be the layer against their skin, this guy said he always wore two long-sleeved cotton t-shirts. Once he sweat through the first one, then it would sweat through the second one. The layer against his skin was dry, and the outter layer kept him cool. He recommended this setup for both warm and cool weather.

I was thinking about him last night as I was riding home in mid-20 degree weather. I had been seeing people during the day walking around in huge winter coats, gloves and hats, and here I was, comfy and cozy in two long-sleeved t-shirts and a windbreaker.

This morning, I decided to test my fortitude and venture out with only one t-shirt and only one pair of socks.  I made it, but sure wasn't comfortable at the other end of my 8 mile commute.

The main point here, though, is that you don't need a ton of fancy equipment or clothing in order to ride, or even to ride through the winter. Just layer up a couple of cotton t-shirts, and get out there on the road.