The Ten Essentials

The bicycle makes for excellent transportation. While you certainly don’t need a fancy, expensive bike or all the latest gear to start, a few things will help keep you comfortable and safe—and make the ride much more enjoyable:

  1. A Bike. Make sure you have your bike checked out by a local bike shop to ensure the brakes and gears are in top working order.
  2. A proper bike fit. If the bike doesn’t fit, it isn’t comfortable. If it isn’t comfortable, it isn’t safe. If it isn’t safe, you’re not going to want to ride… you get it. Make sure your bike fits properly.
  3. A bicycle helmet. Visit a bike shop or consult the Cascade Bicycle Club staff (by appointment, please) to have one fitted to your head. Different helmets fit differently shaped heads. Try on several until you find one that’s snug yet comfortable when adjusted by a professional. Helmets range in price, but the extra cost is usually just style and ventilation—Cascade can sell you a safe helmet for $10. Consider a brightly colored helmet over a dark one for better visibility. Replace your helmet after 3 years of use or immediately after any damage/impact.
  4. Lights. Purchase a high-quality white-beamed light for the front and a red blinking light for the rear. (These can be purchased at your local bike shop and aren’t necessarily expensive.) Position the lights so they point ahead and behind you—and so that cars and other cyclists can see you from hundreds of feet away. By law, you need an operating front light and rear reflector—the absolute minimum we’d recommend for safety.
  5. Reflective and Bright Clothing. Your visibility in traffic increases dramatically when you wear clothing that calls attention to your place on the road. Reflective tape or fabric-specific stickers are great options to apply to your current gear (and bike).
  6. Rain Gear. Invest in some quality rain gear. Cycling-specific jackets with a long “ducktail” protect your backside from getting wet and muddy. Rain pants and waterproof booties are popular during the wet months.
  7. Fenders. Fenders make life—as well as the lives of those cycling behind you—so much better during the rain. You’ll stay drier and your bike will remain cleaner.
  8. Commuter Clothing. Everyone has his/her own idea on what to wear on the commute in. Some riders prefer the ease of a jacket over their work clothes, others gear up in spandex. The priorities should be safety and comfort, the rest is personal preference. Make sure your clothing doesn’t interfere with safe operation of your bike (cuff your pants so they don’t get caught in the chain, for instance).
  9. A Bell. Use a small bell on your handlebars to alert pedestrians or other cyclists of your presence when passing. Otherwise, make sure to say “passing on your left” to avoid close calls and crashes.
  10. Rearview Mirror. Put one on your handlebars or helmet to get a better view and feel much safer in traffic.