I started commuting by bicycle a couple years ago, which at first I thought would be a major challenge, since I was so used to commuting by bus every day.
A few things I definitely realised I needed during my first couple years were:
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Two baskets. The one on the front for personal stuff like my jacket, a small bag with my phone, wallet and so on. The one on the back for work-related stuff. That’s where I carry most of my cables, mic stands (if they fit), audio interfaces and stuff. I’m an audio engineer, so I need to carry a lot of stuff for work most of the time.
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A helmet. I know a lot of commuters don’t use helmets because they’re annoying and they can be difficult to carry around, but I personally realised that most of the time I preferred feeling like I wasn’t a fall away from death. Especially since I’m usually cruising around 20-30km/h. It felt right for me.
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A rainsuit. Eventually I bought the entire kit. Waterproof pants, jacket and even a waterproof spray for my glasses. I manage to fit them tightly packed inside one of the bags on the back and I don’t even notice they’re there most of the time. They’ve become must-haves for me.
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Cash. I usually never carried cash around, but after I got a flat tire on my way to work, and the guy at the bike repair stop only received cash, I started carrying cash around pretty much everywhere. At least enough cash to afford a quick repair if anything goes wrong. I also carry a small set of keys and screwdrivers just in case, but I’d rather not mess with the tires myself if I can get someone else to do it for me.
Ultimately, what I’ve discovered about bike commuting, is that it’s a completely different experience from road biking. Obviously this sounds logical to experienced riders, but having never used a bicycle for practical purposes before (and only used it for fun), I legitimately thought it was going to be far more difficult to have a normal life commuting exclusively by bike. You don’t really have to be super knowledgeable about bicycles, or in very good shape, and you don’t have to be extremely passionate about cycling as a sport or an activity to be able to enjoy the massive advantages of bicycle commuting. Mostly, knowing exactly how long every trip is going to take, getting some light-to-medium exercise every day, and getting to work in a much better mood.
Bicycle commuter for about 10yrs now. Yes, the good mood dividend is wonderful! I do find a helmet essential, having been knocked over by a motorist. But I'm also conflicted by recent studies showing that helmeted cyclists are dehumanized by motorists. On the other hand, walking into a place with helmet in hand is a great conversation starter: " you rode here?!?" 😎
I feel like if a motorist has the time and mental capacity to notice if a cyclist has a helmet on or not, they're probably dehumanizing them anyway, and it's likely the cycle rather than the helmet that's making them think that.
How would you even measure that with any sort of confidence? Now I'm curious, do you recall which study it was?
Good point. We may already be a target of their frustrations. I think the study looks into how likely those impulses are to be acted upon
here is the link to the study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823001018
I'm not surprised at the outcomes of the study, but I don't think it should be taken to correlate with real-world behaviours. There was no investigation of other modes of transport, only two models were used for most pictures, the models in the pictures were simply standing beside a bike rather than riding it, two different models were used for 2 of the 10 data points, and the study is based partially on subjective/survey data.
I do agree that dehumanization is a contributing factor in aggression towards cyclists, but it's a factor in nearly all prejudicial behaviour towards 'outsider' groups. I feel like the takeaway from this study should rather be that, generally, people wearing apparel that is not typical fashion could be seen as less human. And I definitely don't think this should have an impact on one's choice to wear a helmet or not.