Fenders for rainy days, some rain gear (I like my cheapo cape) stashed inside a pannier in case you get caught out in unexpected weather
A small repair kit. Should include a bike multitool, tire levers, a spare tube and pump at the minimum. A chain tool and quick link can be good for chain repairs, but in many years I never had a chain break on me. Mostly flats or random screws getting loose
Can't live without my rack and pannier. The bag is waterproof and pretty much indestructible, and all my stuff goes in there instead of wearing a backpack so I don't end up with that huge sweat spot on my back.
A cycle cape to keep the rain off.
Microfibre cloth to dry the seat on rainy days.
Gloves for warm hands and protection.
Spare inner tube & a few tools.
I went out and rode on the Iron Horse Trail starting in Walnut Creek today funny enough. I just needed some outside time with this weather. I am thinking of going out to Marin or something this weekend if I get a chance, but I am still recovering from an injury and not sure if it is a good idea to start taking on so much vertical elevation change just yet. Might just putt around SF on my Brompton a bit.
Fenders and good lights. Not some million lumen garbage, a good ~80-100lux asymmetrical headlight so that you don't blind everyone and a wide taillight with 180 degree viewing so you are visible from the side and never run it on a flash or strobe at night.
I am also a huge fan of a front rack with a basket so I can keep my eyes on cargo, and not need specialized bags to carry odd shaped items.
Follow the law in your state. IIRC there's only 4 states that allow splitting, but all 50 states explicitly say that you're supposed to follow ALL the rules of the road like everyone else.
In California where lane splitting is legal, about a third of all motorcycle accidents involve lane splitting. It turns out, cars can turn, even when going slow.
We’re not talking about motorcycles here though. A bike weaving through slow traffic and a motorcycle going 20mph+ between highway lanes are not equivalent.
I mich prefer buying old bikes and giving them new life. I’m still buying from bike shops for parts, but for sustainability and frugality, I’d much rather spend a couple of hundred on a new old bike, than a couple of thousand on a new new bike.
I rode it around some dedicated gravel/dirt cycle paths around my town. I live in an area that’s flat as a nats tit, so no real ‘mountain’ biking so to speak.
I ride 2-3 times during the weekdays, mostly during the mornings before I start work. I find that it gives me a boost of energy and motivation to get through the day.
I do longer rides on the weekends if my wife's schedule permits 🤣
I prefer being clipped in as it gives me more stability (as long as the bike fit is good). I live in a very hilly area where I'm going downhill 30-40% of my ride. being clipped in gives me the security of bombing down those hills.
Works best if you are part of some sort of organised advocacy group. So either try to join one or try founding one if there isn't a local one already. Fair warning though: It's a lot of work.
Check if there's a state-wide one. I think the League of American Bicyclists has a directory. Then maybe the state organization can connect you with others in your area.
Ideally you want an advocacy group to tell elected officials that there's a need, and the have the city or county or whatever form a committee that advises their planners and engineers on bike infrastructure.
If you find that there isn't a local advocacy group, then you're the local advocacy group. Who's going to say you're not?
Years ago I heard a talk by Dave Meslin, a well-known Toronto organizer and one of the founders of the Toronto Cyclists Union. One of his points that stuck with me was that for many of the things he worked on, he just made up an official-sounding name for it, so that his letters to officials sounded more authoritative. Basically, if you write as anthoniix then you're easy to pass off as just some local kook, but if you write as something like "<your city> Bike Lane Committee" then you sound official and organized, and you're more likely to get a response from the bureaucracy and the media. Plus you'll probably find more people interested in getting involved if you have a name for it.
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