Bicycle Accessories?

[Kelemvor]

Howdy,

I want to start riding my bike to work and such this summer and am looking for info on accessories...

Bike is a no-name Timberlin FasTracks 18-speed Mountain Bike. Nothing fancy.

It's old but still works so I don't want buy a new one. But the seat kills me so I'd definitely like to get a new one there. It has the plain seat which I added a Gel cover to a while back but that never really did anything. Can anyone recommend some seats that won't have my ass aching by the time I get to work but that also isn't very expensive...

Also what other accessories would you recommend for the bike? I have a lock and water bottle. I know I need a helmet (but know nothing about them). Will probably get some sort of flashing thing for the back and a light for the front (but I don't expect to be riding in the dark). I will also need something to put my work clothes in while I ride like saddle bags or something...

Never really used a biek for other than trail rides on the weekends so just want to see what others would recommend

 

[ggnl]

You're probably best off just taking the old seat (or the whole bike) into a bike shop to look for a replacement. There's such a wide range of accessories to choose from, I usually just end up buying whatever they have on stock that I like.

 

[JulesMaximus]

When I was commuting by bike I would either bring my clothes in the day before or carry them in a back pack.

Regardless of which seat you buy your ass is going to ache until you get used to riding regularly. Still, a good seat will help. Just find one that is comfortable to you. I try to alternate sitting and standing in the saddle while I ride if my butt hurts.

 

[Kelemvor]

I'd ideally like to ride to work every day (unless it's raining) so I'll have to bring clothes with me every day. A backkpack would probably work fine. Wonder if I have one laying around somewhere. heh.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Here we go:

A good seat is Selle Italia Flite, either w or w/o gel.
A set of gloves
Helmet: Bell has some nice models.

 

[notfred]

Seats are a personal matter (You're going to need to find one that fits your ass... everyone's ass is different) but a decent seat from a reputable manufacturer is probably going to cost as much as your bike is worth (which doesn't say much - the bike is probably only worth $50). So, expect to pay $40 or more for a decent seat.

Helmets are helmets. More expensive ones are generally more comfortable, but the level of protection is about the same. Get one that you can afford that feels decent on your head.

The most important accessory for a mountain bike that's going to be used on the street is slick tires. Buy some tires that look like they'd go on a road bike (but make sure they're 26" tires to fit mountain bike wheels and not 700c road bike tires). YOu'll be a LOT faster on narrow slicks than big knobby mountain bike tires.

If you wear a backpack and you're going more than 2 or 3 miles, your back is going to be really sweaty when you get to work. If you have a bunch of stuff to get, you're better off buying a set of panniers for the rear of the bike.

Edit: And if you'll be riding after dark, get some lights so that cars can see you.

 

[Kelemvor]

Ah, good thinking. Never even thought about the tires. They are the big knobby ones which I know aren't the quickest things around. Of course we do have some crushed gravel trails near me that I ride on over the weekends so I'd either need something that is more of an in-between tires or be able to swap them.

 

[Fausto]

^^What notfred said.

Tires- get fat slicks (at least 1.5") with a kevlar layer if you can find them. The last thing you want to deal with when commuting is a flat tire. You will also want stuff to fix a flat (extra tubes + pump/CO2 cartridge + tire levers). I would also recommend carrying a multi-tool like the Topeak Alien; they're heavy, but will save your ass.

Clothing- Get some basic cycling shorts or baggy shorts with a padded liner. You'll also want to get a cycling jersey or two instead of cotton t-shirts since they don't get sloppy when sweaty like cotton does.

Work Clothes- I roll my stuff up and put it in a backpack. I then strap the backpack to a rack via bungie cords. The rack is simple aluminum deal that clamps to the seatpost so you don't have to fiddle with rack mounts and can take it off in 5 min if needed. This keeps you from overheating as much and also keeps your center of gravity lower on the bike (which is good).

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Ah, good thinking. Never even thought about the tires. They are the big knobby ones which I know aren't the quickest things around. Of course we do have some crushed gravel trails near me that I ride on over the weekends so I'd either need something that is more of an in-between tires or be able to swap them.

Semi-slicks are your friend then.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Ah, good thinking. Never even thought about the tires. They are the big knobby ones which I know aren't the quickest things around. Of course we do have some crushed gravel trails near me that I ride on over the weekends so I'd either need something that is more of an in-between tires or be able to swap them.

Semi-slicks are your friend then.

I use the house-brand Performance Bike slicks for my commuter bike and have had exactly one flat in four years of daily commuting. :thumbsup:

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: notfred
The most important accessory for a mountain bike that's going to be used on the street is slick tires. Buy some tires that look like they'd go on a road bike (but make sure they're 26" tires to fit mountain bike wheels and not 700c road bike tires). YOu'll be a LOT faster on narrow slicks than big knobby mountain bike tires.

Honestly, in my experience (all else being equal), it doesn't make that much difference in cruising speed on the road. I think you'll get better wear/mileage out of the slicks, and maybe an edge in traction on-road... wouldn't say much though.

I would recommend some tire-liners. Pre-liners I was getting a flat every other time, post liners I've gotten one flat in 2 months. Either way, you'll need a travel tool kit w/ tire levers and a portable bike pump.

If you wear a backpack and you're going more than 2 or 3 miles, your back is going to be really sweaty when you get to work. If you have a bunch of stuff to get, you're better off buying a set of panniers for the rear of the bike.

You'll probably be sweaty anyway. On that subject, if you are commuting it's probably worth looking into some fenders, if you hit any puddles you'll be happy you have/had them. I don't commute so don't need 'em.

As for seats, that's a personal preference, I've tried a few out and all the 'racing' style seats so far will leave you sore the first few rides but after that (if you ride regularly) you should get used to it.

Edit: And if you'll be riding after dark, get some lights so that cars can see you.

indeed. Walmart has a cheap ($15) led/xenon combo light. LED = good on batteries / xeonon = good on being able to see.

 

[Brutuskend]

A word on saddles and seat hight.

The BIGGEST factor on whether you but hurts or not is saddle positioning, if your saddle is too low it wont matter what saddle you are sitting on, you ass will still hurt! I see a LOT of people ridding with their saddle WAY too low. When you are on the bike with the cranks at their lowest position you should have a very slight bend in your knee. One way to get this right is to put just your heel on the pedal. In this position your leg should be straight, then when you put your foot back where it should be (the ball of your foot right over the spindle of the pedal) you will have a slight bend in your knee.

You also want to make sure the nose of the saddle is right. It should be level with the rear of the saddle.

As far as tires go, I like these.

And the Plant Bike Dual Spot is, IMO a good way to go for a light.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
A word on saddles and seat hight.

The BIGGEST factor on whether you but hurts or not is saddle positioning, if your saddle is too low it wont matter what saddle you are sitting on, you ass will still hurt! I see a LOT of people ridding with their saddle WAY too low. When you are on the bike with the cranks at their lowest position you should have a very slight bend in your knee. One way to get this right is to put just your heel on the pedal. In this position your leg should be straight, then when you put your foot back where it should be (the ball of your foot right over the spindle of the pedal) you will have a slight bend in your knee.

You also want to make sure the nose of the saddle is right. It should be level with the rear of the saddle.

Good point but I have to disagree on the angle. It depends on the saddle you are using. My Flite is ever so slightly angled forward. Level is a good starting point.

 

[notfred]

Just for fun, here's my commuter type bike. I've added lights anda water bottle cage to it since that pic was taken.

 

[Brutuskend]

My commuter.
But too be fair, I only live a block and a half from work.

 

[TRUMPHENT]

If you are tall, think about getting one of these.
Seatpost with dogleg and 350mm height. On sale 26.8mm diameter.

I bought a Schwinn S-25 "mountain bike" at Target and also got the off the shelf Schwinn "comfort seat" at the same time. That mountain bike seat that came with the bike was just too severe to even look at. There are even plushier seats.

After a couple of weeks of riding, you will develop some seat comfort of your own.

 

[Pokey007]

I don't think anybody has mentioned toe-clips. They take a little while to get used to, but make commuting on a bike much easier. I'd highly recommend slicker tires, lights, and toe-clips.

 

[Fausto]

Since we're sharing, here's my commuter scooter.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: Pokey007
I don't think anybody has mentioned toe-clips. They take a little while to get used to, but make commuting on a bike much easier. I'd highly recommend slicker tires, lights, and toe-clips.

God I hate toe clips. Clipless pedals is the way to go but now we're talking $60 pedals and $100 shoes.

 

[Baked]

Make sure you get a gel seat w/ large groove down the middle so you don't choke and overheat your nuts.

 

[oboeguy]

You guys make me wish I had a job so I could bike commute again.

Anyway, mostly good advice here. My own (some duplication):

Helmet: most major brands protect about the same -- get something that fits, and spend the time adjusting the straps to make sure it will stay in place!

Carrying clothing: I've done the backpack thing, with a laptop and clothing inside, in the full summer weather. I sweat a lot, but I survived. However, if I had a dedicated commuter bike (I used my roadbike) I'd get a rack for my panniers and ditch the backpack if I could.

Bike clothing: anything over a few miles and you will be happy you got some. Wash your shorts often or be prepared for saddle sores!

Saddle: yeah, saddle position is key. Too low or too high and you can mess yourself up.

Other gear: listen to Fausto... you do NOT want to be stuck halfway to work with a flat and not have a spare tube / patch (and learn how to fix a flat, btw).

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
My commuter.
But too be fair, I only live a block and a half from work.

Heh. That must be nice. I'm about a 10 minute drive which is about 6-7 miles. But of course I won't go straight down the highway on my bike so I have to find some side roads that can get me here. So I'm sure it will be at least a bit longer than that.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: Pokey007
I don't think anybody has mentioned toe-clips. They take a little while to get used to, but make commuting on a bike much easier. I'd highly recommend slicker tires, lights, and toe-clips.

God I hate toe clips. Clipless pedals is the way to go but now we're talking $60 pedals and $100 shoes.

Not really. You can get them much cheaper than that if you shop around a little.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
My commuter.
But too be fair, I only live a block and a half from work.

Heh. That must be nice. I'm about a 10 minute ride which is about 6-7 miles. But of course I won't go straight down the highway on my bike so I have to find some side roads that can get me here. So I'm sure it will be at least a bit longer than that.

Get a detailed map of the area and plot a route (or routes). I have three different ones for variety.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: notfred
Seats are a personal matter (You're going to need to find one that fits your ass... everyone's ass is different) but a decent seat from a reputable manufacturer is probably going to cost as much as your bike is worth (which doesn't say much - the bike is probably only worth $50). So, expect to pay $40 or more for a decent seat.

Helmets are helmets. More expensive ones are generally more comfortable, but the level of protection is about the same. Get one that you can afford that feels decent on your head.

The most important accessory for a mountain bike that's going to be used on the street is slick tires. Buy some tires that look like they'd go on a road bike (but make sure they're 26" tires to fit mountain bike wheels and not 700c road bike tires). YOu'll be a LOT faster on narrow slicks than big knobby mountain bike tires.

If you wear a backpack and you're going more than 2 or 3 miles, your back is going to be really sweaty when you get to work. If you have a bunch of stuff to get, you're better off buying a set of panniers for the rear of the bike.

Edit: And if you'll be riding after dark, get some lights so that cars can see you.

I always put a towel on the inside of the backpack to keep my clothes from getting sweaty. Worked fine for me and I was riding about 9 miles one way.

I also recommend the slicks. I had them on my mtb and it made a huge difference. Much less rolling resistance.