One of the great things about using a bicycle as a mode of transportation is its simplicity. But sometimes it feels like the bike world is always trying to complicate that simplicity — with new technology, new gear and new features designed to make your bike faster, lighter or stronger. And while this tech can be amazing (and you should absolutely use anything you need to make the bike a bigger part of your life), sometimes I feel like the excitement over new tech overshadows the pleasures of cycling's simplicity.

So this video is to remind you that, while tech and gear can be great, you may not need all of it to have a happy bike life

0:00 Introduction
1:01 Suspension
2:35 Dropper posts
3:06 Cycling shoes that clip into your pedals
4:16 Disc brakes (in some situations!)
5:29 Carbon-fibre frames
6:57 Too many gears
7:34 Knobby tires
7:58 Cycling-specific clothing
8:36 A few things I like that you might need...
8:44 A rack
9:31 Pannier bags or a basket
9:51 A kickstand
10:24 Fenders
10:38 The right accessories

#cycling #bike #commuting

Sponsor
Two Wheel Gear: My favourite bike bags for commuters and urban cyclists https://www.twowheelgear.com/

Buy my book Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling: https://rmbooks.com/book/frostbike/

I don’t really do proper product reviews, but here are some products that I’ve tried on this channel that I like. (Of course you don’t need anything fancy to ride a bike, other than a bike, but these are Amazon affiliate links, and I get paid a small commission if you buy them 😉)

• Here's the winter bike I'm riding these days: https://bit.ly/2PhqUqF
• Cliq Smart Bike Light (nice rear brake light): https://amzn.to/39lfqwo
• RedShift Acrlight Smart LED Pedals (clever lights for your pedals): https://amzn.to/3NL1Npg
• Aftershokz Titanium bone-conducting headphones (if you want to listen while you ride): https://amzn.to/3e9Tofa
• JBL CLip 4 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker (for your party-pace group rides): https://amzn.to/3pcMLPm
• Crane Bicycle Bell (the ding is sublime): https://amzn.to/3OwfZCu
• Ibex Merino Wool clothing (good for summer and winter): https://bit.ly/3xXkbEd
• Bicycle Cargo Net (why did it take so long for me to buy one of these?): https://amzn.to/31s1Ovu
• Vaude Cover II Rain Poncho (for higher-end, try Cleverhood or People’s Poncho): https://amzn.to/3jLkift
• Kryptonite U-Lock (your bike is going to get stolen eventually, sigh, but at least make it hard): https://amzn.to/3tPWcGi
• Peak Design phone case (the one I use, paired with the Peak Design phone mount): https://amzn.to/3HGM0FU

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