31 responses so far ↓

• 1 logan // Mar 24, 2008 at 6:15 pm

  My 16″ collapsible police baton. No longer do I fear dogs, druggies or, well, anyone.

• 2 Ghost Rider // Mar 24, 2008 at 7:38 pm

  I am ALL ABOUT the police baton — what an awesome commuter tool!

  I love my Planet Bike SuperFlash — annoyingly bright and cheap, and made by a company that gives back to the cycling community. You can’t beat that.

• 3 Russ Roca // Mar 24, 2008 at 8:30 pm

  mirror (helmet mounted or sunglass mounted)….has to be one of the most important bits of bicycle safety….

  keeps you from getting snuck up on by cars…gives you a little ESP when it comes to potential right hookers…

  hands down one of the most over-looked but most important bike accessories…

  you could pay a crap load for that wacky computer/rear view camera thing or 15 bones for a real-time updated, waterproof, compact and nearly indestructable mirror

• 4 Moe // Mar 24, 2008 at 10:07 pm

  I’m with Ghost and Russ. My mirror, my rear blinkies and now my MiNewt Dual are my favorite accessories.

• 5 Wayne Myer // Mar 25, 2008 at 4:37 am

  Another vote for the mirror and any good lighting system. I have been using a Minoura Besso to mount a Princeton Tec SB3 on my forks. I have an SB1 on top of my helmet.

  I also really enjoy the English saddlebags, specifically Carradice SQR Slim and Camper Longflap. Good capacity, great stability, and none of those weird handling dynamics that happen with seatpost racks.

• 6 Jamis_Bater // Mar 25, 2008 at 6:33 am

  My Pearl Izumi florescent yellow jacket. My wife commented about just how visible I was from a distance when she saw me on a flat-light somewhat foggy afternoon from about 200 yds out. That felt good as I am never quite sure how visible I am while riding. Kinda like bad breath, you really don’t know how awful yours is until your spouse tells you to go brush cause you have poop mouth.

  Speaking of visibility have any of you seen this video on YouTube?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RVJMSdIYaQ&eurl=http://video.bicycling.com/item/PDTY62LZ7LXFMLBJ

• 7 Smudgemo // Mar 25, 2008 at 7:35 am

  NiteRider’s add-on tail light with 16 LEDs. I feel naked w/o it.

  Gotta check out the baton, though.

• 8 Quinn // Mar 25, 2008 at 8:34 am

  My Kona Jake, although the components are not the best, I can hammer down the nastiest street and the Kona part asks for more.

  and my reflective stickers from http://www.streetglo.net
  I have the black tape that reflects white on my forks and stays.

• 9 RL // Mar 25, 2008 at 8:50 am

  My Xtracycle. I am totally in love with that thing!

• 10 derek // Mar 25, 2008 at 9:10 am

  2nd the xtracycle - fantastic invention.
  I also dig the down low glow. Anyone commuting at night needs one of these. I feel safer riding at night than I do during the day!

  http://www.rockthebike.com

  Also, I stole an image from your site for my links page. Let me know if that is unacceptable

• 11 Siouxgeonz // Mar 25, 2008 at 9:15 am

  Xtracycle, yea… but the mirror, definitely. I’m a little clueless on the safety flag - where’s it go? (I’m thinking one of those collapsible 3-foot extensions to the side could be an awesome accessory.)

• 12 db // Mar 25, 2008 at 9:22 am

  Planet Bike Freddy Fenders
  Superflash
  3M reflective tape

• 13 Jon Karak // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:30 am

  helmet mirror
  reflective tape on the helmet (on all sides)
  front and rear lights
  a whistle (Fox 40 Pealess)
  reflective jogging vest

• 14 Lance // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:35 am

  Hey Jon, just curious here… why the whistle?

• 15 Ghost Rider // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:53 am

  Derek, for you we’ll make an exception…you are truly the Xtracycle CHAMPION, and we appreciate the “link love”!!!

• 16 Ghost Rider // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:55 am

  Hey, we forgot a “Phased plasma rifle in the 40 Watt range”.

  Anyone care to guess which movie that came from? It’s easy…

• 17 Ghost Rider // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:58 am

  Siouxgeonz, we posted an article about the safety flag and its mounting here:

  http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/18/d-tour-bicycle-safety-flag-first-impression/

• 18 Val // Mar 25, 2008 at 11:11 am

  Wow, tough to pick just one accessory…it’s all about the synergistic setup. Some universal recommendations: Schwalbe Big Apple tires - suspension in a can, and fast rolling! Any reliable, bright, light set; I have my favorite generator system, but whatever illuminates you is great. Fenders and raingear are definitely essential for the Pacific Northwest. Last but not least, Air Zound horn (or equivalent) - a truly effective way to get the muppets’ attention, and a much more appropriate resopnse than the one finger salute to any abuse on their part.

• 19 Jon Karak // Mar 25, 2008 at 11:13 am

  Since bicycles don’t come with horns, I use the whistle as a substitute. The trick is to keep it in your mouth as you ride, especially when approaching hazardous areas.

  Typically I use it to “remind” drivers that they need to pay attention.

• 20 Elizabeth // Mar 25, 2008 at 12:58 pm

  For me I’m glad for my NEOS overshoes to get me through the Chicago rain and slushy winters — my feet stay warm and dry!
  But I also couldn’t do it without my Endura bright yellow commuter jacket and the SKS fenders to keep the mess off of me.
  Of course, the SuperFlash and my headlights keep me visible and the BanjoBros waterproof pannier lets me load up on groceries.

• 21 Mike Myers // Mar 25, 2008 at 3:57 pm

  My DiNotte taillight and 600L headlight make night riding feel safer. Combine those with Superflashes on rear of helmet and mounted to rack, and I’m a rolling beacon.

  I like the idea of the baton, Jack. Where do you carry it? I usually commute in roadie clothes, and I think it’s a bit heavy for my jersey pocket. I carry pepper spray mounted to the bike, and a 9mm in a fanny pack holster. The baton would be a nice step between the two. But, to be honest, pepper spray is pretty darned effective and gives one the advantage of distance. And, of course, the 9mm is the ultimate.

  Bright clothing, Bell Metro helmet(the best helmet I’ve owned, period), Illuminite arm warmers, wool jerseys, etc.

• 22 Ghost Rider // Mar 25, 2008 at 4:47 pm

  The baton gets strapped to the top tube of whichever bike I’m riding.

  I have considered a firearm (I have a CWP), but I work in a county building where firearms are strictly forbidden. What would I do with it? Leave it in the bushes once I got there? One of the deputies I work with suggested an ankle holster, but man…if I got caught, I’d be dead meat! So the baton it is — easier to swing than a U lock and just as capable of breaking a window. I hope I never have to use it.

• 23 Mike Myers // Mar 25, 2008 at 7:22 pm

  Jack—that is a dilemma. The Florida legislature is working on a bill to make it illegal for employers to bar employees from keeping firearms in their cars, but your case is different.

  Ankle holster is not good BUT I would bet nobody would notice it in your messenger bag. But I’m not suggesting you break the rules or anything. My employer is cool but he hasn’t asked to look in my fanny pack yet, either. It does help if you put stickers and decorations on the “tactical black fanny pack holster”. I don’t get the obsession with black cordura. It just screams GUN. Putting some bike stickers and a peace symbol patch on it negates that effect.

  I like the idea of the baton, but I don’t want to get that close to anybody. Pepper spray gives a lot of distance.

• 24 logan // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:41 pm

  One of the tasers police use, the ones that shoot the darts out, that would be perfect.

• 25 Paul // Mar 25, 2008 at 11:18 pm

  My helmet. It saved my life once.

• 26 Lance // Mar 26, 2008 at 7:18 am

  Boy I’d feel a lot safer with one of those batons. Where’s a good place to get one…and how to you buy/make one of those straps for your top tube Jack? A “how to” article perhaps?

• 27 Ghost Rider // Mar 26, 2008 at 9:09 am

  Here is one of dozens of places to find such batons:

  http://www.batondefense.com/asp-tactical-baton.html

  They usually come with a nylon pouch to strap it to your gunbelt…but can be easily modified with a strip of velcro so that it mounts to the top tube (or handlebar).

• 28 Lance // Mar 26, 2008 at 9:12 am

  Awesome, the velcro strap shouldn’t be too hard to fashion. Like the villagers of Santa Poco…”we can sew!” (3 Amigos)

• 29 Rick // Mar 26, 2008 at 4:55 pm

  When I first peeked in on this thread, I thought the baton idea was a joke. Then, I thought you were crazy for being serious.

  After a few minutes, I thought about my bike lock. I have reached into my bag on more than one occasion because I did not feel safe.

  (By the way, I love my bell. I use it to say hello to everyone I see.)

• 30 Dave // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:37 am

  I very much dislike The Sound of Music, but here’s my favorites…my mirror, my orange vest with reflective stripes, Kenda Klondike studded tires on the icy stuff, and my Cateye computer to keep track of all the miles I’m not driving a car. So long, farewell, bah deeda dweedle dee ee…

• 31 David Harris // Apr 8, 2008 at 3:44 pm

  I love my 2 bell night trail headlights on the front both Xenon and LED Lights (200 hours on LED). My rear flashing light, my wireless speedometer, my spoke lights and of course my bottle of Neutralizer pepper spray for those sneak attacks by our 4 legged friends as well as the 2 legged ones. Now I just got to get some good reflector tape for my helmet and maybe a good traveling pack.

  Thanks for the great ideas folx

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