What else to buy with Bike?

[arnuld]

After my thread on which bike to buy, I have decided to buy either Firefox Axxis, Fusion or Tempest. I have checked shop and prices on web-site and shop do match. Now there are some new questions.

All 3 models are not available right now but they will be in 2-4 weeks at max. Mudguards are not a part of bike , hence you have to purchase them separately and there is only one standard design of them. After reading a few more articles on Sheldon Brown , I think that taillights are essential if I want to save my life as a bicyclist on street, then you also need a bell. So here are the extra expanses for you all:

• Mudguards-Pair: 525/-
• Bell: 125/-
• Tail-lights: 350/- x 2 = 700/- ( for both front and back)
• Air-Pump: 850/-
• Air-Pump (small): 250/-
• Goggles: 2000/-

So total expanses are (Bike Price + 4450/-) . I forgot to ask for the tool-kit and the unit to repair puncturing , so don't know their price yet. 2 pumps are because one is bigger one driven using both legs and hands, I will keep it at home, the smaller air-pump is driven using hands only, you can put it inside your bag and carry it anywhere, very lightweight. Even though I have myopia and wear glasses the number is not much (just -0.75) and Hyderabad is popular for scorching sunlight, so I think Goggles will be a nice idea. They will be of Fastrack, Ray-Ban or Oakley.

Any other additions of improvements in current gear ?

 

[HJ]

Yep lights are essential if you are cycling after dark and (if bright enough) can be useful in day light too. Another thing which maybe useful is a pannier rack and panniers, handy for carrying shopping home...

 

[chris__P]

spare inner tubes as well as a repair kit. you probably won't want to be repairing a tube by the side of a road on a cold winters night. maybe a saddle bag to put all this in

helmet?

 

[kewb]

spare inner tubes as well as a repair kit. you probably won't want to be repairing a tube by the side of a road on a cold winters night. maybe a saddle bag to put all this in

helmet?

i find it easier and quicker to slap a skab on a tube but granted thats when i can feel my hands .

 

[Arch]

I think you're in Hyderabad? I don't know whether it's like every other city, but I suspect a lock is an important/essential thing too....

Get the best you can afford, preferably the D lock type (a metal U shaped loop and a bar across the end that locks on) - cables and chains can look good, but be easy to cut with boltcroppers.

 

[arnuld]

spare inner tubes as well as a repair kit. you probably won't want to be repairing a tube by the side of a road on a cold winters night. maybe a saddle bag to put all this in

helmet?

Ah.. there are no winters in Hyderabad. The atmosphere is always summers . I never used anything than a T-Shirt over here. Once I wore a full-sleeve shirt to my office and I was smelling of sweat.

Helmet ? Do I need it, I mean in a city of 4 million population you need it on a motorbike but it is essential to have it on an ATB ?

 

[Arch]

Ah.. there are no winters in Hyderabad. The atmosphere is always summers . I never used anything than a T-Shirt over here. Once I wore a full-sleeve shirt to my office and I was smelling of sweat.

Helmet ? Do I need it, I mean in a city of 4 million population you need it on a motorbike but it is essential to have it on an ATB ?

Assuming the law is the same as in the UK, then you aren't obliged to wear one (and in all the pictures I've seen of Indian cyclists, I don't think I've ever seen one in a helmet).

There are pros and cons to wearing a helmet, and it's a debate that people get very passionate about - search for 'helmet debate' on here and you'll find lots of arguments about it. Over here it's not compulsory, and many people prefer it that way - the only people who must wear one are people taking part in races, and that's a rule by the racing organisations, not the law.

The pros are that it will give your head some protection in some kinds of accident - it'll absorb some energy if you pitch straight onto your head, and prevent some grazing and road rash. The cons are that it won't protect you in every kind of accident - it's no help if you get hit by a big truck, and it does nothing for your limbs etc..., and it can make you feel over confident. (over here there is also a suggestion that drivers take more chances around people wearing helmets, assuming they are 'safe' no matter what).

If you choose to get one, make sure it fits properly, and that you wear it correctly - it should be snug, and level on your head, so that it protects the forehead, not tilted backwards, and the straps must be comfortably snug against your chin. A badly fitted helmet is no good to you and could even be worse than no helmet - if it twists under impact, that could damage your neck. You may have to try a few, as not all heads are the same shape, and different brands of helmet suit different people.

 

[arnuld]

There are not so much choices available here. Which one you advise, normal one or MTB one:

http://www.thebikeaffair.com/Accessories.aspx?id=10&category=Helmets
https://www.ticyclesindia.com/ProductFeatures.asp?pid=124

 

[Arch]

The second of those, the Ti cycles one, looks better - more ventilation and lighter (and just a bit more 'sporty') - remember that a helmet is like a hat, so will be hotter than riding without one. But if you have a chance, so go to a shop and try some on to get the best fit.

 

[Randochap]

Definitely carry a repair kit, pump and at least one spare tube. Patch tubes at home. It's nice to have a floor/track pump at home to keep your tyre pressure topped up.