My Stuff

I'm starting this blog off with a list of gear that I use for commuting and such. It begins with the bike, obviously. I ride a Trek 1200 road bike, which I bought new in 2004. It's been to Alaska, Virginia, New Jersey, and Utah so far.

Nothing fancy, but more than a decent bike. Still riding stock tires, but I'll be upgrading to Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires in the next few days. These thin fellas just aren't made for the rigors of commuting down Route 89. Too many flats and no actual riding make Jack a sad boy.

I've got a seat bag from Trek which contains a spare tube, two CO2 cartidges, and a Topeak Cobra CO2 pump.

I've got a Nashbar frame bag as well, which holds other sundry goodies. In it are yet another spare tube (laugh all you want, but don't come crawling to me when you get two blow-outs in one ride), my Park Tools multi-tool, a pack of Slime Skabs (tube repair), a pair of tire levers, and my handy reflective legband. Some people have told me that I carry too much. These people are wrong (if you're one of those people, don't worry, you can still change). During the hours that I commute, my wife is at work, and most of my friends are either working or at school. I can't just call someone and say "Uhhhh, I need a ride". Besides, I carry spare clothes in my backpack anyway, so I really do not mind the extra weight of a spare spare tube.

Mounted to my handlebars is a Trek headlight, though it's a bit too dim for night riding, so I'll be upgrading that soon. I also have a Cateye Astrale 8 computer.

Right now, I'm not using clipless pedals. I simply go through too many stoplights on my commute, and it's just a huge pain to clip in and out (especially since they're clipLESS, but I still have to clip. The misnomer irks me enough to make me not wear them). I personally prefer regular old toe-clip pedals, but without the annoying straps.

In my backpack (which also has textbooks and clean clothes for work) I manage to stuff SealSkin waterproof gloves, a pair of waterproof pants, a rain jacket, a fleece beanie, and a long-sleeve thermal shirt (just in case). If you've ever lived in Utah, you know that it is FREEZING in the morning. At least, until the sun comes over the mountains. I may pack heavy, but I'm never cold.

I am fortunate enough to work at a bike shop. This means that bike-commuting is encouraged. A lot. I do have a little easier than some. I have access to bike tools, spare parts, and accessories that some people will never get close to or be able to afford. Little perks are nice.

So that's it. That's what I use on my grueling commute.