What equipment do I need?

Tiffany18 said:

What equipment do I need to start up in road cycling?

Like the main thing I realise is a road bike, but what are some other things?

Can anybody help me?

I am really new to the sport.

bike
bidon(s)
tubes and pump or CO2
shoes
helmet
shorts
jersey
glasses

Sky's the limit.....people spend their whole life and $$$$ buying bike kit, others are more than happy with just the basics.

bike and a helmet. everything else is gravy.

aTmSpectre said:

bike and a helmet. everything else is gravy.

Nudie cycling?

Two thumbs up!!

ed073 said:

Nudie cycling?

Two thumbs up!!

if she doesn't already own some clothes then she probably wouldn't mind nudie cycling anyways. You know, it IS possible to ride in shorts and a t-shirt. Just thought I'd give you the heads up.😄😎

ed073 said:

Nudie cycling?

Two thumbs up!!

Yeah, even better when you're a triathlete - less time on transitions!😄

Seriously, you can wear anything you want (or don't want) when cycling. A helmet is a MUST for safety. When you want to get very serious, you may want to consider wearing cycling shorts and cycling shoes. Gloves are also okay when you're the seaty-palm type. Glasses to protect your eyes from road debris and flying things on the road.

A patch kit and a pump for fixing flats on the road.

Good luck and enjoy!

Cheers

Tiffany18 said:

What equipment do I need to start up in road cycling?

Like the main thing I realise is a road bike, but what are some other things?

Can anybody help me?

I am really new to the sport.

Well, the things I would say is a MUST, is helmet and gloves. IF you fall off at speed, your hands are likely to hit the ground and you can get nasty road rash in your palms, which you avoid with gloves. I come from Motor cycle background and gloves are one of the most important things.

Good luck with starting cycling and feel free to ask more questions.

Tiffany18 said:

What equipment do I need to start up in road cycling?

Like the main thing I realise is a road bike, but what are some other things?

Can anybody help me?

I am really new to the sport.

I agree with helmet and gloves and a pump
also get a water bottle and holder
if you feel you can change a tub get a spare tub and a patch kit
also maybe a partner to ride with

I just bought my first bike yesterday! It's a used bianchi volpe and the guy threw in w/ it everything i need to get started, panniers, new shoes, a patching kit, and a cheapie cyclocomputer. Plus the clipless pedals which i don't think were standard on this year of the bike. Very excited to start riding! But i definitely could have gotten by with just the bike and the helmet.
Add other bits as you go.

Generally good advice here, but I'd disagree with the suggestion that cycling clothes (shorts in particular) are just for the very serious. It's perfectly possible to ride a bike in street clothes, and for A-to-B transportation purposes, street gear is fine -- but so are sandals for walking to the corner store. If you're interested in running as a fitness sport, you buy yourself a pair of running shoes.

Cycling isn't much different. If you're interested in using your bike as a means of getting exercise, meaning you plan to work hard, sweat, and go further and faster for the sake of pushing yourself, some breathy, form-fitting lycra and a chamois under your crotch does wonders. They manage moisture better, they manage the chafing action better, they handle your body temperature better -- in short, it's a much comfier way to ride, which leads to more, longer, harder, and happier cycling. No, it's not essential, but we're not talking a huge chunk of change here; I'd argue that it's at least a favor worth doing for yourself.

aTmSpectre said:

bike and a helmet. everything else is gravy.

No law says a helmet is required.

boudreaux said:

No law says a helmet is required.

Could be state or local laws to the contrary...

lokstah said:

Could be state or local laws to the contrary...

Local maybe,but typically aimed at rides below a certain age.

A helmet, eye protection, a small kit to fix flats while on the road. That's about it to get started. The other stuff you can add as you go along and get more experience. If you try to buy it all at once you'll just waste time and money acquiring stuff you may not use or want.🙂

boudreaux said:

No law says a helmet is required.

You could probably do without brakes and a seat too. I'd throw away the seat first thing - definitely just extra weight. And the brakes just keep you from going faster with those wee bity little rubber/plastic pads ooooooooooh I hate them little things...

You are in South Australia, so as far as I know, a helmet is legal requirement there.
And because your climate is fairly dry, one or more bottle cages and bottle holders are important, unless you want to use a CamelBack (a water pouch on your back)... or unless you ride really close to parks and other venues with accessible water spigots. Besides the usual bottle position on the downtube (the oblique one), you may add one on the seattube and often under the downtube. If you doN't have enough braze-ons (little bolt holes) to attach these, zip ties can do wonders.

Being prepared for "emergencies" is also important. For urban rides and other rides near populated centres, I find that a pump, patch kit, tube, tire levers and thin nitrile (or latex) gloves is all I need for emergencies. If your bike wheels use nuts rather than quick releases (unlikely), you also need the proper wrench.
BTW, the nitrile gloves keep my hands clean when I play in greasy spots.

I stuff all of that in a pannier, with raingear, lock and some food.

On top of that, I find I don't need other repair gear, unless I ride further away from civilisation or am doing some fine tuning on the bike.

EQUIPEMENT ON THE BIKE

Lights are essential if you ride at dusk or night. With current technology, a good LED taillight and headlight provides basic safety.

A rear rack allows you to put your stuff on the bike rather than on you. Or use something like a Carradice bag attached to the saddle.

Fenders allow you to ride in rain or on wet streets without getting filthy. It also prolongs the useful life of your drivetrain. IMHO they are essential in our climate (though others don't agree), but I don't know how essential they would be down there.

Lock.

As for other equipment, gear, clothing, etc., the rest is optional.

SHOES: Regular shoes with a hard sole work if you use toe clips; otherwise, with automatic pedals, you will need special shoes. Unless you plan for competitive cycling, I recommend you choose a system that uses walkable shoes, so you can walk in a store, at home, at school, etc.. The most common is Shimano SPD system (and compatibles), but there are others.

GLOVES: Great for off-road cycling, their value is overstated for on-road cycling. Properly padded gloves help prevent numbness, but improperly padded gloves hinder. My best experiences have been to ride for 1-2 hours gloveless, until you start to feel your hands are numb a bit. Then visit a store, shop for gloves and try them on your bike; you'll see which suit you best.

MIRROR: I'm a great fan of rearview mirrors, and I currently prefer a helmet-mounted mirror. I wouldn't really ride on roads without one.

OTHER CLOTHING: Some consider these essential, but I find regular street clothes very comfortable, even when I ride a full day. Besides, I prefer loose-fitting clothes anyway.

Good post!