The Humble Bicycle Clip...

I've posted before about the joys of cycling. I've been a keen cyclist for years, but I rarely got on my bike if it wasn't the weekend and I wasn't wearing lycra and Goretex.

About a year ago I bought a couple of cycle clips and opened up a whole new vista - cycling in everyday clothes. This might sound pathetic, but it means that you can integrate cycling into your everyday life - you get regular exercise, you never have to worry about parking and you speed up journeys you'd normally take by foot. Then there's the joy of overtaking a fellow cyclist in lycra while wearing a pinstripe suit...

The other bits and bobs you should consider for everyday cycling:

1. A briefcase-shaped waterproof pannier. Mine is from Altura and has a padded insert for my laptop. I avoid rucksacks as they can make you unstable and, it has to be said, sweaty.

2. A decent lock - I prefer a flexible one to a D Lock as it is, er, more flexible.

3. A set of lights for the winter*.

4. A hi-visibility waterproof.

But I'll say it again, the revolution started with the humble bicycle clip.


* PS: I blogged about these LED solar bike lights before, but I've a bit of trouble since - not with the technology which works, but rather the battery compartment is a bit big and the batteries can get knocked off their contacts by bumps. I think I've fixed it with a bit of cardboard jammed between them, but it is a real shame that this great idea is let down by bad execution.