Ditch the Car: Why I Ride My Bike to Work (And My Everyday Commuter Setup)

https://youtu.be/ZxhAML62rg0?si=lylY98KcZcNGJDbv

You just can't beat the feeling of riding something you built with your own hands.

If you’ve been following the channel, you know I recently finished building my custom gravel commuter out of an old '90s mountain bike frame. While my dad is usually the one who is good with tools, it was incredibly rewarding to piece this rig together, step back, and say, "I built that."

But building it was only half the fun. Now, I actually have to ride it.

I’ve been exclusively riding my bike to work for a few weeks now, and it is incredibly freeing. It turns a boring, stressful drive into the best part of the day. If you live a few miles from your job and are still driving, I highly encourage you to give bike commuting a shot.

Here is a breakdown of my everyday commuter setup, what I wear, and a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

A mid-shift wheel around the parking lot. An awesome view...of train tracks.

The Commuter Setup: Bags, Bars, and Tech

When I built this bike, I knew I wanted it to be a pure utility machine. At the time of this videos publishing, here is what I was running to make the daily commute as smooth as possible:

• The Rear Rack & Panniers: It’s always been my dream to have a dedicated rear rack. I customized a set of three-compartment pannier bags with our SoCal Biking logo. The top bag is quick-release, so I can just pop it off and take my lunch and snacks right to my desk.

  
  

• Handlebars & Mounts: Everyone asks about my handlebars. They are the Satori Firebirds. I love them because they have an extra top rail. I kept my Quad Lock Pro mount for my phone up there, along with a slide-in mount for my headlight and a clamp for my action cam.

  
  

• Handlebar Bag: This is where I keep the absolute essentials: Allen keys, tire levers, and basic tools.

  
  

• The Best Purchase Ever: I ditched those tiny, useless hand pumps and bought a battery-powered portable bike inflator from Amazon. It sits right on the frame in its own mount (it looks like a water bottle holder) and actually has the power to inflate a tire with the press of a button. Game changer.

  
  

Riding at night is great with my new "headlight".

What I Wear (Spoiler: No Bibs)

You do not need to dress like you are riding in the Tour de France just to get to the office.

Since my commute is relatively short, I just ride in a tech tee and shorts. No bibs. No full kits. I throw on my Specialized helmet (shoutout to the sale rack at Rock N' Road Anaheim Hills), some black gloves I had laying around, and a sweet pair of $5 shades I grabbed from a local t-shirt outlet.

For footwear, I highly recommend the Crankbrothers shoes (I rock the black and blue ones). They are stiff enough to pedal hard but comfortable enough to wear at my desk all day. I'm currently running dual-sided pedals flat on one side, clipless on the other, because I am seriously considering making the jump to clipping in soon.

POV on the bike.

5 Rules for Bike Commuting

If you are thinking about swapping four wheels for two, here is what I’ve learned so far:

1. Ditch the Headphones I used to ride with music, but not anymore. When you are commuting in traffic, you need all your senses. You need to hear cars, pedestrians, and other cyclists. Keep the headphones out and stay alert.

2. Get Rid of the Backpack Riding with a heavy backpack is the fastest way to show up to work with a massive sweat stain on your back. Invest in a rear rack and some pannier bags. Let the bike carry the weight. It makes the bike heavier (which is a great workout), but keeps you comfortable.

3. Run a "Bike Dash Cam" You don't need a top-of-the-line rig. Grab the cheapest GoPro and mount you can find on Amazon. I've had a few close calls with cars turning on red when they shouldn't. Having video proof is a smart insurance policy. Plus, it makes sharing cool clips with friends a lot easier.

4. Hack Your Route with Google Maps Don't just take the same route you drive. Use the "Bike Lane" filter on Google Maps to find the safest roads. The best part about being on a bike is that you can completely avoid traffic by taking alleyways, back streets, and dedicated paths.

5. Wear a Stinking Helmet I don't care how short your commute is or how cool you think you look without one. Protect your head.

I'm still learning as I go, and I definitely don't know everything, but I am having an absolute blast riding my bike to work. If you have any commuting hacks or questions, drop a comment below!