I’ve tried very slick and very lightweight tires over the years, but when I went through a stretch of repeated flat tires I switched to some relatively beefy puncture-resistant tires that I’m happy with.

My racks are both Blackburn, the front ones being Low-Riders that work with brazed connection points. I’ve never had heel-contact problems with panniers on this bike, but it is a touring bike after all. I have a set of large panniers that I hardly ever use, the small front panniers that I use most of the time, and a pair of medium sized seam-welded waterproof panniers that work front or back, and that are used when the weather looks bad.

Carrying clothes to change in to at work is an almost-every-day thing, although in cooler weather I have a pair of Patagonia Talus pants that are presentable at work but are stretchy and low-profile (cuff doesn’t catch in the chain) enough that I can wear them on the bike and in the office some days.

Cycling clothing is mostly synthetic, with very thin multiple wicking layers that are adjusted to suit the weather, usually shedding a layer or two for the ride home. Wet weather gear includes a cycling raincoat (with a hood that’s compatible with a helmet), rain-covers for my shoes, and various wet-weather leg coverings. The legs are where I tend to sacrifice most when deciding how wet I am willing to become. I have no front fender, but have a “rat-tail” fender that’s just a thin sheet of plastic that’s mounted to the rear rack with wire ties.

I always wear cycling gloves, to reduce chafing and for shock-absorption (gel-filled inserts). I also wear cycling shoes, since I ride enough to justify the specialized fit and sole (They last about 5 years).

When daylight saving time ends in the fall, I ride home in the dark. The rear LED lights all seem to work well, making me feel much safer. I used various headlamps, from LED to C and D cell incandescent, before switching to a lead-acid dual-headlamp system. This thing weighs quite a bit, but puts out 30 watts with both lights on. I’ve had oncoming cars wait at intersections for me because they thought I was a motorcycle.