Beginners Guide to riding Fixed/Single Speed in London

No.
I wear loose shorts commuting.

Cycling through puddles = Bidet

Paul-Michel, I think you're trying to hard to have a thread that is perfect, in it's help to those that need it.

As has been said, people will disagree on what you say. Also, since you admit you are relatively new to this, the advice you get my seriously counter your own. So far, you've taken most of this rather well. And for a newbie, I really admire your effort.

Asking a Scott (a bag-maker) which cheap bag to recommend, is a mistake. Its like phoning Mercian, and asking if they would recommend a Bowery or a Langster. Yes, cheaper bags can get the job done, but you do get what you pay for. My Timbuc2 cost nearly £100 back in 1990/1991, and I still use it everyday. The ONLY cheap bag that will last, is the Post Office bag from Linnells. But it is not a bag that is comfortable. The others will maybe last a year or two, if treated kindly. If thrashed, cheaper bags will not cut it.

Knowledgeable info on batteries by the way.

Have I gone back in time and am I reading this on C+ forum?

Anyone carry tyre boots?
Is my lifeless, dehydrated, corpse going to discovered by the side of the road, because I did'nt have the forsight to buy some?

water/windproff gloves... I just got a pair of these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15092

And they are truly great.. :)

what the f*ck is a tyre boot?

to put behind a rip in the tyre.

ahhh. ha ha ha, i was picturing it being a little stand that you support the tyre with while you're changing a flat so that the rims don't get wet or something.

not that you should follow my boyscout-like preparedness, but i guess that answers your question, smalllfurry.

A spanner.

Otherwise your patches, tubes and irons count for nowt.

Eh?

OK you can't change a tube without a spanner, but you don't need to take off the wheel to patch a puncture.

Anyone carry tyre boots?
Is my lifeless, dehydrated, corpse going to discovered by the side of the road, because I did'nt have the forsight to buy some?

I carry a section cut out of a plastic milk bottle and some electrical tape (to initially hold it in place). Light, cheap replaceable. Worked well for me before.

I've always thought it would be a good idea to have a stickied FAQ type post here for newbs... so props to the OP and warts to the naysayers...

Comments: 1 what you actually need: Lock, bike, tyre levers, spare inner tube, repair kit, spanner, pump and lights. That's it. Helmets are NOT required... clips for trousers?! What ever happened to tucking into your socks? the rest is stuff you like... not the same as stuff you need... you should put all that in the "non-essential considerations"... some people would consider gears a neccessity for a bike... most of us are proof that it's horses for courses and you only need a bike to be a cyclist...

2: Bike, just to be picky, I'd recomend not converting a MBT, but doing a road bike, as the MBT will most likely have the wrong kind of drop ous...

Bag: I'm not dissing the messenger bags or running bags, but as a commuter my £60 backpack has lasted me about 5 years, expands to take most of my weeks shopping, but is mostly small enough, has a laptop pocket... doesn't have removable padding, but I've not noticed it getting smelly (or had any complaints...) and has carried well over 11kgs regularly.

Dont read this:

http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/no-known-fix/

I feel lucky that my bike didn't kill me on my first fixed ride out.

" Need to signal right and brake at the same time? No chance."
haha, clearly has not mastered the left arm cross over and die move.

Clear case of giving up too early.