Any cyclists around to help a beginner who's just bought a bike?

[Siw2020]

Hello

I have just bought a new bike having not cycled since being a child/teenager. I will be moving to a city centre hospital for work that is notorious for not having car parking availability.. hence the new bike investment.

Can any of you lovely people get me started with what essentials I need to get and make recommendations?

So far on my list of things to get is:

• helmet
• lock
• lights
• rack/pannier(?)
• pump
• inner tube (not a clue how I know which one)
• cleaning material
• clothes (gloves, padded shorts/leggings, base layer, high vis)

Anything else? I would really appreciate recommendations, feeling utterly lost with options!

Just a small point I haven’t seen here yet - soft tyres puncture very easily.

Keep your tyres really hard!

@swimlyn

Just a small point I haven’t seen here yet - soft tyres puncture very easily.

Keep your tyres really hard!

I’ve always thought this but have been reading some stuff recently saying it’s actually the opposite. I’m still running at 80psi!

Can I ask a question about buying new tyres / wheels?

I’m a complete novice in that I know nothing about bikes. As a kid I could change my inner tubes all the time but that was on mountain bikes. I’ve recently bought a road bike and whilst I absolutely love it, I did get a puncture and could not, for the life of me, get the tyre off to get to the inner tube. I watched videos on you tube and even they were saying it was really hard.

I didn’t intend to buy a bike with wheels like this - I just bought a bike within my price range. I took it to a bike shop and he said I wouldn’t have much chance of changing them on the road. But once lockdown is over I intend to be cycling into central London at least three times a week.

So my question - please don’t think I’m stupid - do I need new tyres or whole new wheels?? It looks like it’s the rim in the wheel itself that’s the difficulty?

The tyres are Vittoria Zaffiro.

@GorgeousLadyofWrestling

You have beaded tyres and those in particular are a bit notorious for being hard to change. See here. forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/12900192/fitting-wired-tires

Look at folding tyres. So shouldn’t be any need to change the whole wheel/rims. Someone on that thread recommends Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons as being ok to change but still quite puncture proof. The local bike shop should also be able to recommend something.

Oh brilliant, thank you! Will check those out.