I almost lost my bike to a thief recently, and the whole experience rattled me into re-examining how I can conveniently use my bike for every trip I need, while still keeping things safe and (mostly) stress-free

A big thanks to Phil Marmet, and to Abus Security for sponsoring the channel. The locks mentioned in this video: My everyday go-to lock, the Abus Bordo 6500K: https://www.abus.com/ca_en/Products/Bicycle-locks/Folding-Locks/BORDO-GRANIT-6500K A solid U-lock, the Abus Ultimate 420K: https://www.abus.com/int/Consumer/Bicycle-locks/U-Shackle-Locks-Bike/Ultimate-420K A high-security lock that's great for e-bikes, theAbus Granit Super Extreme 2500: https://www.abus.com/ca_en/Products/Motorbike/U-Shackle-Locks-Motorbike/GRANIT-Super-Extreme-2500

Shifter Memberships are here! If you'd like some bonus content while also supporting this channel, please consider becoming a member. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Shifter632 YouTube memberships: https://www.youtube.com/@Shifter_Cycling/membership

The Ultimate Guide to Bike Commuting and Urban Cycling, A Shifter Course is designed to give newbies the knowledge and confidence to make the bike a bigger part of their lives: https://shiftercourses.thinkific.com/

A huge thanks to my sponsors this year. They support this channel, so please support them. They also make amazing products that I use every day and endorse without hesitation.

I’ve been riding Priority bikes for a number of years. I love their low-maintenance, belt-drive design, and they offer good quality at a decent price. They signed on as a sponsor for my YouTube channel several years after I started riding them.

My daily summertime bike is the zippy and fun Priority Eight: https://alnk.to/1XWoxFO With its fenders, hub dynamo lights and durable Enviolo internal hub gearing system, I’ve happily ridden the Priority Continuum Onyx through many Canadian winters: https://alnk.to/gKS5Jlw

My book Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling: https://amzn.to/42EBzO6

Here is some of the gear I’m currently using. Some of these are affiliate links.

Bike Lights: I love dynamo lights that are built into a bike and powered by your pedalling or the wheel’s movement, but if you need aftermarket lights, Lumos offers a number of great options. Their Firefly lights are simple and bright: https://collabs.shop/3uodbz

Helmet: If I’m riding for sports, such as mountain biking or road bike, I like Lumos helmets because they are comfortable and well-built, and you can also easily attach lights to stay as visible as possible on roads: https://collabs.shop/prkigy

Bell: I love the sound and quality of the Japanese-made Crane Bells: https://www.cranebellusa.com/

Saddle: Yes, they can be pricey, but I’ve joined the ranks of people who think the extra cost for the quality of a Brooks Saddle is worth it, in both durability and comfort: https://www.brooksengland.com/

Panniers: My everyday workhorse pannier is Two Wheel Gear’s Pannier Backpack Convertible 2.0: https://twowheelgear.com/collections/pannier-backpacks?srsltid=AfmBOop6XPOZUjmjf4-Nr1MVwSivDO7igNWhL6Y3PzWOzkqtraTAS-D5

Pedals: I’ve not experienced high-performance pedals adding much extra value to my daily riding experience, but these light-up pedals from Redshift are bright, keep me visible at night and grab lots of attention: https://redshiftsports.com?aff=40

Phone mount: I use Peak Design’s mobile system, including the Universal Bar Mount on my handlebars every day, which I also bring it with me when I travel for bike rentals and bike-share bicycles: https://peak-design.pxf.io/c/5749368/1664050/18669

Buff: Keeps your face, neck and head warm in the winter, and keeps the sun off in the summer: https://peak-design.pxf.io/c/5749368/1664050/18669

Sunglasses: If you’re going to wear sunglasses, why not use a pair that has built-in mirrors so you can see behind you while you ride?: https://collabs.shop/f9hvof Don’t forget to register your bike with an online database. My favourite is 529 Garage https://project529.com/garage Bike Index is also good: https://bikeindex.org/

Follow me! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombabin Bluesky: tombabin.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tombabin (@tombabin@threads.net)

0:00 How my bike was nearly stolen 1:21 My wake-up call 1:41 The expert weighs in 3:30 How to think about securing your bike 4:54 Coming up with my own bike security framework 6:29 The importance of bike registries 8:20 Use your bike without losing perspective 10:00 Thanks to members!

#cycling #bike #commuting