Practicality is the number one characteristic that bike commuters look for in a bicycle. It makes total sense if you think about it.

You may have a fast bike that gets you to your destination a few minutes sooner, but if it's not practical, then you won't want to use it regularly.

You may have a comfortable bike, but if it requires constant maintenance and attention, it's going to become tedious to use it after a while.

A practical commuter, on the other hand, is always ready to go and requires little maintenance.

It may still be fast and comfortable, but they are not the No. 1 priority.

But what's the secret sauce?

A practical commuter has the following characteristics:

• Simplicity. Lots of gadgets only add complexity to a bike. As fun as they may be, they make them utterly impractical!
• Low maintenance. Any feature that makes a bike low-maintenance is practical. Lubing, cleaning, adjusting, and servicing all take time and money.
• Always ready to go. Anything that needs a lot of setting-up before riding adds complexity and it is a barrier to overcome.
• Ready to tackle daily challenges. There's always an element of unpredictability in bike commuting, and a practical commuter is ready to deal with them.

Here's a video in which I go through 7 features that help you make your commuter bike practical.

Let me know if you agree or disagree with my list...

Pedal on and enjoy the Summer!

...sorry guys in the Southern Hemisphere...

Sam