SKS Longboards. Keep your feet dry as the front has a flap on it, they can cope with non technical flat tracks off-road.

Vaude panniers as robust and easy to use as the Ortlieb just a bit cheaper.

Marathon plus tyres (the latest ones roll a lot better).

Rear light bolted to the plate on the carrier, one less thing to take off if you leave it in town while shopping.

@tj: re Ortlieb weight, I hear what you say, I guess they’re not super light, certainly heavier than my old trusty Karrimors (and I do miss the external pocket), but compared to other panniers I have seen in shops they are a reasonable weight imho. There’s no unnecessary weight, thick material that helps them last so long and a few bits of plastic to keep them all together, nothing superfluous imho.

I use SKS mudguards and they do the job fine, lasting a good ten years or more. I have had the metal stays come apart from the plastic guard, but punching out the hole and inserting a small nut and bolt has actually made them better than new.

I’m the opposite of other sensible people in that I carry so, so much stuff – but once it’s on the bike it’s no bother. I also have a small, cheap top tube bag that I picked up from Asda – handy for little bits and bobs. I also use a handlebar bag in Summer. In fact I don’t take much more when we go on tour for a few weeks 😂

I have been using the B’TWIN 500 Bike Messenger bag for the past year, its cheep, but I have found it good as you can clip it on like a pannier or sling it over you sholder.

My recipe is (in priority order) and also repeating much of what is already said.

Long mudguards with flaps. SKS bluemels or Tortec have both been good. I avoid chromoplastics though. Do your fellow bike commuters a favour and fit a long rear flap.

Puncture protection layer tyres. I have not liked marathon plus in the past due to the weight and feel. Interested to hear that the most recent ones are improved though. Also quite interested in the continental top contact II winter tyres if in case we do have a cold winter some year or if you live in a colder place more prone to frost.

Pannier rack, front or rear with ortliebs roller classics. I’ve always hated cycling with a rucksack or backpack due to the sweaty back. Also, why would you be faffing around with a dry bag when you can buy waterproof roll-top panniers?

Dynamo lights front and rear bolted to the bike, always on and ready to go.

Cheap and robust gearing. Currently singlespeed or fixed due to living in a flat area. Previously has been a 3 or 8 speed Nexus internal hub gear or 1x.

Waxed chains x3, changed approx monthly during the winter. If I didn’t wax I’d probably fit some type of chain guard.
Battered old steel frame.
I previously had a day one with mechanical discs and found them worse than v-brakes to be honest. I’ll be sticking with Vs or using hydraulic discs in future.

Re- tyres.

It’s possible to overthink it and get carried away looking for the ultimate compromise between feeling like a Schwalbe Ultremo but with the puncture resistance of a solid steel band on a cartwheel.

I’ve currently got a commuter with solid tyres, no tube, no air, just a solid block of foamy rubber. They’re rubbish in terms of comfort, but I’ve yet to find the limits of their grip, and for five to ten guaranteed puncture free miles a day they’re brilliant.

Probably wouldn’t want them on my old 25 mile each way commute, but then I had to leave myself 2 hours for that so a puncture just meant fixing it and pedaling a bit harder or getting washed a bit quicker.

Marathon plus tyres (the latest ones roll a lot better).

Durano plus. Same puncture protection but faster rolling. I never punctured a pair although some cuts left the blue layer showing through the rubber!

Durano plus. Same puncture protection but faster rolling. I never punctured a pair although some cuts left the blue layer showing through the rubber!

x2, I ran 28’s on my Aether and they remained puncture free from the day I fitted them 6 years ago. Heavier than Gatorskins I think but not overly so, the SportContacts that were on before literally puntured from stones the size of roughcast.

conti protection tyres! Marathons are made of mahogany. I want something sticky. gp4000 on one bike, contacts on another. Both virtually puncture proof, both have good grip.

The travel contacts I pulled more than a dozen bits of glass out of them one service – no punctures