Buying a bike is only half of it - there's a million tpoes of lock, helmet, jacket...

Here's what has worked for me and what hasn't.

The two rules I have learned are A> you don't need to buy flash, but B> you do need to buy quality.

The best are at the top - the worst lower down!

# A Joe Blow pump from Ron Spencer cycles for around £25.

It's a proper one you stand up and pump with a handle.

It's a godsend. The little pumps just don't work.

This pump is easy to use, there's no leakage, and has a nifty PSI measure.

And having properly inflated tyres makes all the difference.

# Chain cleaning fluid and a lubricant. About £5 each. It's amazing what a difference it makes to the sound, speed, feeling and precision of the gear changes when you clean things up a bit.

Plus it helps the parts last longer.

Plus is gives you a good feeling to do it.

Although, I'm still such an amateur I don't know how to remove the chain and gears from the bike, and I clean them while they are still attached.

# Bike lights. Two AA batteries kept them going from January till June. You can't ask for more than that.

# My Giro helmet. Nothing special. Probably heavy and unsophisticated.

But I don't notice. It's served me well for £30. I've had two nasty falls. I can't remember if it helped.

I believe the helmet/versus non-helmet debate gets very heated in cycling circles.

But if I fell, would I rather be wearing one or not? End of discussion.

# Inner tubes. Lordy, you'll need some, and buying a few at a time when you are in cycling shop is recommended. I've got a few £4.50 ones from Specialized at the moment.

# Mud guards. They are not fool proof, water still splashes sideways a little, but given the British weather they were a great buy.

I think mine were, bought and fitted, around £20 for John Geddes in Widnes.

# Rack. Can't remember who much it was, I think £20 from Ron Spencer. It's made by Nimrod. Cheap but effective.

# My yellow windproof top is rubbish but I'm quite fond it by now.

Basically, it ain't waterproof. It's nice and visible but it does not keep you dry.

As soon as water builds up it seeps through to the clothes underneath and sticks to them.

It was £30 from Altura through Evans Cycles website - I should have paid £20 more for a popular waterproof one they do.

# Kryptonite U-lock. A decent deterrent at £30 from Halfords.

It's Sold Secure Bronze rated which means it can last a minute against a thief with tools.

But for the massive relief of peace of mind, knowing I had done all I could do, I could have spent £55 on an Abus granit plus, which is Gold rated - it is tested to five minutes.

# My Windgun mini-pump. It was around £35 from Westbury Cycles in Bristol.

I've got mixed feelings about it. I think I was dazzled by the fancy PSI gague when I bought it.

In actual fact the 160 PSI rating is a fantasy.

As a bike in a bike shop later told me, pumps like this are for emergencys.

And that's where it did come in handy. When I punctured 10 miles from Shrewsbury it was this that got the tyre infalted enought to roll.

It was only about 30 PSI on tyres that are supposed to need 60, but goddamit, I got there in the end.

# My panniers. Around £35 from Ni-Tek (who?!).

They aren't waterproof but seem to cope with the rain well.

But they are too saggy and bulky and can catch my heels.

# Fingerless gloves from Millets. My own fault. They are not waterproof.

Too cold for winter, they also soak up water like a leach soaks up blood. And they are too warm for summer.

And the chords and claws to hook them to the rack at the pannier both came loose and were ripped off by the gears, and it could have caused more damage to me and the bike both times.

# My useless cable locks. One is from Kryptonite, the other from Trelock. They're heavish and I've read article after article about how they can be cut through in seconds. They have been left in deep dark corner of the cellar.

# Some appalling mimi pump I got for £12. It's useless.