The one on the bike

The one on the bike cycles to work and then keeps going at the weekend. The bike is chosen; what you can give is what makes the ride safer, drier, or better recorded.

A set of bike lights is front and rear, rechargeable, and bright enough that a car sees you before it sees the road. The cheapest thing that makes a commute in October better. The best bike lights.

A bike computer with maps gives turn by turn directions on the handlebars. The phone stays in the pocket, and the battery lasts the whole day, which the phone's would not. The best bike computers.

A pair of roll-top panniers carry forty-eight litres and are fully waterproof. The shopping goes home without a car, and the laptop survives the rain. The best panniers.

A floor pump with a gauge fits both valve types and has a proper gauge, so the tyres sit at the pressure they were designed for. Most bikes run soft, and their riders wonder why it feels slow. The best bike pumps.

A Bluetooth tracker hides on the frame and tells the phone where the bike is. It is the one thing a thief does not expect. The best trackers.

And a hydration backpack, two litres on the back with a tube at the shoulder. Drinking without stopping, or without letting go of the bars. Compare more hydration packs.

A second set of lights is for the other bike, or the one that gets borrowed. It lives in the drawer until the evening it does not. The best bike lights.

And a double pannier for forty litres: waterproof, quick to clip on, and big enough for the week's shopping. The car stays in the drive, which was the plan. The best panniers.