Cycling to work in Nairobi is faster than driving on most days. The hard part isn’t the riding, it’s everything around it. Set the bike up properly and you’ll keep doing it.
The essentials
- Lights, front and rear, USB-rechargeable, switched on whenever you ride. See our lights.
- A proper lock. A U-lock through the frame and rear wheel. Cable locks only slow a thief down.
- Mudguards. The long and short rains will end your commuting otherwise.
- A rack and pannier instead of a backpack. Sweaty shoulders are why people quit.
Upgrades worth having
- Wider tyres, 35 to 42mm. Pothole insurance.
- A tubeless conversion, so thorns don’t mean flats. Top up the sealant every four to six months.
- A bell, for pedestrians and matatus alike.
What we’d build
A hybrid such as the Specialized Sirrus, with lights, a U-lock, mudguards and a rear rack. That’s a setup that survives Nairobi.
WhatsApp us on 0728 818 724 if you’d like help putting one together for your route.
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