We’ve kept our essential list to, well, the essentials. The capacity for additions is almost limitless.

Lights are essential for riding at night, mudguards for winter riding, a fully waterproof jacket with taped seams for prolonged riding in wet weather, summer tyres, winter tyres, gloves and mitts, mechanical shifting, electronic shifting, rim brakes, disc brakes, heart rate monitors, power meters…the list is endless.

All of this is part of the fun, of course, and if you’re anything like the members of our Forum, you’ll be planning your first upgrade as you wheel your new bike from the shop.

Just keep in mind that riding is at the heart of it. Everything else is peripheral. If you’re safe, comfortable, and enjoying yourself, the latest carbon wizardry or technical fabric is superfluous.

It’s not about the bike. It’s about the riding. Enjoy it.