I’m sure every person who has ever ridden a bicycle for fun can chime in and tell you what the best parts or features or add-ons are for your bike and where to get them. But after working in a bike shop and riding seriously for over 15 years there are few things as important as the three I’m about to tell you about. At least in my opinion, if someone had pointed out the significance of them to me when I was just getting into the sport, I would have had a much easier time understanding and growing with other riders and the technology that everyone is using to get from place to place on two wheels and under their own power.

A multi-tool like the Alien can go farther than just about any other piece of equipment or technology out there. Sure there are likely dozens of tools within tools and functions, but mastering them is half the fun, and with each level of understand you build with the tool to beat all tools, you’ll be saving yourself some money and earning some self respect at the same time. Take the time to research and buy a good multi-tool. You can change a flat or a chain, fix a hub or tweak your spoke tension with many of them. Don’t skimp, most good tools are guaranteed for life and cost around $100.

Like any piece of machinery that’s technologically advanced enough to have multiple moving parts, lubrication is essential to the health of your bike and its components. Find a good lubricant and stick to it, no pun intended. Talk to your local bike shop or do some research and find out the best maintenance practices that are recommended for your bike and its components and make a habit of lubricating regularly. You’ll be surprised how much money proper lubrication and adjustments can save you over time. A good lubricant has made the difference between a good and bad ride and also has meant the difference between a component breaking and a component functioning flawlessly.

You can have all the expensive bike components in the world and not know how efficient or effective they are for you if you don’t have the proper tool to analyze them. A good bike computer is a must have for any bicyclist. Whether it’s measuring your cadence or your total mileage, your computer functions as a complete personal performance and efficiency analyst and can really help you to train more effectively. By tracking your average speeds, distances, and times you can more accurately put together a picture of where you’re excelling in your training and where you need to put in more work. A bike computer also gives you something to look at if you get bored once in a while on a ride.

So there you have it. There are probably different opinions on what the best three investments for a beginner bicyclist are, but coming from my own experience, the three aforementioned are your best bets.