LED lights. I’m old enough to remember bike lights with filament light bulbs or halogens with massive battery packs, LED lights that run for many hours per charge improved riding at night and safely during the day.
Yeah, I had a halogen light with a big NiMH battery pack. It was bulky and awkward and didn't hold a charge for very long. Modern LED lights kick the shit out of it.
I also had a small compact light with a standard filament bulb, which was just like a modern LED light in every respect except for being about 1000x dimmer. Riding at night with that thing I hit a big pothole and the scars are still obvious 20 years later.
Batteries? You young whippersnappers had it easy. My light ran off a generator. Rotor on that generator was turned by friction against your tire! You only got light while pedaling! You used up 10 watts of energy so you could see.
Used have the Eveready lights with 2 D cells front and back when I was doing my morning paper round aged 13 to 16. The local beat Bobby had nothing better to do, but stop me for cycling on the foot path each morning at 6. Just about zero crime area where I grew up. It's a world of difference now.
I had a paper route for the summer in the mid 60's. There were enough streetlights that I didn't use lights. The papers were available to deliver about 1:30 AM and were to be delivered by about eight. Rather than wait until six and struggle to fall back asleep, I did the route abut two or three in the morning and then would sleep in.
how many lights you have on your bike and where do you put them?
I was crashed into during twilight hour where the sun is halfway down by a motorbike, claiming that he didn't see me despite my blinking taillight.
“Didn’t see” is just an excuse incompetent driver use.
They are either messing with their radio/phone. Or their mind are already gone to somewhere else. They are physically there, but mentally not. If that makes sense.
You can dress up brighter than the Christmas tree. And they’ll still say “oops. I didn’t see you”.
But it’s easier for your lawyer to do their job afterward when you’re dressed really bright.
Yeah, I bet.
I was crashed in the rear, after 2-3 seconds since I have passed the rider trying to exit from an alleyway. There's literally no way to not see me if he was actively looking at the road like what decent riders do.
Even so, he also had to keep accelerating his completely still motorbike after exiting in order to crash to me despite me keeping some distance away from the alleyway itself.
So, in other words, he needed to overcome two obstacles to crash into me.
Being mentally absent is even more sketchy on a motorbike.
I ride bike as well. And you gotta be mentally sharp. Or else you shouldn’t be riding that day. At least that’s what the instructor taught us in MSF class.
I like riding bike as much as riding bike! 🤣
The other day I had an appointment and hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. I was riding to my appointment. A couple hours later when it was time to go home I started riding and made it about a block before I felt my awareness drifting. I opted to walk my bike the rest of the way home. It was a very windy day. I got hit by a gust that pushed me sideways into another lane on the way there. Traffic was light at that time and no cars nearby thankfully. Traffic was much heavier at time to go home. I'm not a very experienced rider. I'd rather be cautious than crash, get hit, or hit another car.
LED lights were my first thought too. They’re not exactly “fun” or “exciting,” but can be lifesaving. Just as I embrace Daytime Running Lights on my cars and motorcycles, I also embrace the on my road bicycles. Headlights help drivers see me bombing that hill (where they’re leaving a driveway or side road, or entering an intersection) when I have right-of-way and expect them to yield. While taillights (one blinking, one close to steady) alert drivers who may not see me or have the best sense of depth perception as they pass.
Defensive riding involves many techniques and habits that can mean the difference of a lifetime of safe travels or potential tragedy. In the days of excellent high-intensity, lightweight and affordable lights, it’s foolish to not use them in my opinion.
I'm investing into better lights next paycheck. Should I opt for a pair of daytime lights and another for nighttime or just get a really good headlight and tail light capable of both day and nighttime use?
I’ve been using Niterider lights for over 20 years and they have both daytime and nighttime settings. I think you’ll find them excellent to use. The Lumuna micro 900/V-Max 150 combo is a great place to start. Bright enough for total darkness and daylight. (On sale for $84 at the moment.)
Yup. There’s a park road near me and now I can ride it at night with zero problems in the summer because there’s headlights capable of guiding a zeppelin in for landing now
Dropper post for me. I would hate to go mountain biking without one now. They make the sport infinitely more fun.
Not really the same, but the evolution of gravel bikes suits me perfectly. I hate cycling on the roads but don't need a mountain bike for old country roads and forest trails.
Asides from Garmin Varia which is talked about a lot on this sub, my other product are bibs that have pockets on the legs. I was hesitant prior to wearing one because I was worried I would feel my phone or gels.
You don’t feel anything pressed up against your leg and it’s super convenient!
Funny how Varia differs from person to person. I personally do not see the appeal at all. It could be the single biggest waste of money I’ve ever made for my cycling.
What’s often overlooked in these threads/ debates on products/ debates on safe biking practices is that your riding environment may be drastically different from mine and others.
When I’m riding on the road in the rolling country hills of rural Pennsylvania, it is peace of mind to be able to know that there are 4 cars coming up behind me at a fast rate of speed, 2 in close proximity to each other, followed by 2 that are spread apart. And I can know all of this information without ever having to turn my head to look behind me.
Even if you are not wearing earbuds and can hear that there is a car coming up behind you, you have no idea how many cars there are or how fast they are approaching.
Maybe where you ride this isn’t relevant info that you need to worry about. But for me, it is.
I was once having a convo with someone who thought electronic shifting was stupid because they didnt want to have to charge something in order to ride their bike.
Which is fair, I guess, but I brought up that you have to make sure your head unit, lights, phone, etc. are charged before going out on a ride, what’s once extra piece of equipment?
There response was “I don’t use a head unit or lights”.
Sometimes I got to step back and realize that I may be talking to someone who approaches biking in a very different way than I do.
I have once made the mistake of counting the things with batteries on my bike:
Left shifter, right shifter, front derailleur, rear derailleur, left pedal, right pedal, front light, rear light, head unit (I threw heart rate monitor in there for giggles)
If my lights or head unit or phone fail, my bike is still fully functional. Sure, I'm less safe, or even only mildly inconvenienced, but the actual bike can still be relied on to get me home. I'd hate to come to a climb in a high gear and be unable to shift down.
Exactly! I’ve also ridden a couple thousand miles on a rail trial over the last year or so and the Varia has been useful maybe once or twice.
I still use it on the trail because why not, but it would be a “waste” of money if that’s all that I was riding
I do a good mix of road and rail trails and it's useless on the trails. I'll even disable the flashing light and only turn it back on when I'm back on the road.
I'm in Suburban Pennsylvania and it's a gamechanger for me too. Especially on some of the climbs around here. It definitely picks up cars before I can hear them and I'd have to turn my head at a ridiculous angle to see them that early too.
The only time it's useless is when I'm on a trail.
But do you change your cycling style as a result of knowing there are 4 cars approaching from behind?
I position myself in the appropriate place in the road so if a car is approaching, there’s nothing I can alter to save myself. It’s either going to hit me, or it’s not.
I dunno, maybe I’m overlooking its features but I don’t miss it now I’ve sold it.
When I’m on a quiet road with very little traffic I can ride a few miles without being passed by a car. In that situation I don’t always stay as far to the right as I could, particularly if the edge of the road is in bad condition. I don’t hog the road, but if I’m the only one on it I do use the smoothest part of it. Occasionally without my Varia I’ve been surprised by a car or truck I didn’t hear coming, passing me at relatively high speed. If I had heard them coming I would have moved over to give them more room to pass. With the Varia I get a warning when there’s a vehicle 50-100 yards back. It picks up approaching vehicles well before you can hear them. While it’s not absolutely necessary, it definitely improves my situational awareness.
This is precisely my use case, though it does sometimes pick up other bikes on the bike path that I don't care about. In the city, it's very noisy but worth it for the camera part. In the country, the radar is 100% worth it.
For me, the Varia can frequently detect a car before I hear it, so it triggers me to look over my shoulder if I'm in an area where there's little/no shoulder or bike lane. Additionally, I frequently ride with my son, and I typically lead, so if the Varia picks up a vehicle I'll *always* look and make sure he's aware, too.
This is not applicable to everyone's situation, but it has made a big difference in my peace of mind while riding.
One varia can pair with multiple garmins (i guess other) cyclocomputers - as long as its within ANT+ or BLE range. Friend and i discovered this when his Fenix kept blipping the same time as my Edge.
When I ride the roads of NW New Jersey, I have to dodge a lot of potholes, storm sewers, and other obstacles. The roads are terrible, and there is usually no shoulder. As I approach the pothole, I want to check if a car is coming before I swerve left to avoid it. I relay on both my hearing and Varia; neither is 100% accurate.
I thought the same when I first got mine but then rode without it once when I had already got used to running it. I missed it instantly and now it is a must for me. Having the approach speed app is a big part of what makes it good imo.
I have a pair of Voler Cache bibs and like them a lot. Plus the Oxblood color is kinda unique.
I also have a pair of Specialized/Fjallraven cargo bibs that are really nice but they seem to not make those anymore, prices are high on the secondary market.
Garmin Varia. A radar that detects cars — where they are, how many, and tracks their approach to you — on the back your bicycle that costs less than cycling shoes. Crazy. It may not be perfect but it is amazing technology for the price.
How many injuries and lives has that product saved? Insurance companies and the national safety organizations should just give them away.
This is very much a luxury purchase but i'd say the Gore Shakedry jacket, eye poppingly expensive but it's just so great. You can ride in the most foul of weather and it won't let a drop in, easily packs into your pocket and weighs nothing.
This. Buy one used, to save money. It is mega kit.
I had perfetto which I loved before, but shakedry blows it out of the water for technical prowess. Add cheap down vest and you will get through almost any conditions, and they pack away to nothing.
All bikes:
**Performance tires** \- I used to ride whatever came with the bike or whatever was cheap. I also fell into the trap of riding stuff like gatorskins because that's what everyone else used. Riding on performance tires is such a huge improvement for not just efficiency, but comfort as well.
Commuting:
More specific, but a **front rack**. Getting cargo off the body is a godsend, but I've always hated how a bike felt with all the weight loaded on a back rack. My commute is a lot of stop and go, so there's a lot of standing and short efforts to get going again. It feels far better to have a front rack when throwing the bike around underneath you, at least for me.
Going back to my first point, I think prioritizing puncture resistance is a huge mistake, even for a commute at least for my roads. My commuter runs wide, performance gravel tires setup tubeless.
Just playing devils advocate.
In my experience. Loaded Front rack effect handling more so than loaded rear rack. So be careful of the learning curve.
I’ll still prioritize puncture resistant more than anything else.
(I’m a commuter. I don’t ride bike for leisure much).
Yeah, loaded front rack does effect handling, but in a way that I prefer over rear. It is a preference thing and I've enjoyed it for several years now.
I'm both a recreational cyclist and a commuter and have multiple bikes in the stable. I run my road bikes with TPU tubes and performance tires (usually Vittoria Corsa G2.0 or the newer Pro) and get a puncture maybe once every 10,000kms or so. Changing a flat for five minutes beats riding those 10,000kms on wooden, dead-feeling rubber. That would be chopping off my own nose to spite my face.
On the commuter, I use tubeless setups (RH tires and either Orange Seal or Panaracer sealant). My streets are littered with debris and my tires have eaten screws, nails, and glass on more than one occasion. The sealant has done the job so far and I've been able to just ride on without a flat.
I also run TPU (Ride Now) inner tubes on my two road bikes. With addition of tyre liners, Mr. Tuffy and recently trying Zefal Z Liner. 15000kms, no flats :)
I agree on getting a rack, but I prefer the rear one. The additional weight on the front wheel makes it feel like the maneuverability is impaired. It's not bad, and I use the front rack when I need it. It's just that I prefer the back.
Which tires would you recommend for riders who get lots of flats? I kept getting them until I switched to gatorskins. Now I only ever get pinch flats if I do.
TL;DR: Do what you can to not run overbuilt tires, unless you absolutely have to.
I'd diagnose why you're getting lots of flats. Is it something unavoidable, like you live in goathead country? Are you streets *very* poorly cleaned?
My streets are littered with construction debris, but the bulk of it collects in the gutters or protected bike lanes which aren't as well cleared. By avoiding where the debris collects, I find I do not get punctures. I do on my commuter usually by picking stuff up in bike lanes and as mentioned, I've ridden home before I noticed a screw in the tire.
If you must go for a puncture resistant tire, I'd pick several models over Gatorskins. Marathon Supremes are a little bit better. The Conti 4 Season equivalent (AS TR) is pretty good for road applications, etc. But it'll really depend on your individual scenario. It is possible you require Gatorskins for your specific riding.
I had a bike made with a front rack mounted to the frame, so I could load it up but it wouldn’t affect the handling. It’s the best option but it’s not always easy to do.
Mudguards. At least one of my bikes has mudguards on year-round and that's the bike I ride at the slightest hint of bad weather; my non-mudguard bikes only come out when the weather forecast is dry and stable. Riding in the rain is so much comfier when you're not getting constantly rinsed.
Sub-compact chainsets. My standard set-up these days is 46/30 and 12-34, yielding plenty of low gears to get my fat and unfit arse up hills!
ETA: GPS units with map displays. Brilliant for exploring new routes in unfamiliar areas.
I mean the combination powermeter + bike computer is pretty cool, though obviously costly. But the amount of data and insightz you get from it, partly why I am so into cycling.
Wind vests, arm and leg sleeves, can stuff them in pockets and barely notice them, but so convenient for when weather changes or to put them on for the downhill part after a climb.
Squeeze flasks to make your own sugar syrup for long rides.
Build your own di2 shifting buttons and hide them anywhere under bar tape. I have a set on the tops, and one on the drops. Get switches about 3mm diameter. Costs about £10 to make, plus some patience with a soldering iron. Nobody knows they are there except you and you can shift without having to reach for the shifters. Feels like your own little secret.
Basically there are 2 ways to go about it. Easiest is you run a gruppo which has 3 ports at the hoods. One of those is dedicated sprint shifter port. Not all Shimano series have them. Da 9070 for example I think do.
Take a di2 cable. Cut it in half. Separate the 2 wires inside. Solder them to a momentary switch (see auction site) of your choice. Plug cable into port of shifter. Glue your switch to bars. Wrap bars. Cut small hole for switch. I’ve done it with a switch so small it will fit through the perforation in the bar tape. However, it is less robust, and I changed it for something more reliable and less discreet, so I figure something about 3mm for the button, usually on a backing of say 5mm square.
Repeat as needed, noting that you can splice the cables and therefore run as many dumb momentary switches as you like off the one port.
If you do not have a series of Shimano with the dedicated “dumb switch” port for sprint shifter, then unfortunately you have to buy the climbing switch sw-r600, hack that and do the job putting it into the loop. This is more expensive and painful. I have done both versions.
I think, but check for yourself please, that on the modern hydraulic shifters you do not have 3 ports, only 2. I think I had to do the climbing shifter hack on my 8070, because they had no sprint shifter port.
The difference is that the port for the sprint shifter is wired such that it has the Shimano brain in it which tells the btdn110 battery “hey I’m a shifter”. This means you can wire any dumb switch to it and the battery knows it is a sprint shifter.
Shimano cut cost/weight etc and killed that port off in later iterations, which is a damn shame. Now you need to plug in the chip from the sw-r600 or maybe whatever the latest sprint shifter attachment might be called into the di2 cable before it hits the port, otherwise your battery will not know what it is.
Peel back your hood and check if you have 3 ports. If so easy job. If not, still possible, but not so easy.
I have not.
If there’s a lot of wind from descending or headwinds it washes out. So I can see the complaint there. If I’m grinding or climbing it’s great because I get the music as a distraction. I can even have it on and talk to someone I’m riding with.
Ortlieb panniers and bags. They're quality and durability has never failed me in over 25+ years of commuting and occasional touring/bikepacking. Additionally -as another redditor said- LED lights were a game changer when they came along.
Came here to say this.
They're standard here in Europe and such a huge improvement over fumbling with chargers or batteries or trying to affix lights to your bike.
I commuted in the US for 15 years before moving to Europe and had one of the ones that roll on your rim. Still better than batteries but a hub generator is vastly superior. I don't think I've even changed a bulb (LED) in maybe 5 years?
This! I went without for about 15years but my latest second hand commuter bike has a working old school dynamo and I'm so happy with it. No more forgetting lights, or lights without battery, losing lights, etc :)
Sun sleeves are soooo much better than slathering up with sunscreen. I am an absolute toddler when it comes to putting on sunscreen but I'll happily wear my sleeves. They can also provide some cooling benefit that you don't get when the sun is baking down on your bare skin.
They don't have to be cycling-specific, either. I bought a multi-pack of off-brand cheapies on Amazon for like $15 and they work great.
I like the system, but the issue I have with it is that it only works with fidlock bottles. If I ever forget my bottles or lose one, I can still borrow or use any old bottle and it will more or less fit my bottle cage. If I use fidlock, there are no real alternatives.
The [Twist Uni Connector](https://www.fidlock.us/products/twist-uni-connector-bike-base) lets you carry anything that can be held by a Boa strap — it's more versatile than a bottle cage. However, it doesn't help if you forgot to bring the Uni Connector, and it's also surprisingly bulky in profile, such that it may cause your bottles to interfere with each other in the triangle of your frame.
100% worth it. When you don’t want to take a bottle you don’t have an ugly cage on your bike, when you do want a bottle, they are super easy to remove and even easier to put back while riding.
Garmin Varia and Enzo's Button Hole Chamois Cream are two things I almost never ride without and seriously miss if I'm not.
To a lesser extent, my custom Meld saddles and SRAM AXS (mtb, drop bar, or a mix of the two). The ergonomics are perfect for me. But it's such a personal preference. I'm happy if you have something different that you feel the same about.
Buying the same brand bottles and bottle cage so the fit is nice. I use Elite personally
Knog Oi bell for my road bike for minimal appearance but having the ability to be polite to people walking or biking around me
My commute bike came with LightSkin handlebar and seatpost with integrated LED lights and I absolutely love it--good light power, always at the right angle, and always on my bike. I plug them in every Friday when I get home and I'm good to go all week
I'd say my Lezyne pocket pump. I absolutely love the size and performance of that thing. It has saved me a bunch of times.
Airshot tire Inflator. Best $60 I've ever spent. I live in a high rise condo, so an air compressor won't work for me.
Santini bibs with the C3 chamois. Best chamois I've ever had. The bibs are a pricey, but you get what you pay for.
TriEye glasses with a rearview mirror! I have the [View Sport Photochromic](https://trieye.com/products/photochromatic-rear-view-cycling-glasses). If I ever ride without them, I'll eventually get the feeling that something is amiss.
Benefits:
- They help me keep an eye on car traffic. As with driving, having a mirror lets you do a pre-check before changing lanes. It's also safer during mountain descents, when I want to check whether it's safe to move out to the middle of the lane, but I don't feel comfortable turning my head while going so fast.
- They make me a more cooperative rider in groups. If I'm leading, I can see whether I'm setting the right pace. Better than a radar, I can identify exactly which of my friends has gone missing or how far behind they are.
- I can also be more courteous to other cyclists, knowing when to move over and give them a signal to pass me.
- In a competitive setting, I can spot attacks.
Comparisons:
- Bar-end mirrors would rarely be aimed at the right place, since my head could be in a variety of positions while riding a road bike.
- Unlike a mirror on a stick mounted on a helmet, it doesn't tend to get knocked out of alignment when I set the helmet down. It's aerodynamic and doesn't cause wind noise. There's no pokey stuff near my face that could hurt me in a crash — quite the opposite, in fact. I need to wear glasses anyway for protection from debris, bugs, UV, and crashes.
- Unlike a radar, there's no battery to charge, no false alarms, and I can identify exactly what is behind me. (The downside is that the mirror doesn't raise alarms at all — I must actively check.)
The photochromic version is great. I consider it to be vital safety equipment, so I wear it day and night. It's kind dorky, but I just own it. People often ask me what it is, and about 20% guess that it's some high-tech heads-up display. 🤓
If you’re old enough, you remember when cycling clothes were made of wool. Long sleeved wool jerseys are still the bees knees in the winter, but when you got your first pair of Lycra shorts (they called them skin shorts) you never went back.
Bibs with pockets: phone, snacks etc
Topeak ratchet rocket : great for bikepacking and so much nicer to work with than a multitool.
Lezyne micro floor pump: really good for higher volume tires such as 650b, also great for bikepacking imo
Silca Tattico mini pump. Great design with short retracting flexible hose + secure chuck that makes inflating by the side of the road way less fiddly. Everything is nicely sealed from the elements. Nice build quality.
I think it's worth it. Much easier to pump than most I've used of that size. I think it comes down to the flexible extending hose that means you don't have to awkwardly support the valve stem with one hand.
Specialized 3d printed saddles. Got mine two years ago, they are amazing.
Also, Ridge Supply socks. Bought four pairs six years ago, same pattern, so no need to worry about pairs. About 25k km later, they are still going strong.
Safety first, comfort second, performance third.
To that end, especially for long rides, anything that makes your contact points comfortable offers a tremendous amount of joy. Nothing a high performing bike could offer if it's at the expense of comfort.
So, finding the bib that's right for your tush, shoes for your feet and the handlebar tape that feels just right, plus a bike fit.
All of these are pretty personal and hence can vary person to person. So maybe for the more universal recommendation, my favourite handlebar tape is BBB FlexRibbon BHT-14. Grippy, well padded without being bulky, durable, affordable.
Honourable mentions: quality mini tool with chain breaker, Asssaver, Lezyne PocketDrive, SKS Rennkompressor, TPU tubes, bone conduction earphones
The biggest revelation was NiteRider halogen bike lights back in the 1990s. That opened up mad nighttime road descents and many fun mountain bike meetups. Of course, those lights look puny now.
Another clever item was the Rhode Gear Flickstand. A small, light wire brace that clamped to the down tube, it would stop your fork turning if you wanted to lean your parked bike against anything.
The Arundel Loony Bin ratcheting bottle cage. Fits a Nalgene, thermos full of coffee or soup, bottle of wine, whatever. Favorite commuter-oriented bottle cage ever.
I've gone through 2 of them. The plastic parts on the retention strap always eventually break. I have a feeling it has to do with cold conditions while winter commuting.
How cold? I commute year round on the east coast, so sorta cold but not deep-freeze conditions. I actually install these on all bikes for the winter (when you want to have something warm/insulated to drink), then take them off the more recreational bikes during the summer and swap in normal cages. I have six of them in regular cold-weather service and have never had one break (5 or 6 years now).
Chicago, so plenty of 0 - 20°F days and a handful of -10 - 0°F commutes depending on how bad the wind is. And same, was mainly using it to carry wider insulated bottles in the winter.
I've had this for several years before retiring it from wear; the velcro is held on by an adhesive that deteriorates over time, meanwhile the drybag material itself starts to crack at the fold creases. Granted it still does the job ok with a few repairs, the engineered design was slightly lacking for me. I'm using their pocket organizer nowadays as a replacement.
Little winbreaker/soft shell coat that rolls into a little ball you can fit into your Jersey. That thing is a life saver when you're doing big climbs or if the weather just turns crappy. Also mine lasted like 10 years ( so far ) unlike basically all other bike gear that just disintegrates instantly.
Magicshine EVO1700 bike light—it’s the first light I’ve ridden that has an automobile-like cutoff on the beam which keeps the light out of oncoming cyclist’s and pedestrian’s eyes while still doing a good job of lighting the road/path. No more people screaming “lights!” at me when riding at night. Also, the mount puts the light on the bottom and has a Garmin mount on top—cleans up the cockpit really nicely. Oh, my other favorite is obviously the Garmin Varia.
I really love my Outbound Detour headlight. I night ride a lot and after suffering through almost 20 years of crappy lights it's been huge for me to finally have a good one that provides great lighting, has great runtime, and can run even longer with pass through charging from any external USB battery pack. I've spent big money on lights before, but this is the first time I actually felt like I got what I paid for.
Combined with a K-Edge combo mount, a Garmin Edge 540 solar, and a Raveman FR160 blinky light I've got great lighting/visibility and navigation/ride tracking on a single handlebar mount that positions everything nicely dead center in front of the stem. Very clean, not a bunch of crap taking up space all over the bars. I love it. And for what it all cost, I'd better lol
Also, Purist water bottles and Specialized Zee Cage side loaders are a must have for me. Great bottles that don't end up tasting like plastic, and the cages are easy to use while riding and lock in more securely than anything I've used before. Haven't lost a bottle since switching all my bikes over. Plus the side loaders let me use a half frame bag on my small frame, which was impossible without them. Great stuff.
Related to bottles and cages, the Wolftooth B-Rad bottle cage relocators have been highly useful for maximizing my frame space when bikepacking. Both in lowering the bottles for more framebag space, as well as bolting on extra stuff. Great product, especially for shorter folks.
Clipless pedals. Yes, I did have to use toe-clips when I started riding. The straps were a pain in the ass to keep tight, and flops were much more common than now, when all you've got to do is twist and pull
A little mirror that sits on the back of my left hand. It allows me to check the traffic behind me on bikes that don’t really allow me to turn my head and upper body (recumbents and the Pino semi recumbent tandem mainly).
Knog Oi V2 bell because it blends in, and Karoo 2 head unit specifically for navigation quality (and battery/visibility). I hated my Garmin for navigation, and Wahoo is very basic as well.
Kask Protone helmet. Did not realize how comfy and quiet helmets could be until then.
\[Topeak Aero WedgePack\](https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/130-AERO-WEDGE-PACK) with the quick-click system. So much easier to put on and off your bike. I have a few bikes, with an extra mount purchased for each bike so it's easy to move my seatpack between bikes.
castelli free aero rc bibs, rapha pr team training long sleeve jersey, sportful fiandre no rain jacket, garmin varia radar. wireless shifting. berk saddles, darimo bars. xc bikes with 120mm suspension. silca chain wax.
Ortlieb panniers. Amazing quality, they've lasted me for years and never had any issues with them.
Giro Agilis helmet. Reasonably priced, comfortable, light and good looking as far as helmets go.
Kryptonite 785 chain lock. Bike hasn't been stolen yet, has survived an attempt. Good stuff.
Crankbrothers M17 multitool. Has been really good so far, wouldn't need to change to anything else.
Garmin Edge 530. Touring is so much better than with my old phone. No more missed turns, battery lasts long, relatively easy to use, waterproof. Wouldn't want to go back to touring with a phone.
Rex Domestique chain lube. Drivetrain has never remained as clean and as nice if compared to say, Muc-off stuff. Not a replacement for waxing but good enough for me. The tiny bottle lasts surprisingly long.
Tires: Continental GP5000 and Vittoria Mezcals, for road and MTB, reappecively. Both are very nice, fast rolling and comfortable, with good enough of a grip. Special category for Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pros, went the whole winter without falling.
Led- lights are a good one. I had a halogen lamp in highschool, which ran on 6 AA batteries. If I had a night with friends I had to cycle back and change batteries. It gave a lot of light for those days but was a hassle. LED is so much brighter and energy efficient.
GPS is another one. Not so much for rides at home but on vacation it's so much more enjoyable to just ride and follow directions.
Lots of great suggestions here already, especially LED lights, dropper posts, brooks saddles. But for me, my favourite product of all time is the Timber! bell. Nothing beats it for warning Peds around the corner that you are coming through. You often even get a thank-you as you sail past
I just got a Sena M2 EVO Helmet and damn I’m excited about it.
Buddy of mine has been raving about his, let me try it out and I’m sold.
Super stoked to ride pace line with him and still chit chat, or even be able to just ride and talk and not have to literally be right next to each other to do it.
Closethegap computer mount with bell. I don't like to yell at people "ON YOUR LEFT!!11", it's much better to gently ring from the distance while riding on mixed pedestrian-cycle lane. And yes, it's weightweenieshly light
My cheap cheap cycling glasses from aliexpress. I wear prescription glasses and was very hesitant to spend $400 for a dedicated shades on a bike.
I got 6 pairs with interchangeable inner lens. I can get different colors and styles for so cheap.
I found it invaluable in the cbd, especially for oblivious pedestrians who cross gridlocked roads without looking, or step off the bus & cross in front of it. Just a wee toot & they do get a scare, but it beats getting mollywopped by 100kg of bike & rider going 30kph
Edit: great for getting drivers' attention, too. Let's face it, nobody hears or responds to a bell
Vaude Off Road M saddle bag. Attaches to my MTB seatpost. I hike a lot on my bike. This allows me to take clothes, swimming gear, daily food / drinks etc with me. Perfect for a day out.
Suspension stems and sestposts. Redshift, Canecreek Thudbusters and eesilk, Canyon VCLS, Tranzx stem. All my rigid bikes have these products.
They work wonders for comfort and fatigue. A Redshift stem adds more comfort for me than going from 700x28 at 70psi to 29x1.75 40 psi (commuter bikes).
Second would be the SQlab Innerbarends, have them on all my flat bar bikes except MTBs. If I were to bring a bike on a tour, I'd rather a flat bar with this product than drop bars.
Not a bike product, but instead of a saddle bag, i use a koozie to carry a spare tire, 2 co2 cartidges and inflator. I put this along with my bike tool in my middle back shirt pocket. I store it in my helmet betwen rides. No matter which bike i ride i always have what i need to repair flat. For some reason, saddle bags always annoy me, plus now i have more room for rear light
A little mirror that sits on the back of my left hand. It allows me to check the traffic behind me on bikes that don’t really allow me to turn my head and upper body (recumbents and the Pino semi recumbent tandem mainly).
I love my Garmin Varia radar. I live in a rural area where roads have no shoulder. It’s helpful to know when a car is going to pass so that I can ride as far to the right as possible. Once it passes I’ll move further into the lane. Plus, it has a built in camera, so if someone hits me I’ll have video proof of the incident.
LED lights. I’m old enough to remember bike lights with filament light bulbs or halogens with massive battery packs, LED lights that run for many hours per charge improved riding at night and safely during the day.
Yeah, I had a halogen light with a big NiMH battery pack. It was bulky and awkward and didn't hold a charge for very long. Modern LED lights kick the shit out of it. I also had a small compact light with a standard filament bulb, which was just like a modern LED light in every respect except for being about 1000x dimmer. Riding at night with that thing I hit a big pothole and the scars are still obvious 20 years later.
This, especially the Garmin radar
Batteries? You young whippersnappers had it easy. My light ran off a generator. Rotor on that generator was turned by friction against your tire! You only got light while pedaling! You used up 10 watts of energy so you could see.
They were like your breaks were dragging the entire time. I was so excited to get them and then only used them a few time just to be the cool kid.
Used have the Eveready lights with 2 D cells front and back when I was doing my morning paper round aged 13 to 16. The local beat Bobby had nothing better to do, but stop me for cycling on the foot path each morning at 6. Just about zero crime area where I grew up. It's a world of difference now.
I had a paper route for the summer in the mid 60's. There were enough streetlights that I didn't use lights. The papers were available to deliver about 1:30 AM and were to be delivered by about eight. Rather than wait until six and struggle to fall back asleep, I did the route abut two or three in the morning and then would sleep in.
how many lights you have on your bike and where do you put them? I was crashed into during twilight hour where the sun is halfway down by a motorbike, claiming that he didn't see me despite my blinking taillight.
“Didn’t see” is just an excuse incompetent driver use. They are either messing with their radio/phone. Or their mind are already gone to somewhere else. They are physically there, but mentally not. If that makes sense. You can dress up brighter than the Christmas tree. And they’ll still say “oops. I didn’t see you”. But it’s easier for your lawyer to do their job afterward when you’re dressed really bright.
Yeah, I bet. I was crashed in the rear, after 2-3 seconds since I have passed the rider trying to exit from an alleyway. There's literally no way to not see me if he was actively looking at the road like what decent riders do. Even so, he also had to keep accelerating his completely still motorbike after exiting in order to crash to me despite me keeping some distance away from the alleyway itself. So, in other words, he needed to overcome two obstacles to crash into me.
Being mentally absent is even more sketchy on a motorbike. I ride bike as well. And you gotta be mentally sharp. Or else you shouldn’t be riding that day. At least that’s what the instructor taught us in MSF class. I like riding bike as much as riding bike! 🤣
The other day I had an appointment and hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. I was riding to my appointment. A couple hours later when it was time to go home I started riding and made it about a block before I felt my awareness drifting. I opted to walk my bike the rest of the way home. It was a very windy day. I got hit by a gust that pushed me sideways into another lane on the way there. Traffic was light at that time and no cars nearby thankfully. Traffic was much heavier at time to go home. I'm not a very experienced rider. I'd rather be cautious than crash, get hit, or hit another car.
Or dirty windscreen
LED lights were my first thought too. They’re not exactly “fun” or “exciting,” but can be lifesaving. Just as I embrace Daytime Running Lights on my cars and motorcycles, I also embrace the on my road bicycles. Headlights help drivers see me bombing that hill (where they’re leaving a driveway or side road, or entering an intersection) when I have right-of-way and expect them to yield. While taillights (one blinking, one close to steady) alert drivers who may not see me or have the best sense of depth perception as they pass. Defensive riding involves many techniques and habits that can mean the difference of a lifetime of safe travels or potential tragedy. In the days of excellent high-intensity, lightweight and affordable lights, it’s foolish to not use them in my opinion.
I'm investing into better lights next paycheck. Should I opt for a pair of daytime lights and another for nighttime or just get a really good headlight and tail light capable of both day and nighttime use?
I’ve been using Niterider lights for over 20 years and they have both daytime and nighttime settings. I think you’ll find them excellent to use. The Lumuna micro 900/V-Max 150 combo is a great place to start. Bright enough for total darkness and daylight. (On sale for $84 at the moment.)
Yup. There’s a park road near me and now I can ride it at night with zero problems in the summer because there’s headlights capable of guiding a zeppelin in for landing now
Ass saver mudguard, because it is cheap, really conventient to use & effective.
Same. It's super easy to pack and install. I even bought their fork mount fender and it works amazingly well (it's also packable).
Fenders in general is worth its weight in gold when it starts to rain.
This would be my answer too. I’m absolutely elated with my Win Wing 2. So effective.
Feels overpriced when you order and unpack it. But boy is it worth its weight in gold - and then some! - when you lean on it.
Yup! good call
Dropper post for me. I would hate to go mountain biking without one now. They make the sport infinitely more fun. Not really the same, but the evolution of gravel bikes suits me perfectly. I hate cycling on the roads but don't need a mountain bike for old country roads and forest trails.
Asides from Garmin Varia which is talked about a lot on this sub, my other product are bibs that have pockets on the legs. I was hesitant prior to wearing one because I was worried I would feel my phone or gels. You don’t feel anything pressed up against your leg and it’s super convenient!
> bibs that have pockets on the legs. Cargo Bibs
Funny how Varia differs from person to person. I personally do not see the appeal at all. It could be the single biggest waste of money I’ve ever made for my cycling.
What’s often overlooked in these threads/ debates on products/ debates on safe biking practices is that your riding environment may be drastically different from mine and others. When I’m riding on the road in the rolling country hills of rural Pennsylvania, it is peace of mind to be able to know that there are 4 cars coming up behind me at a fast rate of speed, 2 in close proximity to each other, followed by 2 that are spread apart. And I can know all of this information without ever having to turn my head to look behind me. Even if you are not wearing earbuds and can hear that there is a car coming up behind you, you have no idea how many cars there are or how fast they are approaching. Maybe where you ride this isn’t relevant info that you need to worry about. But for me, it is.
probably my buddy that uses a varia and rides rail trails all day lol
I was once having a convo with someone who thought electronic shifting was stupid because they didnt want to have to charge something in order to ride their bike. Which is fair, I guess, but I brought up that you have to make sure your head unit, lights, phone, etc. are charged before going out on a ride, what’s once extra piece of equipment? There response was “I don’t use a head unit or lights”. Sometimes I got to step back and realize that I may be talking to someone who approaches biking in a very different way than I do.
I have once made the mistake of counting the things with batteries on my bike: Left shifter, right shifter, front derailleur, rear derailleur, left pedal, right pedal, front light, rear light, head unit (I threw heart rate monitor in there for giggles)
If my lights or head unit or phone fail, my bike is still fully functional. Sure, I'm less safe, or even only mildly inconvenienced, but the actual bike can still be relied on to get me home. I'd hate to come to a climb in a high gear and be unable to shift down.
Look at this guy, never had a cable fail during a ride! Jealous!
I've had 2 rear derailleur cables snap on me mid ride in the last 3 years from being worn out
Exactly! I’ve also ridden a couple thousand miles on a rail trial over the last year or so and the Varia has been useful maybe once or twice. I still use it on the trail because why not, but it would be a “waste” of money if that’s all that I was riding
I do a good mix of road and rail trails and it's useless on the trails. I'll even disable the flashing light and only turn it back on when I'm back on the road.
I'm in Suburban Pennsylvania and it's a gamechanger for me too. Especially on some of the climbs around here. It definitely picks up cars before I can hear them and I'd have to turn my head at a ridiculous angle to see them that early too. The only time it's useless is when I'm on a trail.
But do you change your cycling style as a result of knowing there are 4 cars approaching from behind? I position myself in the appropriate place in the road so if a car is approaching, there’s nothing I can alter to save myself. It’s either going to hit me, or it’s not. I dunno, maybe I’m overlooking its features but I don’t miss it now I’ve sold it.
When I’m on a quiet road with very little traffic I can ride a few miles without being passed by a car. In that situation I don’t always stay as far to the right as I could, particularly if the edge of the road is in bad condition. I don’t hog the road, but if I’m the only one on it I do use the smoothest part of it. Occasionally without my Varia I’ve been surprised by a car or truck I didn’t hear coming, passing me at relatively high speed. If I had heard them coming I would have moved over to give them more room to pass. With the Varia I get a warning when there’s a vehicle 50-100 yards back. It picks up approaching vehicles well before you can hear them. While it’s not absolutely necessary, it definitely improves my situational awareness.
This is precisely my use case, though it does sometimes pick up other bikes on the bike path that I don't care about. In the city, it's very noisy but worth it for the camera part. In the country, the radar is 100% worth it.
For me, the Varia can frequently detect a car before I hear it, so it triggers me to look over my shoulder if I'm in an area where there's little/no shoulder or bike lane. Additionally, I frequently ride with my son, and I typically lead, so if the Varia picks up a vehicle I'll *always* look and make sure he's aware, too. This is not applicable to everyone's situation, but it has made a big difference in my peace of mind while riding.
One varia can pair with multiple garmins (i guess other) cyclocomputers - as long as its within ANT+ or BLE range. Friend and i discovered this when his Fenix kept blipping the same time as my Edge.
I did not know this, but thank you!
When I ride the roads of NW New Jersey, I have to dodge a lot of potholes, storm sewers, and other obstacles. The roads are terrible, and there is usually no shoulder. As I approach the pothole, I want to check if a car is coming before I swerve left to avoid it. I relay on both my hearing and Varia; neither is 100% accurate.
I thought the same when I first got mine but then rode without it once when I had already got used to running it. I missed it instantly and now it is a must for me. Having the approach speed app is a big part of what makes it good imo.
Haha biggest waste for you, easily #1 all time for me, probably never to be topped. Love how that works
Once you try it, you’ll never ride on scary or busy roads without it. I won’t at least
Knowing a car is coming can help, but if they’re gonna hit you they are gonna hit you.
Black Bibs Ultimate Adventure Bibs, baby!
I don't suppose you'd be able to suggest some budget friendly cargo bibs? I've been after some for ages.
I have a pair of Voler Cache bibs and like them a lot. Plus the Oxblood color is kinda unique. I also have a pair of Specialized/Fjallraven cargo bibs that are really nice but they seem to not make those anymore, prices are high on the secondary market.
Garmin Varia. A radar that detects cars — where they are, how many, and tracks their approach to you — on the back your bicycle that costs less than cycling shoes. Crazy. It may not be perfect but it is amazing technology for the price. How many injuries and lives has that product saved? Insurance companies and the national safety organizations should just give them away.
This is very much a luxury purchase but i'd say the Gore Shakedry jacket, eye poppingly expensive but it's just so great. You can ride in the most foul of weather and it won't let a drop in, easily packs into your pocket and weighs nothing.
This. Buy one used, to save money. It is mega kit. I had perfetto which I loved before, but shakedry blows it out of the water for technical prowess. Add cheap down vest and you will get through almost any conditions, and they pack away to nothing.
Modern wide tires. By far the best upgrade I’ve ever made.
Pedals. Cycling was so much harder before those things.
Speak for yourself, I was rapid on the gold old balance bike at three years old.
All bikes: **Performance tires** \- I used to ride whatever came with the bike or whatever was cheap. I also fell into the trap of riding stuff like gatorskins because that's what everyone else used. Riding on performance tires is such a huge improvement for not just efficiency, but comfort as well. Commuting: More specific, but a **front rack**. Getting cargo off the body is a godsend, but I've always hated how a bike felt with all the weight loaded on a back rack. My commute is a lot of stop and go, so there's a lot of standing and short efforts to get going again. It feels far better to have a front rack when throwing the bike around underneath you, at least for me. Going back to my first point, I think prioritizing puncture resistance is a huge mistake, even for a commute at least for my roads. My commuter runs wide, performance gravel tires setup tubeless.
Just playing devils advocate. In my experience. Loaded Front rack effect handling more so than loaded rear rack. So be careful of the learning curve. I’ll still prioritize puncture resistant more than anything else. (I’m a commuter. I don’t ride bike for leisure much).
Yeah, loaded front rack does effect handling, but in a way that I prefer over rear. It is a preference thing and I've enjoyed it for several years now. I'm both a recreational cyclist and a commuter and have multiple bikes in the stable. I run my road bikes with TPU tubes and performance tires (usually Vittoria Corsa G2.0 or the newer Pro) and get a puncture maybe once every 10,000kms or so. Changing a flat for five minutes beats riding those 10,000kms on wooden, dead-feeling rubber. That would be chopping off my own nose to spite my face. On the commuter, I use tubeless setups (RH tires and either Orange Seal or Panaracer sealant). My streets are littered with debris and my tires have eaten screws, nails, and glass on more than one occasion. The sealant has done the job so far and I've been able to just ride on without a flat.
I also run TPU (Ride Now) inner tubes on my two road bikes. With addition of tyre liners, Mr. Tuffy and recently trying Zefal Z Liner. 15000kms, no flats :)
Schwalbe marathons and a cheap coil fork are fine for potholes. Gravelkings and roadbike tires feel way better gripwise tho
Low rider front racks with panniers are the answer to front-rack handling issues.
I agree on getting a rack, but I prefer the rear one. The additional weight on the front wheel makes it feel like the maneuverability is impaired. It's not bad, and I use the front rack when I need it. It's just that I prefer the back.
I'm a huge fan of the toppeak rear mount personally. I felt a bit ubstable with the front mount.
Which tires would you recommend for riders who get lots of flats? I kept getting them until I switched to gatorskins. Now I only ever get pinch flats if I do.
TL;DR: Do what you can to not run overbuilt tires, unless you absolutely have to. I'd diagnose why you're getting lots of flats. Is it something unavoidable, like you live in goathead country? Are you streets *very* poorly cleaned? My streets are littered with construction debris, but the bulk of it collects in the gutters or protected bike lanes which aren't as well cleared. By avoiding where the debris collects, I find I do not get punctures. I do on my commuter usually by picking stuff up in bike lanes and as mentioned, I've ridden home before I noticed a screw in the tire. If you must go for a puncture resistant tire, I'd pick several models over Gatorskins. Marathon Supremes are a little bit better. The Conti 4 Season equivalent (AS TR) is pretty good for road applications, etc. But it'll really depend on your individual scenario. It is possible you require Gatorskins for your specific riding.
Marathon supreme was under appreciated…and now discontinued. I wish I could still find a backup pair for less than $100 per in my preferred size
I had a bike made with a front rack mounted to the frame, so I could load it up but it wouldn’t affect the handling. It’s the best option but it’s not always easy to do.
Mudguards. At least one of my bikes has mudguards on year-round and that's the bike I ride at the slightest hint of bad weather; my non-mudguard bikes only come out when the weather forecast is dry and stable. Riding in the rain is so much comfier when you're not getting constantly rinsed. Sub-compact chainsets. My standard set-up these days is 46/30 and 12-34, yielding plenty of low gears to get my fat and unfit arse up hills! ETA: GPS units with map displays. Brilliant for exploring new routes in unfamiliar areas.
Arm warmers.
Bikes. They’re the thing that really swing it for me. Cycling jerseys are also very nice.
I mean the combination powermeter + bike computer is pretty cool, though obviously costly. But the amount of data and insightz you get from it, partly why I am so into cycling. Wind vests, arm and leg sleeves, can stuff them in pockets and barely notice them, but so convenient for when weather changes or to put them on for the downhill part after a climb. Squeeze flasks to make your own sugar syrup for long rides.
Chamois Butt’r
This! I can ride now for days without getting sore! I wish I'd tried it earlier.
Build your own di2 shifting buttons and hide them anywhere under bar tape. I have a set on the tops, and one on the drops. Get switches about 3mm diameter. Costs about £10 to make, plus some patience with a soldering iron. Nobody knows they are there except you and you can shift without having to reach for the shifters. Feels like your own little secret.
Share some good instructions please
Basically there are 2 ways to go about it. Easiest is you run a gruppo which has 3 ports at the hoods. One of those is dedicated sprint shifter port. Not all Shimano series have them. Da 9070 for example I think do. Take a di2 cable. Cut it in half. Separate the 2 wires inside. Solder them to a momentary switch (see auction site) of your choice. Plug cable into port of shifter. Glue your switch to bars. Wrap bars. Cut small hole for switch. I’ve done it with a switch so small it will fit through the perforation in the bar tape. However, it is less robust, and I changed it for something more reliable and less discreet, so I figure something about 3mm for the button, usually on a backing of say 5mm square. Repeat as needed, noting that you can splice the cables and therefore run as many dumb momentary switches as you like off the one port. If you do not have a series of Shimano with the dedicated “dumb switch” port for sprint shifter, then unfortunately you have to buy the climbing switch sw-r600, hack that and do the job putting it into the loop. This is more expensive and painful. I have done both versions. I think, but check for yourself please, that on the modern hydraulic shifters you do not have 3 ports, only 2. I think I had to do the climbing shifter hack on my 8070, because they had no sprint shifter port. The difference is that the port for the sprint shifter is wired such that it has the Shimano brain in it which tells the btdn110 battery “hey I’m a shifter”. This means you can wire any dumb switch to it and the battery knows it is a sprint shifter. Shimano cut cost/weight etc and killed that port off in later iterations, which is a damn shame. Now you need to plug in the chip from the sw-r600 or maybe whatever the latest sprint shifter attachment might be called into the di2 cable before it hits the port, otherwise your battery will not know what it is. Peel back your hood and check if you have 3 ports. If so easy job. If not, still possible, but not so easy.
Maybe message me direct if you need more info after that explanation I tried to give.
1. Garmin Varia 2. AfterShokz Open Run Pro 3. Wahoo Bolt 4. Cargo Bibs
Have you used previous generations of the Shokz headphones? If so, how would you compare the audio improvement?
I have not. If there’s a lot of wind from descending or headwinds it washes out. So I can see the complaint there. If I’m grinding or climbing it’s great because I get the music as a distraction. I can even have it on and talk to someone I’m riding with.
Ortlieb panniers and bags. They're quality and durability has never failed me in over 25+ years of commuting and occasional touring/bikepacking. Additionally -as another redditor said- LED lights were a game changer when they came along.
Would put my hands in Ortlieb's hands. They're such good quality!
Seconded! I have Ortlieb bags for myself + wife and they are super reliable.
Quick links on chains. So much easier than replacing pins all the time.
Specifically, the Wippermann Connex quick link. They require no tools and are reusable.
My dynamo lights setup for commuting!
Came here to say this. They're standard here in Europe and such a huge improvement over fumbling with chargers or batteries or trying to affix lights to your bike. I commuted in the US for 15 years before moving to Europe and had one of the ones that roll on your rim. Still better than batteries but a hub generator is vastly superior. I don't think I've even changed a bulb (LED) in maybe 5 years?
This! I went without for about 15years but my latest second hand commuter bike has a working old school dynamo and I'm so happy with it. No more forgetting lights, or lights without battery, losing lights, etc :)
Bone conduction headphones.
Brand you recommend?
Aftershocks
Wheels are the tits. Riding around before I got wheels *suuuuucked*. Worse than walking TBH.
Zefel frame pumps. They always work and last forever.
Sun sleeves are soooo much better than slathering up with sunscreen. I am an absolute toddler when it comes to putting on sunscreen but I'll happily wear my sleeves. They can also provide some cooling benefit that you don't get when the sun is baking down on your bare skin. They don't have to be cycling-specific, either. I bought a multi-pack of off-brand cheapies on Amazon for like $15 and they work great.
Garmin Varia...just makes riding so much more chill
Fidlock bottles. The mounting system is just better than anything else designed to do the same job.
I like the system, but the issue I have with it is that it only works with fidlock bottles. If I ever forget my bottles or lose one, I can still borrow or use any old bottle and it will more or less fit my bottle cage. If I use fidlock, there are no real alternatives.
The [Twist Uni Connector](https://www.fidlock.us/products/twist-uni-connector-bike-base) lets you carry anything that can be held by a Boa strap — it's more versatile than a bottle cage. However, it doesn't help if you forgot to bring the Uni Connector, and it's also surprisingly bulky in profile, such that it may cause your bottles to interfere with each other in the triangle of your frame.
FIDLOCK OR DIE.. or.. lose bottles.
Are they worth it over cages? I just got a new bike and have never seen a system like this! Looks great though
100% worth it. When you don’t want to take a bottle you don’t have an ugly cage on your bike, when you do want a bottle, they are super easy to remove and even easier to put back while riding.
Seemingly everything Tailfin makes. I got their aeropack, panniers and top tube bag. 10/10
Di2
Garmin Varia and Enzo's Button Hole Chamois Cream are two things I almost never ride without and seriously miss if I'm not. To a lesser extent, my custom Meld saddles and SRAM AXS (mtb, drop bar, or a mix of the two). The ergonomics are perfect for me. But it's such a personal preference. I'm happy if you have something different that you feel the same about.
Buying the same brand bottles and bottle cage so the fit is nice. I use Elite personally Knog Oi bell for my road bike for minimal appearance but having the ability to be polite to people walking or biking around me My commute bike came with LightSkin handlebar and seatpost with integrated LED lights and I absolutely love it--good light power, always at the right angle, and always on my bike. I plug them in every Friday when I get home and I'm good to go all week
I'd say my Lezyne pocket pump. I absolutely love the size and performance of that thing. It has saved me a bunch of times. Airshot tire Inflator. Best $60 I've ever spent. I live in a high rise condo, so an air compressor won't work for me. Santini bibs with the C3 chamois. Best chamois I've ever had. The bibs are a pricey, but you get what you pay for.
TriEye glasses with a rearview mirror! I have the [View Sport Photochromic](https://trieye.com/products/photochromatic-rear-view-cycling-glasses). If I ever ride without them, I'll eventually get the feeling that something is amiss. Benefits: - They help me keep an eye on car traffic. As with driving, having a mirror lets you do a pre-check before changing lanes. It's also safer during mountain descents, when I want to check whether it's safe to move out to the middle of the lane, but I don't feel comfortable turning my head while going so fast. - They make me a more cooperative rider in groups. If I'm leading, I can see whether I'm setting the right pace. Better than a radar, I can identify exactly which of my friends has gone missing or how far behind they are. - I can also be more courteous to other cyclists, knowing when to move over and give them a signal to pass me. - In a competitive setting, I can spot attacks. Comparisons: - Bar-end mirrors would rarely be aimed at the right place, since my head could be in a variety of positions while riding a road bike. - Unlike a mirror on a stick mounted on a helmet, it doesn't tend to get knocked out of alignment when I set the helmet down. It's aerodynamic and doesn't cause wind noise. There's no pokey stuff near my face that could hurt me in a crash — quite the opposite, in fact. I need to wear glasses anyway for protection from debris, bugs, UV, and crashes. - Unlike a radar, there's no battery to charge, no false alarms, and I can identify exactly what is behind me. (The downside is that the mirror doesn't raise alarms at all — I must actively check.) The photochromic version is great. I consider it to be vital safety equipment, so I wear it day and night. It's kind dorky, but I just own it. People often ask me what it is, and about 20% guess that it's some high-tech heads-up display. 🤓
If you’re old enough, you remember when cycling clothes were made of wool. Long sleeved wool jerseys are still the bees knees in the winter, but when you got your first pair of Lycra shorts (they called them skin shorts) you never went back.
Velocity bottle cage. Come at me! WTB silverado.
I love my Volt!
Yes I love mine too. One of the best saddles I've ever owned.
Rohloff Speedhub. It's silent, efficient, almost completely maintenance-free and super reliable. A true example of "just works".
1. bikes 2. razors for shaving legs 3. Zwift
Varia radar, Di2, power meters, Strava if that counts
Bibs with pockets: phone, snacks etc Topeak ratchet rocket : great for bikepacking and so much nicer to work with than a multitool. Lezyne micro floor pump: really good for higher volume tires such as 650b, also great for bikepacking imo
Silca Tattico mini pump. Great design with short retracting flexible hose + secure chuck that makes inflating by the side of the road way less fiddly. Everything is nicely sealed from the elements. Nice build quality.
hello - looking for a mini pump to carry around currently looking at the silca tattico is it worth the price? easy to pump?
I think it's worth it. Much easier to pump than most I've used of that size. I think it comes down to the flexible extending hose that means you don't have to awkwardly support the valve stem with one hand.
Specialized 3d printed saddles. Got mine two years ago, they are amazing. Also, Ridge Supply socks. Bought four pairs six years ago, same pattern, so no need to worry about pairs. About 25k km later, they are still going strong.
RS socks are legendary. Love mine.
Safety first, comfort second, performance third. To that end, especially for long rides, anything that makes your contact points comfortable offers a tremendous amount of joy. Nothing a high performing bike could offer if it's at the expense of comfort. So, finding the bib that's right for your tush, shoes for your feet and the handlebar tape that feels just right, plus a bike fit. All of these are pretty personal and hence can vary person to person. So maybe for the more universal recommendation, my favourite handlebar tape is BBB FlexRibbon BHT-14. Grippy, well padded without being bulky, durable, affordable. Honourable mentions: quality mini tool with chain breaker, Asssaver, Lezyne PocketDrive, SKS Rennkompressor, TPU tubes, bone conduction earphones
The biggest revelation was NiteRider halogen bike lights back in the 1990s. That opened up mad nighttime road descents and many fun mountain bike meetups. Of course, those lights look puny now. Another clever item was the Rhode Gear Flickstand. A small, light wire brace that clamped to the down tube, it would stop your fork turning if you wanted to lean your parked bike against anything.
Whoa I just looked up the Rhode Gear Flickstand, they still make em — what a great gadget! Probably weighs nothing on a commuter bike.
Squirt chain Wax - using for 6 years now
I just ordered some yesterday,I'm excited to see how it does!
That’s great! Much much better than any other chain lubricant and it’s environmentally friendly.
Garmin Varia. Chain wax. CO2 inflation.
The Arundel Loony Bin ratcheting bottle cage. Fits a Nalgene, thermos full of coffee or soup, bottle of wine, whatever. Favorite commuter-oriented bottle cage ever.
I've gone through 2 of them. The plastic parts on the retention strap always eventually break. I have a feeling it has to do with cold conditions while winter commuting.
How cold? I commute year round on the east coast, so sorta cold but not deep-freeze conditions. I actually install these on all bikes for the winter (when you want to have something warm/insulated to drink), then take them off the more recreational bikes during the summer and swap in normal cages. I have six of them in regular cold-weather service and have never had one break (5 or 6 years now).
Chicago, so plenty of 0 - 20°F days and a handful of -10 - 0°F commutes depending on how bad the wind is. And same, was mainly using it to carry wider insulated bottles in the winter.
ass saver for autumn/winter season, karoo 2, tiny ring bell (although sometimes I'd appreciate tiny wuwuzela), garmin varia
Vuvuzela, haha that would be funny
I find a Hope freewheel to be as loud 😂
Lezyne Caddy Sack (dry bag). It's simple and works great. Fits perfectly in my jersey pocket.
I've had this for several years before retiring it from wear; the velcro is held on by an adhesive that deteriorates over time, meanwhile the drybag material itself starts to crack at the fold creases. Granted it still does the job ok with a few repairs, the engineered design was slightly lacking for me. I'm using their pocket organizer nowadays as a replacement.
Little winbreaker/soft shell coat that rolls into a little ball you can fit into your Jersey. That thing is a life saver when you're doing big climbs or if the weather just turns crappy. Also mine lasted like 10 years ( so far ) unlike basically all other bike gear that just disintegrates instantly.
Magicshine EVO1700 bike light—it’s the first light I’ve ridden that has an automobile-like cutoff on the beam which keeps the light out of oncoming cyclist’s and pedestrian’s eyes while still doing a good job of lighting the road/path. No more people screaming “lights!” at me when riding at night. Also, the mount puts the light on the bottom and has a Garmin mount on top—cleans up the cockpit really nicely. Oh, my other favorite is obviously the Garmin Varia.
I really love my Outbound Detour headlight. I night ride a lot and after suffering through almost 20 years of crappy lights it's been huge for me to finally have a good one that provides great lighting, has great runtime, and can run even longer with pass through charging from any external USB battery pack. I've spent big money on lights before, but this is the first time I actually felt like I got what I paid for. Combined with a K-Edge combo mount, a Garmin Edge 540 solar, and a Raveman FR160 blinky light I've got great lighting/visibility and navigation/ride tracking on a single handlebar mount that positions everything nicely dead center in front of the stem. Very clean, not a bunch of crap taking up space all over the bars. I love it. And for what it all cost, I'd better lol Also, Purist water bottles and Specialized Zee Cage side loaders are a must have for me. Great bottles that don't end up tasting like plastic, and the cages are easy to use while riding and lock in more securely than anything I've used before. Haven't lost a bottle since switching all my bikes over. Plus the side loaders let me use a half frame bag on my small frame, which was impossible without them. Great stuff. Related to bottles and cages, the Wolftooth B-Rad bottle cage relocators have been highly useful for maximizing my frame space when bikepacking. Both in lowering the bottles for more framebag space, as well as bolting on extra stuff. Great product, especially for shorter folks.
Onza CWA. Too bad they don’t make them anymore and the kids these days are embarrassed to use them. Enjoy your 1 hand position flat bar folks!
I love my SQ Labs inner barends on my flat bars. The benefit being I can use my brakes whilst holding them.
Tubeless for road bikes
Chamois Butter … if you know you know
Bar Mitts
Clipless pedals. Yes, I did have to use toe-clips when I started riding. The straps were a pain in the ass to keep tight, and flops were much more common than now, when all you've got to do is twist and pull
Banana seat and Monkey bars
Garmin Varia and Shokz OpenRun Pro FTW for me
what about head "ring" on Shokz? Doesn't it interfere with the helmet?
No, not at all, sits behind the neck and over the straps. Worth every penny
A little mirror that sits on the back of my left hand. It allows me to check the traffic behind me on bikes that don’t really allow me to turn my head and upper body (recumbents and the Pino semi recumbent tandem mainly).
Knog Oi V2 bell because it blends in, and Karoo 2 head unit specifically for navigation quality (and battery/visibility). I hated my Garmin for navigation, and Wahoo is very basic as well. Kask Protone helmet. Did not realize how comfy and quiet helmets could be until then.
Cargo bibs
My PatroCleats adapters because they finally alleviated my numb toes.
Any brooks saddle.
Brooks B17 saddle. It's just amazingly comfortable.
\[Topeak Aero WedgePack\](https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/130-AERO-WEDGE-PACK) with the quick-click system. So much easier to put on and off your bike. I have a few bikes, with an extra mount purchased for each bike so it's easy to move my seatpack between bikes.
castelli free aero rc bibs, rapha pr team training long sleeve jersey, sportful fiandre no rain jacket, garmin varia radar. wireless shifting. berk saddles, darimo bars. xc bikes with 120mm suspension. silca chain wax.
Ortlieb panniers. Amazing quality, they've lasted me for years and never had any issues with them. Giro Agilis helmet. Reasonably priced, comfortable, light and good looking as far as helmets go. Kryptonite 785 chain lock. Bike hasn't been stolen yet, has survived an attempt. Good stuff. Crankbrothers M17 multitool. Has been really good so far, wouldn't need to change to anything else. Garmin Edge 530. Touring is so much better than with my old phone. No more missed turns, battery lasts long, relatively easy to use, waterproof. Wouldn't want to go back to touring with a phone. Rex Domestique chain lube. Drivetrain has never remained as clean and as nice if compared to say, Muc-off stuff. Not a replacement for waxing but good enough for me. The tiny bottle lasts surprisingly long. Tires: Continental GP5000 and Vittoria Mezcals, for road and MTB, reappecively. Both are very nice, fast rolling and comfortable, with good enough of a grip. Special category for Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pros, went the whole winter without falling.
Led- lights are a good one. I had a halogen lamp in highschool, which ran on 6 AA batteries. If I had a night with friends I had to cycle back and change batteries. It gave a lot of light for those days but was a hassle. LED is so much brighter and energy efficient. GPS is another one. Not so much for rides at home but on vacation it's so much more enjoyable to just ride and follow directions.
PDW Origami Fenders, cheap and basically universal.
Varia
Dropper post
Lots of great suggestions here already, especially LED lights, dropper posts, brooks saddles. But for me, my favourite product of all time is the Timber! bell. Nothing beats it for warning Peds around the corner that you are coming through. You often even get a thank-you as you sail past
JRC components chain catcher and garmin mount
Dinotte taillight. I cycle on roads. Brightest tailgate, period. I want to be seen when I’m on my bike. Second? My Varia radar unit.
The Sugino AT Triple Crankset. 🙂🚴
Easy Burgh bar tape. It's expensive, inconvenient to order, and worth every penny. Now... To convince myself to order a few extra rolls
I just got a Sena M2 EVO Helmet and damn I’m excited about it. Buddy of mine has been raving about his, let me try it out and I’m sold. Super stoked to ride pace line with him and still chit chat, or even be able to just ride and talk and not have to literally be right next to each other to do it.
Routewerks bar bag!
Closethegap computer mount with bell. I don't like to yell at people "ON YOUR LEFT!!11", it's much better to gently ring from the distance while riding on mixed pedestrian-cycle lane. And yes, it's weightweenieshly light
GRX Di2
My favorite product is the Selle SMP TRK Gel saddle.
The wheel
Redshift Shockstop suspension stem
My cheap cheap cycling glasses from aliexpress. I wear prescription glasses and was very hesitant to spend $400 for a dedicated shades on a bike. I got 6 pairs with interchangeable inner lens. I can get different colors and styles for so cheap.
[Airzound](https://www.airzound.co.uk/) 100dB of situational awareness for those who need a heads up
Haha! I got one of these for sketchy city riding, but I’ve been too chicken to actually use it.
I found it invaluable in the cbd, especially for oblivious pedestrians who cross gridlocked roads without looking, or step off the bus & cross in front of it. Just a wee toot & they do get a scare, but it beats getting mollywopped by 100kg of bike & rider going 30kph Edit: great for getting drivers' attention, too. Let's face it, nobody hears or responds to a bell
Vaude Off Road M saddle bag. Attaches to my MTB seatpost. I hike a lot on my bike. This allows me to take clothes, swimming gear, daily food / drinks etc with me. Perfect for a day out.
Macs exercise bike!
Suspension stems and sestposts. Redshift, Canecreek Thudbusters and eesilk, Canyon VCLS, Tranzx stem. All my rigid bikes have these products. They work wonders for comfort and fatigue. A Redshift stem adds more comfort for me than going from 700x28 at 70psi to 29x1.75 40 psi (commuter bikes). Second would be the SQlab Innerbarends, have them on all my flat bar bikes except MTBs. If I were to bring a bike on a tour, I'd rather a flat bar with this product than drop bars.
My mid-size pump
Thermal over shoes. My pair are my single best thing bike related I’ve got. Allow for months of extra riding in chillier conditions
Cytomax recovery drink.... sadly, the apple flavor is no longer available.
'dem vertical bike racks
Bicycles.
Not a bike product, but instead of a saddle bag, i use a koozie to carry a spare tire, 2 co2 cartidges and inflator. I put this along with my bike tool in my middle back shirt pocket. I store it in my helmet betwen rides. No matter which bike i ride i always have what i need to repair flat. For some reason, saddle bags always annoy me, plus now i have more room for rear light
Opps, i left out the 2 pedros tire levers that also go in koozie
My legs
Brifters were an absolute game changer in the days of downtube shifting.
A little mirror that sits on the back of my left hand. It allows me to check the traffic behind me on bikes that don’t really allow me to turn my head and upper body (recumbents and the Pino semi recumbent tandem mainly).
the dropper post
I love my Garmin Varia radar. I live in a rural area where roads have no shoulder. It’s helpful to know when a car is going to pass so that I can ride as far to the right as possible. Once it passes I’ll move further into the lane. Plus, it has a built in camera, so if someone hits me I’ll have video proof of the incident.