Starting the day off with stress from traffic jams and car horn noises on your way to work isn’t exactly what the doctor ordered. In a combination with poor nutrition, poor sleep, and lack of exercise, it’s a recipe for a shorter lifespan. But fret not, I’m not trying to scare you into thinking there’s no way out for the urbanite lifestyle, on the contrary, this blog post is about convincing you to take up cycling as your ideal way of commuting.
It’s no secret by now that it’s a low-impact activity that can help you work on your optimal health by having a good workout without putting your body through too much strain. In terms of it being a great means of transport, your bike can take you from point A to point B with zero noise, zero pollution, zero wear and tear of the roads, and contributes to zero traffic congestion.
So, instead of feeling worn out, you’ll arrive at work feeling energised and carefree since you won’t have to bother finding the perfect parking spot either. This is especially true for commuters with foldable e-bikes. Now, even with all these perks, I get it if you find yourself in doubt about whether to make the switch from your car.
Comfort is one crucial component that might convince you to take up daily cycling. For a safe and pleasant experience, it all comes down to shopping for the right pieces of bike accessories online or at the local stores. These are the extras to the basic safety essentials such as helmets, lights, locks, pumps, lights, etc. Curious to know which might come in handy? Let’s dive into the list!
Table of Contents
Handy Accessories to Pedal in Comfort
For a beginner cyclist or bike commuter, the car rides may seem infinitely cosier – until the suitable accessories come along. Comfort can mean different things for different people, but there are certain essentials most cyclists appreciate.
1. Multiuse Bag
What you do for a living doesn’t matter, the fact is there are some items you can’t do without during the commute. This is exactly why first and foremost you’re going to need a bag to safely carry these essentials with you.
To say that the market has an abundance of these useful biking accessories is an understatement because the variety of designs, styles, brands, and prices is bigger than you can imagine. Still, if you find this to be more of a drag than a perk, my advice is to get to know a little bit about the different types of bags and consider your storage needs based on the number and size of your belongings. Carrying more than a laptop, a water bottle, and a lunchbox might make you choose a rack or pannier bags rather than backpacks, so think this through.
Properties, such as whether the bag is waterproof, equipped with many compartments and offers protection, are other important considerations. The same goes for the mounting system and accessibility given that there are front, side, and rear attachment options. While I’m at attachments, if you plan on using the bike day-to-day with your family, even when not commuting, a basket and a child seat can be other advantageous additions.
2. Protective Fenders
Cycling on a sunny morning is truly idyllic, however, you need a reality check that weather can easily come between you and your pleasant ride; one minute you’re pedalling nice and dry, the next it’s raining cats and dogs!
Purposefully designed bike accessories online stores offer in the likes offenders are simply a must if you want to maintain your professional image intact since they can keep your outfit spotless from nasty muddy stains. For optimal protection, you might want to invest in full fenders instead of temporary plastic strips. Size, material, and installation are aspects to focus on besides the price.
3. Convenient Pedals
The cheaper pedals most bikes come with don’t provide the required level of comfort in the long run. To find the best design of these bike accessories online, choosing between the basics like clipless and flat, you should have the rides in mind – specifically the duration, the terrain, and the type of shoes.
Unlike the clipless which require some effort to be clipped in, suitable for long rides, the flat pedals are great for use with a wide range of shoes. You might also like them for being easier to handle for beginners and proving to be perfect for shorter rides.
4. Convenient Handles
Same as the pedals, handles are elements that significantly impact comfort, and when you’re in it for the long rides the last thing you want is tense shoulders and numb hands with blisters that prevent you from being productive at work.
Paying attention only to the material would be wrong because you also ought to look into the styles to make a wise purchase. Depending on your ride, you’ve got the aerodynamic drop bars and bullhorn bars for speedy commute, cruiser bars for urban commuters, riser bars for a slow and comfortable commute, and flat bars for rougher terrain.
5. Secure Phone Mount
As modern-day people, smartphones have become extensions of ourselves, so it’s natural to depend on the phone to check the weather, the condition of the terrain, the way through a new route, or to play some tunes. For smooth rides, a simple yet functional addition in the form of a phone mount happens to be paramount for keeping your precious phone securely locked and protected from all the bumps.
Since there are endless versions of these bicycle accessories, taking the fit, profile, and design into account would be of help in making a well-rounded decision. High profiles may seem stylish, but if the wind is a concern, it’s best to acquire a low-profile design instead because it’s more secure.
Easy attachment and detachment are other components of a quality mount that you’re going to get from the universal Quad-Lock that’s suitable for different smartphone cases. Speaking of cases, these are phone accessories that matter because they too have a say in the device’s protection so choose them wisely if you don’t want to put the blame on the mount in case something goes wrong.
5. Practical Hydration Pack
Given that cycling is a physical activity, you’re going to get sweaty at some point along the way, so you need to take hydration seriously. When choosing from the range of bottle cycle accessories, regardless of whether you decide to store them in the bag, or place them mounted on the bike, you need a leak-proof design to ensure the liquid stays put.
Since this too is an important investment, more so if you stick to using cycling for commuting, it’s best to choose from the ranges of sturdy and reusable water bottles. Those who are addicted to coffee, yet want to stay on the lighter side with the storage, should consider the use of an ergonomic hydration pack for the water supply, and reserve the stainless steel bottle for the bean juice.
6. Change of Clothes
Okay, these aren’t exactly accessories but are nonetheless necessary in case you don’t like fenders for some reason, or you always want to be prepared for whatever comes your way. Muddy stains aren’t the only culprit as you have sweat to worry about too on your way to work, so packing up an extra outfit would be more than needed. If your budget allows it, you may treat yourself to a few stylish cycling clothing pieces made from waterproof and breathable materials perfect for the year-round commuter.
