Essential biking gear for all types of riders

When you decide to use a bike, you should know that you also need some essential biking gear and accessories to keep you safe and comfortable. No matter what type of rider you are, cyclists can get something wrong if you do not pay attention to some very important things – with safety being the most important one. You may feel that biking is just a form of staying in shape in the weekends, or you may have decided to use your bike for daily work travel, it matters less. What is of utmost importance is to be ready for everything. Today, we will sum up the most important items of biking gear you need, no matter what type of rider you are.
1. Safety Gear
As we said, when it comes to safety on the streets or in outdoor environments, you cannot be too careful. This is why the safety gear comes first on this list. Here are the top priorities to consider:
1.1. Helmet
If you want to ride safely, the helmet is mandatory. A good helmet should fit your head perfectly and offer excellent padded protection to your forehead. Good helmets also need to feature plenty of protection padding, adjustable straps, adjustable cradle, and high-quality materials. Avoiding head injuries is the safe way to go when biking.
1.2. Lights
Lights play multiple purposes on a bike. They make you visible in traffic and allow you to see the road in the evening or at night. Front and rear lights help you commute on long distances in safety. While urban environments have plenty of ambient light, poorly lit streets can turn into veritable traps if you do not pack enough power. You can go for LED lights, which are bright, consume little resources, and last for longer times.
1.3. Gloves
When you think about bike gloves, you should think in terms of both comfort and safety. While preventing you from getting callouses in your palms when you ride daily, gloves also protect you from more severe accidents. In some European cities, wearing a helmet is not mandatory, as serious accidents with head injuries are rare. However, all over the world, a bike accident usually leaves you with scratches on your hands and feet. Gloves are a cool way to stay safe and bike with no worries.
2. Daily Core Gear
This category includes items you should always have with you, no matter the distances or the environment (urban or outdoor for instance). Even a quick ride to the shop should consider these essentials.
2.1. Eyewear
Just like the gloves, sunglasses and specialized bike eyewear plays multiple roles. They offer you protection from debris, dirt, dust, allergens, insects, and rain. They help you see the road better and they allow you to look very cool on your bike.
2.2. Water Bottle
Most bikes come with room for your water bottle and if they don’t, you should find room for it itself. Biking is a fun and low impact sport, but it does not mean you should risk dehydration. On the contrary, keep your water bottle close and filled at all times. You will be grateful to yourself for keeping some energy foods around as well.
2.3. First-Aid Kit
Bike accidents happen. Luckily, they are not serious, but you may get a few scratches from time to time. In order to be safe no matter where you go, keep a first-aid kit with you whenever you take the bike out.
2.4. Bike Lock
Shop wisely, when you shop for a bike lock, but have one with you at all times. It usually finds its place on the bike frame or in your backpack, so do not forget it at home. High quality bike locks also come with dedicated smartphone apps and all sorts of hi-tech features, so if you care about your bike, get smart and protect it!
2.5. Kits and Tools
A cycling multi-tool with Allen wrenches will save you from many situations, especially if the route is long. All cyclists carry a multi-tool for a wide number of purposes and situations, from adjusting the saddle to fixing your brakes. Some tool kits are super small, so they can fit in your pocket. Just do not forget them at home!
Kits are another type of problem you need to solve on the spot if need be. By “kits”, we mean, in fact, a repair kit, containing an extra tube, pump, tire lever, and a patch kit. Carrying a spare wheel is quite problematic, but you should never leave without the tools and the kits that allow you to fix a problem en route or arrive safe to your destination.
2.6. Reflecting Vest
While this item is not mandatory, you should use one just in case, especially if you ride in the evening or you are a beginner. Legislation comes with specifications regarding the reflecting parts of your bike, but wearing a vest sometimes is very helpful. Professional and seasoned cyclists wear neon shirts and cycling pants, but if you use the bike to go to work, the vest is a mindful addition to your gear.
3. Comfort and Coolness Gear
As a beginner, you might feel tempted to get all the possible gear. However, this would be a mistake, as time and practice will tell you what you like and what you need. You already have some comfort and coolness gear (the gloves and the eyewear for instance), so you can throw in some sunscreen and a nice pair of biking shoes as well – if you do not feel comfortable riding the bike with your office shoes. Nevertheless, in this category, you should introduce at least two necessary items:
3.1. Storage
You can use your backpack to store and carry many of the items we mentioned before, or you can attach a cool front/rear basket to get your bike a vintage flair.
3.2. Cell phone support
The coolness and utility factor here is that your cell phone plays multiple roles: GPS, fitness tracker, watch, cycling computer, music player, and more. It is not safe to keep your eyes glued onto the screen instead of the road, but having the phone close can help you with more than just your favorite cycling tunes.
What other types of gear do you consider necessary for all cyclists? What else do you carry around with you when you bike?