Top ten Bikessentials for every cyclist

If you’re a newbie to cycling, the world of bike gear can be an intimidating and overwhelming place. And the more you hear about supposed must-have bike accessories and essentials, the more expensive cycling seems to be.

Trust us, the cycling kit rabbit hole is deep, complicated, and pricey. But for those who are new to the sport or just want to make sure they’re equipped for the occasional ride on their new or rented bike, there’s no need to drown in accessory research.

Here’s a list of actual “must-have” bike accessories. This equipment is essential for your personal safety and the longevity of the bicycle. When you’re ready, you can look into kitting out your ride, investing in more expensive brands for quality or exploring optional extras. But if you have these ten items, you’re off to a solid start.

1) Helmet – optional in some cities, but for us, a bikessential!

Even if cycling without a helmet is legal where you live, it is your responsibility to protect your precious crown. The most experienced riders can get into accidents from time to time, and you can't control the motorists, pedestrians, and animals you encounter on your ride. We recommend you wear one even on a short cycle to the shops. 

When selecting a bike helmet, make sure to match the helmet to your head size and your style of riding. Recreational bike helmets can be an affordable option for casual cyclists. Mountain bike helmets offer great ventilation and rear head coverage to keep you safe in a backwards fall. And road bike helmets are lightweight, aerodynamic, and well ventilated for sweaty commutes.

2) Cycling Gloves, Full-Finger or Mitts

Gloves qualify as must-have bike accessories for so many reasons.

First, and most obviously they keep your hands warm in cold weather. Second, they protect your hands in the event of an accident. When you fall your natural reaction is to put your hands out to break your fall. Third, they prevent friction and blisters from rough grip handlebars. Fourth, they soak up that sweat, keeping your hands dry and allow you to maintain a safe grip on the handlebars at all time. 

The final, lesser known benefit is that cycling gloves protect your ulnar nerve. This nerve runs through the palm of your hand. When you place ongoing pressure on the ulnar nerve, you can experience pain or numbness in your pinkie, ring finger, or throughout the entire hand. Cycling gloves come with padded palms to prevent those issues.

Some pro-cyclists don't wear gloves because they don't like dampening the feel of the handlebar and want a close grip without extra fabric, it can be a personal choice, but we say gloves are bikessentials. 

3) Padded Cycling Shorts 

If you’re planning a long day of riding, consider investing in some quality shorts. These are designed to move with you, to minimize chafing and rubbing after long distances of repetitive exercise. Cycling shorts are also padded to give you a little more cushion between your backside and the saddle.

Cycling shorts come in a variety of styles, and you can even find ones to wear under your regular clothes. Most road cyclists prefer regular cycling shorts, while mountain bikers like baggy shorts, because the outer layer provides some extra protection from weeds and thorns. This is mostly a matter of tradition, and you can wear whichever you like whether you're a roadie or mountain biker. 

Tip: you do NOT wear your underwear under cycling shorts. Having a pair of cotton underwear inside your cycling shorts negates all of the benefits provided (friction control, moisture management). 

For the cushioning, some beginner cyclists buy a gel or padded saddle rather than choosing to invest in quality shorts. Padded shorts help keep your weight on your sit bones, whereas padded seats will disperse the weight incorrectly around your nethers. This can lead to issues with pain/numbness in your bits. We say buy a pair of padded shorts and you'll never look back. 

4) Water Bottle and Cage, or Hydration Pack

Running out of water mid-ride isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s a real danger... especially if you’re seven miles in on a mountain trail.

The standard rule of thumb is to take three big gulps every twenty minutes at least. Your need will vary depending on how strenuous your ride is, but the bottom line is: don’t be stingy. If you’re a casual cyclist, have a water bottle and water bottle cage. If you plan to head out on a mountain bike, grab a water bladder.

When purchasing a hydration pack, choose a size that’s a little bigger than you expect to need. You never have to fill it all the way. But you will regret buying too small when you’re ready to start challenging yourself with long-distance rides.

5) Portable Multi-Tool 

Once installed and adjusted, today’s bike components are likely to perform as intended for a long, long time. But as amazing as they are, they still have three major enemies: vibration, which, over time, can loosen bolts and connection points; impact, which can break, bend, and twist things; and neglect, which can lead to rust, corrosion, and other nastiness.

Whether it’s a city street or a dusty trail, you never know what can happen with your bike. All cyclists will need to make adjustments at some point - it's a good idea to have a reliable set of Allen keys at home, and a multi-tool to pop in your pocket for the ride. This is why a multi-tool belongs on your list of bikessentials.

Multi-tools vary in size, quality, and function. Some of the bulkier ones are designed to be kept at home. However, we recommend finding a lightweight one enough to carry in your pocket or saddlebag. A portable cycling multi-tool is not only easy to take along for the ride; it also travels well if you plan to pick up a rental bike on vacation.

For most modern bikes you will need a tool with at least 4, 5 and 6 hex (or Allen) key sets, and a screwdriver. Make sure that the various bolts on your bike can be tightened by the tool you got. The point of the portable multi-tool is to provide you with the right tools to fix your bike well enough to see you home.

Look out for our blog on bike multi-tools, when and how to use them.  

6) Bike Air Pumps  

Speaking of unexpected disasters, you need a pump. Keep a pump at home and use it weekly to keep your tire pressure up. Good tire pressure prevents punctures on the road.

It’s also smart to take a mini hand pump along on your rides. A pocket-sized pump isn’t ideal for long-term maintenance. But if you have a flat tire while you’re on the go, a mini pump provides enough air to get home.

7) Puncture Repair Kit - Spare Inner Tube, Tyre Levers and Repair Kit

Common punctures are a hole in your tyre brought about by broken glass or a thorn, or a pinch puncture, typically caused by a pothole. As you ride further away from home, having equipment in case of a puncture is essential. We recommend carrying at minimum a spare inner tube, tyre levers (two) and a mini hand pump, however, having a repair kit handy to fix the punctured inner tube provides additional peace of mind should the spare tube also fail. Look out for our blog on how to fix a puncture. 

Tyre levers: Chances are you’ll puncture when you’re tired or it’s cold and wet so having a tyre lever will be something that makes getting the tyre off easier. You will need two levers to help get the tyre out of the wheel's rim.  

Inner Tube: Make sure the inner tube you purchase is of the correct size and valve type for your bike. 

Puncture Repair Kit: The puncture repair kit is for extra back up. Modern patch kits are tiny or if you have the carrying space old-school larger puncture repair kits usually give a range of patch sizes. A typical kit will contain:

• Patches (at least 6)
• Small (5g) tube of adhesive
• Chalk
• Marker Crayon
• Sandpaper
• Instructions

8) Bike Lock

You put a lot of money into your bike. And there are lots of instances of bike theft these days, so don't lose it fast by being loose with security. No matter what kind of ride you have, a lock is a definite bikessential.

Which kind of lock you choose depends on how concerned you are about bicycle theft. Cable locks are convenient but only advisable in low-crime areas. For a tougher steal, try chain locks or U-locks.

And if you don’t own a bike but do use a lot of rental bikes, make sure you’re prepared with a lock to guard that ride as if it were your own. Many bike rental shops provide a lock with the bike. But be sure you check ahead of time so you don’t get stuck with the cost of bike replacement.

9) Lights and Reflectors

Look up bike lights and bike reflectors, and you’ll discover there are countless ways to illuminate your bicycle. 

As a bare minimum, you need a powerful handlebar mounted front light, ideally with an output upwards of 1000 lumens.

Whichever options you go with, from tire spoke reflectors to pedal strips to LED rear lights, make sure you’re in line with local bike laws.  

In the UK for example, every bike must have front (white), rear (red) and pedal (amber) reflectors; and both front (white) and rear (red) lights.

Don’t be afraid to add more light and reflection than the law requires. You know what your typical night ride is like, including the balance of shadows and ambient light. Err on the side of safety, and make sure you are clearly seen and can see clearly.

10) Sunglasses

Cycling sunglasses are getting bigger, flashier and more expensive every season, but don't get lost in the fashion - a pair of sunglasses are not just summer bikessentials but they will protect your eyes from UV and debris all year round. 

In the summer, they do their traditional job of protecting your eyes from the sun, as well as keeping road debris, wind and bugs out. 

Winter doesn't negate the need for UV exposure protection. Even on a cloudy day, UV exposure can be high and wraparound sunglasses with UV protection will help minimise this. The risk from harmful objects increases. In the colder months, the roads acquire their usual abrasive coating, a mix of grit and small stones from broken tarmac, thorns and splinters washed off the verge and the fields and the occasional piece of glass. If these nasties don’t manage to puncture your tyres, they can be easily be flicked up into your face, especially on a group ride, even if the rider in front has mudguards fitted.

This completes our top ten bikessentials. You have all this great gear, now you need a place to store it on the bike. No more trying to remember if you brought along your spare tube. Pack tools, wallet, and keys into a seat or handlebar bag. Out of the way, but easy to access, a bike bag is the easiest way to get gear out of your pockets and on the bike. 

The world of gear is vast and complex. You can countless bike accessories to make your two-wheeled adventures safer, easier, and more fun. These are just the bare bikessentials.

Comment below on this post and let us know what do you take on your rides?