Mostly this depends on your own needs. You aren't going to need a trailer if you won't be hauling kids or stuff around on your bike. Odds are good, on the other hand, that you will want a way to carry a water bottle. You don't have to be riding extreme distances for the water bottle to just make sense, especially on warm days.
The most important accessory, of course, is the bicycle helmet. It's the law most places that you wear one. A good quality bike helmet can also save your life in an accident. It doesn't take much of an accident for a bike rider to have serious head injuries without a helmet.
If you're going to be riding at night, or even dawn or dusk, lights will be another worthwhile investment. You're hard enough to see on a bike in bright sunlight. You don't want to be harder to see when it's a little or a lot dark out. Go for quality. You aren't investing in a bike part, after all. You're investing in your safety.
Comfort is not a bad thing to think about either, especially if you're going to be riding your bicycle a lot. That's where things like water bottles come in. A water bottle holder seems like such a small thing, but it can mean a lot. And if you enjoy mountain biking, an easy way to carry water can be an issue of safety, although for a serious ride you may need more than just what one small water bottle can carry.
Check out your pedals too. Good pedals are metal with teeth to help your shoes grip to them. I remember hating these as a teen, because I wouldn't pay attention and sometimes get whacked on the leg by one. But as an adult I understand the advantages. A good grip between your pedals and your shoes is a good way to keep your feet from slipping, which can distract you and result in an accident.
You'll probably want a good quality lock too. If you know you're going to ride out and bring your bike back home, storing it in a locked garage, maybe you'll do well enough without one. But if you want to leave your bike alone for even a few minutes anywhere, you need a lock. Bicycles are all too easily stolen.
Whether you're looking for a bike to ride in your leisure time or something for a commute to work, you need more than just the bike to make the most of the experience. The right accessories can make your life simpler, make bike riding more pleasant or even help protect you from injury.
When you browse around a bike shop, it is easy to get caught up in all of the accessories there are to buy. Some you can easily brush off and find no need for, however, even casual bike riders should consider purchasing various bicycling accessories to make their riding much more comfortable. You don't need any accessories to ride a bike (accept for a helmet for safety), however, I realized after starting back to riding that specific items are now a necessity for myself.
The first thing I purchased for my bicycle was a well-cushioned comfort seat. You can find various types in a bike shop including ones that you can pull over your regular seat. I prefer buying a whole new seat rather than to cover up an uncomfortable one. If you ride for exercise or just for fun, a good padded seat will allow you to ride for much longer periods of time. You can install a new seat yourself or have the bike shop do it for you. Seats are one of the many bicycle parts that are easy to self install.
Another accessory update that helps are pedals with teeth. Most new bicycles come with stock pedals that offer no real grip. These types of pedals are made of solid steel and have teeth or claws that provide a strong grip for the soles of your shoes. These types of pedals can prevent your feet from slipping off of the pedals which can cause an accident.
If you do any type of night riding, it would be wise to invest in a quality headlight. I learned not to go too cheap on a bicycle light because the cheaper models barely light up enough for you to see what is ahead of you. A good high beam bicycle light will provide tons of light to see the road ahead as well as alert any oncoming traffic. The better quality lights usually require a battery pack that are rechargeable. The same goes for having a back light. These are not as expensive but are a good idea to have as the more light you have the less chance of cars not seeing you.
One accessory that you may not consider is the bicycle bell. I was one of those people who laughed at the thought of having a bell on my bike. A bell makes it much easier to warn people ahead of you to make way because you are coming through. This helps a lot when you are on a bike trail. Some bike trails also have people walking on them. Rather than yelling out "on your left" or "on your right", you can simply ring your bell a few times and people will move to the side. This also works great when passing up other bike riders who may not hear you yell out.
Other accessories that add to comfort are bicycle gloves and bottle attachment. Padded gloves will save your hands from calluses and a bottle attachment makes carrying water or a sports drink much easier. Next time you are browsing bicycle accessories, you may want to ask yourself if a particular item could make your riding experience much more comfortable as well as safer.
Both Stephanie Foster & Chris H. are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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