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15 Smart Pieces of Gear for a Better Bike Commute
By Nick Greene
May is National Bike Month, so what better way to celebrate than by getting out your bicycle and going for a spin? Whether you're a hardcore cyclist or just getting off training wheels, we have some products that might make biking even better.
1. POLAR BIKE COMPUTER; $170
This handy little computer will help make your bike rides more productive and rewarding. It has a built-in GPS that tracks speed, distance, and route. There's also a barometer, smart coaching features, and a front LED light. The device provides work-out guidance that tells you when to take a break or when to keep going, so you don't overdo it. You can also update the computer with new software and Bluetooth sensors.
Find it: Polar
2. BAR MITTS, $47
While Bar Mitts cost a little more than a plastic jug and some duct tape, they are far more resilient and rugged (not to mention warmer). The thick insulated shields fully enclose over brake levers and gear shifters, meaning your hands will have full range of movement—essential for when that lumbering salt truck screeches to a halt in front of you. Even the fanciest gloves are no match for the gusts cyclists cut through on frigid morning commutes, and you've probably seen handlebars outfitted with DIY wind guards in winter to combat this. (Half-milk-jug varieties are especially popular amongst hardy delivery bikers.)
Find it: Amazon
3. PORTLAND DESIGN WORKS SHINY OBJECT CO2 INFLATOR, $17
Deflated tires are a pain, but so is carrying a bike pump with you wherever you go. This tiny gadget uses compressed CO2 to inflate tires at an adjustable rate. Throw it in your bag and forget about it (until you need it).
Find it: Amazon
4. HAMBURGER BELL, $12
It's a bicycle bell that looks like a hamburger. If that's not great, I don't know what is.
Find it: Amazon
5. DELTA MICHELANGELO TWO-BIKE GRAVITY STAND, $50
The time spent finding a safe and secure place to lock up your bike can negate the original convenience of cycling to work. Bringing your bike into the office is ideal, and this space-saving standing rack is simpler to use than the drip coffee machine none of your co-workers refill. It works much like a ladder—all you have to do is lean it against a wall.
Find it: Amazon
6. CYCLOC SOLO BIKE STORAGE, $100
This plastic hanging device includes storage space for small pieces of gear and a place to rest your helmet. If your bike's pretty enough, this hanger lets it double as artwork for your apartment. And if your bike is ugly, it can double as abstract art.
Find it: Amazon
7. HALO II HEADBAND, $12
Unless you're equipped with indolent sweat glands, perspiration inevitably plagues hot morning rides into work. This absorbent headband fits underneath your helmet and kind of makes you look like Rafael Nadal, which is neat.
Find it: Amazon
8. KOBAYASHI RIFF UNDERARM SWEAT SHEET, $8
eBay
Speaking of sweat, these liners stick to the inside of your shirt and help keep your pits presentable. Once your coworkers notice that your underarms are bone dry after a strenuous summer bike commute, they will demand to know your secret. (It's up to you if you want to tell them that your secret is a Japanese armpit maxi-pad.)
Find it: Amazon
9. MOUNTAINSMITH BACKPACK RAIN COVER, $17 - $26
Here's a haiku for bike commuters:
Your stuff's in your bag.
In rain, your backpack gets wet.
Your stuff can't get wet.
Solve that poetic problem with a rain cover for your backpack.
Find it: Amazon
10. 4UCYCLING WATERPROOF SHOE COVERS, $17
Refer to the above haiku, but replace "bag" with "shoes" and "stuff" with "feet." There are more expensive shoe covers out there that last longer, so keep that in mind if you live and work in a soggy clime.
Find it: Amazon
11. LIGHT & MOTION URBAN, $60 - $80
These durable, waterproof lights are simple to install and can be mounted on a helmet as well as on handlebars. They come in a variety of models depending how much power you need, ranging from 350 lumens (for normal riders who sometimes have to bike home after dark) to 850 lumens (for cyclists who live and work inside cumulonimbus clouds).
Find it: Amazon
12. SERFAS THUNDERBOLT TAIL LIGHT, $40
This rear-facing light is extremely bright and versatile. It attaches to almost any part of your bike or on the back of your helmet.
Find it: Amazon
13. PORTLAND DESIGN WORKS BAR-ISTA, $20
If you put a cup of coffee in your bike frame's wire water bottle holder, you will likely either: 1) spill your coffee; 2) burn your calves and inner thighs; or 3) both of the above. This cup holder keeps coffee upright and accessible (if you spill it while hopping a curb, that's your own fault).
Find it: Amazon
14. OSPREY FLAPJACK/JILL COURIER PACK, $85+
Bike messenger bags are such a stylish choice these days it's easy to forget that they were originally designed for a purpose. This courier bag serves that purpose, and it features reflective material and blinker light attachments to make night riding safer.
Find it: Amazon
15. STRAVA GPS CYCLING AND RUNNING APP, Free ($5.99 a Month for Premium Service Subscription)
Besides tracking things like speed, distance, and physical exertion during bike rides, this app turns your commute into a competitive race, linking your times to a network of connected riders who share their own results. It's available for Android, iOS, and Apple Watch.
Learn more: strava.com
A version of this article originally appeared in 2015.