How to Choose Suitable Cycling Accessories

Cycling as an aerobic way of fitness is economical, convenient and environmentally friendly. In New York, citizens who ride for exercise on weekends and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way are also a bright sight. Since the COVID-19, many more people have chosen to ride their bikes for fitness. So, for newcomers who are ready to join the cycling movement, what is the equipment for bicycle riding? The following is a list of cycling accessories and bike equipment you may need.

1. essential equipment for bicycle riding: helmet, cycling clothes, gloves, elbow and knee pads, water bottle, bike front bag, bike computer, electronic horn, etc.
2. essential equipment for night and small short distance rides: cycling glasses, headlights, tail lights, etc.
3. optional cycling equipment: sports camera, headband/faceband, lock shoes, heart rate belt, pedaling speedometer, etc.

A. Necessary equipment for bicycle riding.

1. Bicycle

The core of cycling is naturally people and bikes. So, what kind of bike is good to buy?

The general public usually chooses 3 kinds of bikes: road bikes, mountain bikes, and off-road bikes.

1) Road bikes: Higher price. Road bikes are lighter, have slim tires, and are usually faster than mountain bikes in good road conditions. Because most road bikes are drop handle type, so newbies need to practice and adapt.

(2) Mountain bike: wider tires, slightly bulky, but very suitable for long-distance riding, and driving on uneven mountain roads. Its suspension can absorb the impact of the road, making the ride more stable and comfortable. When it comes to roads with poor conditions, mountain bikes have better braking power and shock absorption than road bikes, so they can generally pass; while road bikes sometimes need to be carried by people.

3）Off road bike: It is a combination of road bike and mountain bike. The ride feels heavier than a road bike and lighter than a mountain bike. Suitable for riding in the city, but also for slightly longer distance riding.

It is advisable to buy a big brand of bicycle, the quality is guaranteed. Even if there are any problems, there are many repair points, and it is easy to repair and buy parts. However, there are usually no other questions except for changing brake pads and rear outer tire. You have to choose cycling accessories according to your purpose of use and economic conditions. Used as a tool for exercise performance is OK, no need to climb.

2. Helmet.

Safety first, the helmet is very important, the moment of the fall, the helmet can effectively protect the brain and reduce the injury.

Choose a helmet first of all to choose a suitable for their head circumference. Second, a good helmet to choose a one-piece molding, but many miscellaneous brands are not, it is not recommended to buy. Helmet is a disposable product, after the fall of the car break is bound to affect the solid, can not be solid to protect the head, we must decisively change. The price of the top helmet is far less than the money of an open heart surgery.

3. Riding clothes

Cycling clothing is very necessary cycling accessories, because according to human physiological characteristics of the longer riding time, certain parts of the body will be pain, especially boys, professional cycling clothing will ease a lot. Cycling clothes absorb sweat, dry quickly, and the eye-catching color has a certain security tips effect. Usually there are three pockets at the back waist of the clothes, which can be competent to place important small carry-on objects for short distances.

4. Gloves

Gloves are a very important piece of cycling accessories, anti-sweat, anti-slip, anti-scratch. Not only do they protect your hands when you fall, but they also prevent you from sweating and slipping when you ride. Usually choose half-finger cycling gloves in spring and summer, and optional full-finger gloves in winter.

When choosing gloves need to pay attention to: size to fit their palm width, slightly tighter comfort is good. In addition to the beauty, breathability, but also pay attention to the cushioning area size, sweat area and other issues.

5. Elbow pads and knee pads.

It is best to bring all this equipment to prevent from being hurt when fall.

After talking about cycling accessories, and then say the bike accessories.

6. Bike computer

The bike computer can show the time, speed, mileage, riding time, etc., so that riders can better grasp the physical fitness, riding situation.

Choose the code table to see the screen size, battery life, whether to support the power meter, and the code table end of the estimated power, can be completed in the cell phone; whether to support direct connection STRAVA, super fast synchronization speed; whether to support the export fit and so on.

7. Riding water bottle / bottle holder.

Dedicated cycling water bottle is inserted on the bike bars, easy to pick up and put in the cycling process. If you do not want to use a time to wash a water bottle, directly buy an adjustable size water bottle holder, directly put the mineral water bottle on OK.

8. Bike front bag

Put cell phones, ID cards, wallets, keys and other important objects. If you have a fanny pack is better, after all, important items better to carry with you.

9. Electronic speaker.

The horn is much better than the bell when you are in noisy places, or emergency.

The accessories stated above is suitable for any kind of cycling.

The following is optional equipment – to suit different situations, such as night riding and short distance riding.

B. Optional Cycling Accessories

1.Bandana and face towel: If there is a lot of sand and dust in the construction, it can protect you from the sun and dust, which is an accessory to be considered. The main role is to absorb sweat and prevent sweat from dripping into the eyes; generally buy cycling equipment will send bandanas, bandanas, sun protection and cold protection against mosquitoes. You can choose your favorite color and style.

2. Cycling glasses: cycling-specific glasses can prevent sand, glare and foreign objects such as mosquitoes from blowing into the eyes; cycling sports glasses fit at the eyebrows and can block some of the sweat; in addition, it is best to choose polarized lenses, the coating of the lenses can help the eyes adapt to day and night.
3. Heart rate belt: usually for road bike players, but also for a certain age, the heart is not very good, three high riders, at any time to see the heart rate.
4. Sports camera, bike recorder.

Sports camera (wearable camera) is installed on the body, is a manual shooting camera, loop video can last for 2 hours. While enjoying the ride, you can shoot images with verve without manual simplicity. Small size of the motion camera is recommended for outdoor as well as travel. Helmet mounted can shoot the same line of sight with their own landscape as well as scenery, but also the camera can be fixed on the handlebars.

5. Lock shoes: The biggest benefit of a large pedal area is to correct the wrong pedaling posture.
6. Night riding essential equipment – lights: in case of delayed travel to walk at night or through the tunnel, divided into front lights, rear lights.

Night riding must be installed lights as well as tail lights, special headlights with a cut-off line, like the car low beam, there is a light tangent, both to illuminate, and will not shake the eyes of people, more secure. Headlights try not to glare flashlight, because it will make the opposite side of the person temporarily blind, easy to cause accidents. Car lights generally have a base can be directly connected to the code table frame below, easy to install, beautiful.

Headlights: are necessary at night, especially in the absence of street lights, do not ride at night without headlights.

Tail light: Tail light is also very important, the tail light can be a flashing light, is a safety alert signal; In addition, it is recommended to buy a red rear light, can be more easily found by the driver behind. Tail lights can achieve a long range, a certain amount of waterproof is enough.

There are two kinds of lights: direct button battery and USB charging. If there are often night riding, it is recommended to use this USB charging more practical.

7 Cycling raincoat: Long distance riding will encounter rainy days, rain and snow and keep warm8 cycling pack: As cars have trunks, a bike pack equivalents to accommodate a lot of spare parts, strong and waterproof, easy to disassemble. When you want to have a long distance riding, towel, toothbrush toothpaste, shampoo body wash are necessary: spare tire and a variety of miscellaneous items into the storage. Small capacity, ten liters or less is almost enough.

Third, the necessary cycling accessories for long-distance:

1. Portable pump: the necessary items to fill the air, change the spare tire.
2. spare inner tube: if you ride far, prepare a spare tire to blow out the tire.
3. Brake pads: Brakes are a very important safety issue, so if you ride far away, you need to check the brakes before you leave, and have a spare set of brake pads.
4. Multi-functional repair tools: Far riding should have common repair skills and tools, such as tire repair, brake pad adjustment, hexagon for patching flat tires, etc.; there is a kind of tool canister, which can store a spare tire, two tire pry bars, a thunderbolt pump and other portable tools.
5. Chain oil: about once every 200 kilometers to apply oil6. Mudguards: When it rains, we need to put on the front and rear mudguards to prevent mud from splashing onto the body.

Four, the necessary equipment for long distance – medical supplies.

Deal with scrapes of band-aids, disinfectant drops, gauze, cotton swabs, etc.

The necessary cycling accessories should be completed, but you also need to minimize the items to reduce the burden of the road, is a very test of endurance and the degree of care.

The COVID-19 has caused a change in people’s lifestyles: focus on life, slow down the pace, get close to nature, and cycling fever includes all types of occupations, and people of all ages. Picking a nice place nearby and riding for an hour is enjoyable for the body and mind, as well as clearing the depression of staying at home since the epidemic.