Whether your cycling pursuits involve tackling the urban jungle or epic trails, there are some essentials you’ll need. Bright lights, solid reflectors and an impenetrable lock, for starters. But there are also some other useful bits of kit you should consider taking along for the ride – such as a multitool and a mini pump for those roadside emergencies. And if your bike is designed for more than the recreational Sunday amble, there’s some really nifty tech to help you make the most of it. Here’s a selection of the best cycling accessories to invest in.
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Best for lighting dark nights
SeeSense Icon 2 (£105)
If you’re a night rider, bike lights are the last thing you should scrimp on. Battery life, and long, wide visibility just can’t be compromised. Strap the SeeSense Icon 2 to your bike and the cars will literally see you coming a mile off. The front-facing lamp offers 400 lumens of brightness, and the rear light provides 300 lumens, making you visible from 3km away with a 270-degree side range.
With smartphone connectivity to boost their features, these smart lights will flash faster and shine brighter when they detect oncoming headlights or when you approach a junction. You’ll also get a notification when the battery requires a recharge. Speaking of the battery, the lights smartly adjust to conserve power and give 16 hours of ride time. They’re IP67 water resistant too, so you can stay safe and visible in the most persistent of downpours.
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Best for lightweight security
Litelok Gold Wearable (£99.99)
Locks you wear around your waist are a clever way to transport your bike security without having chains rattling around your seat pole or crossbar. And the 1.3kg Litelok Gold range is even smarter, providing high security without putting another stone on your hips.
The lock gets its strength from an innovative material that the maker calls Boaflexicore – a flexible metal combined with polymer that has a tensile strength of nearly 40,000 pound-force. It’s so tough, a new tool had to be developed just to cut it for production. The Sold Secure testing and certification body has awarded the lock a gold rating.
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Best for reflective safety
Flectr 360 (£24.40)
The Flectr 360 adhesive strips attach to most modern bike rims to provide 360-degree visibility, without adding weight, drag and or dynamic imbalance to your bike. While travelling at speed, they offer a near-perfect circle of additional visibility, reflecting light back at approaching traffic from all directions.
At under £25 for a double pack (two strips for each wheel), they’re also a highly affordable accompaniment to your bike lights. The flexible film is easy to attach and highly resistant to wrinkling and peeling. They also look pretty cool when you get some speed up.
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Best for compact security
Abus Bordo Granit XPlus 6500 (£89.99)
With more points of attack for would-be thieves and more components that can break, foldable locks aren’t for everyone. However, if you’re adverse to lugging a traditional hefty U-lock around on your daily commute, scratching and clanging away at your frame, this pocketable folding alternative is one to consider.
The Abus Bordo Granit XPlus 6500, which has a Gold rating from Sold Secure, straps securely to the frame and can be easily swapped between bikes, if you have more than one set of wheels in the garage.
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Best bike computer for tracking your rides
Garmin Edge 1030 (£499)
If you’re looking to upgrade your leisurely Sunday cycle to something a little more adventurous and strenuous, a bike computer is a great tool to have at your disposal. Garmin’s GPS-based options are among the best, and the Edge 1030 has a ton of features that’ll keep you on – and off – track. A pre-loaded cycle map feature means you can have turn-by-turn directions, while another feature shows you the road and trail routes most popular with other Garmin Connect smartphone app users.
If you’re riding in a group, a new rider-to-rider messaging service makes it easy to stay in contact, and smartphone connectivity also enables quick responses to notifications. The Edge 1030 also supports pre-set training workouts and is compatible with Shimano Steps eBike systems. Those with competitive tendencies can team the Edge with the popular fitness tracking app Strava, to race against their previous fastest times or against other users. You also get 20 hours of ride time between charges, which can be extended to 40 hours via an optional power pack.
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Best for indoor hill training
Wahoo Kickr Climb (£499.99)
Training for those long mountain ascents is difficult when you don’t live anywhere near them. Wahoo’s solution is to bring the mountain to you. Well, sort of. Its Kickr Climb training tool is an indoor gradient simulator designed for use with the Wahoo stationary bike systems. It provides slow, steady increments for long climbs and can raise your front wheel up to mimic everything up to a super-steep 20% incline. It’s also compatible with a number of third-party apps that enable you to tackle virtual courses, as well as structured workouts.
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Best for portable pumping
Lezyne Carbon Drive Lite mini pump (£32.99)
It’s shorter (170mm) and lighter (80g) than most mini pumps, yet the Drive Lite is still able to inflate your tyres to 120psi. It has a compact carbon fibre construction that’s durable, pocketable and mountable to any bike frame. It’s made more compact because the pump handle overlaps the main body, saving space – with an attachable ABS flex hose stored within the pump – and is compatible with Presta and Schrader valves.
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Best for roadside repairs
Topeak Mini 20 Pro (£18.99)
If you’re going to carry a multi-tool, you might has well get one that covers you for the majority of eventualities. With a full metal construction, this 20-pronged tool from Topeak will help you conduct a wide range of running repairs. It has a chain tool, a tyre lever, flat- and Phillips-head screwdriver and a number of Allen keys, plus Torx wrenches for work on hydraulic brakes. Despite packing so much into a tiny package (7.6 x 4.2 x 1.8cm and 151g), the tools are anything but fiddly, offering you plenty of room to work.
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Best for happy bottoms
Fabric Cell Elite Radius Saddle (£49.99)
When it comes to saddles, you often have to sacrifice comfort for weight – but not with the Fabric Cell Elite Radius. The seat is made from a collection of collapsible cells that look a bit like honeycomb and do the same job as the cushioned soles in a pair of high-end running shoes. The air pockets not only stop the seat compressing completely, keeping you cushioned from painful pressure points, but also save weight. At 335g, this is a great option for anyone who commutes daily but also wants to take on longer adventures at the weekend. There’s a drop-nose design to avoid the front section snagging your shorts and there’s no denying it looks the part too.
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Best for tracking power and cadence
Garmin Vector 3 (£849.99)
The ultimate upgrade for serious cyclists, the Vector 3 is Garmin’s most advanced power meter and cadence sensor. Unlike some other meters, it’s housed within a pair of pedals ensuring the most accurate data possible. The pedals deliver total power, left/right balance, cadence and other cycling dynamics to companion devices – such as the Garmin Edge bike computer for real-time information, or the Garmin Connect smartphone app for post-workout analysis. The easy installation makes them simple to transfer between bikes – which is a good thing, considering they’re £849.99 a pair.
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To find discount codes for the best cycling accessories from major sports retailers, visit discountcode.theguardian.com/uk
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