What's your most useful cycle accessory?

Question

What is the most useful accessory you got for your bike? By useful, I mean something that improved the enjoyment or functionality of using your bike.

Note - I know this is a subjective question, but I ask it to generate a reference list of most useful accessories, as opposed to identify 'the best'.

One accessory per answer, plus a little explanation of why it would be useful. I've put my top two in by way of example.

Edit: This page is meant to list accessories you've found useful, not to record basic cycling concepts (as per this thread in meta). If you would like to write an entry about a basic cycling tool, component, or concept, please use the terminology index for that.

Answer 1

Fenders/Mudguards - front and back. I ride all through winter and these help keep me dry. There's usually only one or two dozen times a year that I'm really riding in the rain for my morning or afternoon commute, but there's a good 3 or 4 months where rain comes through often enough that I'm riding through a lot of puddles.The rear fender prevents the classic skunk stripe, while the front fender primarily prevents splashing onto my feet and ankles.

These also help keep your bike clean and should help increase the lifetime of your chain/gears (or at least give you an extra few days before it's time to clean and lubricate everything when riding in winter).

I don't remember the exact model, but they're basically these fenders from Planet Bike that include a mud flap.

Answer 2

Panniers - I originally bought these to go on my first ever touring trip a few years back, but found they made huge difference for day-to-day commuting and increased the amount of biking I did. No longer did I have to balance groceries on handle bars, or arrive at the office with sweaty back from carrying a laptop in a backpack. Get one's you can clip on/off (I'm sure most do) and if there is any chance you will get caught in rain, its worth paying extra for waterproof panniers.

There are many types of panniers, here's a few:

Answer 3

Saddle Bag - It looks quite small, but there's enough space to fit everything that I used to put in my backpack in longer rides: spare inner tube boxes, cell phone, keys, money, train travel card, tire levers and small toolset. It's so much better to ride without a backpack.

Larger saddle bags are also available, sometimes mounting on rails attached to the saddle. These can be large enough for a change of clothing or sometimes even larger.

Answer 4

Cycle Computer I'd say a cylco-computer is my best accessory. I have the Sigma 1606 with cadence addon. It allows me to guage a bunch of things, speed most obviously, but tracking my cadence, average mph, and distance have really helped me grow as a casual rider.

Answer 5

Multitool - Contains the tools you're likely to need to do emergency repairs on a bike. Common allen keys, chain tool, and sometimes tire levers are included. This and some tubes and a pump or CO2 inflator will get you home.

Answer 6

Repair stand - It makes maintenance and adjustments on your bike much easier by holding the bike off the ground, at a height convenient for work.

Answer 7

CamelBak (or any other backpack with a water bladder in it) - I drink a lot of water, and after missing the bottle cage a few times and running over bottles, I decided I was too clumsy to keep trying to drink from a bottle and ride at the same time.

On hot days, fill the bag most of the way with ice cubes before filling it up with water. The ice will melt plenty quick enough to keep you from running out of liquid in there, and there's nothing worse than slurping piping hot water.

Answer 8

Kickstand - simple but very useful. I used to have one when I was young but it was rubbish (bike never stayed upright) and it put me off them until recently. The one I have now is great, works with fully loaded panniers, and it means I don't need to find a wall to lean the bike against. Especially useful when doing small maintenance tasks.

Answer 9

Cyclaire pump It's a compact pump (comes with a small bag to attach to your top tube), and really, really fast. Changing a tube at the side of the road is bad enough without having spending ages minutes inflating it again (and tiring your arms). Now I never have to. It's not as good as a track pump, but I wouldn't want to be carrying one of those with me all the time.

A few times when I've seen another cyclist trying to inflate their tire with a hand pump, I've stopped to let them borrow mine. Each time they've been really impressed and said they're going to order one when they get home.

Answer 10

Travel mug - Specifically, the AUTOSEAL® West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug (Vacuum Insulated). It fits easily in either water bottle cage (they're nylon so less likely to scratch it). It keeps hot things hot for at least a couple hours. It seals thoroughly enough that you can turn it upside down and shake it and not a drop escapes, so no worries about spilling coffee on my legs from going over bumps. And the unsealing mechanism is a button that's easy to press, allowing for no-hassle one-handed operation. Can even manage to drink with rough ground, since I can press the unseal button after getting the coffee

I used to have an insulated coffee thermos device with something more like a normal water bottle top, and if the coffee was a little too hot it was easy to burn myself. Since this one has an opening somewhat more like a cup, it's much easier to take small sips. That used to be my favorite bicycle accessory ever, but now the Contigo is.

There's just nothing that beats a nice hot coffee on a chilly morning commute. Or maybe a hot chocolate if I'm out a bit late and it's chilly...

The Bicycle Coffee Systems website is a good resource for finding other coffee mugs.

Fit question:

• In a fairly typical metal cage a lot like this cage it fits "normal". Most of the bulge of the cup fits under the clamping mechanism at the top of the cage
• In a profile designs nylon cage that grips a bottle all around, it fits tighter than a standard water bottle, but still works fine.
• The cage I'm most often using with it is an adjustable cage (I think I have the previous model of that one) that I originally got for a larger coffee bottle. The setting I have it at works for this mug or for a standard water bottle.

Answer 11

Garmin Forerunner - it's a GPS watch and not the typical cycling GPS that you put on the handlebar. But I love it because I also do running and it's convenient to have all workouts tracked by the same device (to upload everything at once). You can easily toggle between the cycling and running modes. That's important because you typically measure your running pace in minutes/km (or minutes/mile), while for the cycling speed you in general prefer km/h (or mph).

Answer 12

Dynamo hub - Works under rain and no worries about discharged batteries. Plus, the front light has a night detector and the rear light has a capacitor.

Answer 13

Click-Stand -The Click-Stand is a kickstand substitute, essentially a modified tent pole with a hook on the end. It's custom sized by the manufacturer so it'll fit with your bike. It's particularly well-suited to loaded touring bikes, and is much more stable than traditional kickstands.

It takes a minute to deploy, so it's not appropriate for racers or commuters, but it's great for anyone who's okay with taking a few seconds here and there.

After using it on tour for well over a year, I can confirm it to be more stable than most kickstands I've used, and doesn't put stress on the chainstays (where most kickstands are attached).

It comes with two brake bands, used to hold the bike's brakes closed, so it doesn't roll away while the Click-Stand is deployed.

Loaded touring bike in Philadelphia 30th Street Station, held up with a Click-Stand. (The Click-Stand is the device under the saddle, extending down to the floor.) Image credit

Click-Stand and brake bands, stowed in the holder next to my water bottle cage. Image credit

Click-Stand manufacturer's page

Note: The Greenfield Stabilizer is a kickstand that attaches to the rear of the chainstays, next to the rear fork, and is a popular alternative to the Click-Stand for loaded touring bikes.

Answer 14

My lighting system - a cominbation of a SON Hub Dynamo and Bush & Muller lights.

The lights are a D'LUMOTEC oval senso plus at the front and a D'TOPLIGHT plus rear.

The D' is (I think) because they use LEDs

Firstly these are seriously bright (front and rear) - front gives a lot of light, enough to light up a road pretty well if dark. Back is bright.

Secondly they have a standlight function (that's the plus) so when you stop they stay lit for a few minutes (e.g. at a junction or traffic lights)

Finally there's the "Senso" feature that tips the package over from the merely excellent to the truly wonderful (any sufficiently advanced technology...) there's a sensor on the front light that turns the lights on when it gets dark - so you just ride the bike and if you need lights you have lights. Wonderful! (There's a positive on if you want and a positive off for those "you've left your lights on" conversations.)

I have all kinds of stuff for use for and with my various bikes "most useful" is a complex question but the automagic lights on my SpeedMachine are my favourite - my better half has the same setup on her kingcycle and, I think, a similar opinion (-:

Answer 15

Cell phone - For when I managed to blow through all my spare parts on a ride and eventually am forced to give up and get help. :-)

Answer 16

Altimeter - Want to know if you're struggling because you're tired or climbing a false flat? How many meters/feet left until the top of the mountain pass? How steep was that last hill that nearly killed you? Are you climbing in too high or too low a gear? All these questions answered and more!

Answer 17

Topeak Rack and Trunk Bag - The brand isn't important, but for me, the compatibility of the two is: the bag slides neatly onto the rack and clicks securely in place. It makes it easy to grab the bag on the way out the door and attach it quickly to the bike.

This is most useful for bike commuters or others using their bike primarily for transportation. It offers more space than a saddle bag for tools and a first aid kit, or for picking up small items on errands. It's a handy bag to have on hand for longer rides around town, and having a rack that it slides right into makes it more likely that you'll bother to take it along.

Answer 18

Heart rate monitor - I know someone has already mentioned computer, but I'm a bit more specific. The only feedback I use is that heartrate number. With practice, it quickly tells me if I'm in the wrong gear or how long I can maintain a certain effort.

The whole computer thing is nice, but I really like having that single big number for feedback and not filling my head with power, distance and time.

Incidentally, what does it mean when your heart rate doesn't decrease on the downhill?

Answer 19

Cycling booties are really nice for keeping your feet dry in the rain. Can also really help to cut down on wind on cold days.

Answer 20

Vehicle bike racks

Bike racks can be attached to cars, buses, vans, or any kind of vehicle.

Racks are useful because they hold a bike more safely than tossing it into a car or a truck. Cars also sometimes require removing the front wheel in order to fit a bike in the vehicle, and using a bike rack eliminates that requirement.

Roof mounted racks are cheapest if you already have cargo rails on your car. They have a big effect on your gas consumption and you have to be able to lift the bike up that high.

Rear mounted racks attach to a trailer hitch or a 'hidden hitch', they are easiest to mount bikes on and the rack can be removed when you aren't using it. If they block the license plate or rear light they might be illegal in your country.

Cheapest option if your car doesn't have the mounting points is a clip on rear rack. They have adjustable straps that hook over the trunk or hatchback. Don't hold as many bikes or as securely as a hitch mounted rack but are cheap to fit and can go on any car. On a hatchback you can usually mount them above the license plate and lights.

Answer 21

Clipless pedals: By using a a different muscle group while pulling up they increase your speed and stamina. Essentially you use special shoes with bicycle cleats to clip in to the pedals. Once locked in you can pull up as well as push down.

Answer 22

Water bottle. A really cheap accessory that makes cycling more enjoyable; it increases stamina, too ;)

Answer 23

Bar-End Shifters/Gear Levers - One of the best investments I've made. Especially useful because of easy conversion from down-tube shifters, which I believe are one of the worst trends in recent cycle history. I'll never use anything else!

Answer 24

Cleat covers for road cycling shoes - They are great for stopping you wearing out your cleats while walking about.

All Types of Cleat Covers

Cleat Covers

Answer 25

Light & Motion Seca - This is a powerful light that will allow you to go on rides at night. Being able to ride in the dark after working 9-5 during the winter is great. Riding trails that you ridden hundreds of times before at night is like riding a brand new trail. This light is also good for 24hr races where you're riding throughout the night.

Answer 26

Winter cycling boots (either road or MTB)

As a northern European rider, every cyclist I know who has bought a pair of these has regretted not buying them earlier. They may not keep your feet totally dry (the water runs down your legs and into them), but they keep them so much warmer than overshoes do on the road, where your feet are effectively static just spinning circles, so don't generate much heat of their own.

On an MTB overshoes are just a hassle, getting caught up in mud and sticks when you put your feet down, so for years I used waterproof socks and normal cycling shoes. But your normal shoes don't have enough room in them for a nice warm sock and even with waterproof socks you often end up with your feet compressed, cutting off circulation and leading to cold feet.

If a lot of your riding is cold or wet, I'd strongly recommend buying a pair of winter boots, fitted with a nice thick wool sock. Having warm feet makes such a difference in those conditions.

Answer 27

I carry a Tool Roll as an alternative to a saddle bag.

Saddle bags are a pain to switch between bikes and to take off and on if you don't want someone stealing your tools while it's locked up. Often they're bulky to carry around off the bike in a messenger bag. Plus, most of them are not waterproof and need to be aired out if you don't want your tools rusting after a ride in the rain. A tool roll is easy to slip into my messenger bag or pannier. If I need to I can even carry it in a jersey pocket, or even on the bike itself.

Answer 28

Full finger gloves -- if my chain comes off, I can just grab it, and not worry about getting my hands dirty.

Answer 29

Handlebar bag:

I have tried frame bags, water bottle cage boxes and trunk bags, but the handlebar bag has been the most useful. It provides a convenient place to store my wallet, phone, a camera, the primary and backup batteries for my lights, energy gel, work access badge and sunglasses.