The best commuter bike accessories will help get you and your work essentials into the ofไfice in comfort. They'll also add all-weather reliability and help keep you safe on your ride.
For example, many commuters will carry a backpack. The 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best cycling backpacks are a handy way to keep all your work materials with you that leaves your hands u💝nencumbered and makes off-bike travel ea🐓sier. But a single pannier or a pair of panniers is a good alternative that you may find more comfortable and stable when riding.
Turning to safety equipment, it's sensible to run 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:bike lights to increase your road presence even during the day and, of course, they're ess𒐪ential at night, dusk or dawn. Even if you plan to ride only during the day, it's easy to get delayed and find you're ending your commute when it's getting dark.
A helmet is another essential piece of safety kit. As well as providing protection in an accident, many of the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best commuter helmets include lights, which will further increa🎐se your visibility to other ro🧸ad users.
There are more details below for each of these items, as 𓂃well as some products we'd be happy to buy in each case.
What are the best commuter bike accessories?
Backpacks
Most commuters need to carry items with them into work, whether that's a laptop, spare clothe💧s, or some of the other items further down this page that they might need during their commute.
Many commuters choose to wear a backpack, as you don't need to fix it to the bike or remove it once you reach your destination and it's easier to carry around. Our picks of the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best cycling backpacks are designed with cyclists in mind. They will be the right size to help you to cꦬarry your kit comfortably, they are weatherproof and are stable, so that you're not encumbered with a bouncing pওack.
Chrome Industries Barrage Cargo
We loved the Chrome 🌳Industries Barrage pack. It's just the right size for commuting and its thick fabric and rolltop closure make it weatherproof. But above all, we liked the external cargo net that gives you expandable stowage for more bulky items.
Rapha Backpack
The Rapha Backpack is com🐎fortable to wear and a little softer than the Chrome Barrage, although the same size. Only the main 𓄧compartment is waterproof, but that's lined in pink, making it a lot easier to find things.
Proviz Reflect360
If you wanꩲt to make sure that you're visible for commutes in the dark, the Proviz Reflect360 is for you. The whole rear and sides of the pack are made of highly reflective fabric and its long zip makes it easy to get stuff in and out.
Bike bags
The alternative to a backpack is to carry extra stuff on the bike. This has the advantage that✃ you're not encumbered by your load, it's carries lower down and your back shouldn't get so hot. On the flip side, it's more hassle to remove a bag from a bike and it will usually be more awkward to carry✃ around off-bike.
Although many of the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best commuter bikes come ready-fitted with a rack, you'll need to buy luggage. That might be a rack bag, a saddle bag or a bar bag. 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Bikepacking bags are also an option. Panniers are a popular choice as they have plenty of capacity, are weatherproof, are easy to clip to the r🐼ack and fairly easy to carry too🍸.
Ortlieb Back Roller pannier
Ortlieb's bike luggage has a reputation for phenomenal quality.ﷺ There are a bewildering array of different♈ Back Roller models, including hi viz options. You can buy either single or double sets, depending on how much you need to carry.
Vaude Aqua Back pannier
Another pannier with a large number of options available, Vaude sells the Aqua Back in a wide range of colours and as singles or pairs. The roll-top pack has welded seams, a harꦕd back and comes with a removeable shoulder strap.
Topeak Pannier Drybag
Another waterproof pannier, To🦩peak's option is son♏ically welded and waterproof with a rolltop. It's available in either 16 or 24 litre capacity, with a quick release rack mount system and comes with a shoulder strap.
Lights
For the winter months, lights are a necessity as you'll probably be commuting in dim light conditions and poor weather. In summer you may feel that there is no need for lights. However, even during the day, daytime running lights can make a cyclist far more visible to other road users. The 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best bike lights will have different modes to cover all riding conditions, just make sure they ar🍷e charged and ready for the morning ride.
You also need a quality rear light. We've reviewed the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 but you can often save some monꦯey by buying a front and rear light set.
They're expensive but the Garmin Varia series lights include a rear-facing radar that alerts you to approaching traffic. The 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Garmin Varia RCT715 adds an actio🐭n camera to record events as you ride.
Lezyne Mini Drive 400XL
The Mini Drive 400XL will emit its peak output for an hour in constant, or seven ⛎hours in day flash mode. With eight mꦜodes in total, there are lots of options to match the conditions on your commute.
Bontrager Ion Pro RT
The Ion Pro RT emits 1300 lumens🃏 for up to 90 minutes, making a good option if your commute takes in dark roads at night. Its five modes include day and night flashing as well, for increased ride safety.
Garmin Varia RCT715 rearview radar
There are three Garmin Varia rearview radar options including this top spec model with a camera, which records what's going on behind as well as alerting you to approaching vehicles and their 🔯proximity.
Commuter helmets
Depending on your local laws, wearing a helmet might not be compulsory. Regardless, we would always recommend wearing💎 one no matter the distance of your ride. It is irrefutable that, even in the event of a slow-speed crash, a helmet will provide potentially life-saving protection.
You can buy 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:commuter helmets which offer a more casual aesthetic and may include more city riding features such as built-in lights and reflective panels to aid rider visibility. If your commute is longer a 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:road bike helmet with more ventilation may be more comfortablꦏe though.
With great ventilation, the Kask Moebius's peak is removable from the helmet, while the shell is scratch resistant, which is useful for commuting use. You can swap out the standard rear retainer for one with an in-built re🥂d LED light.
Bern Hudson MIPS
Bern specialises in urban helmets and the Hudson MIPS includes both a rear light and a MIPS liner, designed t𝓀o add extra protectioꦛn in a crash. There are 13 vents for good airflow and a removable visor.
Bontrager Circuit Wavecel
If your commute is a little longer, a road bike-style helmet will b🌼e more comfortable than an urban helmet as there will be greater airflow. The Bontrager Circuit 🐲can also be fitted with lights to increase your road presence.
Mudguards
While they aren't necessaril✅y an essential commuter item, full mudguards (or fenders, for our readers across the pond) make a huge difference to riding enjoyment in poor weather conditions. By keeping the dirt, grime and spray off you and your bike, rider comfort is greatly increased and wear on expensive drivetrain components and the need for cleaning are reduced. They may look a little dorky, but after the first commute in the rain without a wet bottom, or having to hose down your salt-covered drivetrain, you won’t look back.
Mudguards come in many different forms, and you really get what you pay for. Full mudguards are the way to go if you have the mounting points and or 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Kinesis Fend Off are great options. If you don’t have mudguard mounts on your bike, 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Crud Roadracer Mk3 mudguards will fit on most bikes.
If you are looking for more choice, check out our 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:road bike mudguard guid𝐆e to learn everything you need to know abou💞t mudguards.
SKS Bluemels mudguards
SKS has a reputation for producing quality, durable mudguards, with extra features like safety clips on the frame🎶 which allow them to snap off safely if an object gets caught between them and the wheel.
Kinesis Fend Off mudguards
The Kinesis Fend Off mudguards are another quality option. Made of aluminium they are durable and a🐼vailable in two widths designed for the wider tyres that usually feature on commuter bikes.
Crud Roadracer mudguards
Designed for bikes without mudguard eyes, the Roadracers nevertheless provide good coverage to keep you drier and cleaner. They fit to thไe frame away from disc brakes with velcro pads to help stop them from rubbing.
Shoes
Deciding what shoes and pedals to use and shoes to wear while commuting really depends on your journey. The 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best commuter cycling shoes will give you a firm, comfortable grip on your pedals, with a sole t🍷hat's stiff enough for efficient pedalling but still easy to walk in.
While some commuter cycling shoes are designed with soles that only work with flat pedals, others give you the choice of either using flat pedals or removing an insert from the sole to fit cleats fo𒀰r clipless pedals.
FiveTen Sleuth
The FiveTen Sleuth is a canvas upper shoe with a grippy rubb er flat sole that's great for pedalling efficiency and will keep your feet cool. It's now available as aꦕ lace-up only, It's a shoe that's as comfortab😼le and stylish off the bike as on.
Shimano GR5
An MTB shoe, the Shimano GR5 is a robust option for the commuter. Its upper is well ventilated and made o𒈔f durable synthetic material that can withstand plenty of abuse, while the sole is sticky enough that your f♓eet won't slip on the pedals.
Giro Rumble VR
The Giro Rumble VR is designed for use with SPD pedals, although it could also be used w𝓀ith flat pedals. Mesh inserꦰts in the synthetic uppers keep your feet cool and the Vibram sole ensures grip whether it's wet or dry.
Locks
Bike thieves are an unfortunate reality so equipping yourself with the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best bike lock will help ensure that your bike will still be where you le🅘ft it. D-locks are generally the best way to go thanks to their compact size and security features although they can be somewhat limiting when it comes to choosing your anchoring point. There are other options such as chains and c🤪ompact folding mechanisms.
It's worth looking at the Sold Secure rating of a lock and choosing one appropriate to the security needed where❀ your bike will be locked up. Diamond is the highest level, then gold, silver, then bronze.
A classic D-lock, the Onguard Pitbull offers enough space to lock you💮r frame and a wheel to an anchor, providing a reasonable level of security at modest price for a bike that isn't going to be left in a high risk a𒊎rea.
Hiplok Gold
The Hiplok Gold provides high security in a wearable chain lock, which can be adjusted for waist sizes from 30" to 44". I🃏ts locking length of 85cm gives you plenty of options to secure your bike's frame and wheels.
Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit Mini
Kryptonite make⛎s the Fahgettaboutit in several sizes, with the Mini its smallest shackle. It's Sold Secure D🐷iamond rated but still very affordable and a little more compact than many options.
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Paul has been on two wheels since he was in his teens and he's spent much of the time since writing about bikes and the associated tech. He's a road cyclist at heart but his adventurous curiosity means Paul has been riding gravel since well before it was cool, adapting his cyclo-cross bike to ride all-day off-road epics and putting road ⛎kit to the ultimate test along the way. Paul has contributed to Cyclingnews' tech coveඣrage for a few years, helping to maintain the freshness of our buying guides and deals content, as well as writing a number of our voucher code pages.
