While cycling is considered safe, it’s still a dangerous activity. This goes far beyond wearing a helmet. This is a list of essential safety gear for your next bike ride.
Helmet
Let’s start with the most important piece of safety gear.
A bike helmet protects your head against bumps and other crashes.
It’s not easy to choose the right helmet for you. It doesn’t matter if the helmet isn’t suitable for your riding style or if it lacks quality and protection.
Before you shop for a bike helmet make sure to identify the type of riding that you are doing. There are three types of helmets: mountain bike helmets, road helmets, and full-face helmets. For more extreme biking, such as downhill, dirt jumping, or freeride mountain biking, full-face helmets may be required. A mountain bike helmet is sufficient to cover most riding conditions, whether it’s on roads, trails, or off-road.
Next, look out for the British Standards Institution logo or European Standards logo on the product description and packaging. They should
This means that the helmet has passed all the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) of the European Union. Read our article about bicycle helmet safety standards for more information.
Although it may not appear like it, helmet construction requires a lot of technical innovation. You should always replace your helmet if it is damaged. The structure could be weak and not protect you.
The Giro Foray Helmet is a great all-purpose helmet. You can adjust the fit to your liking and it has many safety features to make helmets safer. MIPS allows for slight movement of the head inside the helmet. This helps to disperse the impact force and protects your skull from any possible injury.
Gloves
A pair of gloves is the second most commonly owned piece of bike protective gear. These gloves are great for many reasons.
First, if your bike falls off, you will likely reach for your hands to stop it. Gloves protect your hands when you touch the ground.
Many bike gloves have padded palms that provide additional protection from a fall and a better grip on the handlebars. They’re warm enough to keep your hands warm in winter and responsive for emergency braking.
There are two types of bike gloves: full or fingerless. While fingerless gloves offer some ventilation and dexterity, they also protect your palms but provide less insulation during colder seasons.
Depending on what type of riding you do, some gloves might be made from thicker or tougher materials. Reflectors and lights
A motorist not seeing a cyclist when they turn or change lanes is one of the leading causes of bicycle accidents. It is important to have reflectors and lights so that you are as visible as possible.
There are many options available – from reflectors that cover almost every component of a bicycle to high-vis wearables that can be worn all over the place, there are plenty. We can’t forget about powered lights. No matter which option you choose, you must always have some light-reflective material either on your body or your bike while you’re out riding.
We recommend seat and handlebar reflectors for night riding. These are usually included with most bikes. Proviz also makes a great jacket, the REFLECT360. The jacket is entirely made of reflective material making it impossible to miss if a light shines on you.
Visibility is a two-way street. You want to be able to see and be seen. You should use the following reflectors, a rear, and a headlight, and ride at night.
When shopping for a bicycle headlight, you should ensure that the battery lasts for longer than the intended ride, that the light is weatherproof, and that the brightness is just right for the intended purpose. Evans Cycles recommends rear road lights between 50 and 100 lumens, front lights between 200-500 lumens, and front offroad lights between 500-1500 lumens.
Protective glasses
You’ll be astonished at how many insects fly into your eyes and mouth as you ride down country lanes.
Similar to dust, stones, and debris, you’ll also notice a rise in gravel toe paths and main roads. You’ll see many cyclists wearing sunglasses that wrap around.
Every stray insect or piece of dirt can cause blindness, discomfort, and distractions that could lead to a crash. We recommend that you wear cycling glasses.
You can also avoid glare from the sun and car high beams by wearing cycling glasses with tinted or polarized lenses. They will protect your eyes from rain and wind so that you are able to see in poor weather.
They are affordable and as versatile as any cycling glasses. They offer complete coverage and three interchangeable lenses to suit different lighting conditions. They have it all.
Our road safety tips article provides more information on how to keep safe while cycling.
Mirrors
Although you may not see mirrors on push bikes very often, they are still quite useful and important safety gear.
Road cycling is dangerous because motorists are often involved. It’s important to be able to see traffic coming from behind you if you ride home during rush hour. This benefit is provided by cycling mirrors.
Mirrors come in many forms. Some can be attached to your helmet, while others can be worn as eyewear. Others attach to your handlebars. A few mirrors even clip to your wrist or gloves. Each one has its own benefits.
A helmet or eyewear mirror can move with your head and allow you to see 180 degrees behind you. This is in contrast to a handlebar mirror, which only gives you visibility behind your bike.
The reflective surface of handlebar mirrors is larger than that of helmets, eyewear, or glove mirrors. They are also less distracting and more durable.
You’ll need to decide what you like and what is most practical for your riding style. However, we recommend the Myklops Rear View Mirror to be a great all-rounder. The mirror is roughly the same size as a sports watch and can be worn on your wrist like a watch to provide full mobility and prevent blind spots. The mirror folds discreetly in and out to protect the surface of its surface when not in use. This also helps keep it from becoming too bulky.
Bike kit
Although your bike kit will not protect you from all hazards, it is a good idea. These items will fix any problems that may arise and prevent accidents from happening. We recommend that you bring the following:
- You can adjust the height of your seat or tighten your handlebars with a set of Allen keys. They could be out of alignment after a crash or you might notice them halfway through your ride. It’s better to fix it right away than to have to stop riding on a potentially dangerous bike.
- You can use a small bike pump to fill up your tyres with air if they are low on pressure or if you have a flat.
- You can use this kit to repair a puncture on your tyre.
- You can use your fully charged mobile phone to contact family and emergency services or find where you are if lost.
- You need to have something to eat and drink to stay hydrated so that you can ride with enough energy.
- You will need a set of rear and front bike lights just in case your plans change or you have to return home in the dark.
- To sterilise cuts and grazes, a first aid kit is available.
Specialist cycling insurance is an important piece of safety gear that we haven’t covered. This insurance will cover you against personal injury, and theft, and help you get back on the bike if you are injured.
