Suggested Accessories

Helmet Ansi or Snell Approved
      Helmets are basic safety equipment. Since 80% of all bicycle fatalities are due to head injuries, it doesn’t make much sense to ride without a helmet. Regardless of how fast you ride, how much you ride, or how well you ride, accidents happen. Helmets are lightweight and well ventilated. You will look better (or at least wise) wearing a helmet. Cost ranges from $19.95 to $100. 

Riding Glasses
     Riding glasses are specifically designed for cycling. They are superior to regular sunglasses because they wrap around (providing peripheral protection). Riding glasses filter out at least 98% of UV light (light that damages your eyes), and they prevent foreign objects like bugs, dust and road debris from entering your eyes. Cost ranges from $20 to $120.

Water Bottle
     It is necessary to keep enough water in your body. Your body can lose up to a quart of water per hour while riding. It is not obvious because the moisture evaporates quickly. Any ride over an hour can lead to dehydration if you don’t drink enough water or a fluid replacement. Riding without enough fluid in your body is like running your car without water in the radiator. Both will overheat and eventually break down. Cost ranges from $2.50 to $9.95. Bottle cages are $4.95 to $19.95. 
 
Riding Gloves 
    There are five reasons for wearing gloves while riding. They help to prevent annoying nerve pressure in your hands from gripping the handlebars. They protect against abrasion when you fall. They give better control over your bike because they prevent slippery hands. They muffle road vibration, making your ride more comfortable. Lastly, they keep your hands warm in this Winter season.  Cost ranges from $10 to $50.
 
Riding Shorts
     Comfort is the word here. Riding shorts are specially designed. The seam in the seat area is flat and they are padded with special materials that draw moisture away from the body to the outside of the material. This ‘wicking’ action increases comfort, helps to prevent chaffing and keeps you cooler by its evaporative effect. Cost ranges from $30 to $100.  

Patch Kit and Spare Tube
     There is nothing worse than pushing your bike home because you have a flat tire. Carry a spare tube because patching a tube on the road is much more difficult that patching the same tube at home and besides, patches don’t always hold. Bring a patch kit in case you get two flats. (It Happens!) Patch kits are $2.95. Tubes from $4.95 to $9.95.

Frame Pump 
     Without a pump, having a spare tube and patches doesn’t get you home. A frame pump comes in very handy when you are miles from a service station. Cost ranges from $9.95 to $39.95.  On top of this a floor pump for your house is the easiest and fastest way to keep your tires regularly inflated.  Cost ranges from $24.95 to $69.95.  And remember that that higher pressure tires need to be filled more often.

Tool Kit
     Bikes break down and usually it’s on the road. A decent tool kit can get a bike moving again. Even if you are not mechanically inclined you should still carry tools to fix a flat tire (wrenches and tire tools). Since cyclists help each other out, a passing cyclist might save your day if you have trouble. Cost ranges from $9.95 to $39.95.
 
Lights and Reflectors 
     If you ride at night, it is a very good idea to have both lights and reflectors to increase your nighttime visibility. Reflectors include standard wheel and frame reflectors, as well as the newer reflectors such as the sidelights, batteries or generators. The battery-powered lights are more effective than the generator lights because they stay lit when stopped and they don’t wear out tires and they don’t add to your workload like generators do. Also, blinking lights are more noticeable and their batteries last twice as long.  Costs: Reflectors $1.50 to $4.95. Light sets $9.95 to $200.00.

Computers
     Although bike computers may seem frivolous they are great accessories because they provide accurate data about your ride such as current speed, average speed, maximum speed, heart rate, trip distance for the day, cumulative mileage; time spent riding and current time. Computers provide accurate information that can assist you with time management and health assessment. Cost ranges from $19.95 to $99.95.