Yes, it’s time to reacquaint yourself with that big room with the blue ceiling – you know, the one without walls? The end of winter finally means the start of outdoor time, however you choose to spend it. I’m personally a big fan of anything on two wheels, so for me that means dusting the cobwebs off my road bike and stocking up on chamois cream.
If you’ve neglected your own bicycle – or don’t actually own one – the following list will give you a great idea where to start. There are a few entries for experienced cyclists and even a folding e-bike that’ll appeal to regular commuters looking to ace their morning routine, but everything here is meant to make your summer adventures better.
Peak Design Out Front Bike Mount V2
Perfect for ‘one gadget to rule them all’ cyclists, this minimal mount lets your phone pull triple duty as a bike computer or action camera with the twist of a thumb screw. You can swap it around mid-ride without reaching for a tool kit, or use the included hex screw for a more secure, inline fit. The arm fits most handlebar sizes, with a handful of different rubber shims to keep your bike’s metal (or carbon) safe from harm.
Peak Design’s SlimLink system mixes magnets and mechanics to hold your handset like a vice, then quickly release it when you reach your destination. The latest Samsung, Google and Apple phones all have compatible cases; I used one with a Pixel 10 Pro XL. It stayed securely in place even over some pretty rough terrain, whether mounted like a bike computer or raised to record video like an action cam. Other brands can use a stick-on adapter instead, though I’ve not tested how well they stay stuck.
Knog Oi Prima
This wraparound bike bell is subtle until you strike it, sitting practically flush with your handlebar but able to ring out an 80dB tone that instantly cuts through the traffic noise to alert others as you approach. If you don’t like the idea of loading your road bike’s ‘bar up with accessories but need to make yourself noticed, it’s a fantastic – and affordable – addition.
Brompton Electric G Line
Folding bikes used to feel out of place once you got out of the city, but this one is up for an adventure or two.
The G Line’s 20in tyres make a regular Brompton’s wheels look like toys, and the wider tread can cope with much rougher terrain – yet it still tucks down small enough to stow in a train luggage rack. Impressive stuff, given there’s also a 250W motor on board.
It took some practice before I got close to Brompton’s claimed 20-second unfolding time, and the modest 30-60km of electric assistance meant serious rides would need multiple charging stops. But being able to hop on public transport without having to reserve a bike space makes life so much easier.
The front-mounted battery pack doesn’t affect steering response and unclips easily when it’s time to charge, saving you from bringing the entire bike to the power socket. A full refuel takes about four hours.
A tiny handlebar-mounted control unit clearly shows your speed and remaining range, and can activate the integrated front and rear lights – although the automatic mode is a good judge of lighting conditions and quick to switch on in tunnels. It goes without the fancier features found on other e-bikes, though, such as anti-theft tracking or route planning.
It’s not as slick as a VanMoof’s dedicated boost button, but the handlebar controller’s Start Assist function gets you up to speed quickly on hills and at traffic lights with a few presses.
I found the steering to be a bit twitchier than a regular bike but loved how well it rode over gravel paths. Bumps and ruts don’t rattle
your bones nearly as much as on an ‘urban’ folder, and full-length mudguards are standard. Flat roads are a breeze on the lower power levels, with smooth delivery that reacts quickly to your pedalling. The hub motor really puts in work at maximum assistance, tackling modest climbs with ease – though you’ll still need to drop gear or two for steeper inclines. Disc brakes provide good stopping power.
It’s expensive compared to a regular folding cycle (or a non-folding e-bike), but the way it gets so close to the feeling of riding a full-size bike makes it an ideal blend of commuter steed and weekend plaything.
SunGod Forty2s
Everything about these cycle-friendly shades is sustainable, right down to the microfibre storage pouch that’s made from recycled plastic bottles. While the lenses aren’t polarised, the tint takes the edge off bright sunshine and fully protects against UV light, while giving enough coverage to block wind and rain. Tiny airflow channels around the frame prevent fogging.
The initially firm grip relaxes a little with regular wear, and there are three nose pads included to help get the best fit. At only 28g they’re also super light. There are a bunch of different lens and frame colours to pick from, plus the option to customise your own pair on the Sungod website – happily without a price premium over the off-the-shelf versions.
BBB Cycling Signal Radar
A built-in radar gives this techy taillight car-detecting superpowers. It doesn’t play favourites, sending visual warnings to any make of bike computer over ANT+ or Bluetooth – so it doesn’t matter if you’re a Wahoo, Garmin or Hammerhead fan. There’s also a speaker for audible alerts even when riding without a head unit – great if you regularly use bike rental schemes. I’ve taken to packing mine in my weekend bag just in case.
Traffic gets detected from over 150m away, with just a few false positives in busy city centres. The 80-lumen flash gives great daytime visibility too.
A 14-hour runtime is enough for entire days of riding and there’s a handy LED indicator at the side reminding you when to charge – though that does mean taking the whole thing, mount included, off your bike (unless you’re rocking a portable power bank).
Prestacycle Prestaflator Go
It weighs less than 150g and takes up next to no space in a saddle bag, but this battery-powered pump (designed purely for Presta valves) can refill a flat tyre in under a minute, four times over, between charges.
That should be more than enough for day trippers, especially those using inner tubes; even tubeless riders with a fully stocked plug kit would count themselves very unlucky if the racked up four deflations in one outing.
Tailfin Half Frame Bag
This slender storage solution comes in multiple sizes for a perfect frame fit. It tapers in multiple directions to avoid chafing your legs and is welded together rather than sewn, for maximum waterproofing security; my kit stayed dry on the few wet weather rides I attempted.
Rubber straps and V-mounts then grip like limpets without damaging your bike’s paint. I usually store my bike by its top tube on a wall bracket, meaning the frame bag needed removing after every ride – there’s just not enough space between the bag and its V mounts to get the bracket in between. It’s only the work of a few minutes, though, and the only issue I encountered during testing.
My road bike suited the 3.5-litre version best, leaving just enough space to keep a bottle in my bottle cage. Internal pockets hold a generous amount of gear in place, with a passthrough port for gadget power cables or a hydration tube. The zips also tuck in so as not to jangle about while you ride, either on an epic bikepacking excursion or the morning commute.
Coros Heart Rate Monitor
Heart rate tracking chest straps aren’t for everyone; this arm band is the more comfortable alternative. A multi-channel optical sensor gives more accurate measurements than a wrist-worn HRM, and the battery delivers 38 hours of activity between charges.
It’s Bluetooth only, so won’t work with bike computers that just have ANT+ connectivity, but can pair to three devices at once–ideal if you split your time in the saddle between a road bike and static trainer.
Pelotan 200ml Spray – Tour De France Edition
You’ll probably never win cycling’s most iconic jersey, but even basic bikers can use the same sun protection as the Tour de France leader. This SPF 30 spray-on is good for eight hours between applications and doesn’t dilute with sweat
Mous Protective Lid Backpack with UltraTex
Getting caught out by sudden downpours won’t trouble this durable carry-all: its bespoke blend of fabrics is a lot more water-resistant than a regular nylon backpack. It’s also more tear-resistant and weighs less, lightening your load on longer rides. Having used it for all my work trips in the past month or so, it has stayed practically box-fresh.
The 25L capacity is split across 18 pockets, including a main compartment with enough space for a short trip’s worth of clothes, two bottle holders (one external, one internal), hidden AirTag pouch and an impact-absorbing tech compartment that’ll keep a 16in laptop safe from shocks.
It’s quite the investment, but the versatile nature mean it can do a job that’d otherwise fall to multiple different backpacks – as I explain in my more detailed review:
