Cycling Accessories – What’s Out There?

There are various kinds of cycling equipment which varies from one kind of cycling to another, and then there are a number of accessories that anybody who loves cycling should get to own. The most important piece of cycling equipment (after a bicycle) is the helmet, and nowadays, these come in a wide range from lightweight and vented to the lower cost types without any vents. Whatever you prefer, the helmet should fit perfectly snug and worn properly to prevent any injuries if there is an accident. Getting the best helmet is most vital and provides you with comfort and safety.

And other articles of cycling equipment usually fall into three main categories: components, accessories, and clothing. Everybody and their dog has seen the specially designed cycling clothes on riders such as cycling jerseys, which are expertly designed to hold close to the body to improve aerodynamics. These pieces of art are made from wicking material that keeps moisture away from the skin for extra comfort and heat control. The shorts have special padding in the crotch area to offer the rider extra comfort while sitting on those narrow bicycle seats.

Gloves, Shoes and More

State of the art cycling gloves have become another essential part of cycling clothing that assists in the prevention of blisters on the hands when riding. And then there’s cycling shoes, which come in a range of great designs. These days they’ve even introduced special cleats that work together with a particular kind of pedal called the Clipless pedal. After fitting the cleat to the pedal, the cyclist’s foot feels seemingly attached to the bicycle. This aids in the transfer of power and helps the rider to manage a more powerful pedal stroke.

Bicycle components are parts such as wheels, cranks, handlebars, saddles, and gears. These pieces of equipment are replaceable if they happen to break or wear out, but some of them will only operate with other particular components. Take for example a chain. It will only work with a cassette and derailleur/shifting system that is mutually compatible. The same goes for a 9-speed chain, which will only work on a 9-speed cassette and that’s only with a 9-speed derailleur and shifter set!

Then there’s more

Further accessories can go from water bottles to sunglasses, repair patch kits even going as far as cycling computers! These cycling computers are compact units that fit right onto the handlebar and work via an attached magnet to a front wheel spoke which interacts with a sensor mounted on the fork. This sensor then transfers information to the computer, which then tells the rider of such things as the present speed, distance ridden, and other important cycling data.These have now become a relatively low-cost accessory that have proven to be extremely useful to a cyclist who is training for a race.

Cycling certainly has come a very long way indeed, since the penny farthing!