This piece, by its very nature, is a personal list of a few items, that for me are essential riding kit.
Some of them are winter-focussed, and some of them are year- round items. This is because I ride all year round, and only stop if there’s the threat of ice on the roads (that doesn’t stop some of you, I know).
I do also use a turbo trainer occasionally, but with good – not necessarily expensive – kit, I do keep riding whatever the weather throws at me, as I prefer to be outside if at all possible.
Here are my riding essentials… feel free to agree or disagree in the comments, of course.
A rear radar/light system
My number one year-round vote goes to my rear radar (and light). If you’d asked me before first riding with one in 2022 whether it was even something that I’d be interested in, I’d probably have said no! But now on the rare occasions that I don’t have one with me on a road ride, it feels decidedly strange.
I’ve found it’s the audible alerts that I really rely on. The screen output is very useful of course, but this is a secondary feature. I had one display unit that had set itself to mute (nothing to do with me, honest!) and for the whole ride I had to keep looking down to see what was going on rather than waiting for the bleep, then looking down for more information when needed. I realised that ride how important the bleeps were in the experience. It allowed me to be aware of what’s behind me, and how far back, and then to plan my road positioning to keep me as safe as I can be.
If I know that there’s a tricky, tight section of road, and a few cars behind, I might choose to hang back and let them pass, then ride in ‘clear air’ again. Equally I might hold my position and let them pass after that section depending on the variables involved. It saves lots of looking back, which can cause an inadvertent movement of the bike, or not seeing that upcoming pothole. Obviously I look if I’m turning right, or moving out to pass a parked car, but it minimises having to turn around so much.
An essential bit of kit for me. A good radar light can be bought for around £80-100 now. Here are three reviews for radars that I’ve also ridden with and rated highly: the Coospo TR70 (review to be published soon), the Garmin Varia RTL515, and the Bryton Gardia R300L.
Mudguards
My second essential – mostly for winter riding – is mudguards. Not only do they keep me much drier and cleaner, but also my bike too. Much less cleaning of the bike and my kit, but also less ‘grinding paste’ in my chain and components, so it all lasts longer. It’s also much nicer to ride in a bunch if everyone has mudguards too. One group that I ride with send mudguardless riders to the back on a wet day!
It doesn’t particularly matter which type of full mudguards that you use, a clip-on might be all that your bike can accommodate. That said, the best ones that I’ve ever ridden with are the PDW Full Metal Fenders, although the Kinesis Fend Off also seem very good too.
What I like about the PDW ones is that they are very solid when fitted, they never rub or buzz, and that they look very discreet. Their coverage is deep on the wheel, so very little spray gets passed onto a following rider. They are expensive compared to other options, though.
SPD/SPD-SL pedals
My third must-have are clipless pedals and shoes, preferably Shimano’s SPD and SPD-SL versions. They can be SPD or SPD-SL, either style works for me, and each have their own pros and cons. I rode again with old school leather shoes, pedals and toeclips recently, and while it was mostly fine, it reminded me how superior modern clipless systems are. I like the security of being locked onto the pedal, yet twist your foot and you’re free. The ability to wear overshoes in winter is a massive bonus for warmth too. And to think, we used to cross-country mountain bike with toeclips back in the day. Utter madness!
A comfortable helmet
My fourth must-have is a comfy helmet. I very much appreciate that helmet usage is a personal choice, but I won’t ride without one – and a comfortable one means that I’ll wear it happily.
When they first arrived, many years ago, cycling helmets were hot, uncomfortable, and slipped around on my head. You could buy the clicky wheel cradles as an after market add-on, and that made a difference. Until helmet design improved and evolved further, and they fitted properly, they were definitely a wear-it-through-gritted-teeth item for me. An early Specialized Echelon helmet with a really good fully adjustable cradle finally cracked the comfort thing for me, and since then I’ve rarely had a problem with any helmet on the market. Phew!
Winter clothing essentials: a buff, overshoes and gloves
And finally a three-in-one for winter riding: my buff, some overshoes/toe covers, and a pair of Assos winter gloves (specifically the ClimaCode 3/3).
Covering up the extremities is a bit obvious, but it makes a huge difference. A buff, or neck scarf, can be a cheap way to add a lot of comfort. Often not inherently warm by themselves, buffs can block air from going down your neck. Even moving it up onto the chin or over your mouth makes a big difference in regulating warmth. They’re also very small if you want to take it off and put it in a pocket mid-ride.
Likewise, overshoes can really make a difference to winter riding comfort. They add some warmth but also keep road scuzz off your shoes. Also, depending on the design that you choose, rain can be kept at bay. Cold feet is a most unpleasant feeling!
My big surprise recently was buying some Madison toe covers (£15). Not as good as overshoes, but made much more difference that I thought they would. Perfect in autumn/spring weather and well worth trying out.
The Assos gloves I prefer are quite expensive, and the current equivalent is the P1 at £85. Initially they don’t feel that thick, and therefore not so warm you’d think – but over the last few winters they have been my go-to gloves. Windproof, water repellent, and with a soft lining they keep me warm.
I like that they’re not overly chunky as I get achy hands with chunkier gloves. I can use the shifters and brakes better with the thinner Assos gloves too. They’re easy to get on and off as well. The only downside is that they’re not waterproof. I was caught in some torrential rain recently and I had to wring them out when I got home! But this is a very rare occurrence. They cope with moderate rain well. I’ll buy another pair soon as I like them that much!
So, that’s five(ish) things that keep me out and riding all year round. As you can see a lot of it isn’t expensive, but it can make a huge difference. From a £5 neck scarf to £25 SPD pedals, all of these things keep me going in winter. For me being outdoors and riding is hugely beneficial to both body and mind, so anything to make it more pleasant is definitely worth it.
