Fall is a peak cycling season and it is easier than ever before to stay connected and safe during a commute or recreational ride, navigate on the go, track distance and monitor your fitness. Here’s a brief guide to gear for the best hybrid bikes and cruisers for making the most of every ride.
Quantify Your Ride
While bike computers and power meters have been around for years, some new versions of old standbys have recently been released while other highly anticipated models hit the market later this year. The ability to check your speed, confirm your location and route and monitor fitness statistics on the go can be helpful for competitive and fitness riders.
When you monitor your rides, it becomes possible to make more informed decisions about where and when you ride. Even a cyclist who prefers to ride the best electric bike can still benefit from GPS and ride tracking features as well as weather functions and smartphone connectivity.
Check Your Stats
Augmented reality cycling smart glasses present a new way to monitor cycling data in real-time as you ride. AR glasses can be useful for commuters who ride city bikes and want hands-free access to readings on demand as well as for competitive, fitness or recreational riders.
Several styles of AR glasses have recently been released, but new styles that feature a heads-up display for hands-free access to speed, cadence, heart rate and power zone readings. Many of the latest releases can be integrated with popular fitness apps and are compatible with Bluetooth and ANT+.Other options for accessing data on the go include high-resolution touch screens, in-ear smart assistants and smart watches.
Increase Your Visibility
In recent years, new and improved illuminated cycling clothing, helmets and gloves have entered the gear market. As the days grow shorter, you may also want to install bike headlights, turn signals or LED wheel lights for riding in low-light conditions.
A growing number of cycling companies are integrating LED lights into garments. Illuminated bike helmets can make you much more visible on the road. Some designs also have smartphone connectivity and crash sensors that can alert an emergency contact in the event of an accident.
Bike headlights are important safety gear for nighttime riding. The latest versions have features such as the ability to project a brightly colored symbol of a bicycle about 20 feet ahead of you on the road to alert drivers and pedestrians of your presence. You can also install bike wheel lights that display 8-bit graphics in custom designs or preset themes.
Cycling gear can enhance the quality of your rides by enhancing your safety and security on and off of your bike. Bike computers, fitness monitors, power meters and other smart devices can help you find out more about the way you ride and make improvements. Other types of gear make it easier to integrate cycling into your lifestyle this season. With the right clothing and equipment, you may be able to keep riding even when the temperature dips in the winter.