If in this era of pollution, pandemic, and panic, you aren’t already a bicycle person, it’s high time you convert into one! Bicycles are slowly becoming people’s preferred means of transportation. People are ditching the fossil fuel consuming and air pollution causing automobiles for the more eco-friendly option of bikes. Not only are bicycles a boon to the environment, but they also promote good health and ensure we get our daily dose of physical exercise done. In fact, you can even upgrade and amp up your bicycle with some fun and functional accessories. From an ingenious folding helmet to a multi-functional bike lock that doubles up as a taillight and tire inflator – these accessories are the perfect sidekicks to your bicycle!
1. reTyre
reTyre’s zippable tire-tread system gives your city bicycle the versatility to work off the road too. A simple zipping mechanism allows you to add a secondary, tougher tread on your tires, letting you go from riding on smooth asphalt to traversing through tough terrain.
Why is it noteworthy?
reTyre’s special bicycle tire comes with a zipper lining and a selection of treads or skins that you can clad on your existing tire. The original tire works great on asphalt, and the wide variety of skins allows you to ride your bicycle on mud, gravel, rocks, or even snow. Working on straight roads, curved paths, and even on tough downhill trails, the tire treads give you exactly the grip you need, and the industrial-strength zipper system perseveres through rain, snow, or even rocky terrain… every single time.
What we like
- When not in use, the treads easily fold up and go right into your backpack
What we dislike
- No complaints!
2. FR-1 Bike Saddle
This Scottish brand is one such company that wants to bring more sustainable solutions for the bikes and bike parts that they manufacture. Their first product is called FR-1 Bike Saddle and it is made from cork
Why is it noteworthy?
At first, you would think this is not a sturdy and comfortable material for something that you will be sitting on probably for a long period. But cork is actually pretty durable and lightweight so it should be something that can last a long time and not hurt your tushy that much. It is also water-resistant and can offer better cushioning compared to other materials.
What we like
- Stronger but also more lightweight compared to the more common steel that a lot of bike seats use
- Sustainable + supports historic local cork farming
What we dislike
- It is a bit expensive
3. The PikaBoost
PikaBoost gives you not only the power to assist your foot-powered cycling but also the flexibility to install the kit on any bike at any time. It comes as a single unit (not including the removable battery compartments) that weighs only 3kg/6.6lbs, adding little weight to a bike.
Why is it noteworthy?
You attach one end to the seat post and let the other sit on top of the rear wheel, all without having to use any tool for installation. You can easily remove it again to install it on another bike or put it in your bag for safekeeping while your bike is parked in public.
What we like
- The quiet 250W motor provides smooth yet powerful assistance to give your legs and knees a break on rougher terrains and inclined roads
What we dislike
- No complaints!
4. TOOB Accessories
More economical and efficient than recycling, the upcycling mentality has taken root with many designers, and this line of TOOB accessories demonstrates how even something as simple and unattractive as an inner tube can become a useful and even stylish product.
Why is it noteworthy?
“Useless” bicycle inner tubes are handpicked from Tel Aviv’s local shops and are then inspected and thoroughly cleaned. Depending on how much damage it has, the useful parts are cut off and then transformed into completely different products. The TOOB Keychains, for example, only need a small part of the inner tube. In addition to the material’s natural durability, TOOB adds a strong button that makes it easy to open and close the keychain to look around belts and bags. The TOOB Strap, in contrast, requires a longer stretch of inner tubing. The accessory takes advantage of the tube’s natural stretchy properties to hold things down onto bike rails or other surfaces.
What we like
- Supports the local bicycle economy by giving shop owners a better way to dispose of their waste
What we dislike
- Inner tubes don’t last forever, though, and TOOB does admit that the material will eventually wear out and dry
5. The LIVALL LTS21
Designed by the same company that brought us the LIVALL EVO21 smart helmet with built-in safety lights, the LIVALL LTS21 are wireless earphones designed specifically for cyclists.
Why is it noteworthy?
With a unique design that allows you to wear most cycling helmets along with the earphones, the LTS21 gives you the ability to listen to music/podcasts, answer calls, and talk to fellow riders while still providing situational awareness through its open-ear design.
What we like
- Can be worn regularly as well as with your cycling helmet
What we dislike
- No complaints!
6. The Musguard Omni
The Musguard Omni starts off as a roll of plastic, but unroll it and fold it along its crease lines, and it transforms from a flimsy plastic sheet to a stiff-yet-flexible mudguard that easily straps to your bike’s frame. If there was ever a practical use for Origami, this would be it. Maybe the James Webb telescope too, but definitely this as well!
Why is it noteworthy?
Available in front and rear formats, the Musguard Omni’s clever sheet-based design achieves a few notable things. For starters, it comes made from sheet plastic, requiring MUCH simpler manufacturing practices than an injection-molded part. The plastic sheet is just a whole lot cheaper and lighter, making the Musguard Omni easy to ship as well as easy to carry around.
What we like
- The Musguard Omni takes its shape when it’s folded and strapped in place
- The mudguard comes equipped with two adjustable hooks and straps that wrap around most bike frames
What we dislike
- No complaints!
7. Two-Piece 3D Floating Rotor
Most modern bicycles have hydraulic disc brakes as the standard which can cause such issues and a Taiwanese company wants to eliminate the evident issue with its innovative Two-Piece 3D Floating Rotor.
Why is it noteworthy?
Obviously, a rider cannot control the overheating or deformation inherent to the hydraulic disks as rotors currently available on the market don’t spring back to position once they cool down. The new rotor design by PSB wants to address this problem with its elastic and floating outer disk. There are spring rivets on the back of the rotor that create insulation between the outer and inner discs which ultimately prevents deformation. The cuts on the 6th and 12th ribs bring elastic function that further aids in achieving the intended result.
What we like
- When the rider brakes, the angle cuts provide support as the margin space reaches the threshold and doesn’t affect the disc strength
What we dislike
- No complaints!
8. Folding Helmet
Designed by Tokyo-based R&D Mak, the intuitive design of the folding helmet falls flat like flat-pack furniture. It’s basically a helmet that you can squeeze like a burrito for keeping in backpacks, drawers or closets.
Why is it noteworthy?
The simple pull mechanism to unfold it is the simplest I’ve seen thus far. To squeeze it to a compact form, just pressing the button on the rear section does the trick.
What we like
- A god-sent solution for emergency respondents who now don’t have to carry the bulk of a bloated helmet all the time
What we dislike
- No complaints!
9. Omnilock
Omnilock multifunctional Bike Lock is a unique bicycle accessory that performs double duty as a bright taillight and tire inflator as well. This multiple utilities of the accessory means – the rider has less to worry about – if he/she is an avid bicycle user.
Why is it noteworthy?
Someone who likes to pedal to the mountains or spend a whole lot of time going for extended bike runs in the morning for fitness. Safety is another important thing that the bike lock addresses as the taillight adds another layer of visibility for motorists to take note of when on the go. That means the bike lock sits right under the saddle when in commute, and when you need to park it, simply take out Omnilock and lock the rear wheel.
What we like
- Performs double duty as a bright taillight and tire inflator as well
What we dislike
- It’s a concept!
10. Vento
Inspired by his desire “to reinvent the ways we use and produce energy,” on small-scale levels, Vento is not merely a bicycle light, as Bestenheider describes, but “a power plant, a way to question energy consumption, and an object to connect like-minded individuals. Vento is a mindset.”
Why is it noteworthy?
Composed of four main components, Vento is like a miniature wind turbine. Constructed from recycled plexiglass and aluminum, Vento’s microturbine harvests wind energy while the bicycle is in motion. Then, the energy is converted into electricity through electromagnetic induction that takes place in the turbine’s generator. The bicycle light’s battery then stores this energy and the LED bulb generates light.
What we like
- Vento also features on/off and blinking switches for day use
- World’s first bicycle helmet that uses wind energy as power
What we dislike
- No complaints!