Leaving the car at home is generally a very safe and secure thing to do, but there is a slightly increased risk of becoming a victim of crime. Whilst this slightly increased risk is nothing to fear, there are a few products you should consider to help, you will not need many things but a few essentials will give you peace of mind.
The 4 pieces of gear I recommend are:
- These Helmets by POC and Lumen. Whilst a helmet is not mandatory in a lot of countries, I consider it an essential piece of safety equipment, it protects your brain after all.
- These lights for your bike. It is essential that you can see and can be seen on the road.
- FIREFLY BUDDY – Reflective Vest and Bands. These will increase your visibility on the road.
- Via Velo – Bike U Lock with Cable. A good lock for your bike serves as a great deterrent against theft. Whilst no bike lock is completely secure, these are a good choice.
- This Police Approved Personal Alarm. It is good to be prepared for the worst if you cycle or walk to work through quiet areas, a personal alarm can give you peace of mind.
Helmets
The most important piece of equipment for bike commuting is the helmet. Whist not mandatory in a lot of countries when cycling, we highly recommend that you wear one. Helmets protect you from a whole host of danger and potential injury and modern designs have significant comfort, style and functionality.
My recommendation for a bike commuting helmet is the POC – Omne Air Spin Bike Helmet for a traditional helmet, and for additional functionality, you should try the LUMOS Kickstart Lite Helmet. It is safe to say that POC leads the way of innovation and style when it comes down to picking the perfect helmet for your commute and Lumos offer some added functionality.
Visit our helmet product recommendation page for more info by following the link here.
Lights
Lights are not just a good idea at night, there are many situations that you will need lights in daylight when visibility is reduced. Bike lights not only allow you to increase your visibility but also help to you been seen by other road used which is essential for your safety.
My recommendation for bike lights is the TEMINICE – USB Rechargeable Bike Light Set. These are not the most expensive light sets on the market, not by a long way. They are very reasonably priced and provide enough brightness for any situation.
These lights are mini UBS chargeable so there is no need to carry spare batteries and a full charge can be achieved in 2 hours. The runtime on the brightest setting is 8 hours, so this gives you plenty of light between charges. They also include a flashing mode to increase your visibility to other road users.
These lights feel well made and of great quality and are waterproof so will illuminate your way in all weathers, day or night.
The lights easily fit your bike using a simple strapping system and can be attached in a matter of minutes. Once fitted they feel secure and will not move during your commute. Once at your destination they are easy to remove and are surprisingly small and compact for such a powerful unit and so can easily be carried easily and taken into work if they need charging with the supplied micro-USB cable.
You can spend much more cash on lights than what this set will cost, but you really don’t need to in my opinion and these offer a great option.
Visit our light product recommendation page for more info by following the link here.
Reflective Vest and Bands
As mentioned on this page and throughout this site, it is important when commuting to ensure you are visible for other road users, especially in poorly lit and low visibility conditions.
I recommend the Firefly Buddy Reflective Vest and Bands as a great option here. These are so lightweight, you won’t even know you are wearing them and the cost is really low for such a vital safety item.
A vest is a one-piece unit that adjusts to different sizes easily. You can adjust to fit over a jacket in cases of bad weather. The bands adjust easily with velcro and can be put around wrists or ankles or even attached to a bag or item of clothing making this system versatile to your needs.
This product provides hi-viz as well as reflective so is the all round solution.
Bike Lock
It’s not nice to admit, but unfortunately your bike is a desirable item for theft. It is reported that over two million bikes are stolen each year in North America—meaning every 30 seconds, someone’s ride goes missing. Therefore a good bike lock is essential security equipment.
The Via Velo – Bike U Lock with Cable is a great choice for your bike lock. It is strong and durable and provides a great deterrent to any potential bike thief. It has a really strong feel about it and has the specs to back it up.
14mm of hardened steel in the U-lock provide significant protection against cutting and leveraging and as an added bonus it is PVC coated to protect your bike frame from any potential damage.
Even though the lock is substantial, it only weighs in at 1.45 kg or 3.2 lbs so is not too much of a burden to carry in a rucksack. An extra feature is that this lock comes with a bike frame mounting bracket so you can carry it with you more easily.
What’s more, this U lock comes with a cable lock too making it versatile to any situation where you need to secure your bike.
Overall, this is a really secure product and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to get hold of.
Personal Alarm
It is not a nice topic, but commuting without a car can bring some dangers with personal safety for both men and women. You will likely want to be using more off-road routes, such as parks and river paths, for example, just to have more scenic and less traffic dominated commute. Whilst the chances of getting attacked are relatively low, it is best to be prepared.
This personal alarm by Safe Nomad is a must item. It is small enough to clip easily to your bag or keep in your pocket and is low cost. It is super loud at 130dB and also contains a small, yet powerful LED light built into the unit.
This alarm is powered by 4 P76 batteries which are included and can easily be replaced by simple unscrewing the cover.
It is a simple product to use, pulling the pin will activate the alarm and replacing it will deactivate so can be audible within seconds if you sense any danger.
Even, if you feel safe on your commute, for the low cost of such a unit as this, I would personally recommend all alternative commuters opt to have on in their bag, pocket or key chain.
