As one of many few individuals who can declare to now be in my third decade of residing an electrical bike-focused life, I’ve examined quite a lot of gear over time. Between the gear I purchase for myself and the piles of random stuff that reveals up on my doorstep from overzealous PR businesses, I’ve gone by way of a variety of instruments, locks, clothes, equipment, and extra. Listed below are my favorites of all of the stuff I’ve examined this 12 months.
I’ll begin with locks as a result of I’m a little bit of a motorcycle lock collector. I’ve bins overflowing with them. Meaning if a lock has made it out of the bins and into my regular-use assortment, it should have some actually good options and utility.
Foldylock Endlessly from Seatylock
Seatylock is certainly one of my favourite lock corporations because of the numerous merchandise’ mixture of safety and worth. The strongest lock that I exploit day by day is my Foldylock Endlessly. It weighs round 1/3 of a high-security chain lock (slightly below 3.9 lb or 1.8 kg) and is far quieter than most folding locks because of the larger precision safety rivets. It’s rated Gold-Licensed by the premier lock testing company Offered Safe, and is proof against the most typical assaults of blades, bolt cutters, nut splitters, pry bars/jacks, and freezing assaults.
It opens broad to perform like a sequence lock, wrapping round broad objects like timber or small objects like signal posts, and I additionally actually just like the handy holster that makes it straightforward to stow and seize one-handed. The broad design means you too can lock each the body and a wheel, which is vital if you wish to have wheels in your bike while you come again to it.
This lock is definitely fairly pretty priced at US $99 on Amazon. Excessive-security locks value rather a lot as a result of they’re meant to guard costly e-bikes, and this one is price each single penny. And that’s even a fantastic sale worth, contemplating it usually prices $125.
I’ve additionally been testing a smaller model of the identical lock, the Foldylock Compact. It is available in a number of colours, however I just like the orange-accented one because it has that good poison treefrog coloring to let thieves see it from a distance and remind them to maneuver on to the subsequent poor shmuck’s bike.
Whereas this one isn’t fairly as strong because the over-the-top Foldylock Endlessly above, the Foldylock Compact is smaller and lighter for individuals who don’t desire a chunky lock. At simply 2.2 lb or 1 kg, it’s nearly half the load and nonetheless options lots of the similar vital safety parts like these patented high-security rivets.
This is able to be a fantastic choice for scooters, too, because it’s smaller and extra compact for the lighter frames on scooters.
At US $71 on Amazon, it’s a extra inexpensive model of the flagship Foldylock Endlessly lock.
The third and final lock from Seatylock that I’ve actually taken a liking to is the Mason 220. This may occasionally appear to be a regular U-lock at first, however there are two most important variations I actually like about it.
The primary is that it’s broad sufficient to suit across the chunky battery downtube in all of my e-bikes. Most U-locks can’t match round this broad a part of an e-bike, which means you’re extra restricted on locking places. The Mason 220 has no drawback becoming anyplace on my e-bikes.
The second factor I like is that the lock’s shackle has a pentagonal profile. That helps cut back weight whereas strengthening the cross-section in comparison with spherical or sq. bars. The engineering reply is that it places extra materials additional away from the middle axis with out losing materials the place it isn’t wanted. It additionally prevents thieves from having two flat surfaces on both aspect for making use of numerous instruments. However in layman’s phrases, it’s only a extra environment friendly profile for anti-theft.
On high of all of that, the lock is Diamond-certified 20/20 by Offered Safe, which is the very best doable safety ranking. It’s proof against chopping, grinding, drilling, bending, prying, freezing, and principally each most important lock assault.
At its present worth of US $76 on Amazon, it’s a no brainer.
I all the time suggest utilizing two locks on the similar time, and I typically mix the Mason 220 with the FoldyLock Compact (since my spouse tends to steal my FoldylLck Endlessly for her bike).
E-cuffs electrical scooter lock
This one is a little bit of an odd lock, however keep on with me. These handcuff-style locks make nice scooter locks, which is what they’re designed for. However in a pinch, you too can apply it to an e-bike.
These aren’t essentially the most safe locks on the market, so I usually attempt to use them at the side of a second lock when doable, however the E-cuffs do have a number of good security options as a part of their design. The triple-ply metal is more durable to chop and the tight locking cuff makes it exhausting to get a pry-bar inside the lock for leverage assaults.
In addition they mount actually properly to the stem of a scooter to allow them to deploy rapidly round no matter you select to lock onto.
I used them on the VMAX scooter I used to be not too long ago testing and located them to be a extremely handy answer for fast and handy locking.
Waterfield Vitesse waxed canvas backpack
For these of you who bemoan the dearth of American manufacturing, right here you go! The Waterfield Vitesse waxed canvas backpack is made in America. It’s additionally obtained made in America pricing at US $219, however hey, you mentioned you’d pay for American manufacturing, proper?!
This bag is a murals, made of lovely waxed canvas from an American mill that has produced it this manner for almost a century. The baggage are sewn in San Francisco and have a most important open pocket with organizer pouches inside, a laptop computer sleeve that may match as much as a 16-inch laptop computer, and a pleated entrance pocket. The roll-top design additionally has a water-resistant zipper, which means you don’t should roll the highest when you choose to stuff it pretty full. You possibly can simply zip it while you don’t have the additional materials left over to roll it.
The neoprene-padded straps and leather-wrapped deal with are snug and clearly constructed for years of damage, as it is a buy-it-for-life sort of bag. I typically trip on days while you by no means know what sort of climate you’ll have, and so the waxed canvas and waterproof zipper are key for cyclists who desire a handsome bag that also withstands the weather.
Remco electrical lifting bike stand
This stand has modified the sport for my bike work. I assemble quite a lot of e-bikes for opinions and am continuously doing work on my bikes, whether or not regular upkeep or main repairs. Lifting heavy e-bikes onto a stand isn’t enjoyable, particularly as lots of the “e-bikes” I assessment are principally 100-lb mild electrical bikes.
That’s good because the Remco electrical elevate bike stand can assist as much as 100 lb fashions, and I truly put that to the take a look at with a number of 100lb+ fashions!
It’s obtained an excellent steady (and heavy) base plate, and the elevate itself may be programmed to recollect numerous heights which might be most snug for you.
The modular design permits you to use your individual clamp or theirs, which means you possibly can stick together with your trusty Park Software clamp when you choose.
A bit over a 12 months in the past I damage my again (and had my first “OMG this should be what getting outdated is” second), and so the usage of an electrical bike elevate for heavy electrical bikes is simply such a pleasant addition to my bike workflow that I can’t think about anymore muscling these 80 and 90 lb e-bikes into the air whereas attempting to assist them one handed and shut the clamp with the opposite.
That is actually meant for bike outlets and professionals, however even people such as you and me who simply are inclined to do work on a number of heavy bikes can actually profit from it!
Past Riders protected driving clothes
I’ve written earlier than concerning the significance of carrying protecting clothes, particularly on quicker electrical bikes. Past Riders has turn into my go-to model as a result of its garments appear to be typical on a regular basis clothes but have hidden armor and are produced with heavy-duty fibers designed for abrasion resistance.
I’ve simply began testing out their flannel shirt and cargo pants, which have choices for Stage 1 or Stage 2 armor inserts to guard your shoulders, elbows, backbone, hips, and knees. I’ll do a deeper dive on these quickly.
Their canvas driving jacket continues to be certainly one of my favorites too, and it doesn’t even appear to be a bike jacket. It simply seems to be like a pleasant canvas jacket!
My spouse additionally likes that I don’t appear to be I’m heading out for a bike trip, however reasonably I can put on these things on date evening. Whereas that’s not my main concern, the “pleased spouse, pleased life” doctrine all the time applies. So if I can mix security and trend in a single, that’s the best choice.
The BEAM’s Virgo helmet
Helmets are clearly crucial security gear for e-bike riders, particularly since we are inclined to spend extra time at larger speeds. However irrespective of the expertise included in a helmet, if it solely sits on the highest of your head, then there’s an entire lot of face materials left flapping round within the wind.
The Virgo helmet is a full face helmet with added chin bar so as to add further safety.
You pay handsomely for that safety, to the tune of US $299, however you get much more face protection than your typical helmet. Meaning your jaw has a greater likelihood of staying connected in a catastrophic affect with a car or concrete curb. The included MIPS system additionally reduces torsional affect in your mind, which is turning into commonplace on all higher-quality helmets lately.
And for much less disastrous crashes, you don’t have to fret about regrowing the pores and skin in your face. In case your face is the way you make your cash (otherwise you simply don’t wish to appear to be a lasagna), a full-face helmet is a good suggestion. The chin bar here’s a bit flexy, so it’s not going to resist the identical stage of crash as my motorbike helmets, however it’s additionally rather a lot lighter and extra snug than my motorbike helmets, making it good for biking.
Even simply the visor provides nice advantages. I can’t let you know what number of instances I trip by way of a flock of gnats or an enormous mud cloud with one eye closed simply in case it will get compromised and I want a backup eye. With a visor, you’ve gotten eye safety even on the times you aren’t carrying sun shades. And naturally you possibly can by no means predict the random rock that will get kicked up by a automotive tire and despatched instantly in direction of your eyes. You solely get two eyes they usually don’t heal the best way pores and skin does. Defend them!
There’s additionally the built-in rear mild for added visibility, and naturally, the a number of dimension and shade choices. There’s rather a lot to love right here, even when the worth is reasonably lofty.
Peak Design cellphone holder
I’ve examined many cellphone holders for e-bikes, scooters, and bikes. By far, my all-time favourite has obtained to be Peak Design’s cellphone holder.
I obtained the case for my iPhone, and now I’ve the matching holding on a number of of my e-bikes, in addition to one on my Gogoro scooter and one other on my LiveWire Del Mar motorbike.
The essential idea is much like Quadlock or different quick-release holders, besides that there’s no twisting. A magnet guides the cellphone’s case onto the spring-loaded locking tabs, which snap into place behind the case and securely maintain the cellphone. To launch it, you possibly can press a button on both aspect of the mount and your cellphone immediately pops off. It’s rugged but simply launched – a tough mixture to grasp.
I purchased the $39 common mount for my bikes and scooters and I’ve the $79 devoted motorbike mount on my LiveWire, however there are many totally different mount choices obtainable.
Tentsile tenting hammock
I LOVE bike tenting, and certainly one of my latest acquisitions is supposed to make e-bike tenting all of the extra enjoyable with a soothing hangout. Tentsile’s tree hammocks aren’t your conventional hammocks, however reasonably outsized triangular hanging platforms that may take the type of tents or hangout hammocks.
I obtained the six-person large hammock not too long ago, however sadly I haven’t had a tenting journey but to attempt it out. To date it seems to be prefer it ought to work nicely although, because it’s properly constructed and large! That’s one other good factor about e-bike tenting, you possibly can afford the additional weight of substances like this as a result of the battery helps take the ache out of the pedaling.
That is one other one which ain’t low cost, at $384. However when you’ve obtained the posh of including enjoyable gear to your leisure bike-camping setup, that is positively one that can change the sport. As an alternative of a bunch of folding chairs, you and your mates can all be lounging within the air, suspended from Mom Nature’s anchors – timber!
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