cycling as a hobby Archives - Cheap and Functional

Are you an avid cyclist? I bought my hybrid bicycle about 11 years ago but I have only been active since the lockdown or the limited movement were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. I cannot say that I’m really an avid cyclist because I don’t have all the gears that you see on professional cyclists. I think you just need some accessories which are really critical if you want to do cycling regularly. For me, there are only three things that you need to have, besides a bicycle of course, to kick-start your cycling adventure safely.

First and foremost is the helmet. You should get a helmet from a trusted sports supplier. We are talking about your safety here. Safety always comes first. Do not compromise! Some minor requirements for you to consider would be the weight, color and the fit (to your head) including your hair. Some ladies wear their hair like a ponytail so a helmet that can be used with a ponytailed hair would be a plus.

I bought my helmet from Decathlon online. I chose the yellow color but when I received the item, it looked more like “neon” yellow. There are other colors available but for me, I prefer to wear a helmet that will make me more “visible” especially when I cycle at night. Visibility is also a safety issue! With the “neon” yellow color, it adds to my overall visibility without adding a headlight on the helmet especially when I’m on the road. There are other helmet models available but I found this helmet to be in the mid-range in terms of price. Incidentally, this helmet can also be used with a ponytailed hair so that’s a plus.

The second item that I consider important to have is lighting. You can never have enough lighting especially when you cycle at night. You need to make sure that your front and your rear lights are bright enough to call the attention of other road users. Some countries even require front and rear lights turned on while cycling on public roads.

I bought my front and my rear lights from Rockbro online. For the front light, the factors that I considered were form and functionality. It is very basic in form but not very bulky. It is a rectangular block with an all-weather housing, has a single multifunction pushbutton, built-in strap (for mounting on a bike handlebar) and also a built-in male USB plug. The multifunction button alternatively switches the headlight from single bright, single dimmed, blinking alert and blinking normal. It has a built-in rechargeable battery and has an indication so you know if it is low in charge or fully charged. The built-in male USB also adds to the functionality as you don’t have to bring a separate charging cable – just plug to any standard USB charger. Luminosity or brightness of the LED is fairly acceptable – the LED light is visible from very far while the single bright light can illuminate the front up to about 5-10 meters ahead, depending on the ambient light available.

For the rear light, form and functionality were also my considerations. In terms of form, it is mounted directly below the bike seat – very sleek and clean looking – and with an all-weather housing too. It also comes with a multifunction pushbutton that changes from single bright, fast blink and slow blink indicators. In the middle part, there are LED indicators that inform if it is low or fully charged. This model, however, comes with a separate USB charging cable but you can use the same mini-USB charging cable that you use in old Android phones (re-use your cables!). Not too bad. To recharge it, you just unscrew the whole lamp housing and use the separate mini-USB cable to plug to a USB charging socket.

The third item that I think is critical in cycling are the eyeglasses. Believe me when I say that you would not like the feeling of dirt in your eyes especially when you are cycling at high speeds. I looked for affordable safety eyeglasses that will be useful in both daytime and night time cycling. I bought my cycling safety glasses from Decathlon online. Don’t be turned off by its yellow tint. The yellow tint on the glasses help with your visibility! I was surprised by how bright my surroundings were at night and how the on-coming car headlights seem less glaring with these glasses on. It is also super lightweight and safety rated for cycling purposes. The daytime glare also looks subdued while wearing this yellow tinted pair.

Those 3 items that I mentioned above are the critical items, for me, that you must have before heading out to cycle. I have selected them without compromising on safety and functionality. Have a nice day cycling!