Biking is one of the best physical activities to involve yourself in. Aside from being a top-notch cardio workout, it helps reduce stress and ease anxiety. These benefits are reasons enough to try biking once in a while.
If you’re planning to rent a bike for your next vacation, don’t forget to prepare bike safety gear; these can make a huge difference when unwanted scenarios arise. It’s hard to predict what will happen, especially on the road; it’s better to be prepared.
To help you prepare for your next ride, we’ve made a list of safety gear for bike riding.
Must-have Bike Safety Equipment
Aside from bike riding safety tips, here are the pieces of equipment you need to have before heading out on your next bike adventure.
1. Helmet
Let’s get the most important bike safety gear ticked off first. Helmets can save your life. They protect your head during physical activities.
There are different types of helmets you can choose from:
- Road Cycling Helmets – These are lightweight helmets made of plastic materials and foam shells. They often have a strap and adjustable ratchet for fastening. Their design allows sufficient ventilation and comfort; you won’t even feel like you’re wearing one. They are your best option if you’re not planning to tackle rough trails.
- Mountain Bike Helmets – Their design features a visor on the front part to protect the eyes from dirt and the sun’s harmful rays. Mountain bike helmets are a great option when biking on both paved and unpaved trails.
- Full-face Helmets – These are helmets that protect the entire head and face, hence the name. Their main advantage is the protection they provide against wind, noise, rain, sun, cold, and stones. These helmets are mostly used for motorcycling, but you can also use them for hardcore biking adventures.
All of these can provide you with protection when biking. Head protection is essential bike safety equipment, so don’t go on your next ride without one.
2. Protective Glasses
Protective glasses are bike safety gear that provides additional protection, especially if you’re not wearing a full-face helmet. If you’ve been riding for a long time now, you must’ve encountered insects flying right into your eyes and mouth. You can always close your mouth to prevent bugs from entering, but you can’t do the same with your eyes.
3. Gloves
The next one on our list of essential bike safety gear is a pair of gloves. There are three main reasons why you need them: they provide a comfortable grip on your bike’s handlebars, protect your skin and palms if you fall, and provide insulation when the weather gets too cold for your liking.
Here are the two types of gloves you can choose from:
- Short Finger Gloves – These are perfect for bike riding in warm locations since they provide ventilation.
- Long Finger Gloves – These are the best option for cold weather riding as they offer sufficient insulation.
4. Reflectors and Lights
Drivers and other motorists often fail to see cyclists on the road; they can be difficult to see, especially at night. It is one of the leading causes of bike accidents, which you can avoid with bike safety accessories like reflectors and lights that make you highly visible on the road.
There are numerous types of reflectors to choose from. You can attach some to bike parts and some that you can wear. Either way, always remember you need to have these bike safety accessories on both sides of your bike or body for maximum visibility.
Lights are bike safety accessories that also increase visibility at night. Some, such as head-mounted lights, can even serve as your guide when riding in low-visibility situations. For more visibility, go for rear lights. Check out some guides on the internet to see their recommended brightness for cycling lights.
5. Mirrors
Mirrors might not be common bike safety equipment, but they can be helpful in several ways. For instance, they can let you monitor the traffic behind you, allowing you to stake your place on the road. You have several options when choosing a cycling mirror to use — there are some you can clip to your helmet or gloves, use as eyewear, or attach to your bike’s handlebars.
The ones you can clip to your gloves or handlebars can provide you with a clear view of what’s behind you, while the ones you can clip to your helmet and use as eyewear can allow you to see wider.
6. Bike Kit
Unlike other bike safety equipment, bike kits can’t protect you from road hazards. That, however, doesn’t make them less essential. They can prevent accidents and help you fix your bike when something goes wrong.
Here are some of the things to include in your bike kit:
- Bicycle pump
- Puncture repair kit
- Set of Allen keys
- First aid kit
Enjoy A Safe Ride With Island Marine Rentals
Make the most of your Florida vacation with our fun and affordable rental services. Rent top-notch city bikes and beach cruisers from us at Island Marine Rentals. To ensure safety, we provide helmets, and our bikes come with baskets where you can put your other bike safety gear.
We also offer boat rentals in Indian Rocks Beach, FL, and the nearby areas. Contact us today for inquiries and reservations.
