Inexpensive Cycling Accessories For Your Ride

There are a lot of bike accessories out there to better your ride experience and the following five are products I use regularly that are under $10.  They are simple in design but do their intended job effectively.

Rough Riders

$5

Rough Riders is a new product from Miles-Wide Industries that was designed to give fingers a better grip on shifters, brake and dropper post levers.  They work for both road and mountain bikes.  This extra grip is made possible with a product called "Stubble" that acts similar to sandpaper.  Rough Riders are very thin, slightly elastic and waterproof for use in any riding condition.  Available in Black and Burgundy from Miles-Wide Industries.

CamelBak Podium Mud Cap

$6

If you're anything like me, you enjoy riding off the beaten path and may encounter sand, dirt and mud along the way.  This is where the CamelBak Podium Mud Cap for their Podium bottles comes in real handy.  Unlike their old style mudcaps, this one just slips over the nozzle and is ready for use.  Keep all of the grit and grime out of the valve so you don't end up with a mouth full of it.  Made out of Silicone and comes in colors Black and Blue.  Available from CamelBak, Penn Cycle and other fine bike shops.

Bontrager Storage Bottle

$7

One thing a cyclist should never leave on a ride without is a rescue kit that contains the items needed to get you up and rolling again in the event of a mishap. The Bontrager Storage Bottle is perfect for such a kit.  It has enough space to store the items I always carry with me in a convenient package that fits securely in my water bottle cage.  Available from Trek, Penn Cycle and other fine bike shops.

General HeroMount for GoPro

$7

I had a more expensive GoPro Handlebar Mount but was not happy with the bulkiness of it and wanted to get something smaller.  I found the General HeroMount Handlebar Mount for GoPro on Amazon for under $7 and decided to give it a try.  Its design allowed me to mount my GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition neatly out of the way under my bars so as not to take up space on my cockpit that already contained my Garmin and a headlight.  This mount held my GoPro very secure and made for some great video without any vibration or shaking.

I liked this mount so much that I bought a second one to put on my fatbike so I could easily mount my GoPro to the bike of my choice for that day's ride.  Made from aluminum, weighs 45 grams and fits bars from 30-32mm.

Mirrycle Incredibell Adjustabell 2

$8

Through many miles of commuting and riding I've found that the simple ring of a bell is very effective to alert other cyclists and pedestrians of my approach and passing without startling them.  I recently got a new road bike and I wanted a bell that I could mount on drop bars that would be easily accessible while riding without having to move my hand placement to ring it.  The answer was the Mirrycle Incredibell Adjustabell 2.

This bell has a fully adjustable handlebar clamp (fits bars 15-39mm) so it can be placed anywhere on the bar.  The dinger can be adjusted to any position around the dome of the bell making for a truly custom fit for ringing with a finger or thumb.  Available in black or silver from Mirrycle, Penn Cycle and other fine bike shops.

Sponsor Highlight: MilesWide Industries

I first met Miles Schwartz, founder of MilesWide Industries at Interbike in Las Vegas back in 2015.  His unique product offerings were what caught my attention among the thousands of bike accessories at the show. He proceeded to show me his wares and I was intrigued.  Miles is an avid cyclist that took common problems he experienced while riding and came up with a line of products that addressed them.  It wasn't long after that MilesWide Industries became a sponsor of MN Bike Trail Navigator and I have been using the following products ever since.

Sticky Pod

$14.99-$19.99

The Sticky Pod was one of the first MilesWide products I tried out.  I needed a practical way to pack my tools, CO2 cartridges/inflator and anything else I needed to get me rolling again in the event of a mishap. The Sticky Pod worked perfectly, it was small and very lightweight but big enough to hold what I needed.  I could place it in a jersey/jacket pocket and the grippy surface on the back kept it in place or tuck it away in my frame bag or seat bag without the contents shifting and bouncing around.  For cyclists that like to travel light, this is the perfect utility pack.  Available in Mini Blue Camo or Tropical Camo (4.75"x3.75", $14.99), Small Beige Camo (6"x4", $14.99), Small Black (7.5:x4.25", $16.99) and Large Black (10"x4.25", $19.99).

Sticky Fingers

$6.99

Sticky Fingers brake grips are perfect for the year round cyclist.  Not only do they act as an insulator from the cold during winter riding, they even stay sticky in wet weather as well as protecting the lever from scratches and from scratching other bikes.  Pictured above is the latest generation of Sticky Fingers that were redesigned in 2017.  I have been using both the first and second generations over the past three years and I love them.  They really work great for keeping fingers, even in gloves, from slipping off the brake levers.  They are made of silicon rubber and can be cut to fit just about any brake lever.  Available in Black, Blue, Clear, Grey, Neon Green, Orange, Pink and Red to match your ride.

Fork Cork

$29.99

The Fork Cork is a relatively new item from Miles-Wide Industries that is designed to fit in the hole at the bottom of a tapered steerer tube creating a secret storage spot. With the Fork Cork in place it will create a water tight seal for storing items like money, gps bike theft tracker, a multi-tool, matches/lighter and many other small items. It will also keep mud and dirt from collecting inside the steerer tube.

Installation or removal is quick and easy and doesn't require any tools due to its turn knob.  The neoprene washer expands with each turn of the knob to fit the inner diameter of the steerer tube keeping it in place during the roughest of rides.  Wrap stowed items with paper towels or fabric to keep them from rattling around.

EverClear Protector

$13.99-$19.99

EverClear Protector is a high quality frame protection film that is easy to install and remove.  It's a product I have used on 4 different bikes over the past few years and it really does the job.  I always hated having brake/shifter cables or bag straps wearing away the clear coat or paint from my bike frame.  This problem is solved by installing EverClear Protector at those rub points on the bike.  It also can be used for downtubes, chainstays and crank arms.  Simply trace and cut the desired pattern, clean the surface area and apply.  Available in 8 mil Sheets (14"x8", $19.99), 12 mil Clear Roll (2.4"x60", $13.99) and 12 mil Matte Roll (2.4"x60", $13.99).

Bottle Pod

$24.99

The Bottle Pod is a great solution for the roadie or mountain biker that wants to carry needed items such as CO2 cartridges/inflator, tubes, tire levers and a multi-tool and leave the saddle bag or backpack at home.  The Bottle Pod fits into any standard water bottle cage, zippers all the way open to access items and is water resistant.  Inside is a long vertical zipper pocket, an open mesh pocket and two center elastic loops for CO2 cartridges or a mini pump.  It also can be used to stash snacks, money, keys and ID/credit cards.  Measures 8.5"x3". 

I would like to extend a big "Thank you" to Miles for his support of MN Bike Trail Navigator for nearly the past three years and I look forward to the new products he will be coming up with in the future.