SUMLON has gathered ideas from several road bike cyclists and got a list of road bike gears. This list consists of three sections. They are:

Here, we discuss the first part of this series, the list of mandatory bike gear for road cycling. This is an article for novice road cyclists. If you have accumulated over 20 hours of ride time or more than 400 km of mileage, check out the optional road bike gears list. It lists almost all the mainstream road bike gears or accessories you might need and advises you on whether you should buy specific bike gear.

SUMLON summarizes the recommendations from several experienced road cyclists. If you still need to acquire all of the following bike gears, it is better for you not to start your first ride. They are bike helmets, goggles, headlights, tail lights, kettles, and cycling gloves.

Helmet

If you take part in road cycling, a high-quality helmet is the only gear you have to buy. Wearing a helmet during road bike cycling is crucial for safety, as helmets protect cyclists from head injuries during an accident. Since the head is vulnerable and accidents can occur unexpectedly, helmets mitigate the impact force, reducing the risk of severe head trauma. Additionally, road cycling often involves high speeds and proximity to vehicles and obstacles, increasing the likelihood of collisions. Even skilled cyclists cannot control all external factors like road conditions and weather, which may lead to accidents. Wearing a helmet significantly improves a cyclist’s chances of survival and reduces injury severity in case of mishaps.

In addition, the helmet can slightly reduce wind resistance when driving, but the effect may not be noticeable. The rider’s body contributes to over 70% of the wind resistance on the ride, with more than 20% of the remaining wind resistance coming from the bike and the gears carried by the rider. The effect of the helmet on wind resistance is minimal. If you want to use a helmet for better wind resistance reduction, an aerodynamic helmet may be a good choice.

Cycling spectacles/goggles

Road cycling is a high-speed sport. It would help to keep your eyes open; no one can cycle with his eyes closed. At 20 km/h, wind and sun can make it impossible to keep your eyes open comfortably. Goggles are another important guarantee of safe riding. It’s also one of the accessories you need on your way to being a skilled cyclist.

Goggles can block sand, insects, and other debris, protect your eyes from injury, and ensure riding safety. In addition, spectacles/goggles can reduce the irritation of the eyes to solid sunshine and improve visual clarity. Some cycling spectacles also have special lenses, such as UV, mist, and water resistance, providing more comprehensive protection. It is essential to purchase professional cycling goggles suitable for road cycling.

You can choose from a wide range of cycling goggles; SUMLON recommends photochromic glasses, which change color according to the intensity of the sunlight. There are a lot of other good choices, such as cycling goggles integrated into the helmets. It is attached to your helmet by magnets. Theoretically, this is the only option for riders wearing glasses. If you like these magnetic spectacles, you can find one covering the entire face. I don’t know whether to call it cycling goggles or a cycling mask.

Headlight (front light) and holder

Trust me, even if you just wanted to test your new bike simply before your first ride, you probably could not guarantee that you would return before sunset because you would love the ride.

Headlight provides necessary visual aids at night or in low-light environments to help cyclists see the road ahead and avoid collisions with obstacles, other vehicles, or pedestrians. In addition, headlights can play a significant role in daylight as well. It makes the rider and his bike more visible. This reduces the possibility that others neglect cyclists and helps others on the road detect cyclists and react in advance. This can reduce the occurrence of accidents. In addition to lighting at night and acting as a warning light during the day, headlights can also help cyclists see the road ahead more clearly in rainy, foggy, or other adverse conditions, enhancing the feasibility and safety of cycling. The headlight is an indispensable safety device for cycling at night or during the day.

Remember to buy a suitable holder for your headlight.

Tail light (rear light)

Like headlights, tail light provides an essential visual signal at night or in low visibility conditions, making it easier for others to notice cyclists and reduce the risk of collision. The tail light indicates the direction and speed, helping other vehicles to better predict the path of the cyclists, thereby reducing accidents. A tail light also reminds the driver to keep a safe distance in an emergency to avoid a rear-end collision. In addition, tail lights increase cyclist visibility, particularly in rainy and foggy weather or low daylight during the day, helping others detect cyclists earlier. Purchase a high-quality tail light, such as the LED tail light with multiple modes and high brightness, to provide lasting and reliable service in various riding environments, ensuring the safety of cyclists. A tail light is not only legally required equipment but also an important tool to protect cyclists’ lives, so purchasing a tail light for cycling is indispensable.

Cycling gloves

Cycling gloves protect you from bruises when you fall, and try to protect yourself by holding your hands on the ground. They also increase the friction between your hand and the handlebar. Riding on bumpy roads, your hands will stay on the handlebar. In addition, manufacturers incorporate a piece of cloth specifically designed to wipe sweat in a particular location, such as cycling gloves. Cycling glasses can remove facial perspiration so as not to block sight lines.

Regarding cushion, the cycling glove has a cushion zone in the palm, making your ride more comfortable. But just a tip: choose gloves with cushioning material that is too thick. They increase the risk of your hands falling off the handlebar.

Some people choose not to wear cycling gloves. They thought using bare hands would result in smaller windage and reduced weight. SUMLON believes that the effect of bare hands on reducing windage is insignificant and almost negligible. For weight reduction, gloves typically weigh more than 50g. You don’t have to worry about this 50g weight increase unless you’re a professional road rider. And guess what? Most professional road bike racers choose to wear their gloves. They also believe that using bare hands gives them a better grip, which helps them to steer the bike better. This is true for some riders. SUMLON recommends that you consider this. But in short, SUMLON still recommends wearing your cycling gloves while starting road cycling.

Cycling pants (shorts)

It doesn’t have to be a long distance. If the distance of a ride exceeds 10 km, please wear cycling pants. The trousers are designed with unique cushions that relieve stress, reduce friction, and prevent fatigue during cycling. It protects the hips of cyclists and relieves discomfort from prolonged cycling. The rider’s pants are usually made of breathable, hygroscopic, and sweating fabrics to avoid pain caused by excessive sweating. Some also have a tight-fit design that reduces air drag and slightly improves riding efficiency. BTW, Riders are typically designed with multiple pockets to allow riders to carry small items such as cell phones, wallets, energy supplies, etc. The trousers also protect against skin injuries during crashes, particularly at high speeds or in complex road conditions. Overall, the trousers offer comfort and safety as well as increased efficiency. He has almost no shortcomings, but remember not to put daily underpants in the cycling pants. It was initially designed to be worn alone.

Kettle and kettle cage

They don’t seem necessary, but they are. SUMLON recommends carrying at least one 500-700 ml bottle of water if a ride does not exceed 25 km. If you plan to ride more than 25 km, please make it two. With them, you may be able to complete a regular ride. The kettle and kettle holder should be classified as bicycle parts rather than accessories because this road bike is barely functional if there is no kettle and kettle holder.

By the way, SUMLON has been manufacturing bicycle parts for over 15 years. Contact us if you are looking for a bike parts factory or a one-stop wholesaler. Peace