1. Lights (front and rear)
Front and rear lights are mandatory equipment for every bicycle rider during night riding. It is correct to have a white light in the front, a red light in the back. Also, lights must be autonomous, that is, they must not depend on other light sources to be visible, such as the working principle of cathodiopters (popular “cat’s eyes”). The Law on Road Traffic Safety prescribes a penalty for the offense of not using lights in prescribed conditions. Also, lights of the same signal color on both sides of the bicycle or the use of different signal colors (eg green or blue) cannot be classified as adequate bicycle lighting and are subject to legal penalties.
2. Helmet
Another piece of equipment prescribed by the Traffic Safety Act is a helmet. In the case of bicycle rider injuries, head injuries are the most common, and most can be avoided or mitigated by wearing a helmet. In addition to protecting against serious head injuries, a helmet can also save your life in certain cases. Regardless of the discipline for which each bike is intended, the helmet consists of three main components – an outer plastic shell, an inner layer of easily breakable material similar to ordinary styrofoam, and straps for attaching and securing the helmet to the head. When choosing, it is important that the helmet fits well so that it covers most of the forehead, that it is light and comfortable, with enough ventilation openings and that it has a practical fastening system.
3. Tool bag and tube
This is a very practical addition to the bike that does not take up a lot of space, does not disturb the rider while riding, and can be extremely important if a mechanical failure occurs while riding. The bags can be of different sizes, depending on how much equipment you intend to carry with you, and are positioned at the handlebars or under the seat. In your bag, you should always have a set of multi-functional tools (for quick repairs and elimination of minor breakdowns) and a tool for removing a tire, an extra tube, possibly tire patches and a chain link. Make sure you have a tube of the right dimensions and an adequate valve (the French valve hole on the wheel rim is smaller in diameter than the hole for an auto or dunlop valve tube).
4. Bicycle pump
Tube pumps can be divided into two main categories – small practical pumps that are an indispensable part of the equipment while riding and large floor pumps that are not taken with you on rides.
Small pumps have a bicycle holder, so they are constantly on the bicycle or the cyclist carries it with him in some other way (in a backpack or in a jersey pocket). They are a practical solution in case you puncture and change a tire while driving, especially somewhere in nature. Small pumps come in two main variants as far as the principle of pumping is concerned – either they are purely mechanical, where they are pumped by power, or they are pumped with the help of CO2 capsules.
Floor pumps are physically easier to inflate the tire because the cylinder is bigger and more air is injected. They often have a pressure gauge, so you can accurately monitor the tire pressure.
Most pumps, regardless of type and model, have replaceable rubber bands that adapt to the valve you have on the tire, but with small pumps, you must check before buying that the pump itself is adequate for inflating the tire to a certain pressure – primarily the high pressure of narrow tires for road bikes.
5. Cyclocomputer – speedometer
This practical addition to the bike differs from the others mentioned in that it measures and records the rider’s performance and is a direct indicator of the way of riding.
Basic models have only a few functions (measurement of current speed, number of kilometers traveled and hour), more complex and expensive models measure air temperature, count calories burned, record the driver’s pulse, and all the way to models that are also GPS.
Cycling computers provide data that can help you take your training on the bike to a higher level and achieve better results over time.
