Bicycle Gizmos

[Little Lyon]

Anywhere you look, there are tons of add ons for bikes. Looking at mirrors, locks, hand pumps, lights, cyclo computers, and water bottle holders, my mind starts to spin. I was wondering what people have found to be useful to actually have attached to their bikes. There is, of course, limited space for these doo-dads and I don't want to buy things that are useless! Thanks!

[lo123]

Essentials:

• water bottle cages (holders) - 2 of them if you plan to do long rides
• Rear blinky light
• Seat bag to hold tubes, CO2 cartridges and tire levers

Optional:

• Headlight if you plan on doing any night rides
• Cyclocomputer

[OakLeaf]

Water of course. Some people prefer hydration packs, most people prefer frame-mounted bottle cages, especially for shorter rides.

Rear-view mirror - essential for safety. There are many different styles and mounting points. Which one you choose is personal preference.

A patch kit and a pump. It can be a mini-pump if you're using it as a backup to a time-saving CO2 system, or a full-sized frame pump if you have room for one and you don't want the waste that goes with CO2 canisters. You never know how many flats you're going to have, even on a short ride if conditions are especially bad - and if you don't have the capability to patch a tube and inflate it after you've exhausted your consumables, you're walking. Even a short ride can be a looooong walk, pushing your bike wearing cycling shoes.

A mini-lock, just to deter crimes of opportunity. Even if you never plan to leave your bike, you may decide to stop for a bathroom break or a snack, and it might be somewhere that you don't feel confident leaving your bike completely vulnerable. A lightweight combination lock obviously isn't suitable for all-day parking, but it's cheap insurance for those bathroom breaks.

A multi-tool. 4, 5 and 6 mm Allen wrenches are enough for adjustments and tweaks, and tightening things that may have come loose, for a short ride. For a long ride in the boonies, a chain tool, spare cables, and the knowledge of how to use them.

[Grog]

Rear rack

Lock (not actually attached to my bike)
Lights
Pump, seatbag (with CO2 carts + adapter for those winter-time flat tires, tire levers, multi-tool, spare tubes, a few bandaids) + skills to use the above
Water-bottle cage

Bicycle computer
Bell

[skhill]

I have different stuff on my two bikes:

Both have computers and bottle cages, and I always carry my cell phone

Road bike: small wedge bag with spare tube, patches, minimal tools, etc.

Commuter/ running around town bike: tail light (all the time) and headlight (only when I'll need it)
rear rack
locks
bell
and the trunk bag and grocery panniers as needed

I know I really ought to carry tools/ flat kit in town too, but the only mechanical trouble I've ever had on that bike happened within .25 miles of my house, and most of the time I'm within 4 miles of home... Sometimes I carry the kit, but usually not.

[DDH]

I have two water bottle cages, a rear rack and bag. The bag has lots of little compartments. I have a compartment that has some paniers stuffed in there that I can bring out and use if I need them. It has a mini cooler to keep water cold until I am ready to use it. It has a little top zipper space that I can keep a small first aide kit with just bandaides and other little stuff in, and I put a few kleenex cause my nose always wants to run while riding, and some chap stick and just little stuff like that. I'm not a professional by any means so the extra weight of the bag and rack don't bother me. I have a cycle computer which I love cause I want to know how far I have gone and I want to be able to see progress. I have bar extenders to have other ways to place my hands. I have a hybrid with straight bars so that's why I can use those, but I love them. I have a back blinky light attached to the back of my rack but I don't ride at night so I don't use a headlight, but I have one and keep it in my bag should I ever need it. There is a place for it on the handle bars.
I use or have used everything on my bike. It all depends on what you use your bike for, and what conviences you like. Almost everything you can buy, has a purpose or use for someone out there. If expense is an issue then you buy the most useful thing first and then go down the line as you can get more. If you don't want a whole bunch of stuff on your bike, then you get only the essentials and add nothing more. Some don't want the extra weight, and those that commute or grocery shop or do other shopping while on the bike can use a lot of those things. It's all just relative to each individual person.
Today I am not riding far cause I have been off the bike for a bit over a year, but I still left my bag on the back and put an extra water bottle in the cooler. I like to be prepared just in case and that bag makes it easy for me to do. Besides, I am so heavy that that little bit of weight from the rack and bag is nothing compared to hauling my big body up the hill. LOL
Why did I write so much on here. Goodness, it was a simple question wasn't it? Sorry, I think I am just excited form my first ride back on the bike today.

[Becky]

The other posters have already mentioned most of the doo-dads on my bikes. One that hasn't been mentioned is the Mountain Feed Bag .

I love this thing for stashing my keys and phone while commuting, for rides with a camera, and as a place to stash extra food on long unsupported road rides. It's been worth every penny!