10 Must Have Bicycle Accessories for Design Minded Cyclists
All bikes are basically the same; it’s a tool to get you in shape, get you to work, or just get you out of the house on the weekends, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some room for self-expression.
Whether it’s a second-hand one-speed that you found in an opportunity shop, or you splurged on a vintage Lekker, there’s a booming market of designer bike accessories out there; so we’ve taken the liberty of curating a top-10 list of the must have bicycle accessories for design minded cyclists.
Ready to become the envy of the bike track? It’s time to pimp your ride.
01. Closca Fuga Helmet
Safety first — The sleek, customisable, and collapsable helmet from Closca was designed by Swedish designers Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin with safety, portability, and style at its core.
The helmet collapses into itself, reducing its total volume by more than 50%, with subtle, hidden air vents that also help to protect against sunstroke. The Closca Fuga Helmet comes in black or white, with a range of different visor colours to configure if you want that extra flair.
02. Bisecu Smart Bike Lock
‘The first fully automated lock with riding data analysis’ — Bisecu is a bluetooth enabled smart lock for your bike. It automatically locks your front wheel when you leave your bike, and notifies you if anything happens to it.
This won’t, of course, stop someone from running away with your bike, so for long absences you’ll likely want the additional Connecting Cable (still ‘under development’ at the time of writing), but for the quick duck into a cafe, or a stop at the park to get your daily #sunset Instagram story, this is perfect.
03. Bookman Bike Lights
Lights are essential if you’re riding after-dusk; the risk of being part of an accident is three times higher during dark hours compared to daytime — Fortunately, Stockholm based Bookman Urban Visibility aim to get more people using visibility products by combining innovative technology, with safety and usability.
The Curve Light is designed to ensure a wide range of light, providing a full 360° of clear visibility to other travellers. Available here for $85 USD.
The Eclipse Light is a powerful and rechargeable clip-on light for visibility and safety while cycling and running alike. Available here for $33 USD.
The Wearable Reflectors are a convenient and effortless way to add reflection to any item of clothing. Available here for $7 USD.
04. Proper Magnetic iPhone Bike Mount
Now that you and your bike are safe, it’s time to ride. Grab your phone and let’s go. Oh, you want you listen to music while you ride? Or maybe you need directions, or you just want to track your ride? Well, we can help with that…
The Proper iPhone Bike Mount attaches securely into your handlebars — The perfect solution to keeping your phone front and centre while you ride. This seamless addition to your journey packs a secure mounting solution into a slim, lightweight profile.
The Bike Mount is made from solid aluminium; designed to magnetically snap to any Proper iPhone Case (or Adhesive Mounting Plate if you’d prefer to bring your own), and installs directly into the frame of your bike.
Available at a discounted price (bundled with an iPhone X/XS Case) for $75. Or, if you don’t have an iPhone X/XS, on its own for $60.
05. Oi Bike Bell
Answering a question we’ve all had at some point in our lives; ‘What if bike bells looked sexy and sounded like an angel playing a glockenspiel?’ — The Oi Bike Bell is designed by Knog, a Melbourne product design brand ‘creating urban-flavoured tech for the road, trail and outdoors.’
The Oi bell is designed to fit snug around your handlebars, and comes in four metallic colourways, matching the aesthetic and form factor of your bicycle. ‘In one sense, it’s discreet. But in another, it stands out as unrecognisable.’
06. Bellroy X Maap Shift Backpack
‘Fit for the ride, yet styled for the office’ — This special edition of Bellroy’s Shift backpack is courtesy of a collaboration with cycling apparel brand MAAP. With city riding in mind, the backpack was designed “for cycle commuters who need to carry a bit more gear, but love minimalist styling.”
The Bellroy X MAAP Shift Backpack features an easily accessable hook closure and includes a new breathable and ergonomically designed harness, plus reflective strip and a light loop.
07. Musguard Mud Guard
Now, you’re going to want to keep your new backpack clean — Musguard is smart and elegant protection for riding on wet and muddy roads. Efficient, lightweight, completely removable and compact; it features no mounts or extra parts, and comes in various colours to match your bike’s aesthetic.
The Musguard requires no tools to install, fitting neatly above the wheel, and packs small when not in use, rolling onto the frame of your bike, or simply stored in your (super dry) backpack.
Available here at $18 USD for the back guards, and $14 USD for the front.
08. Closca Bottle
Another from Closca, this environmentally friendly bottle features a flexible strap that uses a Fidlock system to snap securely around your backpack strap, stroller, satchel bag, or, more importantly, your bike.
The bottle also connects to an app (because of course it does) that tracks your water intake throughout the day, reminding you to stay hydrated, and is made with super strong borosilicate glass, so like, no stress if you get hit by a car or whatever. The Closca Bottle comes in a plethora of customisable colourways, with the optional addition of a tea/fruit infuser, if you’re that way inclined.
09. Bookman Cup Holder
Feel like living dangerously on your morning commute? The Bookman Cup Holder is designed to hold onto your daily grind while you hold onto the handlebars. This one’s for the “don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee” types.
The cup holder clamps down on the handlebars and sits firmly in place, completely free from screws and glue, making it easy to use, and remove.
10. CLUG Bike Holder
If you’re reading this article, it’s probably safe to assume that space does not come cheap in in your increasingly gentrified suburb — So your five other housemates will likely appreciate the CLUG Bike Holder.
The Eurobike award winning CLUG is the world’s smallest bike rack, working with your floor to store your bike. Despite its tiny (like, really tiny) form factor, CLUG is actually super secure; a total no brainer if you’re short on storage space in your home.
Honourable Mention — Six Pack Carrier
It’s getting warmer down here in the Southern Hemisphere, so we’d be remiss if we didn’t feature hands-down the most important summer cycling accessory we’ve ever encountered…
Like something straight out of Portlandia, the leather 6-Pack Frame Cinch straps onto the centre mass of your bike, adding the much needed functionality to transport the brewskies to the broskies. I mean, you can carry other things with it, but let’s be honest…
That does it for our cover on the top must-have bicycle accessories for design minded individuals. Leave us a comment if we missed anything! We’re always keeping our eyes peeled for design goodness. 👀
We’ve also written an article on the ‘10 Must Have Desk Accessories for Design Minded Individuals’ if you’re hungry for more.
Visit Studio Proper to find more iPhone and Apple Watch products, and follow @StudioProper on Instagram to stay in the loop.
Note: Prices listed in this article are accurate at the time of posting.
