Top 10: urban cycling gear

March 27, 2009

For those of us that live in the city, riding your bike to work is becoming an increasingly popular option. Sportsister picks its top 10 items to help make your city ride both stylish and practical.

More and more women are ditching their cars or public transport in favour of two wheels to get themselves to and from work. Not only is a great way to get some exercise into your busy day, but it saves you cash and is the greenest way to travel.

Here’s Sportsister top 10 items for the urban cyclist:

1) Cyclodelic saddle bag (pictured below left)
We love this saddle bag – made from tough abrasion and water resistant cordura and lined with hand silk screen printed poly cotton. The webbing straps easily adjust to fit onto the back of your saddle or when used off the bike it can be carried with a short or long strap. It also has leather and reflective piping details on the front.

Price: £55
Colours: Red/electric purple (shown), red/red and black/hot pink
Click here to buy

Cyclodelic was founded with the intention of putting some fun and style back into functional clothes for cycling. They offer everything from beautifully handmade capes, bags, satin cycling caps to customised bar grip tape, colourful mini D lock holsters and jewelled reflective trouser cuffs – it’s no wonder TopShop is about to start stocking their products (pictured above right).

2) Basil Mitre pannier (pictured above right)
Bold print bag complete with pannier hooks. Has reflective patches to keep you seen, is lined to protect your belongings and has an inner pocket for valuables.

Price: £32.35
Colours: Black/white (shown), lime green/pink, olive green
Size: 35cm x 15cm x 30cm
Click here to buy

3) Loeka Commuter Jacket (pictured below left)
Canadian women’s cycle gear brand Loeka is one of our favorites. This jacket is lightweight yet durable and waterproof making it perfect for commuting. It has side and back pockets for stashing your essentials and reflective piping to ensure you are seen, and on top of that the design won’t look out of place in town.

Price: £89
Colours: Blue Diamond (shown) and Green Light
Sizes: XS – XL
Click here to buy

4) Swrve Urban Knicker (pictured above right)
This small LA based company has a fantastic reputation for urban cycling knickers (capri’s to us Brits!), and these are known as the skinny jean of the bike world! Made from heavy cotton, they have a high back to keep you covered, and a dropped waist to stop your belt digging in. The crotch is seamless and the seat double thickness, but best of all – they look fabulous.

Price: £65
Colour: Black
Sizes: XS – XL
Click here to buy

5) Knog love ‘n’ hate gloves (pictured above left)
If you want to protect your hands from blisters and callouses then gloves are a necessity, they will also save your skin if you do take a tumble. These hand stitched fine grained goatskin leather gloves form Knog have double stitching at key wear points for extra longevity and perforated sections for breathability. The design has some serious street cred too, so if you want to make a style statement, then these are for you.

Price: £29.99
Colours: Red and white (shown) and black
Size: S – XXL
Click here to buy

6) Bern muse hard hat (pictured above right)
We have been looking for an alternative to the standard racing-look helmet for ages, and this is one of the best we have seen. If you are looking for a more stylish option too, then check out the great collection from Bern. We love the leaf graphic as it’s feminine, but not too girly. The high impact ABS shell keeps you safe while the soft breathable Brock foam circulates air and sucks moisture away from your head keeping you cool and dry.

Price: £42.99
Colours: Matt White with Oak Room (shown)
Size: S: 53.5 – 55.5cm M: 55.5 – 57cm L: 57 – 59cm
Click here to buy

7) Knog Frog Front light (pictured above left and centre)
Australian brand Knog has a great range of trendy bike accessories including these fit anywhere, flexible silicone lights in a fab range of colours. The super bright led means you will be seen up to 600m away.

Price: £8.79
Colours: White, Translucent, Pink, Ice Blue, Yellow, Orange, Red, Blue, Black, Purple, Olive Green and Lime Green
Click here to buy

8 ) Cycle Chic satchel pannier
Cycle Chic’s fantastic website is packed with great ideas on how to cycle stylishly in the city. Their online shop is a treasure trove for great accessories, including this satchel pannier that attaches to your bike rack. It’s water resistant, big enough to fit all your essentials and perfect to sling over shoulder once you jump off your bike.

Price: £35
Colours: Cream (shown), blue or khaki with brown straps
Size: 38cm x 9cm x 30cm
Click here to buy

9) My Alibi Bloomers (pictured above left)
Ok, they are not cheap, but these bloomers with built in chamois are the best looking ones we have come across. They are also super comfortable, with just the right amount of soft padding to protect you without adding unnecessary bulk. They can be worn under jeans or a skirt and then slipped off once you get to work.

Price: £70
Colours: Brown and pink
Sizes: S – L
Click here to buy

10) Sugoi Mini Skulls Arm Warmer (pictured above right)
German cycle brand Sugoi are known for their fun, bright and eye catching designs. These skull print arm warmers look great worn with short sleeve tees and will hold off the chill till you warm-up. Then you can whisk them off and pack them away for the evening ride home.

Price: £20
Colour: Black and white (shown)
Size: S – L
Click here to buy

Louise Hudson, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

More features on cycling:

Cycling in Style

The best women’s mountain biking courses

Sportsister meets Lizzie Armitstead

Velodrome cycling tester sessions

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