We agree with you when you say that enjoying the great outdoors doesn't go hand in hand with gadgets. But there are also a lot of nice gadgets that can make a cyclist's life more fun and easier. We put the best cycling gadgets in a row.
Tip 01: Locked
Of course you want your bike to be protected against theft. Do you often lose your bicycle key or do you not always want to search for that small keyhole with cold hands? This is exactly what the Noke Padlock wants to solve, because with this bicycle lock you will never need a bicycle key again. The concept is very simple, you connect the bicycle lock to your smartphone and when you are somewhere where your bicycle should be safe, you click the lock. When you then come close to your bike again, the lock will detect the presence of your smartphone and unlock it automatically. If the button cell battery of the lock is empty, you can also open the lock with a number combination as a backup. If an incorrect code is entered several times or if the lock is fiddled with for more than three seconds, an alarm will sound and can be heard up to fifty meters away. We think that the safety of your bicycle with such a lock is a must. The Noke Padlock costs about 113 euros and is available via Bol.com, among others.
Tip 02: Log everything
Cycling gadgets are great, but they are devices that need to be charged and what you have to think about ... right? Not with the BikeLogger. This device is a GPS and anti-theft tracker that you install in the steerer tube of your bicycle and that is powered by your dynamo. This means that you don't have to worry about the battery at all, it is automatically charged when cycling. The device keeps track of all kinds of useful information, such as the speed at which you cycle, the distance you travel, how long you are on the road and so on. Thanks to the link with your smartphone, you can easily read this information. But a big advantage is that the information is also kept if you don't have a smartphone in your pocket. This means that you can leave your smartphone at home and read the information at home after a wonderful bike ride. In addition to being a tracker, the BikeLogger is also a useful bicycle alarm. When someone tries to steal your bike, an alarm will be sent directly to your smartphone so that you can take action. The BikeLogger is not cheap: you pay about 129 euros for it, including at Amazon.de.
The battery of the BikeLogger is automatically charged while cycling Tip 03: Wheel projection
If you go out in the evening or early in the morning, it is important that you are visible, so that you have good bicycle lighting. Monkey Lights are LED lights that you attach to your bicycle wheel, and that make you extremely visible. You can opt for regular lights (for which you pay about 25 euros), but also for the more expensive version (60 euros) where you can display complete patterns while you are cycling (and that is really very special to see). If you really want to go wild, you can also go for the Monkey Light Pro, with which you can play complete videos in your bicycle wheel. However, you will have to pay about a thousand euros for that. You order the Monkey Light online. Please note: according to Dutch law you still have to use a front and rear light.
Tip 04: Advanced glasses
Iron Man, of course, doesn't have time to look at his smartphone to see where he has to fly. That is why that information is simply processed in the display of his helmet. You face the same problems on a bike, which is why the Everysight Raptor was invented, smart cycling glasses with augmented reality that provide you with all kinds of useful information while cycling, such as the time, route information, your heart rate and so on (of course via a link with your smartphone). It is likely that the information is displayed in such a way that it does not interfere with your view. You can also capture photos with these glasses, for that you have to tap the device (then quickly put your hands on the steering wheel again). However, you have to pay a decent amount of money for it, for the 16GB model you pay 749 euros, for the 32GB model 809 euros, with free shipping within Europe.
Tip 05: Smart helmet
In the Netherlands we are not as used to wearing a helmet on a bicycle as in other countries. If you cycle on an e-bike, a helmet is definitely recommended and it is even mandatory on a speed pedelec (up to 45 km/h). Should you buy a moped helmet? Fortunately, it can be done better: there are special bicycle helmets on the market that are a lot lighter but protect a larger part of the head. The Helm Smart Livall BH51M has a 180-degree light system, so that you are clearly visible. With the built-in speakers you can listen to music via Bluetooth and you can also make calls. The built-in shock sensor activates a red warning light in the event of a fall and sends an SOS message with GPS to an emergency number after a minute and a half. It costs 170 euros at www.proidee.nl
The built-in shock sensor in the helmet activates a red warning light in the event of a fall Tip 06: Bike computer
Most gadgets that you see in this article cost a lot of money. When we talk about cycling computers, we can also easily pick one that costs a few hundred euros. We have therefore deliberately included this Sigma BC 9.16 ATS Cycle Computer in this list. It costs only 32 euros, is wireless and measures distance and calories. It cannot be linked to your smartphone, but that is precisely what we want to emphasize: not everything has to be linked and mega extensive. Sometimes you just want to be able to see with a gadget: how far am I and what have I burned, to forget that information after your trip when you plop down on the couch.
Tip 07: Call with ringtone
Okay, we admit, actually this is really too decadent, but secretly we love it. Because who says that a bicycle bell shouldn't make any other sound than trrrring? This Shoka bicycle bell doesn't let you choose from one, but from no fewer than eight ringtones, while you also have control over the volume. You can link the bell to your smartphone and it suddenly turns into a navigation device, sending you in the right direction using clear signals, focusing on the safest route, not the fastest. If you have forgotten where you left your bicycle, this bicycle bell will also come in handy, because you can easily find your bicycle thanks to the app. The bell is securely mounted around your handlebars, so you don't have to worry about theft (if it is tampered with, an alarm will go off) and the battery lasts no less than 200 hours. Small stumbling block: it is a Kickstarter project that has been completed, but not yet delivered. An exact delivery time is therefore not yet known.
Tip 08: Nice routes
We don't have to tell you which apps are useful for navigation, of course. But navigating to get somewhere and driving a route to see the best of the area are, of course, two very different things. That is exactly why Route.nl was developed: an app that is packed with the best cycling and walking routes (more than 125,000). All you have to do is indicate whether you want to walk or cycle and whether you want to do that in the Netherlands or Belgium. Then choose the distance you want to cover on the bike and press View routes. You will immediately see an overview with the best cycling routes. You can see exactly how long a route is, how long it will probably take you and how many calories you will burn. You can drive the route online, or download it for offline navigation. You can have the navigation instructions read by a voice, but for that you need a paid account of a tenner per year (which we don't think is a shocking price). You are therefore immediately rid of the advertisements.
Tip 09: Keep track of everything
Runtastic was originally an app intended for runners, but the makers have used the same technology to create an app specifically for cyclists: Runtastic Road Bike GPS. We would like to add: this app is especially nice if you really want to keep good statistics of your bike rides. Of course, the app keeps track of the distance you have cycled and how fast you have done that, but it also keeps track of your average speed, the ascent and descent in your route, how long you took a break and so on. You can link the app to your Google Play or Apple Music account, so you can listen to music while cycling. As with Route.nl, you can enable audio feedback and disable advertisements. For that you need the Pro version of the app, which costs you 4.99 euros once.
