Over the years I have found additions to my bikes that have made my riding easier and safer.

Helmet Mirror - A mirror  makes sense on a bike, just as it does on a car. I tried a number of mirrors that attached to my handlebars or bike frame, but none of them were satisfactory, they always went out of alignment over bumps and I had to constantly adjust them. A helmet mirror doesn’t look cool, but it is amazingly useful. I suggest you get the largest mirror available. I tried a small one but I found it difficult to focus on the reflection. The one I have now works well. I don’t completely depend on it, sometimes I also look turn around and look, but it gives me a good sense of the cars that are behind me. The mirror needs to be adjusted from time to time. If I am wearing a hat with a brim, I have to make sure the brim is not so low it blocks my view of the mirror. In the winter I often wear a coat with a hood. If the hood is not up, I tuck the hood under my high visibility vest, so it does not get in the sight line of the mirror. Sometimes I take a walk after going for a bike ride. If I am walking on a street with no sidewalk, and I hear a car behind me, I automatically look where my mirror would be if I was wearing my helmet! There are mirrors for pedestrians that attach to brimmed caps and others that attach to glasses. I have not tried either kind.

Lights - I admit that I am excessive about my use of lights! I have a front and rear light on my helmet. On all of my bikes I mount two front lights on the handlebars and two rear lights on the frame. I use my lights during the day as well as at night. I’ve had pretty good luck with Niterider. If something goes wrong they will usually repair or replace the light. I use rechargeable lights, and I make sure I plug them in when I come home from a day of riding.  

When I am ready to ride my helmet is loaded up with two lights and a bike mirror. Recently, at a Winooski Bike Gang ride, a friend gave me a megaphone to use for pre-ride announcements. David, one of the Bike Gang leaders said that I should mount the megaphone on my helmet because I already had so much stuff there already! 

Bells - I have a bell on the three bikes I use for riding around town. They are all mounted on my handlebars.  They are most useful when I am riding on a multi-use path with pedestrians. As I approach I give one ring of the bell. That is often enough to let people know I am behind them. On the Riverside Avenue Path, especially in the winter, pedestrians seem to forget that the path is also used by bike riders.  They walk right in the middle of the path.  If the bell does not get someone’s attention, I yell, “Bike!”. If they are listening to music and don’t hear me, I just run them down! Only kidding, I would never do such a thing! I ride slowly until I have a chance to pass on a driveway or where the path is extra wide. In the summer at the Family Room Garden I do a story hour. I ride there and sometimes the children are interested in the bike. They really enjoy ringing the bell!

Racks and Panniers - I have a rack on all of my commuter bikes. Once in a while I bungee items onto the rack, but mostly I use panniers. I favor the ones made by Ortlieb. They are well designed and last a long time. The only thing that tends to wear out are the plastic buckles, but they will send you a replacement if one breaks. I have one pannier that is also a backpack. I use it when I am going to the YMCA. There is a pocket for my water bottle and two pockets for my swim fins.

Reflective tape - Reflective tape helps keep you visible at night and it can also be a way to creatively decorate your bike, hip packs, back packs, jackets, gloves and even shoes! I have a friend at work who decorates my gear. I think she does a nice job! I like Gear AID tenacious tape. It lasts a long time after it is applied.

Fenders - Fenders make a big difference when I ride in the rain. I have fenders on all three of the bikes I ride around town. Almost any bike can be fitted with fenders.  

All of my accoutrements add some weight to my bike, but I happy to pay that price. As I have gotten older speed has become less important. Comfort and safety are paramount!

About the Author: Peter Burns is a long-time bike enthusiast, and one of the original year-round bike riders in the greater Burlington area. In addition to writing about walking and biking, Peter teaches a variety of bike workshops. He also works at a group home for people with psychiatric disabilities, teaches classes for the Vermont Humanities Council, teaches swimming at the Burlington YMCA, and is a regular host of Storytelling VT.  You can contact Peter at [email protected].