The Best Bike Accessories of 2016
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Build your kit with the right stuff for road and trail.
DAILY ROAD
Specialized Airnet MIPS Helmet
The Airnet’s sleek, retro looks pay homage to old-school racing lids, but the MIPS technology, designed to reduce rotational force in a crash, is all new. It’s the only helmet you need.
Price $170
NiteRider Sentinel 40 Taillight
Do yourself a favor and ride with a taillight. Always. The tough, USB-chargeable Sentinel 40 projects a thin beam on either side of your bike, creating a visible safety lane that moves with you.
Price $50
Shimano RP5 Shoes
An understated, high-performance road shoe for the logo-free crowd, the RP5 packs plenty of nice features, including a stiff carbon-reinforced glass-fiber sole and underfoot vents, in a slick package.
Price $150
RACE ROAD
Bontrager Ballista Helmet
If there’s a better way to shave seconds off your time trial, we don’t know it. The 262-gram Ballista is well vented and did better in wind-tunnel testing than pretty much any other aero helmet.
Price $175
Pearl Izumi PRO Leader III Shoes
These are literally the coolest kicks we’ve worn, thanks to the mesh upper. The dials on the tongue provide slipperlike comfort, while the carbon plate makes for excellent road feel.
Price $320
Uvex Variotronic S Sunglasses
These shades adjust to light variations much faster than you do. The tint jumps from 16 to 64 percent almost instantaneously when you ride out of the shadows into the blazing sun—perfect for daylong epics.
Price $330
CROSS COUNTRY
Northwave Extreme XC Shoes
The Extreme XC is built from a rugged synthetic upper that laughed off scrapes and scratches. The spin-dial fasteners work great, and the Michelin rubber lugs mean hike-a-bikes aren’t death defying.
Price $330
Specialized Mountain Bandit Flat Kit
Made from nylon, Velcro, and a light aluminum skeleton, this holster attaches to Specialized’s latest saddles and packs a tube, a tire lever, and an air canister. Bolt it on and you’re covered.
Price $25
Giro Fathom Helmet
With an astonishing 23 vents, and weighing in at a feathery 278 grams, the airy Fathom is basically a road helmet with a brim, which is exactly what makes it essential protection for racing on buffed-out singletrack.
Price $150
ALL-MOUNTAIN
CamelBak Skyline 10LR Pack
It’s not exactly a fanny pack, but the Skyline rides lower than most hydration gear to keep the water from sloshing around. The ten-liter compartment holds everything you need, including clothing, snacks, and a flat kit.
Price $130
Giant Rail Helmet
Let us count the ways we love this helmet: miles of rear and side coverage, a fully adjustable visor that accommodates goggles, a built-in GoPro mount, a lightweight body—and that killer price.
Price $130
Scott Shr-Alp RS Shoes
Another dirt shoe, another digi-camo pattern, right? Nope. The Shr-Alp RS is a new beast, with cush padding inside the heel to shield ankles and soft lugs along the stiff but not bracing fiberglass and nylon sole.
Price $180