Cool bike accessories you must own to make your summer ride easier
Summers in India are scorching with the air being warm and dry in some places and hot and humid in the others. With most people being locked away in air-conditioned homes and trying to fend off the heat, some are on the road embracing the heat. Many bike enthusiasts ride away with passion and set off on “Vitamin D” enriched rides of a lifetime. With most riders sticking to basic gear like helmets and gloves, they tend to ditch other protective gear which may be useful in the long run.
Passion mustn’t overcome logic as riding through the hot summer days is not that easy. Purchasing the right summer accessories is a must as it allows the rider to enjoy riding on hot days without discomfort. The right gear and equipment will ensure complete protection, comfort, breathability, and functionality in summer conditions that we face in India.
If you are in the pursuit of the right summer accessory to invest in, take a look at the popular purchase options that are available online to be safe, remain cool and hydrated throughout. Products that can be included in your gear of summer accessories will be discussed here.
- Head-Mate or Helmet aka Riding gear
A rider’s first move this summer must be to switch over to a loose-fitting one from his/her regular well fitted one which is more ventilated. It is very important not to compromise on a helmet in the summer months. Helmets that come with a thick padding in a full-face helmet can help to keep your face and head dry by absorbing swear and also protects your eyes from any harmful hot air that is blasting on the helmet outside.
Check out these helmets that are budget as well as summer friendly.
Autofy Polycarbonate Front Open Helmet (Black and Grey, 580mm)
- Balaclava aka the Face mask
To get the most out of the helmet during summer, one must ensure that there is a thick layer between the helmet and skin for maximum absorption of sweat. A balaclava or a bandana helps protect while also providing good breathability. It helps dripping of sweat on your eyes that in turn hampers your view.
Check out these cool balaclavas
HeadTurners Unisex Neck Gaiter Headband Bandana
- Full finger gloves
A good pair of gloves is very important accessory for long summer rides as your palms tend to get sweaty and greasy. Sometimes a loss of control during a ride may be due to sweaty palms. A good pair of biking gloves tend to have increased airflow intake as they provide armour-like protection at important places while using lightweight material at places that are not that vulnerable or critical. The following gloves are quite known for their long-lasting nature, breathability, slip-resistant, lightweight with excellent protection performance.
Here are some gloves that are best suited for summer rides.
SR SUREADY Full Finger Off-Road Summer Riding
NVD Nylon Tactical Half Finger Gloves
- Cooling vest
No matter how hot the weather, a ride with a cooling vest on can always make it better. You can stay cool and energized and in control during hot weather rides with these ergonomically designed vests. Temperature is maintained in the vest by controlled evaporation of water that is drenched in before the ride. Add a cool vest to your seemingly never-ending wardrobe and enjoy your ride much more.
Here are some cooling vests that you can opt for
Bikeratti Glacier Motorcycle Cooling Vest for Riders
· Riding Glasses
A good pair of shades are always a good investment to get the badass biker look. But when the summer sets in, the need to protect the eyes increases. Glasses help protect the eyes from warm air and can provide relief from the sweltering heat. It can be helpful even under a full-face helmet too in this heat.
Protective gear riding goggles
- Hydration Pack
One of the most common mistakes that a lot of riders make is failing to stay hydrated on the rides and opting for a hydration pack is the best. A hydration pack on your ride is perfect not only for carrying water but also is handy enough as you cannot stop and keep sipping water now and then and remain hydrated on the run. Carrying water bottles on the bike is not practical enough. A hydration pack depending on your budget can hold storage space too for other accessories. With a huge range of hydration packs available online for all ranges, you are spoilt for choice. Check out these below
Various Hydration packs on FlipKart
- Funky and stylish Arm Sleeves
Apart from all the above basic equipment and gears, the most important of all is to keep a layer of cloth covering all possible exposed areas of the skin like the hands, etc. Application of sunscreen is a must on all exposed areas such as the neck etc. and an arm sleeve. These high-performance arm sleeves are designed in such a way that they can deliver the most optimal degree of compression.
The above bike accessories can help a rider breeze through the piping hot summers quite easily. Most sleeves are ergonomically designed, stretchable and breathable, UV protected, anti-odour, and dri-fit versions. Check out these funky versions online in the links below.
Cool Cotton Arm Sleeves for Riding, biking, Sports Sun UV Protection
HETASH Unisex Nylon Fingerless Arm Sleeves with Thumb Hole
- Mobile Holder with USB Charger
A must for every bike enthusiast to fill a ride filled with convenience. What is more amazing is that these bike mobile holders come with USB charging that is usually made using high-grade aluminium and plastic. They are known for their durability, water resistance, and anti-skid nature that can come in handy when riding the bike. They can rotate 360 degrees too and are known for their robustness. A must add-on on your accessories list that is easy to assemble and simple to use too like the ones below.
Waterproof Universal Bike Mobile Holder with USB Charger
Blackcat Bike Mobile Charger Holder with Cable
- Jackets
Keeping layers to a minimum without sacrificing safety or style is a must for summer rides. The temptation to go riding in jeans and tee is sure to rise along with the temperature rise. Doing so might be risky and as the adage goes, Dress for the ride, not for the fall. It is best to keep your skin off the pavement and dressing for the elements is important. It is thus essential to consider summer motorcycle jackets like the ones below. Avoid going for leather ones, regardless of the vents, perforation, etc. Synthetic ones tend to be the opposite, which can give a technical look of the timeless jacket ones. You can surely balance safety as well as style-all while being cool. Consider the following jacket options as a good place to start.
BIKING BROTHERHOOD BBG_07 Riding Protective Jacket
RYNOX AIR GT 3 RIDING JACKET BLACK WHITE
- Riding boots
Riding a bike is not like taking a ride in a Rolls Royce. From bumps to vibrations everything is felt and therefore a riding boot is essential to minimize the shock on your feet and have protection from heat. Your feet are just a few inches from the engine and the exhaust and they do get hot. Therefore synthetic boots can not necessarily shield you from heat and heavier boots will save you. Aside from the heat, you must keep it in mind in case you are involved in an accident. Your typical shoes can get shredded in seconds but your leather boots can come out unscathed. This serious pair of motorcycle boots will mean that your boot may get light injuries but your feet will not turn into hamburger for sure.
Eego Italy Genuine Leather Light Weight Men’s Steel Toe Safety Boots with Anti Skid Sole Black
TVS Men’s Shoe Black & Red Sneaker-9 UK Racing Riding Boot
Last but not the least
- Luggage Rack
Motorbike fans look forward to a beautiful day out for riding, or a vacation, or finding new trails and exploring the wild. While on a tour, the most essential of all is to feel as light as possible and at the same time, carry all essentials in a proper and convenient rack. Depending on your travel needs, you can choose to have a frame that is lightweight yet sturdy to hold all your luggage in place.
Opt for those that offer durability, strength, and above all, style and that can withstand different weather conditions. It must not break when exposed to extreme heat on hot sunny days or water when crossing rivers or the chillness of the night. Apart from luggage bags, it can also carry essential tools that are needed for the ride. Depending on your bike model you can opt for a stylish, multi-functional one that can incorporate frames of different makes. Your rack can be a permanent or a temporary one, where you can easily remove when the need comes. Besides, they are stylish and do not tamper it the appearance of your bike.
You can check out the following ones below and opt for them.
Spidy Moto Heavy Luggage Bike Sides Ladakh Carriers Black for R.E Classic Bullet
WHEETOYKART Rear Luggage Carrier with Backrest Support Bar for Jawa Bike
The above are some cool options you can opt for to make your ride easier. We hope the above list can inspire you to go biking in a much easier, safer and more fun way.
