It’s time for your casual velo love to go day-to-day. We’ve picked out the electric bike, the backpack, the commuter jacket, heck even our portable air pump of choice to get you set up and ready to cycle to work.
Lumos Ultra
The original Lumos was the first bike helmet to be sold at the Apple store, and the combination of smart features and built-in lights quickly earned it cult status among conscientious commuters. This updated version now packs in even more safety features without a hike in price: you get 360-degree lights from three LED modules, turn indicators that can be activated via the handlebar-mounted remote control or using the gyroscope in your Apple Watch, and you can even upgrade the already A-star protection to include a MIPS (Multi-Impact Protection System) that offers unrivalled brain safeguarding in the event of angled or rotational impact.
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Price: $84 | Indiegogo
Vanmoof S3
The X2 was WIRED’s favorite e-bike of 2019 for good reason. With a modern aesthetic, unique LED top-tube display and that awesome boost button, the Vanmoof displayed all the innovation of a tech startup on two wheels. Anyone deterred from investing in the previous model by its eye-watering £3K price tag should be more than be encouraged by the S3’s new much more attainable £1,800 price point (apparently enabled by Vanmoof’s now “full supply chain control”). New four-speed electronic gear shifting and hydraulic brakes join old favourites like the “always on” electronic bike tracking and theft insurance for a clever package of features still unrivalled by the big bike brands. (70 per cent of stolen Vanmoof’s are found by the brand’s bike trackers in under two weeks). So, with commuting on two wheels even more popular as part of ‘the new normal’, we recommend you trade in your old whip and sling a leg over the S3.
Price: £1,798 | Vanmoof
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Rapha Commuter Lightweight Jacket
What do riders want from a commute jacket? First, it’s got to be visible on sketchy car-choked streets. Rapha has nailed the bright – but not “builder high-viz” – look in three eye-popping hues, reflective “pixel” print and holographic badge. Second, it’s also got to be light enough that you won’t arrive in an unsociable sweat. This new, lighter, more breathable iteration of the brand’s classic commuter jacket even has a mesh panel on the shoulders for those carrying a backpack. Third, it must pack down small to stash on arrival at work, a meeting or the pub. This one has an integrated stuff sack on an inside pocket, so it’ll shrink to the size of a smartphone. Business up front, party in the pack.
Price: £56 | Rapha | Selfridges
Xiaomi MI Pump Mini Portable Air Pump
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A palm-sized, battery powered air pump with enough puff to inflate eight bike tyres up to 150 psi (10.3 bar) – or have 41 party balloons ready to go in no time. The digital screen keeps you abreast of battery capacity and current tyre pressure, and you can handily pre-set the final pressure from 3 – 150 psi (0.2 – 10.3 bar) to prevent you overdoing matters. And yes, it will even pump up car tyres.
Price: £36 | Amazon | Pure Electric
Also consider: NIU NQi GTS Sport
NIU has form in producing electric smart scooters, so this new moped model deserves some consideration if pedal power is not for you. The NQiGTS Sport has all the high-tech features of its bigger brother, the Pro, but at a lower price-point. The removable battery packs should be good for 1000+ cycles and can be flash charged in around 3.5 hours. A single charge will see you ride for distances of up to 100km at speeds of up to 80kph. A built-in anti-theft system sees riders get security alerts through the app, along with stats on battery life, range, route history and distance.
Price: £2,419 (with government grant) | Niu | Urban eBikes
Looking for a more affordable classic cycle setup? Check out our guide to four affordable bikes with accessory suggestions for each.
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