The smart kit that
UPGRADES YOUR RIDES
Change your cycling routine completely with these savvy upgrades
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Cycling may have been around for centuries at this point, but it’s fair to say that we’re in the middle of something like a revolution thanks to tech. Though the bike itself remains your most important choice, there are now so many well-designed extras that can make cycling all the more fun and straightforward, and it can be fairly challenging to filter them down to the best options.
NEVER GET LOST
WITH A PROPER GPS SYSTEM
You might be using your phone in a grip case (with a battery pack for when it dies), but the moment you upgrade to a proper bike GPS you’ll wish you’d done so years ago. Getting reliable directions is a game-changer, but we don’t just love the Garmin Edge Explore 2 because of its mapping.
It’s also the best way to track your performance – there’s a reason it’s called a Bike Computer, not just a GPS. You’ll get super-accurate speed information alongside details about your elevation gain, while receiving turn-by-turn guidance that’ll help you banish the possibility of getting lost.
With a three-inch touchscreen, the Edge Explore 2 is also extremely easy to use, rather than relying on complex button combinations that take months to learn. That screen’s really bright, too, ensuring you’ll be able to read it in all conditions.
Plus, since Garmin is a giant of the fitness world, you can also use it to find routes near you rather than having to design them yourself. That’s a complete game-changer and can shortcut you into some of the most memorable and enjoyable rides of your life.
You can enjoy podcasts, music, or even phone calls while still being able to really clearly hear the world around you, which is just a massive upgrade from a safety perspective. Plus, with six hours of battery life in one go, you can also rely on them even through really long rides.
Of course, any earbuds that you’re going to use while exercising need to be durable, so the IP54 water and sweat resistance that Shokz has built into these is key. It ensures that you won’t have to worry about them like you might with other regular earbuds you’ve used.
Everyone and their nan knows that cycling with earbuds in isn’t a safe choice, which helps to explain the enormous popularity of Shokz’s open-ear audio products. The OpenFit Air True Wireless Earbuds are perhaps its most adaptable and easy-to-use ones yet, and completely change how you cycle.
Stay safe
while enjoying crystal-clear audio
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Halfords’ own in-house tracker is a staggering £20 to completely upgrade your tracking, giving you way more accurate information when you finish your ride. It’ll help you properly get a sense of how your training is going, and since it’s fully compatible with Garmin, you can get all your data in one place using this and the Edge Explore 2 we’ve already mentioned.
Amazingly, you can also forget about charging it for months at a time; if you average an hour of cycling a day with the monitor, it’ll last for around six months on a single charge. Those are crazy numbers for the price.
Talk to any health tech expert and they’ll tell you that, despite the amazing claims of smartwatches and wrist-worn trackers, nothing can yet beat a chest strap when it comes to heart rate tracking. There’s a reason real athletes use them, and thankfully they’re no longer the super-premium devices they were a few years ago.
Upgrade your health tracking
with a chest strap
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Of course, cycling gear isn’t just about your helmet, and having a good pair of biking trousers can also make it far more comfortable to cycle for long periods, whether it’s because of breathable materials or clever cushioning. Wear the Boardman 9 Series Bib Shorts for a ride, and you’ll wonder how you managed without them, with clever pocket placement, innovative laser-cut leg openings and really great quality making them a great investment to cap off your new biking setup.
Everyone probably remembers having a bike helmet as a kid that made them feel stupid – it’s part of growing up, but as an adult rider there are so many options to keep your head safe while looking way more stylish. Halfords’ own Advanced Road Helmet is a great example of really high safety standards can still be affordable – and it gives you a lot of adjustability along with an impressively comfortable retention system to keep it snug.
Look the part
while you ride
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It can sometimes be overwhelming to work out what upgrade you should consider first when you’re looking to make riding easier, but these accessories and additions can transform your riding – and they’re all available at Halfords.
Halfords Heart Rate Monitor & Chest Strap
£20.00
SHOKZ OpenFit Air True Wireless Earbuds
£94.00
Garmin Edge Explore 2 GPS Cycle Computer
£229.99
Boardman 9 Series Bib Shorts
£60.00
Halfords Advanced Road Helmet
£40.00
With that challenge in mind, T3 has teamed up with Halfords to give you a look at a one-stop cycling setup that could completely change how your cycling feels, giving you a boost and making things that little bit smoother. From GPS navigation to performance tracking, open-ear audio and smarter safety kit, take your pick from this list, and you’ll soon be pedalling into a slicker setup.