Must Have Accessories for Your Electric Bike

If you are thinking about buying an e-bike in time for summer fun and commuting, your mind is probably abuzz with all the possibilities available to enhance your experience. One way e-bike riders ramp up their enjoyment is by investing in the most suitable accessories for their comfort, pleasure, security and convenience.

Whether you plan to ride your e-bicycle to work, school, the farmer's market or for daily errands, you'll love the bike as it comes right out of the box. But once you personalize it with some accessories, there'll be no stop stopping you from making excuses to head out for a spin. 

Why Buy an E-Bicycle? 

Even without facing historically high gasoline prices, everyone is trying to find ways to reduce the cost of fuel, car maintenance and other driving expenses. Further, more and more people are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, get more exercise, and reduce traffic congestion. An e-bicycle proves to be an excellent solution to these issues. 

Let's explore these reasons and others for buying an electric bike with a little more depth and detail: 

• Boost Health and Fitness. Even if you have some limitations, or you are just getting back into a fitness regimen, an e-bike can help you ease into a great regimen you can maintain and build upon it. The work you would need to do with a manually powered bicycle to achieve a baseline of fitness could take longer than you'd like with more effort you're capable of, resulting in discouragement and possibly abandoning your efforts. With an e-bike, you'll still be working to any degree that is comfortable during each ride. You might soon find that you use the motor less and less as your health and strength increase and your weight decreases. Combined with a nutritious, calorically appropriate diet, you'll get the results you might want or need in no time. 

• Reach Your Destination Faster. Whether you are commuting to work or meeting your e-bike riding club on a Saturday morning for a long ride, you want to get there on time. A car can certainly ensure that you reach your destination quickly, but so can your e-bike. While a car can reach swift speeds over the past century-plus, drivers can't maximize the speed during rush hour or in any sort of traffic. You are bound by the traffic laws and limitations afforded to a gas-fueled car. However, if you are riding your e-bike, you can quickly and easily find alternate routes on smaller streets and bike paths, circumventing the gridlock drivers must sit through daily. Any cyclist can do this and beat traffic, but with an e-bike, you can do it better, faster and more efficiently.

• An Effective Way to Overcome Poor Infrastructure. If you live car-free in a city that doesn't have an extensive public transportation system, you might find that some jobs become unreachable, literally. If you have to walk on a road without sidewalks to enjoy a decent job, it's easy to see why you might settle for a second, third or fourth choice for the sake of convenience and safety. With an e-bike, you can reach those out-of-the-way offices or other work sites with ease, maintaining your car-free commitment without risking life, limb, and lots of extra time in commuting.

• Stay Fresh and Ready for Work During Your E-Bike Commute. If you've ever ridden your bicycle to work on a late spring or summer morning, you know the drill: visit the restroom for a quick refresh before heading for your desk. A ride on your traditional bike is likely to result in a fair degree of sweat, but your e-bike lets you coast enough to keep you cool and ready for work. You can save the manual pedaling and workout for the ride home. 

• Enjoy a Great Looking Ride That Gets the Job Done. You can buy an e-bike in nearly any style that appeals to you. Some popular options include a cruiser e-bike, hybrid or even a trike. Whatever bicycle style strikes your fancy, you can add a motor to it these days. The options have never been more bountiful or appealing. 

• Take Advantage of the Extra Safety of Riding an E-Bike. E-bikes are actually less dangerous than regular bicycles while riding in traffic. Think about times you've been riding on the street, or even in a designated bike lane, and a stop light turns from red to green. Many people behind you, especially cars in shared lanes, can become impatient waiting for a cyclist to accelerate quickly enough for their liking. On an e-bike, no problem. You'll find that you can quickly accelerate with the flow of traffic, getting up to speed as the light turns and you can safely proceed. Further, you can keep up with motorized traffic throughout the flow. Again, if you are in a lane shared between motorists and bicycles, it helps to be able to move quickly enough that they don't become frustrated and try to pass you. Sometimes those attempts can seem unnerving to law-abiding cyclists, so having a motor makes it easier to pacify impatient drivers. All of this translates to less risk and danger for you during your commute or leisurely ride. Finally, cyclists riding e-bikes are more likely to come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs, since they won't need to struggle to build the power to take off again.

Hopefully, these reasons give you enough inspiration to proceed with your electric bicycle purchase, but the truth is, you can make your e-bike even better with the right accessories to support every ride, regardless of your goals for cycling. 

Why Invest in E-Bike Accessories? 

You might think that it's enough just to buy a high-quality e-bike, and it's definitely a great start, but you can deeply enhance your experience by selecting to buy some strategic accessories. Like any hobby, fitness pursuit or mode of transpiration, the right gear or accessories can improve your experience every time you want to go for a ride. 

Accessories can add value to your investment from the start. Sure, you might realize you need additional accessories as you ride and become more familiar with your e-bike, but there are some items that might help you before you put a foot on the pedal. 

Let's explore some serious must-have e-bike accessories you should put on your shopping or gift list right away.

Helmet

We recommend a high-quality helmet for any two-wheeled or three-wheeled riding adventure, so we have no trouble putting it at the top of our list of e-bike accessories. And we get it. A helmet is inconvenient, sometimes uncomfortable and regularly messes up hair, but safety comes first over style and some irrelevant cool points. Safety is cool because it means you get to keep riding! The most seemingly benign accidents can lead to damage that can be prevented by a good helmet, so just do it. 

Rear Panniers and Bags and Handlebar bags 

As a serious e-bike commuter, you need tools to help you transport your work or school items safely, securely and dryly. Whether you choose a rear pannier rack or basket or a handlebar bag, you can stow your essential daily items safely and securely, so you have everything you need once you reach your destination or on the way home from shopping. 

Front Basket

For lighter storage, a handlebar or rear basket is the way to go to stow your purse or small messenger bag and a few light grocery items. You can choose your Six Three Zero basket from the following and more: 

• Lift-off mesh bottom wire for a secure foundation and flexible storage area
• Classic wicker baskets in adult and children's sizes 
• Trolley tote folding rear basket to streamline your e-bike's profile when you want to

Fenders

One of the more annoying things about e-bike sessions in the rain, or right after a rainstorm, is getting puddle splatter up your back. Good fenders will help deflect puddle water, mud and other debris, scattering them behind you, so you can stay clean and dry for work, school or anything else on the roster. Besides their practical benefits, fenders make a cruiser bike pop and look even sharper and more classic. 

Left Side Mirror 

Sometimes when you're riding on a busy street, especially during rush hour, your hearing might become compromised due to all the noise pollution. Having a left-side mirror can provide reinforcement for your ears, letting you know when a car is approaching from the rear. It's a great safety accessory that won't break the bank and will give you plenty of confidence and added security.

Bells

Just as a horn on a car gives a warning to other drivers or e-bike riders, your bell can do the same without you having to shout at someone. You can prevent confusion or serious accidents with a simple ring of your bell. 

Lights

We really care about your safety on the road, hence all the safety accessories. And lights are safety 101, allowing you to see more in the early morning or as dusk falls into night. Just as importantly, you need reflective lights to ensure that drivers, pedestrians and other e-cyclists can see you for your safety and theirs. Our lights include: 

• Beam Bugs that wrap around your handlebars
• Mulit-colored Monkeylights 
• USB rechargeable front and rear light sets

Cup Holders and Water Bottle Cages 

They have them in cars and other bicycles, so you shouldn't neglect your hydration on your e-bike. Invest in a cup holder for your water, coffee or electrolyte mix. That way, you don't have to sacrifice any basket or pannier bag space placing it there. Further, it will stay in the upright position to prevent leaking and ensure easier access when you're thirsty.

Locks 

Locks are essential for any bike, but when you get into the e-bike realm, you'll find they are too tempting for people who don't mind stealing. Invest in a sturdy lock to keep your e-bike in your hands only. 

Phone Holders 

Whether you are tracking a workout or using GPS to find your destination, it helps to have a handlebar-mounted phone holder for optimal visibility and security. The last thing you want is to drop and crush your phone during rush hour traffic. You can even find some holders with a plastic, waterproof covering for those rainy day commutes. 

Child Seats 

If you have a young child, you don't want to leave them out of the fun. Invest in a secure child seat to mount on the rear of your e-bike anytime you want to take your little one with you out on the road. It's never too soon to start planting the cycling seeds, and doing it securely with a good child seat is a great option. 

Ergonomic Handlebar Grips 

If you've ever ridden a bike or e-bike with old, cheap or worn out handlebar grips, you know how rough it can be on your hands and how worth much it's worth to buy good grips. Not only can they make each ride easier on your hands—especially during longer rides—but it adds impressive accents to your beach cruiser or stylish hybrid bike. 

Are You Ready to Accessorize Your E-Bike? 

We hope this list of must-have accessories helps you decide which add-ons you'd like for your new e-bike. Even with a great SixThreeZero e-bike to improve your life, we know you can boost your enjoyment with the right bells, whistles, lights, cup holders and more!

If you'd like more ideas about the best accessories for your new SixThreeZero bike, contact our friendly, e-bike-loving team to chat. We can talk about your plans, goals and desires for comfort to help you decide which of these must-haves you must have right away.