The Best Electronic Gadgets and Tools for Cycling

Today the range of electronics for the bike extends from batteries to LED lights to bike computers. New electronic gadgets come onto the market every day, so it is not always easy to keep track of things.

ISPO.com has taken a close look at the most interesting gadgets and presents them in a two-part series.

The starting point is electricity. You can take it with you on batteries or produce it by bike. Busch & Müller offers a practical loading port for the handlebar stem, which, however, has to be fed by a hub dynamo.

If you don't have that, you can find an alternative with the Siva Atom USB Dynamo Charger. At least on bikes without a disc brake, it fits between the rear wheel and the left rear wheel. Charging port and a small power bank are available for portable devices, the Charger runs quietly and reliably without you having to pedal harder.

A possible customer for the electricity is the Scosche boombottle,  a surprisingly powerful active box that fits exactly into a standard bottle holder (tip: plastic holders protect the surface).

Paired with your mobile phone, you can enjoy music on the go without having to close your ears with headphones to the rest of the sound carpet, of course always with consideration for people and animals in the area. The running time is an astonishing three to eight hours.

Nowadays, the smartphone often replaces the navigation device or speedometer. But many don't like to expose the expensive device to weather and road shocks on the handlebars. There are connectable bike computers for this. The most spectacular is the electronic speedometer from Omata with integrated analog speedometer needle.

The intelligent bike computer Tahuna from Teasi comes with pre-installed maps. It combines all common features from offline navigation and tachometer functions to uploading covered distances and training data to a mobile phone or PC.

A futuristic all-rounder in the field of wheel electronics can be found with the SmartHalo on the handlebars. The round display, which only consists of coloured dots, is provocatively simple. Coupled to the mobile phone, there are turn commands by means of wonderfully simple light signals or notifications of calls and mails. Fitness apps can also be connected. The integrated front light keeps the handlebars clean and the 100 decibel loud alarm system with motion sensors keeps fingers away.

The Raptor sports glasses from Eversight present the driving data and much more spectacularly. The futuristic sports sunglasses have a heads-up display that reflects basic information into the pilot's view. In addition to biometric values, you can also display the course of the next curves or have training intervals graphically presented. Even a camera is integrated.

This type of data preparation increases security and could be a harbinger of the future in the field of bicycle displays.

Even more electronics are in the smart helmets from Livall, ISPO Award winner 2018. Integrated loudspeakers and a microphone are coupled to the mobile phone. The technology makes it possible to make calls or listen to music using a hands-free system. A remote control ensures that you can always keep your hands on the handlebars. But you can do it without a cell phone. Identical helmets can also be connected directly to each other via Bluetooth and then function like an intercom with a range of up to 900 metres.

However, modern technology not only helps when you are sitting on the bike, but also in the unpleasant case of theft. The GPS transmitters to be hidden Trackito Bike, SpyBike and the DS24 Dan Tracker can locate the wheel to within a few meters thanks to software, as long as it is not destroyed or blocked by thick building walls. According to the manufacturers, the integrated power storage units last several weeks without being recharged.