If I enjoy anything almost as much as riding electric bikes, it’s trying out new gear while I’m out on the road. With the holidays on us in full force, there’s just a bit of time left to share that excitement with the e-bike fan in your life. Below are some of the standout pieces of gear I’ve tested this year that would make excellent stocking stuffers for anyone who rides an e-bike – or even a regular bicycle – among your friends and family.
Note: Some of these are things I bought for myself and others were provided to me by companies for testing. I’ll clearly state if I purchased something. But be aware that I’m gifted all sorts of stuff that doesn’t make these lists because simply put, it’s not good enough for me to recommend. So you should know that I only share my thoughts on gear like this if I would use it myself and recommend it to my own friends and family.
Foldylock Forever folding lock
I realize this might sound like a bold claim, but I genuinely think I’ve found the best folding bike lock out there. The Foldylock Forever is an absolute powerhouse of a lock. I used to consider ABUS the gold standard for folding locks, but after using both brands side by side, the Foldylock Forever clearly comes out on top.
The links fit together so tightly that there’s practically no space to slip a tool in anywhere. The hinge where the lock folds back into its case also rotates a full 360 degrees, giving far more flexibility when securing a bike compared to other top brands that only allow about 90 degrees of movement. Another unexpected perk is how quiet it is. Folding locks usually rattle due to all the moving segments, but this one’s tolerances are so precise that nothing shifts or makes noise. Even the mounting bracket holds it firmly in place without any clatter.
The one downside is its relatively short 90 cm length, though there’s a longer version available now,, which I’ll likely end up switching to.
At around $130, it’s not cheap but it’s reasonable compared to other high-security bike locks. And after having a $3,000 e-bike stolen, I’ve completely changed how I think about the value of investing in truly high-quality locks.
CXWXC Adjustable handlebar stem
For years I rode one of my e-bikes thinking, “this would be a lot more comfortable if the riding position was just a tad more upright.” But that’s actually something that’s pretty easy to change yourself. It’s not quite as simple as swapping a saddle, which is the most common bike customization, but it’s nearly there.
I bought this CXWXC adjustable-angle stem to allow me to rock back the bars on my RadMission just enough to get that higher riding position that I wanted and not feel quite as hunched. It brings it somewhere closer to a Dutch bike position, though not all the way. I’m a bit limited by the front brake cable, which I start to stretch if I lift the bars too high, but it gets me where I want to be. And there are also multiple lengths so you can choose which model of adjustable stem you’d like. Just be sure to match the size of your handlebars and fork. Also, I had to swing by my local bike shop and grab an extra stem spacer since this stem had a shorter collar than my stock unit, but that was simple (and free… thanks, Noam Bikes!).
For $21, I highly recommend it if you’re feeling overly hunched on your bike and want to give it a slightly higher, more upright position. The Scrabble grab bag of a name makes me wonder how long this particular one will be around, but for now, I can still recommend it because it’s working great.
H20 Audio headphones
For those who like to listen to music on their rides, and aren’t primitive animals blasting their Bluetooth speaker for everyone to hear, then headphones are your best friend. I personally don’t like to cover my ears while I’m on the street, and so bone conduction headphones are my go-to solution. They let me hear my music or audiobook without blocking out important sounds from the street, which is a matter of safety, in my opinion.
H20 Audio is known for water-resistant or even fully-submersible headphones, and I was excited to test out their TRI 2 Pro bone conduction headphones, which work incredibly well. The audio is much clearer than my 6 year 6-year-old pair I’ve been using, and I give them a dual purpose now for my biking and running. They’re waterproof so I don’t have to worry about putting them away in a sprinkle or if I’m sweating heavily on an exercise ride – or run!
At $199, they aren’t cheap, but they work very well. The battery seems to last me for about a week and a half of riding if I use it for about an hour at a time of riding, so I can basically forget about charging it other than a few times a month. They take up very little space, are incredibly light weight, and just work without getting in the way.
The TRI 2 Pro headphones are definitely my favorite, but H20 Audio let me test out another couple of styles of headphones as well. Their ZWIFT X RIPT over-the-ear sport headphones combine active noise cancellation with a sweatproof design, and even include a second pair of interchangeable ear pads so you can keep one for exercise and the second pair for when you’re just listening to music at your desk. The audio sounds great (though I’m not exactly an audio snob).
If I worked out on a Peloton or other indoor bike then these would be perfect to use for both daily exercise rides and work/pleasure listening. But since I mostly ride outdoors, they’re not exactly helmet-compatible for me. They’re also $249, so you have to really like this style of over-the-ear headphones, which is not my go-to style.
That’s where earbuds come in, and for those who don’t like bone-conduction headphones, you definitely get a much better sound quality from in-ear buds than temple-jamming bone conduction.
I tested the RIPT Lite and they’re definitely a solid option that I would recommend for someone who likes to keep their audio solution in something small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. That’s me, at least for pleasure listening, so I prefer these over bulky over-the-ear headphones. The battery meter on the case is a nice added touch, too.
I still go with bone-conduction for outdoor use so I can hear my surroundings, but these sweatproof earbuds are going to be a great option for someone who prefers their music in their ears. And a current price of $79.98, they’re not going to break the bank.
Ibex Merino-wool shirts
When it comes to my riding clothing, and to be honest, also my everyday clothing, I’m a natural fibers guy. Give me cotton, linen, hemp, or anything else that I can tell where it comes from. I just don’t like the feeling of wearing plastic clothing, so I don’t often opt for polyester or nylon clothing, except when it’s not very avoidable.
But one natural fiber I haven’t tried much is wool, because I always thought of wool more in terms of itchy sweaters and heavy socks. I live in the Middle East and so neither are a prime focus for me. I’d heard of Merino wool, which people claim keeps you cool in the heat or warm in the cold, but it always sounded too good to be true. Plus, the high price was always a turn off and kept me from trying it.
Enter: Ibex. They sent me a couple shirts to try and wow – I’m sold! I swapped my traditional black cotton tee for the Ibex Merino Wool GOAT Short Sleeve Crew t-shirt. It’s 89% merino wool and now I get it. This stuff is magic. It’s lightweight and great for riding in because it still breathes – something I didn’t expect. But in the cool evenings it actually feels like I’ve got something a bit warm on me… until my arms start getting cold.
I also love taking it on my many bike trips and international travels because it’s not only light, but also dries super quickly. When I do hotel sink laundry, it’s the first thing dry on the line strung across my hotel room. And speaking of laundry, I can wear it a few days without it getting a smell because the fibers naturally don’t pick up odors. It’s not cheap at $85, which is why I probably never would have tried it if I hadn’t been sent one, but now I see how worth it this stuff is.
You can see the shirt in action in one of my recent bike review videos, below.
Ibex also let me try out their Springbox Sun Hoodie, which has a similarly impressive effect. I wore it in the late summer and early fall in Florida, which was obviously a fairly sunny and hot period, and it kept the sun from beating down on me without feeling like I was wearing something too hot. I can wear it in the cooler weather now, and it’s a great underlayer to keep me warm without getting too hot.
It’s also my go-to airplane shirt now too, since it helps me not feel freezing when that airplane A/C gets cranked up. It’s a magic material and Ibex’s designs and cuts complete the effect.
ElevationLab adhesive AirTag mount
I bought a 4-pack of these and I’m loving them. I really like AirTags for inconspicuous tracking of my gear (yes, I know they aren’t perfect or 100% dependable). But sometimes it can be tricky to mount them in a way that is both secure and not glaringly obvious.
These adhesive mounts help stick them to any flat surface and don’t immediately look like an AirTag.
In these photos, you can see how I stuck them behind my batteries in my Gogoro scooter, which is already inaccessible to thieves as it’s under the seat, but this can also be done on flat tubes or panels on other models and bikes.
These cost $12.99 each or you can get the 4-pack like I did for $29.99. You also need an AirTag, of course. Fortunately, those also come in a 4-pack!
HoverAir X1 Pro Max automatic following selfie drone
This drone has totally changed my ability to self-film on my bike rides without needing someone to hold a camera for me. The following features work really well, the picture quality is surprisingly good, and best of all: it folds up into a tiny form factor to fit in my backpack while I’m riding.
The original case that comes with it is way too big, so I bought a hard drive case that fits it perfectly (while being easier to find in my backpack due to the bright colors), keeps it protected, but saves around 50% of the space in my backpack compared to the larger factory travel case. What’s the point of having a tiny drone that fits in your hand if you need a big bag to carry it?
You can see that my drone is also fairly beaten up. I’ve crashed it more times than I can count and it still flies – and films – like the first day I got it. They even include a spare piece of plastic from the propeller cage in the packaging just so you can try bending it and feel how resilient it is, so you’re more confident about the drone. The material bends and returns to form instead of breaking. It’s a smart move that helps you build confidence in pushing the limits of the drone. The following modes and obstacle avoidance are good, though not perfect, and so you’re going to eventually crash it. But considering I’ve run it into everything from brick walls to chain link fences and more, I can tell you that this thing is built tough. It’s a bit of an outlay at $599, but it’s cheaper and smaller than most of its competitors, and those two things do it for me.
You can see an example of a spiral shot I got with this drone in my Instagram Reel below.
Tannus Armour
I just got in some new Tannus Armour tire liners that basically make your tires puncture-proof, or at least it’d take a nearly 1-inch-long thorn or nail to actually puncture your tire. And even if you do get a perfectly-placed and extra-long tire popper perfectly placed to make it through the tire and all the foam, the inserts are so thick that you can still ride home on the flat since the foam functions like a run-flat in a car wheel. It’s not the most efficient and you’ll get more of a workout pedaling your bike like that, but it will still be nicer pedaling slowly for a couple miles instead of pushing your bike in the couple mile walk of shame.
I haven’t installed these yet but I’ve seen them all over the place and I know from friends that they work and they work well. So I’m excited to get them in my bike and report back soon!
I’m always on the lookout for fun and useful new gear to use on my rides, so let me know if you’ve been using something that you’d recommend for me to test out!
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