Any suggestions on the best "must-haves" for ebike accessories?

[Drivenox]

Now that I have my Volton Alation 500 being shipped to me soon, I am preparing for the accessories that I may need.
I have a portable air pump, and have "Slime" already serviced in my tubes.

I also just purchased a Kryptonite "New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock" along with the 7ft KryptoFlex Double Loop Security Cable to secure both tires with it. It seemed to have pretty good reviews.

I am thinking about getting a phone mount for GPS and for convenience while riding. Any recommendations? I was looking at the "Ram Mount X-Grip®, Rail Mount with Zinc Coated U-Bolt Base" A bit expensive, but I've seen most bike accessories seem to be.

Other than these two things, I am not sure if there are other things that could be recommended having that could be useful?

 

[Admin]

Nice! Exciting times... The Slimed tires was a good idea, taking the wheels off of most ebikes is more challenging than regular bikes due to the weight but in the case of a hub motor design like the Alation 500 it's extra tricky. The pump is great for helping you get the rest of the way home, I used to carry the little compressed air canisters for a smaller, lighter weight solution but they aren't as good as a pump for keeping the tire up if it's a slow leak.

Since the bike has braze ons, threaded eyelets, on the rear seat stays you could add a cargo rack in addition to the fender. The new fender design is better than the one in my current review BTW. Any bolt-on rack will get rattly over time so tighten it occasionally or use some lock tight. Since the battery isn't mounted on the rack it should hold up better than some ebikes but the faster speeds and higher performance will still make an impact.

Great choice on the lock. I use a long cable that I stick through the rear wheel then thread through itself (the cable has a small loop at each end) then I take the loose end and go through my frame and through the front wheel the use a U-lock to secure the end of the cable and the frame to a solid railing or bike rack. Keep in mind, some bike thieves pull up in vans and lift the entire rack with bikes attached! So I sometimes use railings or other cemented-in structures if parking overnight. While on this subject... keep your battery topped off but don't leave it in charging all the time, just once each month if not using the bike. Keep the battery in a dry and moderate temperature environment and that will help it last.

While I haven't owned a phone mount, the one you shared looks pretty good. It uses bolts so it should stay secured and be harder to steal. It looks strong so the phone won't fall out and it also seems pretty adjustable. The price isn't too bad either. Just make sure it doesn't obstruct your view and keep saving up for some Google Glass so eventually you won't even have to look down to see your phone

 

[Drivenox]

Thanks for the advice on the bike. I believe the chargers for bikes come with a smart charger correct? (where it stops charging once the battery is fully charged). Anyway, I will be riding the bike minimum 5-6x a week so I wont be leaving it sitting around for a month. However that is good to know.

I haven't really thought about a bike rack since I will be carrying a backpack while I ride. It may possibly be good for small grocery shopping purposes I guess...Any suggestions on good bike racks for a reasonable price?

Nice! Exciting times... The Slimed tires was a good idea, taking the wheels off of most ebikes is more challenging than regular bikes due to the weight but in the case of a hub motor design like the Alation 500 it's extra tricky. The pump is great for helping you get the rest of the way home, I used to carry the little compressed air canisters for a smaller, lighter weight solution but they aren't as good as a pump for keeping the tire up if it's a slow leak.

Since the bike has braze ons, threaded eyelets, on the rear seat stays you could add a cargo rack in addition to the fender. The new fender design is better than the one in my current review BTW. Any bolt-on rack will get rattly over time so tighten it occasionally or use some lock tight. Since the battery isn't mounted on the rack it should hold up better than some ebikes but the faster speeds and higher performance will still make an impact.

Great choice on the lock. I use a long cable that I stick through the rear wheel then thread through itself (the cable has a small loop at each end) then I take the loose end and go through my frame and through the front wheel the use a U-lock to secure the end of the cable and the frame to a solid railing or bike rack. Keep in mind, some bike thieves pull up in vans and lift the entire rack with bikes attached! So I sometimes use railings or other cemented-in structures if parking overnight. While on this subject... keep your battery topped off but don't leave it in charging all the time, just once each month if not using the bike. Keep the battery in a dry and moderate temperature environment and that will help it last.

While I haven't owned a phone mount, the one you shared looks pretty good. It uses bolts so it should stay secured and be harder to steal. It looks strong so the phone won't fall out and it also seems pretty adjustable. The price isn't too bad either. Just make sure it doesn't obstruct your view and keep saving up for some Google Glass so eventually you won't even have to look down to see your phone

 

[Admin]

No worries, you're correct about the smart chargers but I tend to be careful anyway. I don't know about the specific manufacturing practices of Volton's bikes but the probably don't get the same level of scrutiny as Specialized or BH and that's part of the lower price tag. I'm really just speculating there but I've always unplugged my ebikes when fully charged if not for safety then the potential vampire power loss.

As for bike racks, I'm not completely sure but I do really like the bags from Basil. This is what I used on my City Commuter and it worked extremely well. I ended up leaving it on the bike all the time, even when parking outside. It never got vandalized and was super convenient. It works with nearly any rack since it uses straps and I would put my U-lock and cable in one side and my groceries, jacket and other junk in the other side. I did not however, put my laptop in there. I always opt to carry that on my back to keep it from bouncing around or bumping into the metal of the rack. It's just nice to not have too many heavy things in a backpack.



And as for backpacks... I really like the ones with the expandable top where you can put lots and lots of stuff in and then just roll the top down to make it fit. I use a Timbuk2 pack and have attached a picture for you just below. I like that it also has a padded pocket behind the main compartment that's accessible through a side zipper. I also like this double-strap style backpack vs. sling style because it evens out the weight and doesn't fatigue my back or neck as much. This is where I keep my laptop or other important documents because it's kind of secret. It looks like TimBuk2 has changed some of their lineup but they still have one called the Tres Cycling Backpack that resembles mine. Note the dangly reflectors on the sides (for safety).



And as I think about other accessories... I got those reflector things online around the time that I got a Respro face mask to deal with the exhaust and smog encountered during city riding. I spent a lot of time trying to make my own face mask and then found these and they work pretty well and let you wear glasses when riding without fogging up too much.

 

[Electric Bike Specialists]

http://us.levi.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=11844101

I just got couple pairs of these pants for Christmas. They're amazing. Really good in the rain and Levi's has some sales happening with them right now.

 

[Admin]

Wow! Those Levi's textiles are surprisingly cool and functional. I don't usually pay that close attention to pants, shirts or jackets but I love that they've really thought about stretch, water resistance and made them antimicrobial. Reminds me of some stuff I saw at lululemon a while back, the clothes had silver woven in. That day I also learned that silver is antimicrobial and used to coat door handles at hospitals and stuff. Oh science...

Wikipedia says: "Antimicrobial touch surfaces include all the various kinds of surfaces (such as door knobs, railings, tray tables, etc.) that are often touched by people at work or in everyday life, especially (for example) in hospitals and clinics ... Silver ions have been shown to react with the thiol group in enzymes and inactivate them, leading to cell death. These ions can inhibit oxidative enzymes such as yeast alcohol dehydrogenase."



And for another fun "keep you from getting sick" product, check out the Phone Soap. It's just a box with ultraviolet lights that shine on whatever you put inside (namely, your phone). After ~10 minutes of sitting in there all of the bacteria is killed off. Phones are especially good at incubating germs because they are almost always near your warm body or warm based on charging and use. All of the touching and speaking into etc. adds up so the phone soap is a neat idea. You could use this on your phone before and after bicycling I suppose

 

[Electric Bike Specialists]

http://www.thedogoutdoors.com/walkydog-dog-bike-leash.html

I use this to walk my dog everyday. Amazing for releasing energy. Just make sure the dog isn't falling behind!!!

 

[Admin]

Ha! That's awesome Chandlee... I've seen this in use once or twice before and was curious how it worked and whether it was an official thing or just some clever engineer at work with their own bike.

When I was younger my aunt came to visit and she was working with an adopted Siberian Husky. The dog had lots of energy and could pull like crazy (I must have been 12 or 13 at the time). After lunch I asked to take the dog out for a walk and decided to go further and try to use my bicycle. Big mistake... The dog started running as we gained speed and after half a block she saw another dog and took off sprinting. I was holding the leash with my left hand which was also being used to steer and brake. When she took off it jerked my handlebar completely sideways and I hit the pavement really hard (but continued to hold the leash). The dog actually dragged me and the bike for a bit and then came back to lick my face.

I'm not sure if this Walkydog product would completely change the outcome of my large excited Husky + bike experience but I can tell they thought about the design. It's mounted in the rear so it won't impact steering quite as much and seems to keep weight lower and aligned with the most stable part of the bike.

 

[Electric Bike Specialists]

Eesh! Well, my dog is less than 40 pounds, so he's quite a bit more manageable. He will tow the bike like a sled dog and it only takes about 15 minutes to work off his energy.

Sunlite released a lease that attaches low on the rear of the frame. That would probably be better for larger dogs.

 

[FitzChivalry]

One accessory I got as a gift a couple of years ago but never really got to leverage was a Monkey Light. I try to keep my commutes to daylight hours, but might need to make a few trips to the nearby store after dark just to show off my bike bling.

 

[Dave]

I was looking for a small under the seat pouch/bag for my Carbon and really like the Topeak Aero Wedge Pack. It comes in several sizes but what I really like is the Fixer system. It's a clip that attaches to your seat rails and allows all the Topeak bags to clip on and off in a jif. The bag is well made, looks good, and the small holds my phone, wallet, and some other very small items.

 

[EddieJ]

Dave, a quick handy hint for you if you do decide to get one of the bags.

After you have zipped the bag up, attach a safety pin to stop it coming back open again.

Mine has opened twice on me. The first time my camera hit the deck and the second time, I lost all of my tools, puncture repair kit, tube, and several other bits. It opened on a night ride across a forest and I hadn't realised. I wasn't happy.

Even the bag that I have mounted up on my frame came open on a bumpy track at last weekends mtb ride, scattering my stuff everywhere again. I went out yesterday to get the safety pins!

 

[Dave]

Eddie, thanks good tip. I really like this little bag, I may order the next size up ( medium ) and try that as well.

 

[Aushiker]

Maybe an Allo? Apparently it is a phone case for an iPhone 5 and speaker all in one. It's on Kickstarter so may not get off the ground...



Andrew

 

[Aushiker]

Another vote here for the Topeak saddle bags which I use on some of my bikes. I also have used a Carradice Barley which is a nice canvas bag out of the UK. I find it quite handy for day to day commuting where I might need to carry a shirt or whatever into work. It will hold my iPad okay as well.



My current main ride, being of the laid back style, has an Angletech AeroTrunk III "saddle bag" ... Probably not ideal for your average diamond frame e-bike but



Regards
Andrew

 

[JoePah]

If your rear tire is not thorn resistant buy one! And a tube also. Forget about slime IMO.

Instead of a phone mount I bought a bottle cage that mounts on the handlebars and stuck a Bluetooth speaker in a beverage cooler in the cage. The I can listen to google map directions and pandora or whatever. Works great. !

Find the shop manual for your bike on lline. For free. And read it

 

[Admin]

Instead of a phone mount I bought a bottle cage that mounts on the handlebars and stuck a Bluetooth speaker in a beverage cooler in the cage. The I can listen to google map directions and pandora or whatever. Works great. !

That sounds awesome Joe! If you ever take a picture I'd love to see how this thing looks. Kind of reminds me of when people combine a plastic boxe, fan and ice to make home-made air conditioners for cars and stuff

 

[JoePah]

Here she blows. $40 and a plastic bag underneath as a rain hat. Lol

 

[Admin]

That's awesome! Thanks Joe

 

[Dave]

Joe, what bell have you got there? I am looking for one that will fit similar handlebars .