Voxwomen Ass Saver

The ‘ass saver’ has been around for a while – a clever little piece of plastic that slots onto the saddle rails to provide a little respite from splashback if you don’t want full on mudguards.

Thanks to a new collaboration with Voxwomen, you can now pick up an exclusive one which supports the TV company that broadcasts 30 minute shows all about women’s cycling.

These cost just $7.99 (about £5) and all proceeds will benefit both Voxwomen and the designer – Dutch professional cyclist Iris Slappendel. 

Graze Box Subscription

Newsflash: Cycling burns calories. As a result, those who ride to and from work very often find themselves constantly in need to a re-fuel. Graze boxes are lovely little parcels of nutrition delivered to any door you choose (work or home seem like sensible options).

You can choose between a ‘variety’, ‘light’ or ‘protein’ box – and then tailor your preferences by telling Graze which items you enjoyed. Your subscription costs depends how often you have a box delivered – once a month, once a week… or every day… 

Goodordering Saddle Bag

Inspired by a pencil case, this saddle bag is multifunctional and can be placed over  the handlebars and carried as a cute shoulder bag when you get off the bike.

Made from waterproof nylon it features a signature Goodordering pinstripe lining, some reflective details, and attaches via Velcro straps. Measuring 9cm in width and 23cm in length, it costs just £18. 

Lezyne Carbon Drive Lite Hand Pump

Ok, so nobody NEEDS a carbon mini-pump, do they? But if you’re lugging around a backpack/panniers full of clothes, laptops, books and whatever else, why not drop a little weight where you can?

This 73 pump from Lezyne costs around £30 but it is the ultimate in luxury, so far as mini-pumps go. It claims it’ll get you to 160psi (we don’t suggest you try) and comes with an ‘ABS Speed Flex hose’ which makes pumping easier and more efficient – but check what you need as it is only compatible with Presta valves.

BeeLine Compass

Prone to getting lost, but don’t want to be restricted by turn-by-turn navigation offered by many GPS units? The BeeLine could be perfect.

Currently available via Kickstarter for £30 (for about one more week, before the price could well double – get in quick!) the BeeLine works off a smartphone via Bluetooth communication. It will display an arrow pointing a cyclist in the direction of travel for a desired destination, but won’t force them to turn down busy streets.

When removed from the bike, it folds up into a neat parcel that can even be attached to a key ring – neat!

Rapha+Liberty Essentials Case

Ok, so nobody NEEDS a an ‘essentials case’ – a plastic bag will do, but sometimes it’s lovely to receive a gift that is an absolute luxury, the kind of thing you wouldn’t normally splash out on but will make you smile every time you use it should someone else step in.

The Rapha+Liberty collaboration uses a 1930s pattern that evokes ‘beauty, fluidity and speed’ whilst the case itself is made from a coated cotton canvas, with added water resistance. It has a safe zip closure, and satin zip tape to keep valuables secure.

This case costs £45 – not too bad to purchase a little piece of Rapha style that will put a smile on your face if/when you puncture on a wet commute…

SealSkinz Halo Overshoes

Granted, there are quite a few pairs of overshoe we could suggest – but these babies from Sealskinz are one of our favourite options for cycle commuters thanks to the clever in-built rear light. These are water resistant, and have a fleece lining and they fasten via a velcro underfoot strap, rather than providing a full covering. Granted, this makes them more susceptible to letting water in, but also  means that there is less fabric beneath the foot to get damaged – the number one reason for overshoe replacement!

You can pick these up for around £27 – check out our full review here for more detail. 

Primal Airespan Shirt

A good quality base layer is an absolute must for any cyclist – a layer that will wick sweat away, preventing you from becoming chilly in cold weather, and keeping you cool when temperatures rise by trapping cool air next to your skin.

This shirt from Primal costs £35 and can be worn as a t-shirt on its own, or under your cycling jersey, jacket, or everyday clothes. We reviewed this top earlier in the year and were so impressed with its wicking qualities as well the stylish design.

Hiplok DC Lock

If you plan on leaving your bike anywhere, you need a good quality lock – and this one from Hiplok is both good quality and convenient to carry.

Featuring a unique clip feature, it can be attached to your trouser pockets or backpack. It comes with a 1m cable, so you can lock your wheels as well as your frame, and is sold secure ‘Silver’ level. This sits in the middle of the protection scale – for the ultimate in safety you’d need Gold.

All in all, it weights 1100g, and comes with 3 coded keys (and a replacement programme!). Check it out here for £59.99.

Blaze Burner Back Light and White Light Combo

It’s essential that any cyclist riding through winter has a reliable set of lights that they can trust – and at the moment we reckon our favourite pair has to be the new Blaze Burner set

Both the front and rear light put out 100 lumens – enough to be seen but not to see on dark unlit roads – and the beam is split out over 27 LEDs to ensure side visibility is kept to a maximum. The mount uses a very strong magnet, and you can set the light to come on automatically using a motion sensor.

A Laserlight front and Burner rear set will set you back £75 if you invest QUICKLY via the Kickstarter page.

Proviz PixElite Softshell Jacket

Proviz are renowned for their (literally) glow in the dark jackets designed to provide cyclists will incredible visibility. However, their new Pixelite jacket offers a little extra dose of style and breathablity as well as stand-out factor.

The Pixelite features a soft and stretchy breathable fabric, with grey sections that in daylight appear nothing special. However, under an artificial beam such as that generated by a headlight, these glow brightly.

The jacket costs £119 – you can read a more in-depth review from TWC contributor Adele here. 

Giro Civila Road Cycling Shoes

Looking for shoes that you can cycle to work in, and then wear around the office? These are for you. With fittings for recessed SPD cleats, you can walk around in these as normal, and grips mean you won’t go slip-sliding.

The stiff sole means they’ll be comfy for cycling – but you probably wouldn’t want to wear them if you plan on a lot of walking once you get off the bike – these are really perfect for office workers or trips to the shops.

Check out our review here – and you’ll be pleased to hear that the price has now gone down and you can find them for around £90.

Vulpine  Laptop Commuter Backpack

This backpack from Vulpine is a luxury item at £149 – but then a hardy commuter will probably use their trusty backpack every single day, so quality and durability are important!

With a special space for a laptop, this pack protects your valuables and spare clothes from the weather and abrasion. The straps are soft and shaped to keep everything in place, even if you get pretty mobile and move around, whilst raised padding channels provide ventilation to help reduce the dreaded ‘backpack sweat patch’. A tough buckle keeps it all in place and can hold u-locks, whilst a leather strap means you can carry it like a smart work bag between meetings.

Electra Sugar Skull Cruiser

There’s a lot more to cycling than style – but it helps, right?

We think this cruiser from Electra is pretty awesome, though admittedly it won’t be up everyone’s street. Regardless of  your sense of style, Electra offer a wide range of stunning designs. They’re not just about fashion, either – all bikes feature Electra’s own ‘Flat Foot Technology’ which places the rider in the ultimate position to provide comfort and control.

We found the Sugar Skull for £570 here but you can browse more designs here.

Not yet sold on cycle commuting? We’ve reviewed seven other methods of getting around to demonstrate exactly why it’s the best by far…