Electronics on a bike – what gadgets to take on a bicycle journey?

During each bicycle trip you will need a few gadgets that will make travelling easier, help in need and not once can save the situation. What electronic gadgets to take on a bicycle trip? For many people, a bicycle is an opportunity to take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle and reset themselves in the bosom of nature. Let’s not fool ourselves, however, nowadays technology does not have to distract us from the beauty of nature during a bicycle trip, on the contrary, it will protect us from unpleasant surprises and allow us to fully relax.

Power bank for peace of mind

Once, one of the basic aids during a bicycle expedition was a map with drawn routes for single tracks. Today, the function of the map has been taken over by a smartphone, with navigation based on the GPS system. Whether you’re using Google Maps or an app that downloads maps for offline use, both the GPS signal and the constantly-on smartphone screen are extremely power-efficient. Even when other apps are turned off, our battery may drop to a dangerously low level after a few hours. A power bank will come to your aid, which will work perfectly well as a permanent or emergency power supply for your smartphone.

The capacity of the power bank should be chosen depending on whether you plan a day trip or a week-long trip. For a short trip, the handy Xiaomi power bank with a capacity of 10000 mAh will be perfect, and for further trips, it is worth taking a more capacious device with a capacity of 30000 mAh – e.g. Green Cell model with Quick Charge 3.0 and a flashlight useful for the trip.

How about a new battery for your smartphone or tablet?

If your phone is not the latest iPhone Xs or Xr or Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and you’re not fully satisfied with its battery, think about a new battery for your smartphone. It’s also worth investing in a new, good quality USB cable. This is a gadget that we rarely pay attention to, while when using the quick charge function, it can be of tremendous importance.

During stops, equipment with a larger screen, such as a tablet, may come in handy. On it, it will be easier to plan your further route, see the surrounding attractions or make a note of your driving experience. Tablets have a larger battery than smartphones, so they will last longer on a single charge, but in case of a discharge they will “eat” more energy from our power bank. Before traveling, we recommend that you check if you need a new tablet battery.

Capturing memories without limits

We have already taken care of navigation and help in finding attractions, it’s time for more pleasant aspects, i.e. recording memories. Or at least the views. In the past, a compact camera and two films for 36 photos were enough, but today the possibilities are virtually limitless. We can stop with a smartphone and use it to take pictures and make movies. We can mount a GoPro camera or other sports camera on the helmet or steering wheel, we can have an SLR camera in our backpack or a more handy mirrorless rucksack, and a drone in our pannier for air photography. All these devices have one thing in common (maybe more than one) – they are battery powered. While we charge the camera and GoPro with a USB cable connected to a power bank, in the case of old-fashioned drones and SLRs it is not that simple.

Batteries for special tasks

The drone battery holds so short that modern smartphones seem to be titaniums of strength with its lifespan. So if you don’t want to be unpleasantly disappointed and end the fun with aerial photos after 30 minutes, it’s worth taking at least one spare drone battery with you. Camera batteries that can’t be recharged via USB are another “must”, especially since two camera batteries should be enough for a week of shooting.

In some cases, you can choose a more convenient solution for your conditions. If you want to use your sports camcorder without interruption, and finally prepare a timelapse material, I suggest you take a spare battery to GoPro(https://swiatbaterii.pl/92-baterie-akumulatory-gopro) to avoid interruptions in your recordings. If you’re planning only occasional recordings, a micro USB cable is all you need.

What else will be useful while cycling?

Assisted” bicycle tours using electric bikes, also called e-bikes, are becoming increasingly popular. Such a form of pedalling is a great solution for beginners who are amateur cyclists, or those who forgot to be fit for a while and now want to move to a healthier lifestyle in a painless way. The heart of every electric bicycle is of course the battery that gives it energy. You can read more about how to match the battery to your ebike in the post “The ebike – the perfect vehicle” on our blog.

If we are interested in the views, and not necessarily in the sounds of the surroundings, it is worth thinking about headphones, which will allow us to lose ourselves completely in a carefree journey.

Portable solar panels, which can be unfolded on the bike’s rear rack or pinned to a pannier, are also becoming increasingly popular. During the journey (even on a less sunny day) they will charge themselves. This is a great emergency power bank, in case we use all the spare batteries and the power bank taken away completely.

Are the times when you only took a bottle and a pump on your bike gone? Probably not, because daily commuting does not require much preparation. On the other hand, if you are going on a longer trip, or even a trip, a set of electronic gadgets will certainly make it much easier and more pleasant to ride a bike.

Author: Krzysztof Sokalla