When you’re looking at products, especially on the web, you’ll find yourself seeing bullet pointed lists of ‘product features’. Some of these will create the difference between one price point and another – carbon vs alloy, for example. Some of them will tip you over into the ‘ooh, yes, I’ll have this one instead of that one’ category – maybe an eco credential, or a guarantee.
But some ‘features’ are things that are so useful that we wonder why anyone still sells products without them. These should come as standard, not be promoted as features. ‘Bike has wheels’ is not a feature, it’s a basic requirement. We’ve rounded up some of those product ‘features’ that we think should go without saying. Feel free to disagree, or add your own in the comments below.
1. Bottle cap covers
Unless you like eating dirt – or poo – why wouldn’t you want your bottle cap to be covered? Whether conditions are dusty or sloppy, bottles without covers end up collecting a layer of grit and grime around the nozzle, meaning you probably end up trying to squirt liquid into your mouth from afar, or taking the top off and drinking from the bottle. Either scrap the nozzle, or give it a nice flip top cover.
2. Bottle cage bosses
Why bother with all that engineering and then skip adding a couple of bottle cage bosses to the frame? Just stick ’em (or solder, or braze, whatever) them on and let us carry stuff on our bikes, please and thank you.
3. Reflective details on clothes and helmets
Is there anyone that doesn’t want to be seen in the dark while riding their bike? Unless you’re a fugitive on the run or everything has gone a bit Hunger Games, we think not. There are plenty of innovative reflective material options these days that can add accents to clothing without making us look like we’re operating a school crossing. We’re not advocating that everyone has to get dressed up in ‘be seen’ gear and thereby absolving drivers of all responsibility to use their eyes and brains, but if bike clothing designers added some decent reflective bits in as part of their usual fashion/design process, we don’t think we’d be sorry.
4. USB charging points on ebikes
Whether it’s lights, a phone, or even a bike computer, sometimes there are electronic things we’ve just not quite got round to charging up before we head out for a ride. On ebikes, where there’s a mahoosive great battery chock full of electric juice, having a USB point for handy top ups along the way would be very useful. How hard can it be to include one?
5. Tool-less light brackets
Because no one likes faffing around with a multi tool and itty bitty fiddly things. Do you? Go and play with Warhammer, or build model trains, but please leave us to have finger friendly light fittings that don’t spit tiny bolts out onto the trail when we misjudge the trail ahead.
6. Elastic lace keeps
Maybe you’ve not had a pair of shoes with this feature? A little elastic loop attached to the tongue of your shoe, through which you can thread the loops of your laces. Thereby avoiding the need to tie double knots that will be forever there once they meet mud and water, and also avoiding any scary loose lace/pedal/chainring interactions. The cost of including a little bit of elastic can’t be much. Please can we have them on all our shoes?
7. Valve core removers as dust caps
That handy little notch on a dust cap that means you’re not stranded on the side of a hill if your pump removes your valve core. For the sake of a little extra metal chopping and shaping, please can all metal dust caps incorporate this feature? You don’t need it often, but when you do it’s a real ride saver.
8. Bleed valves on pumps
Just stop buying pumps that don’t have a bleed valve. Your world will improve.
9. Screen protectors on phones
Not strictly a bikey thing, but so frustrating that we’re going to include it here. Plus, 99% of the time when we smash our screes, the incident is bike related.
10. Two way zips on outer layers
Get to stuff without undoing all your back pack straps. Let cool air in without turning into a ballon. Zip back up again with ease. Please, pretty please.
11. Bibs you can wee in
Primarily a demand from the women at STW, but bibs that allow enough access/stretch/adjustment to have a wild wee without removing all items of clothing are greatly appreciated. Let’s phase out the let’s get naked versions.
You don’t have to agree… you know what to do. Head below!
