Accessories & supplies
The small things that decide the result
Eighteen categories of parts and consumables, judged the same way as the equipment itself: by what they change, and whether the cheap option is already good enough. Most bikes described as worn out come down to a stretched chain and a pair of glazed pads — not the bike.
Browse by category
- Bike chains Speed count decides the chain; length is a separate measurement 8
- Cassettes and sprockets The freehub body standard matters as much as the tooth range 9
- Brake pads and shoes Resin is quiet and fades sooner; sintered lasts and needs heat 10
- Cables and housing Brake and gear housing look alike and are built completely differently 7
- Inner tubes The ETRTO numbers on the tire sidewall are what a tube must match 10
- Road tires Folding or wire bead changes the weight more than the tread does 6
- MTB and gravel tires Front and rear tires do different jobs and are often sold as a pair 11
- Tubeless sealant and valves Sealant dries out on a schedule, whether or not you have punctured 10
- Puncture repair kits and tire levers Self-adhesive patches are quick; vulcanising patches are permanent 10
- Chain lubricants Wet lube survives rain; dry lube keeps dust off the chain 9
- Degreasers and bike cleaners A frame cleaner and a drivetrain degreaser are not the same product 9
- Grips and bar tape Lock-on grips do not rotate; slide-on grips are lighter and cheaper 9
- Bottles and cages Side-entry cages exist for frames too small for a top-loading one 8
- Phone mounts Clamp mounts fit any phone; case mounts hold better and fit one 9
- Rack straps and frame adapters A frame adapter bar exists for bikes with no straight top tube 3
- Saddles and seatposts The seatpost diameter is stamped on the post, and it is not negotiable 3
- Frame protection and saddle covers A chainstay protector stops the one mark that always happens 3
- Pedals and cleats Two-bolt and three-bolt cleats need different shoes, not just pedals 3