7 Bike Products That Will Make Your Life Easier 

One of the things that make my bike life easier and literally EVERYONE with a bike needs: A bike working stand. Doesn't have to be expensive, a super basic one will do, but it makes cleaning, servicing and working on the bike about 1 million times easier, quicker and more comfortable

100% agree the Varia is a great piece of kit. Bought one at the start of this season. Did one ride, went holy crap I should have bought this year's ago and then promptly bought one for my wife.

I've had the Garmin Varia Radar for over a year; it helps you on solo rides to feel safer and any extra awareness is a life saver. Linked to my Hammerhead Karoo 2 and is now essential kit! Nice one Francis. Love the vids.

meant to add as a title, Garmin Varia was sent to me for free (more news on that soon). GT85 are a channel sponsor, everything else was bought.

Although expensive, you can’t go wrong with a mechanic workstand

Varia is amazing. Won't ride without it

I've had the Varia for a week and it's life changing and dramatically safer, always a temptation to cruise down the middle of the tarmac when the radar coverage is 140 metres back too

One lesser known tip about the Radar is you can pair multiple head units to one, so you can try your friend’s Radar (without them having to do anything) while cycling together… The reference point will be wrong (obvs) depending on your position, but it’s still something, and a good way to experience it.

The rear radar is a brilliant piece of kit. Great to know when you have cars coming up behind you.

Beer makes my life easier added a cooler bag to my Bikepacking setup lol

what happens if my chain guage gets worn? is there a chain guage guage?

Boot dryer- bought one on your recommendation... Agreed, best thing ever... Not just for bike shoes but for hiking boots too. Will be used daily here (UK North West) for 6 months of the year. Cheers Francis. No more stuffing of paper and balancing on rads.

The Shoe drier looks amazing. I’m definitely going to get one. I saw someone else’s Varia and bought one immediately. Best thing I have ever bought.

I find a bell on my road bike essential. I must use it every ride to alert dog walkers on the lanes I ride. 😀🚴🏼‍♂️

Really good tips. Keep doing this videos Francis!

Could not agree more on the Varia. First try yesterday and it’s brilliant, makes you more relaxed and you can ‘see’ multiple cars - how many times have you thought it’s clear only to be surprised by a second or third car. Game changer. Love the channel…..keep it up

Agree with the Garmin Varia. Game changer, ordered extra mounts so it is on all my bikes now. Especially good at dawn and dusk. Its range is better than my hearing.

Love the Radar light, you’re spot on. Same for me, completely changed my riding

Totally agree with you on the Varia. I have one of the older models (they used to be rectangular) that I got about 5 years ago. It is essential to my piece of mind because I always know when a car is behind me and I can squeeze over a bit farther because Florida drivers are all crazy! Love the videos.

I’ve had the Garmin radar for years and it’s amazing. It worked on my Garmin and it now works on my Wahoo. If you’re unsure of buying because it’s too much, a friend put it best “I didn’t realize your life was so worthless”. Fair enough I said.

As a person who does more solo riding the Garmin varia is a great purchase because of the simple notifications of vehicles coming up behind you

The Garmin Varia tip was great. I'm planning my first XL bikepacking trip around april/May '22, going from Utrecht, Netherlands to Mont Ventoux. I will definitely get me this thing for that extra safety of knowing when cars are coming from behind. Thanks for another very helpful video, mate!

I really really love my Garmin Varia. I wont ride my bike with out it now. It is so useful(not so much in a city, but on the country lanes and quieter roads), being able to know a car is coming before you can hear it, or being able to tell there is an electric car approaching. 100% recommend getting one, unless you are only riding in a city centre. Because at that point, it will just beep at you a lot, and you just know that there will always be cars behind you.

Garmin Varia - absolute game changer for me. Wouldn't want to ride without it now. I ride semi rural to full on out on the moors, fast mostly quiet roads by urban standards - it absolutely comes into its own out here where wind noise is often loud. Would recommend for anything except busy commutes. Brilliant brilliant tech

Been running the Varia for a few months and it is truly a game changer. Highly recommend.

absolutely agree on the RADAR. i had a double concussion a few years ago after being knocked off. this is an absolute must for me not just for awareness of cars around you, but, also peace of mind

Also agree with others varia is a game changer for me, when it ran out of battery half way through a ride was clear the difference it makes. Less effective on busy roads as just beeps all the time, but riding on quieter B roads and lanes it’s a huge safety measure. Went on a ride with 2 guys and showed them it, both bought one the following week.

Given how cheap the shoe drier is, It's probably worth opening it up and checking it has a fuse. I remember Seth from Berm Peak/Seth Bike Hacks reviewing something similar a few years ago and he was alarmed at the lack of safety measures. Granted his was bought in the US while I'm not up to date on the current CE/UKCA markings/implementation.

I bought the garmin varia after I got knocked off my road bike in June and this amazing piece of kit has increased my confidence no end. Well worth the price tag.

Great tips Francis, the Varia radar new model (RTL515) is also Bluetooth enabled so can be used with a mobile phone app too. I’ve had the RTL510 for a couple of years and really rate it too.👍

Love my Varia. Got it a few years ago, feels much safer on lone rides. I need to get that shoe dryer though! Great video Francis.

Should’ve waited to comment. Garmin Varia is the best thing I’ve ever bought for cycling. It never misses a car, gives you a visual display dot for each car approaching from behind and in my experience has never let me down. Also worth noting that it will also link to an app on your phone that displays the same information. Similarly I thought that’s an expensive light but it’s just brilliant.

+1 for the radar - can recommend, can't go out without it: my last ride the battery lasted 9hrs 52 mins - gave up with 3km to go (185km in the bank), so i went to my reserve light while I was charging...hated not having it! It also shows MANY cars behind you (seems annoying in towns, but literally - live with it!) As a tip - it can connect with multiple riders/ gartmins/ wahoos at the same time, so there are people I ride with that connect and they get the advantage (for that ride) too.

Shoe dryer, game changer especially with Autumn/Winter around the corner. Definitely buying one. Brilliant idea and at £20 what's not to like. 0 seconds ago

Garmin Vario is simply the best peace of mind when riding on country roads. A very nice heads up for the infrequent car. Number 8 could be a Park bike stand. Sure makes life easier when changing wheelsets or working on the bike!

Francis is right about Garmin Varia. From my experience it makes riding safer and is worth the price.

Totally agree on the varia radar! It detects every single car over a 100 meters before overtaking you. Nice vid!

Excellent tips and advice Francis 👍

I do hop on and off your channel Francis and I find the more informational focused videos quite helpful. Either about training, tech, nutrition or practical tips. Thank you! The varia has made me curious and I will certainly check it out. I would add a couple of things I have not seen in the comments much: - daytime running lights: after two near misses riding in shady roads I got a pair and I noticed cars spot me a lot more at junctions. Very useful for my urban commute. - cat-ears: they surely look daft, but the noise reduction is huge in my case. The added quietness makes long/windy rides much nicer. It is a bliss not having to put up with deafening noise for hours on end . I also hear cars approaching a lot better, as well as whatever nice sounds are going on on quieter roads. Any mechanical niggles that might come up are also more audible. I went for a pair after knowing about hearing loss and road cycling, and that runs in my family already! The helmet straps must be close to the face though, and I expect the sort of ears you have will affect the results. One last note Francis: What are your thoughts about using teflon products in cycling? I appreciate they perform really well and GT85 is your sponsor. However, it does worry me that were are releasing persistant organic polutants in the environment which, in this case, are also directly related to several health issues. (see the report on POP's from the WHO) As cycling is also 'marketed' as an environmentally friendly activity, I wonder if we should not do more on other aspects as well, rather than just avoind car use. Releasing teflon from my bike into a stream during a wet ride is not my idea of environmentally conscious...The same could be said for the waterproof gear, etc. I have since switched to other alternatives which, although perform slightly less well, don't hinder my riding either.

+1 👍 for Garmin Varia. Changed completely how safe i feel on the road.

Had a Varia for a while now and totally agree! Complete game changer! Amazing piece of kit. Can even link mine and my partner's Garmins to it when we head out together.

I too was a skeptic of the Garmin Radar until I tried it out. A valuable device.

I still use a sunglass mounted mirror instead of the radar system. Obviously doesn't tell me speed or distance, or alerts, but I've done it for so long I'm not sure the radar would be worth the large cost comparatively. Good list!

+1 for the varia, for the reasons others have expressed. I bought the version without the light, as I already had an Exposure flare and preferred the look without the light. Think that was probably a mistake, as the one with the light has a longer battery life - I’d assumed, without checking, that the batteries would be the same, so deleting the light would mean a longer run time for the radar. You also need a fair amount of seat post to run a separate light while allowing the radar an unobstructed view, if you have a saddle bag that rules out a saddle mounted light. I get a good few rides with the varia between charges and my wahoo bolt tells me when the battery is low, so the battery life isn’t a big issue. It’d just be good to have to charge it less often. Great content on your other tips!

Great list and thinking of getting a few on the list and I would include a front light for ridding in town. I know its a pain to ride with a front light but helps with identifying your bike to cars turning as well as stopped cars pulling out onto the road in an urban area. I would also suggest get a very small one for the front bar.

Love the Garmin Varia. What I’ve found with the people who knock it, is that they have never used one.

Constantly learning .. Thank you Francis 👌

Garmin radar is one of the best pieces of kit I have ever purchased.... I now feel pretty vulnerable if I forget to put it on, or fail to charge it! Great recommend

Echo all the positive comments on Varia. Absolute game changer for me!

Great list! Here is another one for you - a set of cassette pliers. I could never get chain whips to work properly - the pliers have saved both time and my fingers!

The light is amazing 👍🏿

totally agree on the Varia. I bought it two months ago and won't go out without it. One problem I have with it is that the button easily gets clogged with the fine dust we have here, and won't press. Good thing though is that the unit is sealed and you can rinse it in a bowl of water and it dislodges the dust.

Shoe dryer is a very practical thing here in Sweden too, also works a treat on your gloves

Couldn’t agree more about the Varia. Absolute gamechanger. Won’t ride without it now.

Crazy thing is I have everything on your list 👍🏽👍🏽. I completely agree with your list.

Ditto on the Varia, been using for almost 5 years, great rear light, good battery life, and picks up multiple cars to indicate when it may be safe to pass, move into turning lane, etc

Garmin Varia RTL515 is amazing, especially with the deceleration mode enabled! I use it with Garmin Edge 1030 Plus so the beeps are really loud. I hope Garmin updates the Varia UT800 with more lumens as I like the ANT+ light network. Most country lanes, B roads or A roads in the UK I would recommend the radar unit. It’s dope

Varia radar user for 15 months. Brilliant bit of kit. Agree, riding on the road without it now feels weird. Don’t rely on it, but is it so useful to give you a little extra info. Especially on fast downhills when you can’t hear cars.

Useful kit, gt85 used it for years. Shoe drier probably quicker than my silica gel bags. Like the idea of the garmin Varia, worst fear is being hit from behind handy to know what's coming.

Agree on the Varia. ✌🏼

Thanks very much. Highly valuable info conveyed in a pleasant and friendly way.

The radar is brilliant. Picks up vehicles about 150m back on most roads, even better on straight roads and will even show if there is a trailer in some cases. It works on differential speeds so won't pick up the riders around you but will pick up a car approaching the group! It's a good addition to the riding aresnal! Only thing I find annoying is if you are group riding the light is often very bright when you are in the sweet spot behind the rider in front... such is life...

Shoutout for the shoe dryer again!!! yuuuhhhh so good thanks again😂

Garmin radar best piece of kit. Gives me plenty of notice when a car is approaching so I can get into position earlier when turning right. Compatible with Wahoo too.

Look at all those tuboliot's on the shelf. Nice to be sponsored!

The 515 radar is essential for me in every ride. Can’t see myself cycling without it. One time I left it at home. After setting up my bike out of the car, I noticed I didn’t bring it. I packed up my bike and went home. It’s like riding without a helmet, a big mistake if I don’t have my radar with me. And the charge lasts a long time off full battery. The cost of being safe on a bike is a priceless to me.

Thank you for this. I did not know how often to replace my chain. Now I wish I had a better option for the old chain than chucking it into the landfill.

Nice Tips!

One lv up on pressure; the topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital, attached at the end of a Ryobi one+ handheld aircompressor makes everything inflation related no sweat. A Fabric LUMARAY front daytime runninglight, attached to the underside of Garmin head unit mount.

Living in rural Australia the Garmin Varia Radar is so good. You can also get it to display to your phone if you don’t have a head unit

I view the Varia light the same as a helmet. I was skeptical at first but it was quickly an essential bit of kit. I immediately noticed that it alerts me to a car much, much quicker that I can actually hear it.

Fair Play Francis 👍👍 Got shoe dryer love it £23 Amazon 🤣👍 WD40 /GT85 cheeper use both 👍 Gone back to using inner tubes Tubeless great when works but it doesn’t so messy and you have to use a inner tube anyway Light sensor haven’t you thought of or used mirrors i did have one on my old road bike bought a new road bike and miss it so much Great tips Matey 👍👍👍

The shoe dryer I could have used in the Army 😎, really need a torque wrench though.

I have the older Varia that has the LEDs all in a row, but not the radar. I've been using it religiously and have been thinking about upgrading it. I believe that you've just made it harder for me to forget about. Thanks! 🤣 Oh, I neglected to add that the Varia will also work on Garmin watches. I'm unsure about the Wahoo Rival (or any other sport watches, for that matter), but don't see why it wouldn't.

Love my Varia, but one thing to be wary of: if a vehicle comes up behind you and then slows to your speed (e.g., no opportunity to pass you), it will disappear from the display on the head unit after about 20 sec. Doesn't happen often, but even if the display shows nothing behind you, it's best to take a quick glance back before making an abrupt turn or moving out into the traffic lane. As you'd expect, a contact can disappear if terrain (rolling hills or turns) blocks the beam, but when the radar picks it up again you get another audible signal, so no worries.

For the cold months, I “discovered” using chemical toe warmer packets (like hand warmers but thinner to fit in your shoes). They work a treat.

I love my Varia, I don’t know how I use to ride without it. Even in the city it helps massively… and in the forest! No GT85 in Germany… Well I can’t find it. Bought a little torque thingy like yours a couple of weeks ago… I use it before every ride… it’s ace. You’ve not quite sold me on the shoe dryer yet 😜

Garmin Varia is fantastic especially for solo rides👌 Got mine on a Black Friday deal last year

I agree with your tipps.... love my varia, pocket torque wrench is great, don't need shoe dryer though, I wear different shoes in rain ;-)

GT85!!!! I havnt seen that in forever we don’t have it here in America anymore

Love my Garmin Varia.

Love the Garmin Varia, expensive but worth it, I got 10% off at Halfords with BC membership

I took a little convincing but sprung for a bike stand which has been incredibly helpful and I'm not particularly mechanical!!

I recently picked up a shoe dryer after your previous vid... fortunately haven't had to use it yet :)

Brilliant tips

+1 Varia

I have used the Garmin radar for few years. Now I hate riding on road without it. My head unit also estimates closing speed of any vehicle, a very handy heads up on traffic.

i bought brushes that attach to a drill for cleaning my car and found the small disc-shaped brush attachment works great for cleaning my cassette. I apply degreaser to the cassette and hit it with the drill brush as I pedal forward. My cassette looks good as new when done. also - magic eraser for cleaning shoes. i have white shoes so keeping them looking fresh is imperative :-P

Nice video Francis. I would miss my chain cleaner device and work stand.

I use my car dryer for drying my bike and chain etc..ace bit of kit for removing all traces of water 👍

Also a huge fan of varia radar light. The safety I feel and actually get are amazing. Cannot ride without it now. My fellow riders behind ask me to set it permanently on unless a car appears at which point it starts flashing - alerting them also! PLS the light is incredible for long visibility, masses of lumens.

Thanks for sharing these products ;)

Metric hex wrench set, especially the L shaped ones with ball ends. Required tool if you do any kind of bike tinkering.

Varia is the single best thing I have bought in years. If Garmin adds video to Varia I will order it as soon as it’s announced.

With the proliferation of silent electric cars now, a Garmin Varia is becomming an essential bit of kit, I've been running a Varia for 2 years now, never leave home without it.

Vouch for the varia. 👍🏼🇦🇺

The varia should be mandatory for road use. Definitely feel safer knowing where cars are, plus the flashy light notifies the cars of you.

I love my bar end mirror.

Remarkable that there are so few options out there for car spotting like Garmin's. I've been riding with a mirror that attaches onto the drop bar end and can flip up to hide. Most mirrors are garbage, and bulky, but this one's amazing. It's called the Corky Performance Mirror on The Beam's website. Great option if battery life is a problem for long trips. Or if like me you forget to charge stuff.

Garmin Varia best thing i bought for my bike 👍🏻