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Make the most of every ride with our 9 best ebike accessories and why they make our must-have list for creating the ultimate ride.
Okay, so your fresh electric mountain bike is charging in the garage and you’re itching to bust it out and hit the trails. But before you embark on your adventure, it’s important to make sure that you’re accessorized to the nines.
There are some accessories that are superfluous, of course, but making sure you’re prepared for whatever situation Mother Nature can hit you with can mark the difference between an adventurous ride and an ominous story to tell over a beer or two.
Note that the list below is relatively general and it’s important to take into account the particularities of the environment and nature of your ride before you embark. For example, hydration boosters and sun protection are super important to have when you’re on an adventure ride in the desert while rain protection, steel and flint, and a space banket are must-haves on a long ride in the cold, wet Pacific Northwest.
So, bottom line: slow down, take a moment, and get on your accessory game! We’re here to help.
1. First Aid Kit
Even if you’re a cautious rider, having a solid first aid kit in your pack can turn yours or quite possibly someone else’s day around. It’s important to experiment and be considerate about what goes into your first aid kit to ensure you’re finding the balance between preparedness and weight. There’s a wealth of resources to help you define the basics of a first aid kit, there are also many you’re able to simply buy outright, but we recommend that you carefully consider the type of riding you like to do, the terrain on which you’ll be climbing and descending, and the type of people you’ll be riding with before you put together your kit.
Here are some easy basics:
- Snake bite kit
- Bandaids, gauze, and general wound care
- Splint
- Advil
- Duct tape
- Superglue
- Iodine tabs
- Freeze-dried food
2. Bike Repair Kit
Rule number one: never find yourself without an extra tube (even if you have tubeless tires) and a pump. Ask anyone that’s walked miles and miles out of a trail and they’ll tell you that there are few things more important than making sure you’re well set up to change a tire. Many local bike shops will offer introductory on-trail maintenance courses. Our best advice, take advantage.
Other accessories to keep in your bike repair kit:
- A multitool
- A tire lever
- Replacement chain links
- Tire patches
- Chain lube
3. Bike Lights
It happens to even the most seasoned pros: the cheeky after-work Fall ride ends up taking a little longer than you thought and suddenly you find yourself in late dusk a few miles from the car. Ask anyone sitting next to you over a beer at the bike shop and you can bet they’ve likely used their phone light to see themselves out.
Having a light like the Explorer 900 Bike Light stacks the cards heavily in your favor. This one features a combination of red and white lights for stealth, access, and visibility. A 60-lumen white light is paired with a 300-lumen red color light and a brightness selection.
4. Bike Helmet
This should be an absolute given, but even when you’re on a seemingly relaxed trail without many obstacles, you should always, always have a helmet. The market is definitively saturated—from lightweight road bike helmets all the way to burly full-face, but our easy go-to that has excellent protection while staying breathable and comfortable is the Smith Forefront 2.
5. Bike Rack
A solid rack like the QuietKat 2020 Pannier Rack is a strong choice of accessory for riders that don’t care to carry their gear on their back. Racks like these easily attach to the bike frame and do an excellent job of distributing weight so you can still take on tough terrain without a hitch.
6. Bike Bags
In addition to a rack, bags like the QuietKat 2020 Pannier Bags are a smart accessory to an electric mountain bike setup. These particular pannier bags hang on either side of the rear wheel of your electric bike and are fully waterproof and made of marine-grade, waterproof materials which make them perfect for packing in extra gear for a hunt or a weekend camping trip. Plus, the comfortable handles makes them super portable even off the bike.
7. Bike Trailer
When you’re looking to tow a heavier load, a bike trailer is the best way to make sure your electric mountain bike can completely replace your trusty four wheeler. An option like the 2020 QuietKat Single Wheel Cargo Trailer is perfect for packing in large items and packing out elk, deer, or anything else up to 100lbs on your e-bike. The cargo cart is only as wide as the bike itself, making it easy to maneuver in tight areas.
On the other hand, the 2020 QuietKat Two-Wheel Cargo Trail is the ultimate accessory for getting your harvest out of the field and carrying heavy and awkward loads on your electric bike. It’s stable and easy to load while the secure connection to the electric bike keeps things in place when traveling over rough terrain. It also features a two-way adjustable rack system which can be laid flat or angled to secure your load properly.
8. Bottle Cage
It might seem like a no-brainer, but having a sleek bottle cage and some extra water can make a serious difference. Oftentimes we like to keep hydration booster in a water bottle in our bottle cage because they’re easier to clean than a traditional hydration pack.
9. Extra Battery Pack
If you’re thinking about charging deep into the woods, an extra battery pack is an absolute must. We recommend that you invest in a high-powered backup battery pack like the QuietKat Pathfinder. With a backup like the Pathfinder in your pack, only nine extra pounds gets you up to 36 extra miles. In other words, the Pathfinder is your ticket out of a serious pinch.
