Helmets are invaluable to your safety when riding a bicycle. After all, we only get one head! Over time, sun damage and perspiration will degrade the materials of your bike helmet, and that is why we recommend replacing your helmet every 3-5 years. After five years, we consider a helmet “unsafe.” There should be a manufacturer’s sticker on the inside of every helmet with its original manufacture date. Although there are some multi-impact helmets, most bike helmets are only safe for one fall. If you see evidence that your helmet has taken a hit, such as cracked plastic or chunks taken out of the foam, you should replace your helmet.
- When you can push down on the top of your helmet you see and feel an air bubble between the plastic and the foam
- You see physical evidence that the helmet has taken a hit, such as a crack in the foam, a chunk taken out of the foam, crack in the plastic, etc.
- The manufacturer date of your helmet is over 3-5 years old.
- The helmet so old all of the manufacturer and safety certification stickers have worn off!
Our youth bicycle helmets come sized for infants, toddlers, and young children. Our adult helmets come in a variety of fits, sizes S-XL, from Cannondale, Specialized, and Louis Garneau. We also carry a selection of women bike helmets in fun colors and patterns. Our helmets range in price from $40-$275; as bike helmet price increases, the helmets become lighter with better ventilation and fitting, featuring more plastic coverage on the back wing, and carbon fiber integration.
The right cycling shoes and pedals are a key element to enjoying the time spent on your bike. We carry road and mountain cycling shoes, and the most sought out cycling cleats and pedals from Cannondale, Specialized, Louis Garneau, and Northwave. If you are considering clipless pedals for the first time, we know that it can be an intimidating process. Speak with one of our bike experts about scheduling an appointment to bring in your bike, and we will help you select the best shoes and pedals, install them, and get you comfortable on an in-store trainer before you even need to worry about hitting the road or trails!
The primary purpose of cycling shoes and pedals is to enhance comfort and power on your bicycle.
Clipless pedals can more than double the efficiency of a pedal stroke by allowing the rider to pull up and back, and push forward on the pedal, as well as push down. Additionally, this uses a larger muscle group, granting riders on clipless pedals greater endurance and power output. If you’re looking to crush hills, add on mileage, or take your riding to the next level, clipless pedals are a great next step.
Cycling shoes have a stiff sole to distribute the pressure of pedaling across the full surface area of your foot, which would feel focused under the ball of your foot in a standard athletic shoe. The majority of cycling shoes will have a stiffness rating on the sole of the shoe. As price goes up, the shoes become stiffer, more durable (retain their stiffness better over time with less mid-sole breakdown) and better ventilated. Many of our high-end road and mountain shoes feature ultra light-weight carbon fiber soles. If your shoe is not stiff enough, it frequently will result in discomfort/heated pressure on the ball of the foot (hot foot) or numbness during your ride.
Because of the high rate of pedal turnover on a road ride (typically riding at a higher cadence for longer distances ), road pedals and cleats cover a larger surface area on the base of the shoe for better pressure distribution. Most pedals have some allowance for float adjustment, but overall, pedals and cleats for mountain biking provide more lateral float for balancing and technical climbs.
We highly recommend a BG footbed or custom footbed to optimize blood flow and prevent numbness and mid-sole / fore-foot collapse. If you are having foot discomfort please do not hesitate to come into the store or contact one of our BG Fit Technicians. There is no reason to ride in discomfort or pain!
We carry the best selection of roof, hitch, and trunk mounted bike carriers for your vehicle from Thule and Saris. Thule’s online Fit Guide is an excellent resource for finding the correct bicycle rack for your vehicle. All you need to begin is the make, model, and year of your vehicle.
Bicycle Checklist
Always pack a cell phone, emergency money , ID and emergency contact information. Before every ride check your tire pressure and fill your water bottle!
- The Essentials
- Helmet
- Gloves
- Cycling Shorts/Bibs/Tights
- Bottles and Cages
- Seat Bag
- Spare Tube
- Tire levers & C02
- For You
- Cycling Jersey
- Shoes
- Socks
- Arm Warmers
- Leg Warmers
- Jacket
- Glasses
- Shoe Covers
- Food/Energy Gels
- For Your Bicycle
- Computer
- Multi Tool
- Small Pump
- Lights
- Lock
- Lube and a Rag
- Car Rack
- Bell or Horn
