• One-half political party, one-half street party, San Jose Bike Party is all about building community through bicycling. Made up of all types of bicyclists and human-powered transportation advocates, San Jose Bike Party rides include 2,000 – 4,000 riders on a given night! They ride anywhere from 15-30 miles throughout the South Bay from 8pm – midnight on the third Friday of every month. Follow them on twitter @SJBikeParty and find out how to get involved at SJBikeParty.org.
• Just a few miles north-east of San Jose, the East Bay Bike Party is a mobile party for riders of all ages, experience levels, and bike types, to meet, ride, and play together in the streets on the second Friday of the month. “Inspired by the massive number of people who go to the San Jose Bike Party every month, we decided that it was high time the East Bay (the best part of the San Francisco Bay, in our humble opinion) had its own bike part,” their website says.  In July the theme was Space Party, where they encouraged people to come dressed as an alien or an astronaut, sci fi character or planetary body, constellation or Tribble infestation…”  For August the theme is Superhero Ride, and they are expecting to see, “a lot of capes, masks and tights.” We, of course, like their enthusiasm for helmets: “And don’t forget, a truly super hero always wears a helmet and rides with bike lights.” Follow them on twitter @ebbikeparty and stay in the loop at EastBayBikeParty.wordpress.com

• The Midnight Ridazz is a group of bicycle enthusiasts who have been riding together on the second Friday of every month since February of 2004. The rides quickly grew from 8 people to current ride counts of 1300+ “Ridazz,” and they’ve gone nationwide! Their website, MidnightRidazz.com was created to help empower YOU to create your own rides, routes and “good timezz.” Start yourself on a recurring ride or throw a one timer in the daylight … it’s your ride. They offer a five step outline of how to create a ride, as well as some basic “rulezz” that will help anyone organize their own bike party. To find out more about routes, rules, and already scheduled upcoming rides, check out MidnightRidazz.com.
• Want to spice up your kid’s upcoming birthday party? Consider throwing your own bike party! Over at Disney’s Family Fun website, they offer some great suggestions for throwing a fun birthday bike party. “Invite a bunch of pals to bring their cycles, then turn your driveway (or perhaps a nearby school blacktop) into party central. Set up a station where kids can soup up their rides with homemade number plates, noisemakers, and handle-bar decorations. Next, turn them loose on an obstacle course that tests their skills — and lets them be silly too. Add a spoke-tacular cake, prize ribbons, and take-home goody bags that make everyone feel like a champ, and you’ve got the coolest party on two wheels.” (FamilyFun.Go.com)
• The Bicycle Music Festival is an all day, mobile, community music festival – completely bike-powered! A 501(c)3 project of the San Francisco Parks Trust www.sfpt.org, part of the mission of the Bicycle Music Festival is to, “promote sustainable culture in general by physically engaging and immersing our community in the magic of bike culture, and cultivating and nurturing a network of local sustainable musicians, through our free, community participatory, bicycle-based music events.” The Bicycle Music Festival features a 2000 watt pedal-powered PA system, as many as 15 bands, multiple festival stops, outrageous Critical Mass-style bicycle party caravans between festival stops, and zero use of cars or trucks. This year’s event takes place from Noon – 10pm PT on July 31 in San Francisco.  Follow them on twitter @bikemusicfest and visit BicycleMusicFestival.com for more information or to get involved.

As far as we could tell, there aren’t any “bike party” events outside of California … but we could be totally wrong! Do you know of a bike party that we left off today’s Fast Facts Friday list? Are you planning a bike party in your community? If so, leave a comment below or let us know on twitter @BellTrueFit.

• Bike cafés have become that latest hip hang out in London. Whether you’re looking for morning coffee, scrumptious lunch or tall pint  – there are some intriguing bike-friendly locales in London. Check out the Container Café, Lock 7, and Rapha Cycle Club. Look Mum No Hands is a bar, café, and workshop – all bundled together in a lofty garage space. They offer free Wi-Fi and have weekly cycling events. (NYTimes.com)


Bell rider Fabian Cancellara is currently leading the pack at the 2010 Tour de France.

• We’ve covered bicycle laws and programs from time to time here, and we were enthused on Thursday to see that the federal government awarded $3 million to Boston’s planned bike sharing program. The injection of federal funds allows the city to purchase roughly 500 bicycles for use at about 50 rental stations. The bike share program is scheduled to launch next spring. (Boston.com)
• A young designer from Britain has invented a revolutionary folding bicycle: 21-year old Kevin Scott’s “Bendy Bike” uses a ratchet system built into the frame of the bike to allow it to wrap around a pole, enabling the lock to be wrapped through both wheels and the frame. You have to see the pictures to believe it. (DailyMail.co.uk)
• In Woodland, CA bicycle enthusiasts and community leaders are preparing for “The World’s Greatest Bicycle Parade. “On Sunday, October 3, we hope more than 4,000 bike riders from Davis and the surrounding communities will help break the Guinness world’s record for largest parade of bicycles,” Bicycle Parade Committee Chairman Frank Giustino said. So if you live in Northern California, or are planning a trip that way this fall, be a part of history and help them go into the record books! (DailyDemocrat.com)
• Of course, we can’t forget about Le Tour de France which kicked off this week. World time trial champion and Bell rider Fabian Cancellara won the prologue to the 2010 Tour on July 3, and he has been able to keep hold of the race-leading (first place) yellow jersey through today! Keep it up Fabian! For full coverage check out Versus.com. (Bloomberg.com)

1) The number of reported walking trips has more than doubled from 18 billion in 1990 to 42.5 billion in 2009. Bicycling trips saw a similar increase, from 1.7 billion to 4 billion during the same period. Together, the two modes account for 11.9 percent of all reported trips by Americans. Still, biking is less than 1 percent of the total. With an increased reliance on bicycle transportation, the bump in spending on biking projects could not have come at a better time. (Telegraph.co.uk)

2) In response to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, the president has issued a six-month moratorium on deep-water drilling. In response to the whole situation, the folks over at SF Streets Blog conclude that we can offset the moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico by driving 20 percent less. Central to their plan on how this can be achieved is an increase in political action to develop bicycle systems. Jason Henderson writes, “… in the short-term, there is a quick, cheap, and nimble solution to help get us to 20 percent reductions in driving — bicycles. Bicycles do not require expensive, long-term capital investment. A bicycle system can be developed rapidly. Unlike transit systems, a bicycle system does not require large operating costs.” (SF.StreetsBlog.org)

3) In one major US city, this type of action is well underway. Mayor Sam Adams has vowed to make Portland “the most sustainable city in the world.” Adams has worked toward allocating $20 million to help kick-start the city’s bicycle master plan, which includes the development of “bicycle boulevards.” These “boulevards” take bike lanes to the next level and are made by building curb extensions to slow traffic to make neighborhood streets safer for bikes. Check OregonLive.com for a photo. (FastCompany.com)

4) Washington DC is promoting its newly-named bike-share program, “Capitol Bikeshare,” and asking for suggestions from the public on where to put the actual bike-share stations. The program will expand bike sharing beyond the DC to Arlington, VA and will bump up the number of stations to 114, with more than 1,000 bikes. Under the plan, people could rent a bike for short trip then drop it off at another station. People can fill out the online survey to make suggestions of where all those bikes should be. (WashingtonExaminer.com)

5) Safe Kids USA has a broad and deep grassroots network with over 360 state and local Safe Kids coalitions. As a part of their goal to prevent accidental childhood injury, they suggest that parents properly fit their child’s helmet and ensure they always wear it when riding, skating or scooting. Their website offers tons of great tips and useful information on Bicycling and Skating Safety, as well as an interactive map to find a Safe Kids coalition in your area. Bell Sports and Safe Kids are partners in keeping children safe around bicycles, skates, and other wheel-related injuries.

Are there any inspiring bike programs in your city? Do you know of a any initiatives to help promote ciking? What do you think of the SF Streets Blog idea?

Tell us how you feel on twitter @BellTrueFit, or leave a message below!

1) At Frugal Family Fun, mother of three and college student Lisa Moore Gee is reviewing and giving away a Bell True Fit helmet! To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on her blog here. But don’t stop there, Lisa offers multiple ways to enter: a) Follow @FrugalFamilyFun  or @BellTrueFit on Twitter and then leave a comment on the blog with your twitter name, b) Tweet about this giveaway including the link to it (http://ow.ly/1W0gM) and  also be sure to include @BellTrueFit or @FrugalFamilyFun.
Lisa offered this tweet for you to use: “Win a @BellTrueFit Helmet from @frugalfamilyfun http://ow.ly/1W0gM”

Not on Twitter? Well, there are a few more ways to enter also. Visit the blog to find out how.

2) The DC Bike Giveaway taking place over at Sneaker Freaker Magazine is pretty hilarious. A tangy orange DC Fixie bike is up for grabs, and to enter the contest all you have to do is send a picture with your favorite orange thing in the world to info@sneakerfreaker.com. You must be a member of Sneaker Freaker to enter. If you aren’t yet, no worries – GO HERE and register (for FREE of course). Entries close July 1, 2010. Need some inspiration on what sorts of orange things you should take a photo with?  Check out the current entries here. Keep up with this contest and look for future giveaways by following on @snkrfrkrmag on Twitter. 

3) From 11am – 3pm ET on Saturday, June 12 the NYC Department of Transportation is hosting a Bicycle Safety and Helmet Program where they’ll be giving away free bicycle helmets to visitors of all ages (while supplies last). You’ll learn how to properly fit and wear your helmet before receiving one. While the NYC DOT is offering helmet education, there will simultaneously be a kids’ bicycle swap taking place. Presented by Recycle-A-Bicycle, children who have outgrown their bicycles (or have extra gently-used bikes to donate) are invited to bring their bike to Socrates Sculpture Park and swap it in exchange for another gently-used bike. All children’s bikes in working order and without gears are welcome at the event. At approximately 2:45pm, any unclaimed bicycles will be donated on a first-come first serve basis. Check out the event on Facebook. (QueensMamas.com)

4) Over at RaisingMy4Sons, they’re reviewing and giving away a Strider Balance bike. Designed for children, ages 1 – 5, the Strider™ PREbike is lightweight, easy to control and features an adjustable seat and handlebars to accommodate a growing child. Most importantly, the Strider teaches your child balance, coordination and develops confidence … all without pedals! According to Raising My 4 Sons’ Mandee, the Strider Sports PREbike is more than a bike – “it’s an on and off-road child mobility product”.

Entering the contest to win this bike is easy, simply visit the Strider Website and then leave a comment on Mandee’s  review telling her something you learned about the Strider PREbike. (It’s that simple!) After you’ve done that, there are a few more ways submit multiple entries. One way is to simply tweet “WIN a FREE Balance Bike from Strider $110 Value! @RaisingMy4Sons http://bit.ly/a6Keen”.

 Be sure to follow @RaisingMy4Sons for future giveaways.

Are you conducting some sort of bicycle or helmet-related contest? Is there a helmet fitting/giveaway in your area? We’d love to hear about them and feature your contests/events in a future blog post, so follow us @BellTrueFit on twitter, or leave a message below!

President Barack Obama applauds the cyclists at the start of the ‘White House to Light House’ Wounded Warrior Soldier’s ride on the South Lawn of the White House Thursday, April 30, 2009. Also taking part in the ceremony were Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, and Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth. Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Photo courtesy of WhiteHouse.gov

Most cyclists take to the road for pleasure, some for exercise, others for competition. Few get the chance to compete at the professional level, and even fewer cyclists get to spin wheels in the name of their country. With Memorial Day upon us we’d like to take a moment to say “Thank You” to all of the men and women in uniform for your service to our country.

To show our gratitude to the all the heroes in the military at home and abroad, we’re dedicating this week’s Fast Facts Friday to the cyclists of the Armed forces:

1)  The United States Military Academy at West Point has a cycling team that trains and competes in road and mountain cycling events as a member of the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference. The team took third place in the NCCA Division II road nationals in 2009. (USMA.com)

2) The United States Air Force Cycling Team has competed in the last 16 RAGBRAI competitions. Stu Carter, Lt Col, USAF (Retired), is the “Father” of the AF Cycling Team (AFCT). In 1992, Stu won the US Military’s European Region Cycling Championship’s 30 Kilometer Time Trial (40-45 age group). In addition, he had the fastest time in the entire DoD that year, and was awarded the 1992 Stars-and-Stripes “National Military Cycling Champion” Jersey for the 30 KM Time Trial by the US Military Sports Association. Stu has missed only two of the team’s past 16 RAGBRAI’s … July 02 and July 09. He will ride with the team again in July 10, making him the only person to ride 14 of the AFCT’s 16 RAGBRAIs. (AirForceCyclingTeam.com)

Jacob Roche - Midshipman Second Class - Assistant Team Captain. He wears Bell too!

3) In the United States Navy, cycling is a club sport sponsored by the U.S. Naval Academy. Every member of the team is a Midshipman and balances the rigors of academics, military life, and other extra-curricular activities with the demands of cycling. The team competes in the Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference. (NACYC.com)

4) In the United States Marine Corps, they believe that Cross Training makes tactical athletes. To aid Marines in becoming combat ready, Semper Fit created a Combat Conditioning Training Course to give Marines a well-rounded workout which includes intense cycling classes! (USMC.mil)

5) In late April, a number of Quantico Marines showed up to give moral support to wounded soldiers participating in the 7th annual “White House to Lighthouse” ride from Washington DC to the Thomas Point lighthouse in Chesapeake Bay, Md. Sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides programs and services to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and transition to civilian life, hundreds of military and family members cheered on the south lawn of the Whitehouse during the April 29 event. As a part of a rehabilitation cycling program for combat-wounded veterans, the program is one of the steps in their return to an active lifestyle. For those service members attending and those participating, it’s all about giving back:

“Sgt. Jasmine Colon … a radio operator at Quantico said, ‘Service members in general need to support the wounded warrior project because we’ve lost a lot of people out there. It’s important to show those who have survived combat that we are all family and still here to support them.’” (USMC.mil)

For the last six years California has played host to one of the most prestigious and largest cycling races in the United States: the AMGEN Tour of California.

The eight-day race covers 650-700 miles of California, winding through dense redwoods, foothills, valleys, and of course alongside some of the state’s most beautiful beaches. This year’s event, which started on May 16 in the old Northern California gold mining town of Nevada City, ends on May 23 in the sunny Southern California town of Thousand Oaks. For complete route and stage info visit the Stages page of the AMGEN Tour of California website.

Here are some interesting (and fast) facts about this year’s tour:

•  Tour of California organizers seek to make the race a preparatory event for the Tour de France, and for 2011 the Tour will officially become an International Cycling Union (UCI) event. (Wikipedia.com)
• This year, Stage 3 of the Tour took cyclists 113.3 miles (mostly along the Pacific Coast) from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. Bell is located in the city of Scotts Valley, which neighbors its old Santa Cruz stomping grounds. A crowd of 20,000 gathered near the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk where the riders completed the third stage. The Boardwalk was one of several major sponsors of this year’s race, providing $185,000 of the total $245,000 it took to put on the event. (CityOnAHillPress.com)
• At kickoff, the 2010 Tour of California was highlighted by the participation of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. However, Armstrong will not complete this year’s Tour. He exited the race yesterday after a nasty spill that left the fan favorite with bruises and a few fresh stitches, but no longstanding or substantial injury or broken bones. For more info and a picture of his eye, click here: (RoadCycling.com)
• Steve Morabito, a rider with Santa Rosa-based BMC Racing (sponsored by Easton Bell Sports), continued his climb up the overall standings yesterday by finishing 12th on Stage 5 while two of his other team riders (Simon Zahner and Chad Beyer) were involved in the crash that knocked a total of five riders, including Armstrong, out of the Amgen Tour of California Thursday. (BMC Racing Team)

(Tim de Waele photo via BMC Team Racing)

Did you attend this year’s Tour of California? Have you attended in the past? If so we’d love to hear your stories!

Despite bad weather, injury, and long commutes, these pedal pushers keep the wheels turning. And even some communities have done so much to promote cycling that they too have earned prestigious awards.

Here are just a few of the award winning cyclists and communities from around the USA:

1)  Every day during the academic year, math and natural history teacher Ken Hoffman rides his bike two miles from his home on West Street to Hampshire College. And he’s been doing it since the school opened 40 years ago. Hoffman will be recognized for his commitment to alternative transportation during Amherst’s observance of Bike Commute Week next Wednesday. He will be the first recipient of the Arthur Swift Memorial Bicycle Commuter Award, named for the late UMass professor who was a key advocate for the Norwottuck Rail Trail and the connector along University Drive. (AmherstBulletin.com)

2) Alameda County’s 2010 Bike Commuter of the Year totes electric grinders, saws, braces, scissors and the occasional prosthetic limb to work on her bike, rain or shine. T.D. Fisher logs as many as 30 miles a day round trip on her bike commute to and from work. Fisher works for Oakland’s Center for Independent Rehabilitative Services, visiting schools, therapy units and other institutions to fit patients, often children, for braces and other devices. Fisher was awarded Alameda County’s top bicycle commuter for 2010 by the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. (InsideBayArea.com)

3) While not an individual, the city of Rochester, MN as a whole gets a mention on this list for recently winning the Bicycle Friendly Communities Award from the League of American Bicyclists. Not an easy award to win! (PostBulletin.com)

4) Snohomish County, Wash., was among the winners in the 2010 Governor’s Commute Smart Awards, presented recently at the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia, for their Curb the Congestion program that was designed to reduce traffic congestion. For 2010 they also introduced an online, monthly incentive award program where participants can log their alternative trips to qualify for prizes. Nancy Gay was the first monthly incentive award winner for the new program, and she received $250 for her participation and dedication to help “curb the congestion”. Participants who log at least 12 days of trips during April, May and June can qualify for the quarterly incentive award of $1,000 to be drawn in July. Monthly and quarterly incentives will be awarded on an ongoing basis. (SnohomishTimes.com)

5) Congratulations to the South Bay Bicycle Coalition which was recently awarded two grants totaling $246,000 from the county of Los Angeles and the Beach Cities Health District. The grants will create a Master Bicycle Plan for seven supporting South Bay communities – Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Lawndale, Gardena and Torrance. The coalition is organizing the first South Bay CEO/Celebrity Cycle-To-Work Challenge, asking local CEOs and celebrities to join in. Here’s the pledge: Personally ride to work on May 20 or another designated day during Bike-to-Work Week, encourage your employees to ride and host a “Celebration Station” to reward participation at your business. (DailyBreeze.com)

We’d love to hear from anyone participating in the CEO/Celebrity Cycle-To-Work Challenge, and photos from the event are always welcome!

Are there any cycling awards given out, or events hosted, by your community? If so we’d love to hear about them!

For the rest of May, try to go the extra mile in supporting National Bike Month. Whether you organize a community bike ride or simply ditch the comfort of four wheels for the exhilaration of two while commuting, we’d love to hear about how you celebrate this month.

Not quite sure what National Bike Month is all about? Need some ideas to kick start your cycling endeavor? Consider the following:

If you want to help reduce CO2 emissions, consider biking to work! May 21, 2010 is designated Bike-to-Work Day, which is a part of Bike-to-Work Week running from May 17-21, 2010. Not only will you help ease congestion in the streets and relieve stress on our O-Zone layer, but you’ll also be doing yourself a huge favor: Three hours of riding per week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%! (ReadyMade.com)

In California, people are being encouraged to participate in the Team Bike Challenge. All you have to do is get a team of 2-5 riders together and compete to commute by bike as often as possible through the month of May. Get the most points in your county to win prizes for everyone on your team. This year they’ve even created an iPhone app iBikeChallenge that is designed to attract even more people and help participants keep track of their points. Sponsors of this year’s challenge include Clear Channel, Adobe, REI, and Clif Bar, among others.

On the Clif Bar blog, appropriately named Clif Blog, there are some great suggestions for fun and eclectic cycling excursions. We’d like to take a bike trip through the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Declared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), May is also the National Bike Safety Month.

The good folks over at Safe Kids USA (who have guest posted here) are taking this opportunity teach a valuable lesson about bike safety: bike helmets are a necessity, not an accessory. To help them illustrate this point they created a short video detailing how to apply the “Eyes, Ears, and Mouth” Test when making sure that a child’s helmet fits properly.

 SafeKids.org

Help us promote bike safety by sharing this video on your blog or via facebook or twitter.

Still can’t decide how to participate in National Bike Month? The League of American Bicyclists has put together a complete list of 2010 Bike Month events taking place in each and every state across the country. They also have a Find It Here search tool that allows you pinpoint events and resources by city, state, and zip code.

It all started when Anders, a child from Armstrong’s Aspen community, placed a letter on his doorstep asking the seven-time Tour de France champion to come to his school as and talk to his class.

Without any hesitation Armstrong agreed to the invitation!

“Kid in our hood just left this on the doorstep. Wants to bring me to show and tell. #surewhynot” (twitpic)

He then braved through the snows of Aspen in late spring …

“It's late April on Main St in Aspen, CO. Really?!?” (twitpic)

 … and arrived at the school to brighten the day for the lucky students!

“Show and tell at Anders' class here in Aspen. Talking bike safety!” (twitpic)

 With bike safety as the topic, Armstrong enriched the lives of the young students giving them an unforgettable show and tell.

Anders got an exclusive photo op with the cycling champ:

“Anders and I …He's rockin' the yellow jersey and tt helmet. Too cool.” (twitpic)

 Lance’s good will and genuine enthusiasm for education, bike safety, and our children’s future is commendable!

We also loved the natural response he got from his online community:

SusanRPM4 said, “I love Anders’s GO FOR IT approach to asking you, Lance, and your GO FOR IT response. Way to go, both of you!!”

middlechamorro said, “Thanks for doing this amazing deed. A class act. Inspiring.”

tvcarls said, “Very cool Lance-how exciting for the kids, and learning safety from you – bonus!”

We try to make learning about bike safety fun also … we do ride bikes and participate in other action sports because they’re fun, right?

Head safety has always been the top priority for Bell, and with our True Fit design we’ve ushered in an era of the perfect-fitting helmet. Safety, comfort and style all rolled into one, Bell True Fit helmets are an essential biking component for children and adults alike.

We let Lance know how we feel about his impromptu classroom appearance also …

@BellTrueFit: “Kudos 2 @LanceArmstrong for taking the time to visit a group of Aspen school students for show & tell – Way to make bike safety fun!”

You should too!

If your bike spent the fall and winter months’ stored away collecting dust and cobwebs, be sure to give it a thorough inspection and safety tune-up before pedaling. For those looking to upgrade, choosing the right bicycle for your size, style, and skill level is obviously important, but having the right equipment is equally important. Today’s Fast Facts Friday focuses on some of the best and most affordable bike accessories. We won’t cover everything here, but we hope you find these products to be useful to your cycling experience.

1)      For the city riders out there, consider the Bell Hands Off Bike U-Lock. This indestructible lock will ensure your bike’s safety no matter where it’s parked. Plus, the carrying bracket features a quick release, and the vinyl coating protects your bike from scratches.

2)      The Bell Sports iPulse LED Bike Torch takes night riding to a whole new level. This bike “light” is equipped with high power LED with sculpted lens to produce extreme brightness. The iPulse also boasts up to nine times longer run time than traditional lights. This ultra bright bike “torch” will light your path through the darkest of situations. It will also enable drivers to better see you on the bike, too.

3)      Planning a road trip? Maybe you’ll be attending one of the many bike tours taking place across the country and world this summer? If you’re not riding your bike across the country, you’ll need a way to take your bikes with you … Bell’s Locking Three-Bike Rack allows you to securely take up to three bikes anywhere! This is great for long road trips or for transporting your bikes across town. A strong 6′ locking 8mm key cable promotes safe transport; the hitch-free design with 6 durable straps offers a stable fit to almost any car. This sturdy unit folds in one simple step and boasts red reflective end-caps to enhance visibility and safety.

4)      For most bike riders, cyclists especially, sunglasses are a key accessory. There’s nothing worse than catching a blinding sun ray travelling at high speeds. One of Bell’s sister companies, Giro, has more than ten styles in their sunglass collection for men, women and all bikers. One of Giro’s technical features is the Pop Top™ Lens System that allows you to change lenses in seconds without stress or hassles. Pictured is the Havik 2 Compact, winner of Bicycling Magazine’s 2010 Editor’s Choice Award!

5)      Of course it wouldn’t be right for us to leave the most important bicycle accessory off of this list: the helmet! We’ve discussed – in depth – the importance and, for some, requirement of wearing a helmet when riding a bike or participating in other action sports. So when you’re out shopping for new cycling accessories, consider a Bell True Fit model with its patented design that makes the proper fit, literally, a snap.

What bicycle accessory are you planning to pick up this year? Would you like to know more about any of the products described here? Let us know by leaving a comment or shoot us a note on twitter @BellTrueFit.