Bike Accessories

TaoTronics Phone Mount: The most important bike accessory that I own is my phone mount. I've had several of them over the years, but really like my current TaoTronics mount because it just grips the phone so well and it can be used with various phones.

My phone has never come loose, regardless of the the trail conditions. It does have some extra little rubber band things for additional security, but like the reviews I read before buying it, I found that they are not really needed. The Weiser River Trail was so bumpy that I thought I should use them, however, one of them snapped part way through the trip and I didn't notice a difference in how 

Cupholder, Horn/Light, Phone Mount

Huffy Bicycle Beverage Holder & Bell Combo Kit: I picked this up on clearance for about $5 before our Weiser River Trail trip. We figured that since Idaho is an open container state, it would be fun to buy a beer one day at the end of our ride and carry it back to camp on our bikes. However, this has been used mostly for cold sodas!

Things to keep in mind:

• The screws tend to rattle loose, so you have to keep an eye on them and make sure they are tight.
• If the bottle is too small, it rattles around and drives me crazy! When this happens, I just tuck my bandanna or a paper towel in there and the problem is resolved.
• The bell is heavy (so heavy that I have never even considered using it).

Orp Light/Horn: This was a luxury purchase a few years ago when it was on Kickstarter and is described as a "dual-decibel bike horn and front beacon light." I like the idea of this device, but it hasn't been 100% for me. Here are my experiences...

• Horn: I like that it has two different sounds. One gentle when you just need to pass someone and the other abrasive to get someone's attention. 
• Rechargeable: LOVE that it doesn't have batteries.
• Fit: It isn't a tight fit on my handlebars, so if I am lazy when I put it back on after charging, it is hard to operate the horn because it slips around. It comes with a little rubber sleeve that you can use so that it fits nice and snug. It only slips when I'm lazy. :-)
• Brightness: This light is great for letting a car know you are there (it has that annoying but effective blinking feature), but it isn't really helpful for night or tunnel riding. We rode through the 3/4 mile Elroy-Sparta tunnel this week and it just didn't cut it. In fact, I really had to depend on Therese and her light to illuminate the way. 

Huffy Handlebar Cooler Bag with Smartphone Pocket: Another $5 clearance find. What I like:

• The phone pocket is great for my route notes; 
• Love the side mesh pockets for easy access to Wet Ones and Halt Dog Spray; and
• It's insulated so my various snacks don't get melty.

What could be better: the velcro/buckles on this bag are a little substandard, but for $5, what can you expect?