On a road or gravel bike, having at least one bottle-cage is a must-have, since you are very likely to be riding more than one hour and I assume you won’t be carrying a backpack. On most road bikes, it’s even possible to mount a second bottle-cage on the seat tube. I strongly recommend to do so, especially if you are planning to go on longer rides and/or riding in hot temperatures. Always keep in mind that depending on where your bike takes you, you may not find water so easily!

When it comes to carrying water for mountain bike rides, some people prefer to mount a water bottle cage and some prefer to carry water in their backpack, or both! Either way, rarely do I go on a ride without a bottle of water, because you really never know what can happen. With a bottle mounted on your bike, it’s easy to fill up on the fly. Plus, carrying your drink on your bike frame also means less weight on your back, which in my opinion is always nice!

Check out Syncros bottle cages here.

You don’t want to be stuck in the middle of your ride because of a mechanical and no tools to fix it. Even if you don’t know how to fix it yourself, you might encounter other people who will be able to help you, if of course you have the essentials with you.

What you need is at least a mini pump (high-pressure for road/gravel bikes and high-volume for mountain bikes) and a multi-tool that includes a chain-tool, alongside the main Allen and Torx keys (check what kind of screws you have on your bike).

If you’re like me you don’t like loading your jersey’s back pockets, get a bottle-cage with an integrated multi-tool and mini-pump. That way, you’ll always have the essentials with you on your bike, ready to serve!

My advice here is to always carry one spare tube with you, no matter the ride. Some people fix it on the frame with straps or tape, others just stash it in their jersey’s back-pocket or in their backpack, or you can also go for a saddle bag.

Although not always possible to accommodate with a dropper-post (if your mountain bike features one), the saddle bag has the advantage of always being ready on your bike, with a tube, tire levers, maybe some patches and why not a CO2 cartridge as well!

If you are on a road bike, you could also use the empty bottle-cage on your seat-tube whenever you don’t need to carry a second water bottle. A storage bottle containing everything you need to fix your bike while on the go, will fit in just perfect!

Nowadays, many cyclists use a Garmin device to navigate. If this is your case too, you might want to look into these real nicely integrated mounts that will hold your device tight on your handlebar while riding. That’s the pro look!

Last but not least, a fender will come in handy if you are riding in wet conditions. Syncros offers different models that integrate perfectly with SCOTT bikes, allowing you to attach them directly onto your mountain bike’s FOX fork crown or right onto your Syncros saddle if you’re on a road/gravel bike.