If you are buying a bike for the first time, it is important to think about all of the costs involved and not just the cost of the bike itself. The bike will most likely be the dearest part of the purchase but there will be many other features and products that a person has to buy in addition to buying the bike. This can raise the overall price paid considerably if you are not careful so it is important to know everything that is needed when taking up cycling.
First of all, a bike helmet must be bought by every cyclist. There are some additional safety items which people may decide to do without but a helmet should never be one of them. The level of protection that a helmet provides to a cyclist in the unfortunate event of accident is monumental and people should not ride their bike without wearing a helmet. Much like people buy insurance policies but hope to never cash in on them, buying and wearing a bike helmet is much the same thing. It is hoped that people will never crash and have a need to wear a helmet but if it does happen, the wearer will be very glad that they bought it.
There are other safety elements like pads for the knees and shoulders and reflective clothing, which are all sensible purchases but the most important thing when buying bike accessories is always the helmet. This means this should always be factored into the overall cost when buying a bike.
Another important bike accessory is a bike lock to safely secure your bike when not in use. Given the cost of a bike, it is obvious that it will be attractive to many thieves but it should also be something that people want to keep safe anyway such as preventing it from falling over whilst it's not being ridden. The nature of a bike means it is far easier to steal than a car or a van, so there has to be a greater degree of protection afforded to it by the cyclist. Using a chain lock, shackle lock or cable lock is essential to keep your bike safe and this is an area where spending money can be greatly rewarded. You should also make sure to secure all parts, not just the frame, as there are many bikes with quick release wheels that thieves could also steal or remove to make it easier to steal the whole bike. Some people even take the removable front wheel with them when they store their bike so the thief wouldn't be able to steal the bike and ride off anyway.
Another biking accessory which most bikers will need is a bike pump. This is an essential piece of kit for making sure that tyres are pumped to a safe level and are providing good grip and strength on the road. Having deflated tyres can greatly impact upon the performance of the bike, so ensuring that they are in good condition and properly inflated is important to any cyclist.
There are plenty of bike accessories available online, not only are there mountain bike accessories for off-roading but there are cycling jerseys to make sure you are wearing the right kit when riding no matter where you are when you're on your bike.