Let’s go ride a(n electric) bike! All the highest-rated gear for your next ride

“It's been 84 years…” (who knows that meme?!) no but really it's been several weeks since I threw my back out, and I'm just now finally starting to ease back into exercising. But I have to make sure I'm doing activities that are low-impact so I don't hurt it again.

One of the things I love to do and have loved for a long time are Peloton rides. Neil is huge on biking and we thought it'd be a fun activity we could do together, so we just recently purchased an electric bike!

I did a LOT of research and after a ton of reading, I found an electric bike that I've fallen in LOVE with from Backcountry. If you've been thinking about purchasing an e-bike, I highly recommend this one… but first things first, what's a fun indoor/outdoor workout without super cute and functional gear?! Because let's be real, working out is way more fun and motivating when you have good gear and feel cute in it, right? Here are some essentials that I've found super helpful and make my bike rides a lot more enjoyable:

Discounts

So excited because if you use discount code MINTARROW15 at checkout, you can get 15% off your purchase if you're a first time customer! Plus, save up to 60% during Backcountry's Winter Forecast Sale here!

Safety first!

HELMETS! This helmet that I picked out is so perfect in every way. It's really comfortable, and has a nice cushioning that surrounds your ears that keep them nice and warm (um, amazing!).

It has removable cushioned-lining, so if it's a warmer day and you don't want to be sweating bullets, you have the option to remove it. But soooo nice to have if you're on a chilly morning or evening ride! If you don't see the size you need, here's a similar option.

Water bottle & holder

Another thing that Neil 100% recommended I find is a good water bottle and water bottle holder for my bike! Staying hydrated is a must while riding.

After lots of research I found this awesome water bottle that I can use for both my electric bike and Peloton rides. This water bottle holder is the perfect addition to my new e-bike – I can ride around without my water falling out!

On Weather Jacket

I'm gonna start this section right out by saying this was a splurge. And you know how sometimes you make splurge purchases and think, “I sure hope this is worth it!” Well this one, definitely 100% WORTH IT.

When looking for biking attire, I asked Neil what would be best when it's kind of chilly outside. He said always wear a jacket, but not one that's too heavy or too thick because you WILL get hot. I did a lot of research and found THE perfect one! This jacket has perfect ratings, it's lightweight, but also provides the right amount of warmth and insulation, plus it has a nice hood in case it starts raining on your ride.

Something that stood out to me about THIS jacket compared to all of the other ones I was looking at is that this one is reflective. I feel like it's just so much more comforting to know that while I'm out riding, especially as the sun is going down, people out on the roads can see me and I can be safe.

It's always so scary for me when I'm out driving and see bikers dressed in all black as the sun's gone down – they're so hard to see!! Safety is key, but so is cuteness, and this jacket has both.

This jacket is perfection. Where we live, if I were to ride in the morning time, there's a marine layer that causes it to be a little chilly and have a little drizzle. But this jacket keeps me nice and dry and warm, but not overheated. Amazing quality. Overall the best. Love, love, LOVE! Here's a similar jacket if you don't see your size!

On Cloud Shoes

One of the most well-known biking essentials are shoes. I have several On Cloud shoes at home that I already own and have seriously loooovvveeed. They're super great quality and extremely comfortable, so I thought they'd be the perfect biking shoe. They have really great grips on the bottom, so my feet weren't sliding off of the bike pedals, which is also important for safety.

I love that this specific style of On shoes has elastic laces so it's super easy to just slip your shoes right on and skip the tying! Definitely a favorite of mine. I wear them a lot, and not only are they great for working out, but also for everyday errands and running around. They have super high reviews with others who have the same feelings:

“No wonder these are called the Cloud Shoe, they are incredibly comfortable right out of the box.”

“These shoes come with regular laces if you prefer, but what attracted me to them was the elastic laces you don't have to worry about tying. Perfect shoe…love, love, LOVE!”

Electric bike!

E-bikes have become really popular around where we live! Neil is also big into biking, and has been trying to convince me for forever to go biking with him.

I never wanted to go because he rides ten times faster than me and I could never keep up with him, BUT now with an electric bike I can still get somewhat of a workout and keep up with him, too (win, win!)! I've LOVED everything about this e-bike and that it allows us to enjoy this fun activity together!

When I was researching which electric bike to get, I wanted something that could handle both street riding but also mountain bike riding because that's the kind of riding that Neil enjoys. I needed to be able to be either on or off-road with a bike, so that's why I specifically chose this one from Backcountry.

This bike is AMAZING. There are several different levels you can choose from that give a certain amount of boost support: Eco, Tour, Sport, and a Turbo mode. I honestly feel like I could ride in any of those modes for forever, even up a steep hill which is the amazing thing about an e-bike. It's a super powerful bike that you can adjust to your liking.

When looking for my bike and gear at Backcountry, something that was super helpful and cool was using “Gearheads“. It helps direct you as you pick out the right gear and they can talk you through some different options – it's almost like having a concierge expert in whatever sport that you're looking into. So super helpful!!

Where to next?!

Biking is one of my favorite forms of exercise, and it's also a fun way to get out and do something that Neil and I both love to do together! Having quality gear and attire is so important and either makes or breaks the experience. Backcountry is one of our favorite shops to get all of the essentials for any of our outdoor adventures – we hope you've found some helpful gear for your next ride, too! Don't forget to use code MINTARROW15 for 15% off your purchase if you're a first time customer!

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