The bike does not go into hibernation in autumn and winter: many people keep riding to work, on errands or just for fun at weekends. But in the cold and wet, priorities change. You need to protect your hands and face from the wind, stay clear of the spray from your back wheel, be visible in the early dusk, and have a pump to hand if a tyre goes flat far from home. We have picked 8 cycling items from AliExpress that people buy in their thousands, and sorted them by the job they do.
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Everything below was chosen by sales volume and share of positive reviews: each item has thousands of orders and at least 96% satisfied buyers. All but the electric pump cost under £8, so you can put together a cold-season kit without spending much.
Warmth: hands and face
Hands and face are the first to freeze on a bike. A headwind at 20 km/h feels much colder than the same weather on foot, and your hands sit still on the handlebars the whole ride. So start with these two things.
Winter gloves with touchscreen fingertips
The best-selling item in the roundup. These are warm, windproof gloves with non-slip palms and touchscreen inserts on the fingertips, so you do not have to take them off to check a route or answer a call. They are all-purpose: suitable for cycling, motorcycling, driving and ordinary walks. For rides in light frost and damp autumn weather they are a handy option, and in hard frost you should add thin gloves underneath. They cost £2.89, down from £5.78.
Price on 6 November: £2.89
Sold: 15582+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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Fleece balaclava
A balaclava covers head, face and neck in one layer and, importantly, fits easily under a cycling helmet, unlike a thick hat. This model is fleece, adjustable and windproof. People buy it for cycling, skiing and motorcycling. If only your neck and chin are cold, you can pull the balaclava down and wear it as a neck gaiter. The price is £2.03, down from £4.06.
Price on 6 November: £2.03
Sold: 10587+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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Cleanliness: mudguards
Many mountain and road bikes are sold without mudguards. In summer that is not a problem, but in autumn one puddle is enough to leave a stripe of mud up your back and legs. A pair of cheap guards fixes it in five minutes.
Front and rear MTB mudguards
These rigid plastic guards attach to the frame and fork and cover the front and rear wheels. You can buy them singly or as a set of two, depending on the option on the listing. They are not full-length commuter mudguards, but they are light, quick to remove and fit most mountain bikes. Check the wheel size in the description before you buy. They cost £1.89, down from £4.11.
Price on 6 November: £1.89
Sold: 3503+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
Visibility: light and sound
It gets dark early in November, and the ride home from work is almost always in the dusk. Drivers see a cyclist less easily than a pedestrian, so a rear light is a must, and a loud bell helps in parks and on shared paths.
ROCKBROS: rear light with brake sensor
ROCKBROS is one of the best-known cycling brands on AliExpress, and this light is among its hits. The body is aluminium and waterproof, and it charges over Type-C. The main feature is the brake sensor: when you slow down the light gets brighter, like a car’s brake light, so it is easier for traffic behind to see that you are stopping. It mounts on the seatpost. The price is £6.89, down from £16.02.
Price on 6 November: £6.89
Sold: 12402+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.3%
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Electronic bike bell
The sales leader of the roundup. Instead of a mechanical bell it gives an electronic signal that is louder and easier to notice, especially in city noise or when people are wearing headphones. It runs on batteries or USB, and the housing is water-resistant, so rain is no problem. It suits mountain bikes and kids’ scooters. It costs £2.02, down from £4.69.
Price on 6 November: £2.02
Sold: 22576+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
Roadside repairs: pump and bag
On a cold autumn day the last thing you want is to be stuck with a punctured tube a few kilometres from home. A compact pump and a small saddle bag with a spare tube and Allen keys cover that risk.
TOPUMP TB2 PRO: electric mini pump
The most expensive item in the roundup and one of the most popular. It is a cordless electric pump with a screen, pressure up to 120 PSI and a built-in battery with fast charging. Instead of pumping by hand for ages, you set the pressure you want and wait. It is handy at home and on the road, especially for high-pressure road tyres that are hard to inflate with a hand mini pump. At the time of checking, the discount was more than half off the old price. It costs £29.11, down from £86.08.
Price on 6 November: £29.11
Sold: 11885+ pcs, positive reviews: 96.7%
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WEST BIKING Mini: saddle bag
This small WEST BIKING bag under the saddle holds a spare tube, tyre levers, a multitool and keys. Its self-locking mount clips on and off quickly, so you can take it with you when you leave the bike outside. It suits mountain and road bikes. Buyers take it by the thousand as the simplest way to always carry a repair kit. The price is £7.43, down from £15.98.
Price on 6 November: £7.43
Sold: 9257+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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Navigation: phone holder
If you ride unfamiliar routes or track your speed and distance in an app, your phone needs to be in front of your eyes, not in your pocket.
Universal 360° rotating phone holder
The cheapest item in the roundup and one of the most popular. The mount goes on a bicycle or motorcycle handlebar, rotates through 360° and comes off together with the phone. You can choose landscape orientation for a map or portrait for apps. In autumn, bear in mind that a phone on the handlebars is exposed to rain, so use a waterproof case in wet weather. It costs £1.69, down from £3.38.
Price on 6 November: £1.69
Sold: 11567+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
A few tips for riding in the cold
Dress in layers: a thin base layer, a warm top and a windproof jacket work better than one thick puffer in which you overheat after ten minutes. The batteries in lights and the electric pump drain faster in the cold, so charge them before every ride and do not leave the bike and its gadgets on a cold balcony. And run your tyre pressure slightly below your summer setting: it gives better grip on wet tarmac and fallen leaves.
How to build a kit for the season
If your budget is tight, start with what affects safety and comfort the most:
- Rear light and bell. At dusk these are the first things that make you visible.
- Gloves and balaclava. Without them, cold rides quickly become a misery.
- Mudguards. They cost under £2 and save your clothes from mud.
- Saddle bag with a repair kit. A tube and multitool in a bag under the saddle will rescue you after a puncture.
- Pump and phone holder. The electric pump is handy, but if money is tight it can wait.
The whole set, apart from the electric pump, comes to about £25 at prices on 6 November. AliExpress prices change often, especially during sales, so check the current price and options on the listing before ordering: many items come in different colours and sizes.
