Three Must-Have Personal Safety Items for Cyclists

Whether you're logging long miles on country roads, pedaling the local bike trail with your kids, or training for your next tour, safety doesn’t stop with a helmet and reflectors.

Most cyclists prepare for mechanical mishaps – a flat tire, a loose chain, or a dead phone battery – but far fewer are ready for personal threats on the road, whether from aggressive animals or unpredictable people.

 

If you can’t ride away fast enough or there’s no time to call for help, these compact, non-lethal self-defense tools could make all the difference. 

 

1. Pepper spray and pepper gel for cyclists

 

If you encounter a verbal attack while cycling, the best course is to keep riding and ignore the engagement. However, in the event it turns more aggressive and someone begins to follow or approach you, the best thing to do is find a place to stop, like a coffee shop or gas station. When neither of these options are available, having pepper spray or pepper gel on hand could make all the difference. 

 

Pepper spray and pepper gel are both effective deterrents against threats and provide protection at a distance. They both include the active ingredient Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), a compound derived from hot peppers that causes intense burning sensations and when deployed against an attacker, can cause temporary disorientation.

 

Where pepper spray differs from gel is the delivery method. Unlike pepper spray, pepper gel sticks to the target upon contact. It has a much lower risk of affecting bystanders or the person using it, and both sprays leave behind a UV mark on the attacker for identification later. Both are effective and selecting one often comes down to personal preference. 

 

In addition to deciding between a spray or gel, you need to select a carry method that gives you the quickest access to the product. For instance, SABRE offers a pepper spray with GPS tracking. Pepper spray and pepper gel often come available with belt clips and on key rings, as well. 

 

2. Dog spray for cyclists

 

Dog spray is a smart, humane option for cyclists who want protection without risking long-term harm to animals. It’s designed specifically for use against aggressive dogs and comes in easy-to-carry formats – belt clips, adjustable hand straps that can be fastened to your handlebars, and on a keyring.

 

Depending on the canister size, SABRE dog sprays have a range of up to 15-feet to put more space between yourself and an aggressive dog. It contains 1% OC, the maximum allowed by the EPA, with short-term effects that mean most animals will recover once you have a chance to ride away. 

 

Avoid spraying dog pepper spray while riding as your control and accuracy are limited in that situation. Instead, position your bike between you and the aggressive dog and prepare to spray.

 

3. Personal alarms for cyclists

 

Personal alarms are used by many people as a complement to the pepper spray and gel they carry for safety. As the name implies, it is a small device with a piercing 130db alarm. When deployed successfully, they attract attention and might deter an attack. 

 

We’d suggest a cyclist first use pepper spray or gel in the event of an attack. Then, head toward an area with others – parks, coffee shops, restaurants or a gas station – while sounding the alarm. This will call attention to you in a crowd with the desired effect of bringing help. 

 

Select a personal alarm with the highest available decibel. (For instance, one SABRE personal alarm is 130dB, or a sound level similar to a jackhammer.) Also consider how you will carry the alarm, whether in your jersey pocket, on a lanyard, or keyring.

 

No matter where your ride takes you – urban streets, wooded trails or open country – being prepared means more than just a helmet and patch kit. Adding tools like pepper spray, pepper gel, dog deterrent spray, or a personal alarm to your gear can give you peace of mind and valuable seconds in a high-stress situation.