Certified Pre-Owned bikes are TPC’s bread and butter, but sticking to basic ingredients can get a little old. Adding spice with parts, accessories, and apparel is the key to polishing off the perfect bike build and achieving your riding goals. With 2022 coming to an end, it’s time to unpack the gear trends from the last year of sales here at TPC. What were the accessories riders wanted most? What parts and components were in demand? What brands are people wearing? Let's dive into our best sellers and find out.
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Top Bike Accessories of 2022
1. Garmin Varia RTL515 Bike Radar and Tail Light
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The Garmin Varia was far and away the best-selling accessory of the year, selling over twice as many units as our second place accessory. Cars remain the biggest danger to cyclists out on the road, and riding with technology that warns you about cars approaching from behind improves your situational awareness and confidence. After getting hit a few years ago, I picked up a Varia for my road and gravel bikes and now I never ride without it. There are three different Varia models, but the big seller was the middle RTL515 option. It has the longest battery life and an integrated taillight to further increase your visibility.
Check out my Garmin Varia review to learn more.
2. Radavist Shred Lightly Water Bottles
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Serious riders can never have enough water bottles, so when we began offering custom Purist bottles designed by our team at The Radavist, they were an instant hit. Purist bottles are a perennial favorite because they resist odors to keep water tasting fresh, have an easy-to-use high flow nozzle, and they’re affordable. These 26 oz. “Shred Lightly” bottles were the top-seller thanks to the big capacity and beautiful design. The Golden Sunrise color was the most popular, but they also come in black for riders who want something more low-key.
3. Radavist Rune Voile Strap
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Another Radavist product took the final spot on the podium. Voile Straps were originally invented to bind skis together, but cyclists quickly discovered that they’re perfect for securing nearly anything to a bike. They’re cheap, durable, and won’t scratch your paint. Use them in place of a saddle bag to create a classy vintage look. Secure water bottles to cages in rough terrain. Strap an extra tube to your MTB frame. Or load up extra gear for your next bikepacking adventure. The possibilities are endless.
4. Cygolite Metro Pro Light
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When the days start getting shorter, lights start flying off the shelves. I use Light and Motion and Niterider lights myself, but it turns out that many riders are looking at lumens-per-dollar because this powerful Cygolite Metro Pro beat out all the much fancier options. Nearly 1,000 lumens for less than $40? It’s hard to say no to that!
5. Lezyne Flow Composite Water Bottle Cage
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There’s not much to say about a bottle cage. Lezyne is one of the top accessory and tool brands in cycling and the Flow Composite cage provides everything you need from a cage. It holds bottles securely but a large opening means bottles are easy to remove while riding. The composite construction weighs nearly nothing and as an added bonus, the unique looks will give your bike a bit of extra pop.
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Top Bike Parts of 2022
1. Shimano Ultegra PD-R8000 Pedals
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This should come as no surprise, but three of the top-5 best-sellers for components were pedals. It makes sense, you need them to ride your bike! In the end, Shimano’s SPD-SL Ultegra pedals won the Look vs. Shimano battle this year, easily outselling all other components, pedals or otherwise. They provide the same form and function as Shimano’s top-of-the-line Dura-Ace pedals at a more attainable price point.
2. SRAM XX1 Eagle Shifter / Rear Derailleur / Battery
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Second place came as a bit of a shock because SRAM’s XX1-level components are top-tier and pretty darn pricey. But it seems a lot of mountain bikers want that ultra-crisp wireless AXS shifting and prefer the flash of the XX1 stuff over the more affordable GX Eagle AXS upgrade kit. I decided to lump these three products (shifter, derailleur, and battery) together because you need all three for the system to work. If I didn’t, they’d occupy second, third, and fourth on this list!
3. Race Face Chester Pedals
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Do you prefer flat pedals or clipless? The popularity of the Race Face Chester certainly helped the flat pedal cause and it finished the year in a solid third place. It has just the right amount of sticky pins and comes in tons of colors to match or accent any bike. The nylon body keeps both price and weight low, while also helping it glide over rocks when you accidentally strike a pedal on the trail (ask me how I know).
4. Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite Clincher Tire
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We had Bontrager’s R3 Hard-Case Lite road tires on sale this year, so riders came and scooped up hundreds. The R3 Hard-Case Lite uses a proprietary TR-Speed compound that rolls fast and lasts longer. Hard-Case Lite puncture protection helps ward off flats. Something I found interesting is that the 32mm version was easily the most popular width. If your road bike has the clearance, thicker and more comfortable rubber is the way to go!
5. Look Keo 2 Max Carbon Pedals
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Despite getting beaten by Shimano’s Ultegra pedal this year, Look’s Keo 2 Max still held its own as the fifth best-selling component. Since I’m a gear geek that doesn’t like mixing competing brands, they’re my preferred choice for bikes with SRAM and Campagnolo drivetrains. Interestingly, the carbon version of the Keo 2 Max outsold the regular version. It’s about $20 more for carbon, so it seems many riders felt it was worth it for some extra bling and less weight.
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Top Cycling Apparel Brands of 2022
1. Mavic
2. POC
3. Fox Racing
4. Troy Lee Designs
5. Radavist
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Apparel gets a bit tricky, because if I were to rank the top 5 products in terms of units sold, they’d all be shoe covers! So to keep things interesting, I took a look at how apparel brands ranked as a whole. The old-school Frenchies from Mavic came out on top. TPC's massive selection of Mavic helmets, shoes, and cycling clothing certainly helped. Unfortunately for Mavic fans, it has recently stepped out of the apparel game to focus on wheels, so expect this list to look a lot different next year.
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POC sits in second thanks to its super-popular road and MTB helmets. But don’t forget that the Swedish protection experts make solid riding kits too. Its VPDS bibs have some of the comfiest chamois I’ve ever worn. Fox Racing and Troy Lee Design are mountain biking staples, and their helmets, jersey, and shorts make any rider look pro out on the trails.
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Finally, while our sister site, The Radavist, isn’t actually a clothing brand, it snuck up to take fifth place because riders eagerly snapped up all the hot new Radavist merch offered through TPC. The Radavist team partnered with their favorite brands to design riding jackets, T-shirts, socks, bandanas, and hats with styling that speaks more to the adventure oriented side of cycling.
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