Bikes and Gear for Spring Rides

Getting a new bike or piece of cycling gear often inspires people to get out and ride more. If that’s true for you, check out our Spring 2026 Cycling Gear Guide. 

We rounded up some of our favorite new items, from certified helmets to Cascade shirts and kits, to some fancy gravel and road bikes from our Tours sponsor BMC Bicycles. 

Top- Rated Helmets

We love bargains, but don't scrimp when buying a helmet. Because your brain is priceless, and new technologies are making helmets safer every year. Before buying, check the ratings from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab and look for helmets with a five-star rating.

I recently got two five-star helmets that rank in the top 10 out of the hundreds of models tested by the Helmet Lab.

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The Cularis from POC is designed for mountain biking but it’s great for road riding as well. It has ample ventilation for hot days and a sun visor to shade your eyes and face, and the visor is designed to break away in the event of a crash. 

The Cularis weighs just 350 grams and, most importantly, includes a MIPS Air Node system to reduce concussion risk. $260, poc.com

The Miden is an urban cycling helmet from HEXR. It features the new Release Layer System, or RLS, that reduces concussion risk by enabling panels on the exterior of a helmet to roll and release upon impact. 

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By rolling and releasing during a crash, the RLS technology integrated into the Miden dissipates rotational forces that can cause brain injuries. $150, hexr.com 

BMC Road and Gravel Bikes

We love BMC Bicycles because of their beautiful designs and performance, and because the Swiss brand is supporting our Mission work by sponsoring Cascade’s 2026 Tours Season.

Cascade members get special pricing on select BMC bicycles including their Roadmachine, Kaius and URS product lines when buying through Metier Cycling, Element Cycles, Woodinville Bicycle, and Westside Bicycle. Log into the Member Benefits Portal for details.

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BMC recently launched its 2026 line of Teammachine SLR bikes, available in three levels priced from $2,899 to $14,599. “Every Teammachine SLR is designed to deliver BMC’s signature ride feel with the perfect blend of power transfer, compliance and control,” says Joan Hanscom, North American marketing manager for BMC. 

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BMC’s Gravel bikes include the Kaius line for faster and racier handling (member pricing from $4,150 to $7,500), and the URS line for bikepacking and multi-day adventures (member pricing from $2,300 to $5,400). Multiple Cascade staff members test-rode URS models on last year's Iron Horse Gravel Ride and found them ideal for the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail's packed gravel.

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See and Be Seen

Some bike lights illuminate the road in front of you. Others ensure drivers see you. The Light Rail does both. 

I used one for winter commuting in Seattle and found it great for lighting up dark spots on the Burke-Gilman Trail due to its large size. The Light Rail has both a center spotlight for aiming down at the roadway, and a large illuminated panel with moving patterns to help drivers see you. 

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Unlike blinking lights that can blind other riders and make it difficult for people driving to see you, the side-to-side pulse setting makes you visible without being a blinding distraction. 

The only drawback is the Light Rail’s size, which makes it heavy for a road bike but ideal for a cargo or electric bike. $89 includes a taillight when you use discount code CASCADE at intrinsiccycles.com

Pump You Up

Electric bike pumps continue to get smaller and more powerful, making them a nice alternative to carrying a hand pump or CO2 cartridge inflator.

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I recently got a rechargeable Rockbros AS1 Mini, which weighs just 97 grams and fits into a bike jersey pocket. It inflates tires up to 100 PSI in about a minute, and converts to Presta or Schrader valves. $56.99, rockbros.com

Sweet Shades

Das Optics is a family owned eyewear brand that makes lightweight sunglasses for long days in the saddle–all for less than $50. 

We support Das Optics because they donate $10 to Cascade for every pair bought by members using the discount code in our Member Benefits Portal, and Cascade members also get 10 percent off each pair. dasoptics.net

Cascade Kits and Shirts

Are you riding the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic presented by Alaska Airlines? Get yourself or a friend a colorful 2026 STP jersey or shorts. Proceeds from all apparel sales benefit Cascade’s Mission. 

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Cascade launched the Revel Revolution Ride last year to give women and nonbinary folks an opportunity to ride together, create community and have a ton of revelrous fun. This year’s Revel Revolution takes place on June 20 with three route options. Get the party started by picking up a Revel Revolution T-shirt, $25 

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Bike Month

This one is gear for your mind. May is Bike Everywhere Month presented by Amazon, Microsoft & Lime, and we have a full month of activities planned – including the return of the Washington Bikes Bike Everywhere Challenge. 

Want to get more involved in bike advocacy? Come to Town Hall Seattle on May 6 to attend our 2nd annual Bike Month Bash and learn how you can help create a more bikeable Seattle. Sliding scale tickets start at $10. Register at TownHallSeattle.org, because information and education can gear you up to ride more.  

Bike Bags

Po Campo makes thoughtfully designed and user-tested cycling bags. Cascade members can save 10% by using the code Cascadebike10 at pocampo.com.

For crafty folks, there’s no need to spend big money on new bike gear. If you’ve got a sewing machine, you may enjoy our 2013 blog post about how to make an “Easy DIY Handlebar Bag.”

Member Discounts and Deals

Cascade members not only support our Mission and get special pricing on many of our rides, they also get deals on bike gear and accessories through our Member Benefits Portal.

If you’re shopping for socks, lights or other small items, Outdoorly is an online marketplace that offers deals on 80+ outdoor and cycling gear brands. To sign up, use invitation code CASCADE-35M at outdoorly.com/signup.

Got kids? Pedalheads offers Summer Bike Camps for kids in Seattle, Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland and other locations. Cascade members get $25 off Pedalheads camps when registering with the code BICYCLE26.