This is your yearly reminder that Amazon Prime day is a thing. There’s deals to be had on cycling gear, so it may be worth paying attention to if you’re in the market for an upgrade or refresh. It also means that there’s bound to be some sellers gaming the system.
Start by making sure the thing you see on sale is actually worth buying. We spend our whole lives putting together, among other things, reviews of cycling accessories that are likely to show up in sales during Amazon Prime Day(s), July 8-11. Those reviews reflect our honest opinions about the quality of products but also who they are aimed at and who they make sense for. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean you need to buy it. Really, ask yourself if it makes sense for you.
With that in mind, we’ve also got a few tools to help you spot dubious sales tactics. And finally, we’ve got some deals we think are worthwhile.
Step 1: check the price history
Just because something says it’s on sale doesn’t mean it’s actually on sale. A favorite tactic of dubious sellers is to raise the price just before giving it a discount. Less dubious, but still an issue: you also see a product listed as a discount against an MSRP when the item in question never sells for the MSRP.
A good example is that as I was writing this I spotted a nice looking Wera tool that seemed perfect for including here. A not-shabby 37% off on a super high quality piece of gear just about every bike geek and home mechanic could use. The only problem, it was only a few dollars more until it shot up to full retail for a couple of days then dropped again to show a big discount. It’s still a good buy, but it’s also not the same deal as it appears.
To make sure you know what’s happening you need to be informed. Ideally you’ve been watching the item in question for a while. That’s a good sign you should actually buy it, but if that’s not the case another option is a price history tracker. Two options are CamelCamelCamel or Keepa, both of which offer websites and/or browser extensions that show the price history and what a product normally sells for.
Is that review legit?
Let’s say you jump to Amazon and see something that looks a little too good to be true. You didn’t have your eye on it but wow that price! Next step is to check the reviews and what do you know, they are stellar. Or are they? Maybe those reviews are actually fake. To make sure, check a tool like Fakespot.
Don’t forget your local shops
Because Amazon is such a retail force what happens there affects every shop across the land. Your local bike shop wants your business and they aren’t oblivious to what’s happening. A lot of local businesses are taking advantage of the hype around the event and have their own deals happening. Drop by and see if they’ve got what you are after at a good price. Bonus is you get to touch, browse, support a local business, and get your gear same day.
Prime Day deals worth checking out
Now that you’ve got a bit of direction and help with spotting real deals, here’s some ideas.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 – $149 (40% off) – Riding with headphones happens either outside where you need them to stay in or inside where you want people to be able to hear you even when there’s a fan pointed at your face. In both situations the Airpods Pro 2 are the best headphones for cyclists with an iPhone.
SHOKZ New OpenRun Pro 2 – $124.95 (31% off) – Unlike the Airpods above, the Shokz are not a great all-purpose solution. Instead this is a special use headphone that’s the absolute best for using while you ride outside. You retain situational awareness and a quick button press stops your music with no need to store the headphones. I’ve ridden at least 100 hours with these and I have very few complaints.
HydraPak Water Reservoir – $34.40 (20% off) – I often ride with a hydration vest because I can carry double the water and even if I’m holding a wheel, or bouncing off rocks, I know I can get carbs and water into my body. HydraPak makes my favorite bladders and the 2L size is 20% off. I’ll be adding one to a POC vest I’m testing.
Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel – $31.99 (20% off) – Ride food is always a great buy on Prime day because you need it anyway and it’s not a frivolous purchase. Might as well take advantage of a discount. This is the product I use more than most for carbs in my bottles and it’s discounted in every flavor.
Insta360 X5 – $519.99 (5% off) – This is not a big discount but this is the camera I use more than other to capture cool footage on the bike. As I type this from an airport right now, it’s in my pocket. You can read more in our Insta360 X5 review.
Insta360 Ace Pro 2 – $349.99 (17% off) – This is one of the cameras I use when filming from the bike. The audio isolation is excellent. You can read more about it in our Insta360 Ace Pro 2 review.
GoPro HERO13 Black – $329 (23% off) – I went back and forth on posting this because the price history shows it was this price since May then went up a bit and now is back down. You can also bet on a Hero 14 coming in a few months. All that said, if you want a GoPro, this is a good price so grab it and just know that it’s probably not a limited time deal.
10,000mAh Anker MagGo Power Bank – $62.99 (21% off) – If you ride long distances then phone life can be an issue. I added a Magsafe compatible case to my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and this pack doubles my battery life while still allowing the phone to sit in my jersey pocket without extra cables. Super handy both on and off the bike.
POC Aspire Sunglasses in Uranium Black/Clarity Trail/Partly Sunny Silver – $187.46 (25% off) – Decent price on this color combo only. There’s also a good deal on the yellow but it’s been lower recently
Wiha 66980 9 Piece Ball End Color Coded Hex L-Key Set – $30.23 (25% off) – Everyone needs good quality hex wrenches. Wiha is a great brand.
Garmin 955 Solar – $399.99 (33% off) – Even if you aren’t a runner you can get valuable recovery data plus killer battery life from a Garmin watch. The 955 isn’t the latest model but it’s got the specs a cyclist needs.
Garmin Fēnix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar – $499.99 (44% off) – just like the 955 this model is older now but it has the recovery metrics, battery life, and smart watch features that will add to your cycling. The Fenix has more battery life and memory than the Forerunner series.
Garmin Edge 540 – $299 (33% off) – The Garmin 540 is really solid bike computer that does everything most people need and it’s on sale. Also on sale is the solar version for the same price. It ups the battery life on a ride but it will also charge while sitting and not in use. This is a great buy.
Hiplok D1000 – $237.50 (21% off) – If you do not want a bike stolen, this is your answer. It’s impossible to cut.
Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite NTX+ – $71.98 (24% off) – great tools to have with you on a ride and any discount is a bonus.
Oakley Sutro in Matte Black/Prizm Grey – $135.10 (14% off) – The Sutro was the pinnacle of style only a few years ago and people still love these. Only a discount on this color but it’s worth checking out.
Magicshine AIRRO Mini Bike Pump – $61.19 (32% off) – There’s a million of these at this point but MagicShine is a well known brand and this one has a discount.