On bigger rides these days I don’t just carry a tube, pump, and multitool anymore — I also bring a power bank. Between an iPhone, AirPods, Di2 shifting, Wahoo, heart rate strap, a Cycplus pump, and lights, there are so many things that can run flat mid-ride.
For me, a power bank has become just as essential as a spare tube: small insurance that can save the day.
If you agree, I’d love to hear what your favorite power bank is. Compact, lightweight, reliable — which one do you trust on long rides?
Nitecore definitely has the best power/weight ratio for power banks, but I had a different model with a pouch-type battery that swelled up, which is Not Good.
A lot of power banks use 18650 batteries, especially the “lipstick tube” power banks.
Some power banks come with Qi chargers built in, and if you’re worried about your phone going flat mid-ride, that will let you charge even if the USB port gets wet.
I don’t carry one often, but did recently on a long ride where I’d be one good mechanical from finishing in the dark (and I might need to top up lights since I started in the dark).
We have an INIU P50 for backpacking (and long rides, I guess), but I don’t have enough experience with these things to know if it’s ‘best’ or not.
I do take a power bank on very long rides (maybe 6+ hours). Mostly to keep my Wahoo charged, as I’d be pretty lost without it (literally). Mine is an Anker something (it says “powercore slim” but I’m sure there was more than that to the full name).
Do you also take appropriate cables for all those things? Have you found a good solution for a Di2 cable, as the one that came with my bike is unnecessarily long for carrying around.
I would note not everything has rechargable batteries e.g. current Di2 shifters use coin batteries. So if you want to cover all your bases. If you use SRAM, a spare battery is probably easier than a power bank (as it’s a quick swap).
I would also note that I don’t worry about every device - e.g. if my heart rate monitor dies mid ride, that’s no big deal.
Just finished 6 days riding slowly on canal du Midi, and used INIU power bank to keep my phone charged so I could use bike tour company app with map and directions. After 7-8 hours it only used 25% of charge
I don’t carry a power bank on my normal rides, even 6hr plus rides. My Garmin and my phone can last that long I live on the edge.
But if I go away with the gravel bike for a bikepacking trip I’ll bring a Belkin powerbank which I charge off my Son dynamo hub through the day and that charges my devices over night. It can do pass through charging as well, which not every power bank can do, or at least at the time of shopping a couple years ago it was less common. This allows me to charge a device from the power bank while I charge the power bank while I ride.
