The most cost-efficient mode of transport for food delivery riders would be the bicycle, as not only is the capital is low, but the maintenance cost would not be as high as compared to ebikes (electric bicycle) and motorbikes. It is also good to invest in a lightly used or brand new bicycle as you’d not want to deal with frequent maintenance with it. You could also explore our bicycles on our page or check out our latest blog post on the break down of which bicycle to get from Decathlon HERE.
Bicycle Rear Rack
By far, mostly only city bikes come with a rear rack. For foldable bicycles, mountain bicycles as well as road bicycles, most do not come along with a quick release rear rack.
We would recommend this quick release rear rack for cyclists as it easy to install, using only an allen key (provided). This rear rack is also compatible with all of the bicycles in the market as not only can the length of the rear be adjusted, but also the “legs” of the rear rack can be adjusted to your desired height as well.
Thermal Bag Rack/Base
After mounting the quick release rear rack, you’ll need to purchase a base for your bag and the base rack is differentiated into two types of base racks, the Silver BBQ Mesh Metal Base & 4 Handlebar Black Metal Base .
The Silver BBQ Mesh Metal Base comes in 3 sizes, 32 Litre, 48 Litre & 80 Litre, while the 4 Handlebar Black Metal Base comes in 48 Litre & 80 Litre.
Thermal Bags
GrabFood Thermal Bag
As of time of writing – July 2022, regardless of mode of delivery, GrabFood’s latest thermal bag is 90 Litre and would require to either use the 80 Litre BBQ Mesh or 80 Litre 4 Handlebar Metal Base.
Lalamove Thermal Bag
For Lalamove’s latest thermal bag, regardless of your mode of transport, you will be given only a 48 Litre thermal bag, hence a 48 Litre Metal Base would fit just right.
Foodpanda Thermal Bag
If you have registered as a Foodpanda cyclist, you’ll receive the 48 Litre thermal bag whereas for Foodpanda motorcyclists, an 80 Litre thermal bag will be sent to you. The 48 Litre metal base would be suitable for the 48 Litre thermal bag, while the 80 Litre BBQ Mesh or 4 Handlebar Metal Base will be suitable for the 80 Litre thermal bag.
MFC Bag or Backpack
The founder of MFC has collected hundreds, if not thousands of feedback from food delivery riders, and riders have shared various improvements that could be made on the thermal bags. Although riders from their respective companies (GrabFood, Foodpanda) etc. would have also given their feedback to their own companies, however as a corporate entity, there may be some resource or time constraints when it comes to implementing these changes.
From our humble observations, at least 2/3 of delivery riders do not use their respective company’s thermal bags and choose to use thermal bag from external companies such as MFC as their bags have more features, a more premium quality interior and exterior, guranteeing greater longevity.
MFC produced a series of magnetic sling bags which can be fitted onto the metal bases, then attached to the bicycle rear rack. However, there is a small percentage of bicycles are not compatible with the bicycle rear rack, hence one would have to use a carry-on backpack instead.
Their magnetic backpack series comes in 2 sizes – the 23.5L and 42L for riders looking for various capacities. Unlike regular thermal bags that depend on an internal frame, the structure of the magnetic backpack is held up by secure hardboards that are less likely to break from usage.
Phone Holders & Pouches
Batman Phone Holder
The Batman phone holder is commonly used by motorbike riders as it is deemed the most secure phone holder currently in the market. This secure yet affordable phone holder which includes handlebar mount, 360° rotating connector & the phone mount itself would cost only at $35.
Flash Armour Phone Holder
On the other hand, the flash phone mount can be operated by using just 1 hand. Release your mobile phone by just squeezing the sides and replace it by simply putting gentle pressure onto the phone holder, which would then activate all corners to close by itself!
Rockbros Waterproof Phone Holder 2-in-1 Pouch
When it comes to waterproofing your mobile phone, there are mainly 2 ways to do so, firstly by using the Fidlock Medi Waterproof Bag, which is also compatible with the Batman Phone Holder.
Another way would be to use the 2-in-1 Rockbros Waterproof Phone Holder Pouch. It is not only a waterproof phone holder, but it also doubles up as a pouch to store your personal items such as power bank, cables & keys!
Wildman Front Pouch
Wildman has also designed and produced multiple variations of pouches and if you think that the Rockbros 2-in-1 waterproof phone holder isn’t your cup of tea, you could consider the Wildman front pouch that comes in 2 Litres, 3 Litres and 4 Litres.
Seats
Suspension Seat
You have heard of seats with suspension but have you heard of a seat pole with suspension?
This seat pole is designed for our 48V Eco Drive 2.0 to ease the hassle of removing the entire seat pole to remove the battery however if the diameter of your seat pole measures at 27.2 ⌀ (indications are marked on your seat pole), you could consider getting the suspension seat pole to increase your riding experience while delivering!
Bicycle Saddle
Bicycle Saddle Cover Btwin Ergofit 500 M/ L/ XL – Black
Every individual’s preference on the saddle is very subjective, hence we will not dive too deep into it but if you feel that your saddle could use an additional cushioning, Decathlon’s bicycle saddle cover uses memory form coating which could further increase the comfort when you are riding. At only $10, why not give it a try? It also comes in Medium, Large and Extra Large sizes.
Raincoat
Here’s how to not spend money on a high quality raincoat: go and dig out your old army gortex! We bet that you do not remember how much it costs as you have used your credit to purchase it, but through a quick search on carousell, there are users that list them up for as high as $100. Frankly, we do not recall how much does it cost brand new either but we expect it to cost over $100 for a brand new one right now!
However, if you have not enlisted into NS or you do not have a gortex jacket, we would recommend Decathlon’s Men City Cycling Rain Jacket Btwin 120 Waterproof PPE. In our opinion, this is a good investment as this raincoat has been lab tested, where they have recreated the conditions of an average downpour: 60L water per square metre per hour for 2 hours. It also provides high visibility, ventilated design on the sides and weighing at only 300 grams (in size L).
Cup Holder
Unlike the MFC Version 3 Magnetic Thermal Bag which comes with built in stretchable cup holder, if you currently own your respective company’s thermal bag or a Velcro thermal bag, it may not have a built-in cup holder inside the bag. You might want to consider getting a cup holder instead. Cup holder comes in 4 cup placement, 6 cup placement & 8 cup placement.
LED Lights
Under Singapore laws it is essential to ensure your bicycle is equipped with a rear red light or reflector and a white headlight – especially between 7PM-7AM, according to the Highway Code.
Although most cyclists adhere to this rule, many make the mistake of opting for multicoloured lights. Unfortunately for them, only white lights are allowed to be used in front, and red lights on the rear.
Bicycle Lock
Low crime doesn’t mean no crime! You should always be wary of where you park your bike especially if you own an expensive bicycle. We would recommend the Bike Lock Elops 920 D as This lock offers an excellent level of security that keeps your bike safe for longer. It has been awarded a Safety level rating of 8/10.
Helmet
Last but not least as we all know, the most important part of our body is our head and needless to say, safety gears such as helmet is mandatory for for all cyclist while cycling on the road. Indeed, there are still riders who still do not wear a helmet. However, it is best to protect yourself and get back home safely.
