Our favorite gear at Sea Otter Classic wasn't the bikes—it was the accessories

A Bluetooth suction-cup rack and a palm-sized tow rope were among our most practical finds. MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif.—Bicycles are a strange technology. While there have been some notable modifications from the dandy horse to the penny-farthing, since the advent of the “safety bicycle” in the 1880s, the fundamentals of bike design haven’t changed all that much. Put another way, most bike riders today could understand how to use a bike made in the 1890s. Still, for any bike fan, Sea Otter Classic—the biggest consumer trade cycling show in the world—showcases all kinds of new rigs and creative accessories. It’s basically Christmas for bike dorks. From April 16 through April 19, at the Laguna Seca Raceway, on a hilltop in Fort Ord, just outside Monterey (roughly 115 miles south of San Francisco), this show has hundreds of exhibitors showcasing new products from major companies to smaller firms. It’s worth noting that over the last two centuries, the bike universe has expanded considerably: now exhibitors represent not only road and mountain bikes but also, increasingly, e-bikes, gravel bikes, cargo bikes, and much more. Many major industry brands are represented at Sea Otter: Continenta

Apr 22, 2026 → Apr 22, 2026