New year, new rides. January always feels like a fresh start: new cycling goals, new routes to explore, new PRs to chase. Maybe you’re dreaming of bigger climbs, fresh weekend loops, your first gran fondo, or simply more consistent training. The beginning of the year gives every rider that sense of a clean slate — a chance to reset, rebuild motivation, and imagine the kind of cyclist you want to be in 2026.
But while cycling gives us freedom, joy, and a deep sense of progress, there’s one reality we can’t ignore: road cycling remains vulnerable in real traffic. EU monitoring shows progress is still too slow, with around 19,800 road deaths in 2024 (≈‑3% vs. 2023), and vulnerable users (including cyclists) representing a large share of urban fatalities. The European Road Safety Observatory also notes that cyclist fatalities have not significantly declined over the past decade, with many fatal crashes involving motor vehicles.
If we want to keep enjoying the sport we love — and get home safely to the people who care about us — we can add smart, unobtrusive layers of protection using technology we already carry. With your phone and the right tools, you can ride with more visibility, more awareness, and more peace of mind. Below, you’ll find four practical actions to start 2026 smarter and safer, supported by My Bike Guard, the FREE cycling app built around performance, connectivity, and safety.
1. Use the Tech You Already Have: Turn Your Phone Into Your Cycling Hub
A common misconception in road cycling is that you need high‑end cycling computers to ride smarter and safer. These devices can easily cost several hundred euros. In reality, you already bring the core hardware to every ride: your phone.
With the right app, your phone becomes a clean, readable cockpit that shows only what matters while letting you keep eyes primarily on the road. That’s exactly what My Bike Guard is designed for: a free, safety‑first riding experience with a Metrics Panel built for quick glances (large fonts, high contrast, minimal clutter), Sessions to log your rides (with Strava sync rolling out soon), and compatibility with existing safety gear like cycling radars.
EU safety analysis highlights that many severe cyclist–motor‑vehicle conflicts happen where riders most need clarity and predictability (junctions, narrow roads, mixed‑traffic). A readable screen helps reduce distraction and keeps attention where it matters.
2. Enable Smart Car Alerts with Your Rear Radar (rear‑approach alerts, not guesswork)
A few seconds of warning can make a meaningful difference. Smart Car Alerts in My Bike Guard, when paired with a compatible rear radar (ANT+/Bluetooth), notify you of fast‑approaching vehicles from behind with clear visual and audio cues, so you can hold your line and avoid risky movements.
How it works
A rear radar detects vehicles behind you, estimates distance/closing speed, and sends that data to your phone.
My Bike Guard displays configurable alerts inside your ride screen (sound, vibration, visual emphasis).
As radar technology becomes more common, practical guides and research explore how rear‑awareness assistance can be delivered without compromising forward focus.
Pair your radar in My Bike Guard before your next ride to enable Smart Car Alerts.
3. Share Your Ride: Family Ride Guard (coming soon)
Staying connected isn’t only about safety; it’s also about peace of mind. With Family Ride Guard (rolling out soon), people you explicitly trust and authorize — family, friends, a training partner — will receive a notification on their phone when you start a ride. From that moment, they can check your live location during your outing for the exact window you allow.
This adds no friction on a group ride and can be invaluable if something unexpected happens — a mechanical, a route change, or a quiet stretch of countryside. On solo rides, it offers reassurance for those waiting at home, without distracting you.
Key points:
You control who gets start‑ride notifications and who can see live location.
Sharing is temporary and privacy‑first: you set the duration and can end sharing anytime.
This approach aligns with widely recommended safety practices across EU guidance (predictability, coordination, visibility). My Bike Guard supports these practices by enabling controlled notifications and time‑boxed location sharing.
Download My Bike Guard and be among the first to try Family Ride Guard.
4. Boost Your Visibility — Day and Night
It may seem counter‑intuitive, but many cycling crashes happen in broad daylight — exactly when riders often overestimate how visible they are under glare and visual clutter. Evidence from randomized trials and visibility research shows daytime running lights (DRLs) and high‑contrast rear lighting can reduce crash risk and help drivers detect cyclists earlier.
Use a clean, easy‑to‑read setup on your phone
High‑contrast display: light text on dark background (or vice‑versa) for bright daylight.
Large, readable numbers: bigger fonts = shorter glances.
Only the essentials: keep 3–4 metrics on screen (speed, distance, elevation, time).
Simple layout: fewer elements, clear spacing, no unnecessary widgets.
Designed for quick glances: My Bike Guard’s ride screen minimizes screen time to keep your focus on the road.
Practical wins today
Run a daylight‑visible rear light with a distinct flash pattern.
Add reflective accents (gilet stripe, heel tabs, seat‑bag panel) to create moving contrast.
Combine a clean phone cockpit with strong daytime lighting for a simple, proven visibility baseline.
Make Every Ride Count—Safely
Riding is one of the best things you can do for body and mind—it gives you freedom and that unexplainable feeling we all chase. Yet we shouldn’t forget that it’s also a sport that exposes us directly to the road, and with that exposure comes risk. It’s something we shouldn’t ignore, but rather approach with intention: small, smart habits that help us ride safer.
The My Bike Guard app turns your phone into a smart companion, for FREE, helping you ride with more awareness and stay focused on the ride. Combine this with clear communication with riders and drivers, daytime‑visible lights and reflective details, and regular bike checks, and you’re choosing to ride smarter, more confidently, and with more peace of mind—for yourself and for those you love.
Make your 2026 safer and smarter.
Try it today: Download My Bike Guard (FREE), start your first Session in under 30 seconds, pair your radar for Smart Car Alerts, and join early access for Family Ride Guard.