Winter, summer, off-road, on-road, gravel, mud, rain, and heat… all these things can affect the best choice of bicycle chain lube for your type of riding, in addition of course to your budget. So, what is the difference between wet lubricants and dry lubricants? What is Hydrodynamic lubrication? Are Ceramic lubricants an appropriate choice? I […]
Review – Ortlieb Frame-Pack TopTube Bikepacking Frame Bag
Ortlieb have cemented their reputation as ‘the original waterproof pannier brand‘ with good reason—their bags are superbly made and designed. I bought a set of Ortlieb Back Roller Waterproof Panniers for my 2011 France and Spain Tour and they are still going strong a decade later… When Ortlieb (eventually) made their approach on the fast-growing […]
Review – Secure Cycle Store SBD Metal 3 Bike Bunker Locker
A lack of infrastructure is the most frequently sighted reason for UK residents not using bicycles for transport. Infrastructure goes further than bike lanes and bicycle-friendly trains though; it also includes storage, both at home and at work/your destination. Providing adequate and secure storage for bicycles is a sure way to increase the number of […]
Review – Arundel Looney Bin and DTR/STR Sideloader Bottle Cage
Arundel is a beautiful town in West Sussex, with a magnificent castle that I have pasted on many occasion. Arundel Bicycle Company was formed in 2000, after the founders returned from a trip to the Milan bike show; with a desire to make carbon cages that looked ‘Italian beautiful’ but would hold your water bottles […]
Three factors you should consider when shopping for a new saddle
Anyone who has ridden a bike for an extended period of time knows the importance of a comfortable saddle. According to Brian Menezes, bike fit expert at Toronto’s Blacksmith Cycle, saddles are one of the most common sources of discomfort for cyclists (they can be a literal pain in the butt). “Saddles are a critical part […]
Good Reads – ‘End to End’ by Paul Jones
Heart warming and intensely personal, this is the story of a journey and the people that have made it. An incredible journey, from Lands End to John O’ Groats—by bicycle. Within its pages it incorporates a history of cycling from 1880 to the present day; how the record to achieve this iconic distance has gradually […]
Is RGT Cycling the new Zwift?
You may have recently seen other cyclists posting Strava rides that look like outdoor routes but are, in fact, virtual. The riders may be using RGT Cycling (RGT stands for Road Grand Tours) a virtual cycling app with some interesting features. Unlike Zwift, the most popular indoor cycling app, RGT free to join—but is it worth […]
Review – Outdoor Provisions Nut Butter Sachets
I have long been an advocate of nut butters for endurance fuel. Fuelling with fat and protein offers an energy source that is much more sustaining and lends itself to a more stable blood sugar profile than the peaks and troughs encountered with simple sugars. These two new nut butters from UK brand Outdoor Provisions […]
Study confirms the least ideal place to ride in a crosswind
This year’s windy UAE tour featured some great examples of echelon formations. If you’ve ever ridden in a crosswind you’ll know that it can slow you down way more than you’d expect and make handling your bike much harder. In crosswind conditions pelotons reorganize and shift into what is called an echelon formation. The diagonal […]
Review – Julbo Fury Cycling Sunglasses
Cycling sunglasses do a lot more than just protect your eyes from glare and UV rays; they are also a vital barrier against wind, grit, and overhanging trail surroundings. The Julbo Fury sunglasses are a lightweight set of all-weather riding glasses, which will protect your eyes even in the toughest off-road conditions. I have been […]
Review – HydraPak Flux 1L Flexible Water Bottle
Flexible soft bottles have been a secret weapon of mine on bikepacking and cycle touring adventures for a while. The compressible bottles are the ideal solution when you need to carry more water on scorching days, or you need to stock up on fluid before heading off for an overnight camp. I remember one time […]
How to train a trail dog
By Molly Hurford Picture this: you’re shredding some loamy singletrack on your mountain bike without a care in the world, sunlight streaming through the trees and man’s best friend – your pup – frolicking through the woods on your right-hand side. It doesn’t get much better than that, but it does take a fair bit […]