Tag: Commute

Family driving – Isuzu D-Max AT35

Posted in Ad, Advert, Automotive, Cars, Commuting, Isuzu, ParentingTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This is a first – as mentioned previously, I’m going to start writing about all things automotive as well as cycling. The write ups will be based on what the vehicle was like as a whole, for use as a family (I’ve two little rug rats, a two-year-old called Barnaby and a three-month-old called Elijah) and the practicality of living with it for a week. I’m very lucky that manufacturers are trusting me with their vehicles and also very thankful that they’re supplying them to me on loan for a week.

There is no escaping one thing with the AT35, it’s colossal size, this is a marriage between Isuzu and the crazy Icelandic company Arctic Trucks, hence the name. AT standing for Arctic Trucks and 35 for the size of the wheel, 35 inches. THIRTY-FIVE INCHES OF WHEEL, they’re seriously big, all weather all terrain tyres and you only get four, no spare, can you imagine the weight of a fully inflated wheel which has a 17″ alloy too. You’d need to be Geoff Capes to lift it.

The main updates which Arctic Trucks bring to the D-Max are, R17 315/70 35″ Nokian
Rotiva Tyres, 17″ x 10″ Alloy Wheels, Fox Performance Series Suspension and Flared Wheel Arch Extensions. Arctic Trucks bolt all this on to a fairly Standard D-Max, along with leather seats which has the Arctic Trucks logo stitched in. There are other features too, like heated front seats, Sat Nav, keyless start, rear camera and much needed rear parking sensors along with cruise control and the all-important IsoFix for your car seats!

But what does all this added extra do for the 2019 Pick-up of the year? The Fox Suspension boosts the ride height of a standard D-Max by 125mm meaning apart from an actual articulated lorry, you’re pretty much the highest thing on the road, which is a great driving position down the country lanes and is very comfortable on the motorway but around town is a little bit… well, you’re not exactly what some would describe as subtle. So, let’s look at what the car is like…

The Engine

When you look at this D-Max on steroids and when you sit in the driver’s seat for the first time you want to turn the engine on and hear a V8 bark in to life and burble away to match the looks. However, my two-year-old described it ‘Like tractor.’ it’s a 1.9 4, in line diesel good for 164ps and 360lb ft of torque and a 125,000- or five-year warranty. It’s known to be a very reliable motor and I don’t dispute it; however, it leaves straight line performance lacking. The hulk wasn’t built to sprint though, was he? The AT35 is unrivalled by other off-road pick-ups and would give a Defender a run for its money off-road. Towing, the AT35 can pull up to 3500kg and carry 1055kg in the bed – handy for all your building supplies, or iCandy peach and carry cot along with your Waitrose shopping.

Handling

The big tyres and bigger suspension do become a factor here, you can certainly feel the bumps as you’re going down the road and with no significant weight in the bed, going over speed bumps the back does buck around as you head over them. You have to put in more to the steering wheel than you would think in order to go around corners and attacking lanes at speed is a bit like expecting a cruise-liner to park in Venice. Three-point turns can become 5 point turns due to the vehicle’s length and wheel lock. Again, the AT35 can defend its self here and say it’s not designed to be going around corners on rails, nor to be negating supermarket car parks. But if it wasn’t built to do the everyday well as well as the excursion off-road, what was it built for?

A final note on the handling, I found the steering wheel a bit slippy and at low speeds the steering is very heavy due to the big tyres. Added together, you find yourself really going at the steering to get it going.

Family life

There is just so much space – so much space. There’s room for two iso-fix car seats in the back and you can fit someone in between them, maybe not for long journeys but for under an hour, a family of four and a mother-in-law can head out, pretty much anywhere, for the day.

The iso-fix is easy to locate. I have a Britax Romer Dual Fix for Barnaby and a Maxi-Cosi Easy Fix base with Maxi-Cosi pebble for Elijah. I found putting the seats in and taking them out again super easy and the height of the D-max helped, there was no digging around getting a sore back as you’re hunched over.

Obviously, there’s plenty of room in the bed, you’ll need a cover, hard top or otherwise though. Having a hard-top means, you basically have a boot the size of a small car so trips to Centre Parcs can be handled easily. I usually find it a bit of a squeeze to get my iCandy Peach chassis and carry cot in to the boot along with all the other things for a baby and two-year-old. However, here there was no issue. You could put that in, your weeks shopping and enough luggage for a two-week holiday and you wouldn’t even notice.

Turning up to kiddy clubs was a change though, the AT35 certainly stands out in the car park, I felt a little embarrassed at times opening the door other times it was just fun and made me smile.

Would I buy one?

I had many questions from on the AT35 and many people who were just stunned by the size and wanted to just see. I loved having to climb in and hop out, knowing that literally nothing could stop me in my tracks and the low-end grunt from the engine and size of the tyres.

I loved it, it was great fun. The utility feel of the AT35 inside left something to be desired but almost made me feel like I could take anything on.

The on the road price for this model was £46,203 and almost £54,000 for the top of the range Safir model. I don’t think that showed on the inside – there was plenty of plastic and while you had nice things like a much needed rear view camera, SatNav, heated seats, electric driver’s seat and leather upholstery it was not refined like a Mercedes X-class would be or like a luxury SUV of a similar price.

One thing you can’t buy in those vehicles though is the sense of fun and the knowledge that if you do find yourself all of a sudden dropped in the middle of a farmer’s field, there’ll be no issue in having to get out.

A smidge over 10 Grand less and this would be so appealing. If you could get all this car for £35,000 Absolutely, I’d buy one.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Links

You can see my other blogs here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here

Advertisements

Parenting and Professional Cycling: In Conversation with Daniel Lloyd

Posted in Bikes, Blog, Blogging, Children, Cycling, Fitness, health, Interview, Kids, Parenting, Sports, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’m incredibly excited to say that my Parenting and professional cycling series continues, this time with Dan Lloyd, Grand Tour finisher and current GCN presenter. Dan had a solid rise through the ranks of professional cycling in a short space of time and enjoyed success along the way. Dan didn’t start his career in professional cycling until after his 25th birthday so, there’s still hope out there for some!

  • At what age in your life do you think that you were interested by cycling and was there a certain inspiration which got you on the bike?

I got into it when I was 13.  My friend’s Uncle used to give him old copies of MBUK magazine, and it really sparked an interest for me.  I pestered my Dad to get me a MTB, and about 8 months later, for Christmas, he got me a Marin Muirwoods.  It was about £400, I loved it, and I loved the sport.  That was when I got addicted to it, basically.

  • What came first professional cycling or parenting? Am I right in thinking they coincided around the same time?

For me it was slightly different to convention, in that when I met my wife, our older son Ralf was already 3, so I didn’t do the early years with him.  I was 25 at the time, and still hadn’t really made it.  Lorraine had to be patient with both me and Ralf from that respect, as I continued to try and make a career out of it.  So you’re right, they kind of coincided.  Jude was born in 2011, which was the year that I didn’t get my contract renewed with Garmin, so it has never really been such a factor in his life.

  • What was it like travelling Europe with a small baby at home and a first time mum? Did you have much time to think about what was going on at home or were you focused on racing and your job?

I’d say I was still very focussed.  I think every pro cyclist is, even if becoming a parent changes your life and outlook significantly.  When Jude was born, for example, he was a little early, so I came home the day after Amstel, landed at 2pm, and was back home with Lorraine and a baby by 11pm.  In my head I was still going to go back for Fleche and Liege, as I was due a break after that period anyway, but the team told me to stay at home.

I have always been very fortunate with Lorraine, she’s a real doer, from family life to work life, she just gets things done, without (too) much fuss!  That makes a big difference.

  • You must be passionate about cycling to get in to racing but is there a point that you think, this is no longer my passion, this is my job and a way to provide for my family?

I don’t think I was at the top level long enough for that to become ‘a thing’ for me.  The first time that anything like that dawned on me was when my contract wasn’t renewed.  Until that point, my career had always been on an upward trajectory, both in terms of the level that I was riding, and also the money I was earning.  The end of 2011 was tough for a few weeks, as I had no plan for what to do after racing, and I suddenly realised how hard it was going to be, to earn a similar amount in the ‘real world’.

Again, Lorraine came into her own.  She hadn’t been working for a year, but immediately realised what the situation could be, and went out and got a job.  As it turned out, I landed on my feet with a few other things in 2012, and then GCN came along at the end of that year, but it was only really that time at the end of 2011 where I realised what financial responsibility I had to provide for my family.

  • It must be easy for people to forget that you were, once, a professional cyclist before a GCN presenter and Eurosport commentator. Considering you’ve ridden in four classics and finished two Giro’s and a Tour, what is your proudest moment on the bike and also off of it?

Proudest moment on the bike will always be my first Tour of Flanders.  It was the race that I always loved the most, and to be honest I don’t think I ever thought I’d ride it.  The whole experience was amazing, from start to finish.  The start in Bruges gave me good bumps – that massive square packed with fans, riding up on to the podium with Thor and Heino, that was brilliant.  And then in the race itself, I was going really well (for me).  Between the Paterberg and the Koppenberg, I’d made the front selection, and so Andreas Klier said to attack if I could.  I went, Chavanel, Quinziato and Leif Hoste followed me, and so for a while, deep into the race, I was at the front.

After that, the dream soon came to an end, the lights went out for me when Chavanal attacked, and I was later passed by Boonen, Devolder and Pozzato at warp speed, but it was a great experience, particularly with Heino getting 2nd on the day.

Off the bike, I’m of course proudest of my family.  Like everyone, we’ve had our ups and downs, but we’ve come through strong and it’s great to see how well Ralf and Jude are doing in life.  From a work perspective, I’m very proud of what we’ve all achieved at GCN.  We didn’t really know what we were doing at the start, we were just kind of making it up as we went along, but every single person worked their arses off, and that paid off, just as it would do in sport.  What gives me the most satisfaction is the feedback we get from the public.  I like to think that we made cycling accessible, and fun, which is why we all got into it in the first place.

  • Your first Grand Tour came in 2009 at the Giro d’Italia, which you’re now doing a very good job on reporting for Eurosport, what was that first tour like, the training, the preparation, riding it? When did you find out you were going to be riding it that year and how did that feel?

The preparation was awful – I’d come down with some sort of bug in the lead up to the race, so I just wasn’t feeling myself.  It got to the point where I felt so bad in training, that I was considering calling management to say that I wasn’t in a fit state to ride.  It’s the last feeling you want to have on the lead up to your first Grand Tour.

Thankfully, I felt good during the race itself.  I made the mistake of eating and drinking too much (on the bike!), though, and put on 4kgs in 2 weeks.  I was just so fearful of bonking or not having enough energy to make it through, that I went overboard.  It was tough, but also rewarding – we got 4 stage wins, and Carlos was up there overall.  The whole thing was a massive learning curve, but like many things in cycling, it was fun, in hindsight!

  • You strike me as a man who would have a very understanding wife and who would support your training fully by looking after the kids while you went off galivanting on the bike… What was it like for you?

I’ve already alluded to that, above, but you’re right, Lorraine was always very supportive of my training and racing.  And that’s one of the reasons that I don’t ride so much now.  I’m still away a fair bit, and up at the office a lot, so I just can’t justify getting home and heading out on the bike for 2 hours, it wouldn’t be fair.

  • One thing I feel when I go off on my bike / train and leave my wife with the kids is guilt, I feel guilty that I’m having a nice time away from the kids relaxing, while they’re both probably screaming, crying, causing havoc and driving my wife mad. Do you ever get over that?

Yeah, you do.  Ralf is 16, Jude is 8, we’ve got past that stage.  In fact, if Lorraine and I want to head out for the evening, Ralf looks after Jude – they get along pretty well.  At this stage of life, the stresses are less, it’s just a case of taking them to their various clubs, sport etc.  And to be honest, with Ralf driving in a few months time, it’s going to get even easier.

I used to get a heavy heart when I was shutting the door to go away for a few weeks.  It wasn’t so much guilt at not behind able to do my part, but just the wrenching feeling of knowing how much I was going to miss them.  That actually got harder as I got older, I don’t know why.

My tactic was always to claim that I’d had very hard days when I was away, but I’m pretty sure I was never believed…..

  • What advice would you have to any cycling parent to young kids?

That depends.  If you’re a pro, you need to use it as extra motivation, to push yourself harder, to be more efficient with your time, to make the most of every moment that you’re having to spend away from your family.

If cycling is just a hobby, it’s a really tough one.  I would say that most people have to throttle right back on the amount of time they dedicate to cycling, and I also think that’s the way it should be.  It takes up an enormous amount of time, and money too.  The parenting phase of your life is a long one, and I guess it never really ends, but there will come a time when you’ll have a bit more freedom again, and that is the point at which you can spend longer cycling again.  Before that – concentrate on your family, just ride if or when you have time.

  • You’ve got the power to change one thing about professional cycling, what is it?

Based on the first week of the Giro, I’d say long boring sprint stages.  Unfortunately, like most, I don’t have the answer.  I like watching the sprints, I have so much respect for what those guys and girls do, but the 5 hours or so that comes before it is, I think, a terrible advert for our sport.  If you’ve never watched a bike race before, and you flick over with 80kms to go on a flat stage, you’re never going to watch a bike race again.  It’s a tough one – I’m all for tradition, but at the same time I don’t want cycling to get left behind because it wasn’t willing to adapt.

 

So there we have it – Daniel Lloyd on Parenting and Professional Cycling, for me, I will take away the advice cycling and having young kids – Dan is right, when it comes to it you do have to take a step back from your hobbies when you become a parent. Accepting that and with less peer pressure and time, it get’s easier and more about the enjoyment of cycling that clocking miles and high average speeds.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this series and if there’s anyone who you would like to see interviewed, comment below if there is anyone you would like and I would do my damnedest to track them down!

The Links

You can see my other blogs here

I am Affiliated with Merlin Cycles, to help keep this blog running, you can see their range here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here

Cycle To Work Scheme – twenty years on

Posted in Bikes, Blog, Blogging, Commuting, Cycle To Work, Cycling, Fitness, health, Lifestyle, SportsTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Twenty years, that’s a long time. A life time for some, well, those who were born in 1999 anyway, what were you doing in ’99? Me? I was not even ten, probably causing havoc in my mum and dads back garden, being told about the Millennium Bug and dreaming of a Subaru Impreza P1.

The Cycle to Work Scheme was started as a way to encourage the nations workforce to a healthier life and ease road congestion. As an incentive, companies enlisted in the scheme are able to save money when reimbursed through the scheme, while employees are entitled to an affordable way to purchase a new bike, tax-free. Yes, a tax free bike, you just need to work for a business which is signed up to the scheme and you’re only allowed £1,000 towards your bike and equipment.

Bikes can be used for your weekend ride as well as commuting to work, and at the end of the loan term – which is essentially a hire period for your equipment – employees can purchase the gear by paying any outstanding fees; otherwise, it will belong to the employer.

As an incentive, it’s very enticing but did it work? Well, people are travelling further on bikes, on average, in 2002 987 miles were covered per year rising to 1144 in 2017 however, the number of cyclists has largely stayed about the same.

The Scheme falls down in trying to convince non-cyclists to become cyclists and ditch the car for the bike, no surprise that the main reason for this was road safety and having the confidence to ride the bikes on the road. There are other moans and groans to of it taking too long to travel by bike, a car being more convenient and (surprisingly for me) there’s too much traffic. You’d think with more traffic people might see the advantage of going by bike?

With 57% of the people who are involved in the scheme already cyclists, it’s seen as a fantastic way to upgrade your bike and kit which is affordable and still indulge in your passion for pedal pushing.

And for those who make a long term commitment to swapping their car for their bike, they can enjoy incredible health and financial benefits as detailed in this infographic from Merlin: What would happen to your body if you swapped your car for a bike? The results showed that once the year is up, you’ll have stronger muscles, prolonged mental health benefits and have saved a small fortune.

I feel like I’m preaching to the choir here as many of you reading this are probably already cyclists and already own a bike but, n+1, right? My point remains though, when living in East London, commuting by bike was easier and better than travelling by tube, certainly in the summer when the tube was just so hot and busy. Conversely, travelling by bike, the smog was just so much that it actually had an effect on my lungs. However I felt better about myself when I did cycle in. If things are made in to a routine they become easier.

I think what really needs to change is employers mindset. An area to store bikes which is safe and simple maintenance equipment is a huge benefit, as is a shower. However, it seems that installing an electric charge point for cars is a better incentive for employers as the cost of installation is cheaper than that of a decent shower for cyclists. The government can do all they can in building a better infrastructure but, to me, it means nothing unless employers will build the bike shed and showers. So more than tax breaks, help your workforce to a healthier life and it might become a benefit for employees.

The Links

You can see my other blogs here

Merlin Cycles offers a huge range of bikes and kit and can be found here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here

Wahoo Releases the ELEMNT ROAM GPS Cycling Computer

Posted in Blog, Commuting, Cycle To Work, Cycling, GPS, health, Lifestyle, Sports, Uncategorized, Wahoo, Womens CyclingTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Quickly following the release of the limited edition ELEMNT BOLT, Wahoo have now released their ROAM GPS Cycling Computer.

It seems there is a new trend in cycling, in the form of adventure cycling, with clothing and bike manufacturers pump out glorious looking photos in hot landscapes with stunning scenery and sunsets, Wahoo have followed with this new GPS.

The ROAM, it seems, is here to help cyclists navigate around if they want to go off an explore a road or trail which they’ve not before. It has some cool New Smart Navigation features which will enable cyclists to do so, by guiding back to your original route, which has been pre-planned in to the ROAM, you can also create a new route on the fly, or help you find the fastest way home.

Other new features found on ROAM include an ambient light sensor that automatically turns the screen backlight on or off and adjusts the brightness of the screen and Quick Look LEDs through changing light conditions, indoors or out; and an integrated out-front mount (patent pending) that gives ROAM a clean, sleek look. ROAM’s interface includes several new Smart Navigation features accessible directly on the computer, including:

  • Get Me Started — Navigates cyclists to the start of their route
  • Back On Track — Navigates cyclists back to their route if they take a wrong turn
  • Take Me To — Allows cyclists to select a location on their ROAM using new pan and zoom functionality, and get directions to that location
  • Saved Locations — Easily route to locations saved on ROAM 
  • Route To Start — Find the shortest route back to the start of your rideRetrace Route — Reverse your route to navigate back to the start along the original route

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“As more cyclists are using their bikes to explore lesser-trafficked areas, or navigating while riding new roads or trails, we are so excited to offer ROAM — a computer purposefully designed to meet the challenges of cyclists around the world, especially navigating while riding,” said Chip Hawkins, Wahoo CEO and Founder. “With ROAM, we’ve taken our proven, intuitive, and easy-to-use ELEMNT platform — loved by all kinds of riders — and added features to create a powerful new tool that cyclists can use to guide them on every kind of ride.”

More than just being able to point you in the right direction when you get lost the ROAM also features a 2.7” colour display and 17+ hour battery life, for those days you feel like riding from the moment you wake up until you go to bed. Other new features found on ROAM include an ambient light sensor that automatically turns the screen backlight on or off and adjusts the brightness of the screen and Quick Look LEDs through changing light conditions, indoors or out; and an integrated out-front mount.

ROAM is available today at WahooFitness.com and will put you back £299.99.

The Links

You can see my other blogs here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here

Wahoo Unveils New Limited Edition Colours for ELEMNT BOLT

Posted in Bikes, Blog, Blogging, Clothing, Commuting, Cycle To Work, Cycling, GPS, health, Sports, Wahoo, Womens CyclingTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Now regular cycling house hold name Wahoo has released limited edition colours for the ELEMNT BOLT on the first day of the Sea Otter Classic.

I’ve never used the ELEMNT Bolt, but two years ago I did try out the ELEMNT and loved it, back then I more than thought it was more than an adequate replacement for any Garmin which was on offer. Just seeing how Wahoo has taken off since then can only confirm that.

The ELEMNT BOLT, the world’s first GPS computer designed to be aerodynamically efficient, is equipped with Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ dual-band technology, ELEMNT BOLT pairs seamlessly with all of your cycling sensors. It works with the free ELEMNT companion app, which allows you to set up your data fields, customise your profiles, track performance, and share ride data effortlessly — all without clicking through confusing menus. Plus, programmable LED QuickLook Indicators provide an easy way to see if you’re on pace with important performance metrics.

The new colours do not cover the whole BOLT, just the back, replacing the traditional grey, are a shocking pink and bright blue. “While the classic grey looks good on any bike, we know that some cyclists look for opportunities to use their bike to express their own style, and we want to help by offering more colourful options,” said ELEMNT Product Manager Megan Powers. “Our customers were especially clamouring for a pink BOLT, and in looking at the whole cycling landscape, it was clear that there was an opportunity to match many current bikes and kits with a blue BOLT. We’re pleased to offer Wahooligans these new Limited Edition colours, and hope they’ll help cyclists create their own unique on-bike looks.”

I’d have preferred colours which are not so gender splitting, orange, green, purple… maybe even yellow, green and polka dot white and red, to match that or the Tour de France jerseys.

Blue and pink just feels a bit boys and girls. I don’t feel as if it would be an addition to my bike or kit colours, however a nice bit of colour never goes a miss. So, more colour options, please Wahoo!

The Limited Edition BOLT colours are available for sale at WahooFitness.com now and cost £199.99.

The Links

You can Buy a Wahoo ELEMNT here

You can follow me on Twitter here

You can see my Instagram here

You can ‘Like’ me on Facebook here

And you can see my other blog posts here

New bike day – LOOK e-765 Optimum

Posted in Bikes, Blog, Blogging, Commuting, Cycle To Work, Cycling, Electric Bikes, Fitness, health, SportsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

LOOK have announced the arrival of two new gravel bikes to their range – the 765 Gravel RS and e-765 Gravel – signifying the historic French marque’s arrival in the fast-growing segment.

The e-765 Optimum bike represents a brand new direction for LOOK, utilising the marque’s unrivalled carbon expertise and marrying it to the excellence of an integrated Fazua motor and battery system. The e-765 Optimum is made entirely in-house, and as a result carries with it LOOK’s potent performance DNA alongside the convenience of electrical assistance.

At the core is a fully-fledged carbon performance road bike – the carbon frame is made up of specifically optimised fibres laid up into an endurance-bred geometry that allows the e-road bike to meet the needs of its rider; stiffness and responsiveness where it’s required balanced by compliance and durability.

The frame’s seatstays are an important source of innovation – created using a new ‘3D Wave’ design that incorporates two deflections into the tubes, LOOK’s engineers have built an extra 15% vertical compliance into the rear triangle of the e-765 Optimum, compared to a standard carbon construction, supposedly resulting in a comfortable all-day ride.

Meanwhile, the e-765 Optimum’s neatly integrated Fazua motor and battery system produces assistance without disrupting the aesthetic of the bike.

Fazua’s motor and battery system is world-renowned for its integrated and lightweight design – the motor and battery adds just 4.6kg to the overall weight of the bike, with the entire machine weighing an average of 13.4kg. The motor will assist riders up to 25km/h, with four modes possible including a 400W ‘rocket mode’ selectable through the handlebar-mounted remote. More than enough power to give you a Chris Froome style boost up the Colle delle Finestre.

The close partnership between Fazua and LOOK has enabled the French brand to research their own power mapping profile for the electronic control unit, developed for optimum performance in a road riding situation following a year-long study into rider habits by LOOK.

The Fazua system has an integrated app, which allows the rider to turn your smartphone into a fully-functional bike computer, including GPS navigation, speed recording, as well as providing metrics on how they are using their battery power and motor, and temperature readings. Plus, the electrical system is completely detachable, converting the e-765 Optimum into an ordinary pedal-powered road bike.

Bernard Hinault, 5-time Tour de France Champion and LOOK Ambassador, said: “When the LOOK teams first spoke to me of their desire to develop an electric road bike made of carbon, I must say that I was surprised. However, the time spent engaging in the design process alongside the engineers, and in particular the first few pedal strokes on the e-765 Optimum convinced me immediately!

“It is a genuine revolution for any cyclist – I would never have believed they could retain all of the sensations of a 100% muscle-driven bike. It has become my benchmark bike!”

Two models will be available, featuring Ultegra Di2 and Ultegra groupsets, with immediate availability in Europe before spreading to other territories in the near future.

e-765 Optimum Ultegra Di2 – €7,699
e-765 Optimum Ultegra – €6,499

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

You can see my other blogs here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here

Muc-Off launches No Puncture Hassle Tubeless Sealant

Posted in Cleaning, Clothing, Commuting, Cycling, Muc-Off, Safety, SportiveTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Muc-Off, the leading manufacturer of bicycle cleaning and maintenance products worldwide, has announced the launch of their No Puncture Hassle Tubeless Sealant.

‘No Puncture’ has been developed alongside some of the world’s top downhill and pro-peloton teams to give you the finest tyre sealant available. Compatible with tubeless ready and full UST wheels/tyres, the tyre sealants 140ml pouch design fits perfectly over a Presta valve to give mess-free installation. It can also be poured straight into the tyre if you don’t have removable valve cores.

The sealants formula contains cutting-edge microfibre molecules that fill bigger holes and tears, whilst advanced latex clings to the whole tyre inner for maximum protection and forms a tough instant seal over the hole.

‘No Puncture Hassle’ also contains a unique UV detection system that highlights any punctures a rider hasn’t seen during their ride. It’s biodegradable, non-corrosive to your wheels or tyres and easy to wash off with water. The formula also uses C02 compatible latex and is packed with antifreeze to stop it shrivelling up unlike some other sealants that ball up when used with C02.

Muc-Off Managing Director, Alex Trimnell, said: “We have tested ‘No Puncture Hassle’ under the most brutal conditions on the planet with 3 years of deep R&D using a wide group of our pro athletes from around the world. The formula we finally created is a result of 100s of hours of testing, the results of which have taken tyre sealant performance to a new level.

The feedback we’ve had from our professional riders has been awesome! We are really excited to have created one formula which works to the highest performance in all tubeless tyres, from Pro Road Racing to World Cup Downhill and everything in between. Oh and lastly, we really don’t like single-use plastics so would encourage all to use our 1 litre refill to fill up the pouches.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

For more information on the No Puncture Hassle Tubeless Sealant, and other Muc-Off products, please visit: https://muc-off.com/

Links

You can see my other blogs here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here

 

Bioracer Summer 2018 collection

Posted in Bikes, Blog, Blogging, Clothing, Commuting, Cycle To Work, Cycling, Fashion, Fitness, health, SportsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

 

Bioracer new Summer 2018 collection:
73 new items for men & women

New Spitfire and Vesper collections

The Belgian company Bioracer, which develops innovative & tailored sportswear, has shown the world its Summer 2018 designer collections for men (Spitfire) and women (Vesper). 73 new items across different themes mean there’s more than enough colours and styles to choose from.
 
The new collection revolves around 5 themes, and, apparently, ‘reflects the spirit of an optimistic future’ which Bioracer firmly believe in. Its inspiration comes from rideouts in Barcelona, Ibiza and the Canary Islands to name a few. Names like Jungle, Radient, Zebra and Rebel makes one dream about sunny rideouts. Urban fashion, Berlin, London, 80’s skate surf punk and the DIY graphic language of fanzines capture our imagination.
 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“Every design is a character, just like you”

Sam Ratajczak, Head Innovateer

 
 
 

About BIORACER

 

Established in 1986 and located in Belgium, spiritual home of cycling, BIORACER has always been at the forefront of the design, development and fabrication of cycling speedwear. Our mission is clear and simple: we make you faster. It’s not only about delivering the fastest kit possible. It’s also about giving you all the tools necessary to be the fastest you can be. This philosophy goes far beyond simple clothing. For example, we developed the first modern racing shoe and the first digitized bike fitting systems. These are only some of the innovations we’ve made to improve your comfort on the bike, and therefore ultimately, your speed.
 
Thousands of competitive athletes choose BIORACER because they need the fastest kit available. And they know they will receive just that. Not only do we have the scientific data to prove our claims, but also the proven track record of our medal count. With more than 666 Olympic and World Championship medals, we are the fastest.
 
“We follow one basic principle: our athletes are the measure of all things. Innovations can only lead to a breakthrough when they benefit the athlete. We look at cycling from every angle and try to fit those pieces that make your puzzle complete. And we do this with one aim in mind: to make you faster.”

 

Cafe Du Cyclist comes to London

Posted in Blog, Blogging, Clothing, Commuting, Cycle To Work, Cycling, Fashion, Fitness, TrainingTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Exciting news in the world of cycling clothes, premium cycling brand Cafe Du cyclist will be opening a store here in Spitalfields, London. The only other place you’ll find a Cafe du Cyclist shop is in Nice’s Old Porte on the Cote d’Azur. While Spitalfields is a far cry from the beautiful blue seas and high mountain climbs of the Cote d’Azure, Cafe Du Cyclist obviously sees something in the cycling boom of East London.

The wide-ranging collections, for both men and women, combine cutting edge technical fabrics, performance features and modern Gallic flair. Positioned at the forefront of the ‘new wave’ of contemporary cycling brands, Café du Cycliste has enjoyed rapid growth worldwide. The strength of the brand in the UK made London the natural choice for the next stage of their expansion. Before now the brand had only been available via Condor Cycles, Mr Porter, Matchesfashion, Condor Cycles and cafeducycliste.com. so to say it’s exclusive is a slight understatement.

The spirit of the brand comes from the founders shared love of riding, and its aesthetic combines inspiration from both inside and outside the sport. The outdoors lifestyle influences of Co-founder and Creative Director Remi Clermont’s background in world competition level kayaking are also evident in the DNA of the brand.

“My father was really into road cycling, so I grew up in a family watching the Tour de France around 20 years ago when it wasn’t cool – even in France” he explains “I saw an opportunity to create a brand that was serious about technical excellence but also relaxed enough in approach to capture the pleasure of riding for riding’s sake”

Since launching in 2009 Café du Cycliste has established itself as one of a very few specialist cycling brands able to effortlessly combine both high style and serious performance.

As Clermont says “Our clothing is designed as much to be worn 2,500 metres up, in some beautiful remote places where Le Tour has never been, as on the more familiar strips of kempt tarmac.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Links

You can see my other blogs here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here

Bradley Wiggins Motor Home for sale!

Posted in Bikes, Blog, Blogging, Cycling, health, SportsTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

British Car Auctions, later this month, are giving bidders the chance to win Bradley Wiggins former motorhome.

Bradley Wiggins Sporthome for sale at BCAThe coachbuilt Sporthome by McLaren is based on a long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 2.1 with manual transmission.  It was commissioned by Sir Bradley in 2014 and while finished in white, has been vinyl wrapped in Team Wiggins colours of blue with chromed wing mirrors and bull bar and 8-spoke alloy wheels AND it’s only covered 5,500 miles!

Wiggo Van 006

The Sporthome features bespoke red, white and blue leather seating with ‘Wiggo’ detail on the headrests.  The custom GB-inspired interior includes a double bed, combined shower/toilet, integrated kitchen area with fridge, cooker and wash basin, overhead lockers and a storage area/repair bay for cycles. It doesn’t finish there either, in the seating area, which has two swivel seats, fold down table and five TV screens (two of which have Sky, obviously).

To say it’s understated on the inside would be an understatement, garish dashboard styling is not one to my taste, but then again who am I to question the king of the cycling mods? If you wanted a motorhome perfect for the cycling get away then what better one to have, you would imagine that there’s everything you would need to make yourself feel like Wiggo himself – minus a few Olympic gold medals…

The Sporthome will be offered for sale at BCA Blackbushe on Thursday 21 September from 11.00 am.  To see the full catalogue listing and images online at bca.co.uk.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Links

You can see my other blogs here

See my Instagram here

Follow me on Twitter here

Like me on Facebook here

You can join the Strava Club here