August 18th, 2010 — bikes-
The Cateye TL-LD 600 Rear Light has been a best seller for the past six years. It’s length of production testimony to its good qualities. I was excited to see Cateye had upgraded the model with a new version that offers 60% extra brightness and double the battery time.
This is now one of the top rear lights, that you can get. It is a good investment for anyone likely to be riding on fast roads where visibility is of great importance.
The Cateye TL-LD 610 is really very bright and can be seen for a long way, it will help you stand out and increase safety of riding at night. It is very durable and waterproof, though the on/off button is somewhat fiddly with gloves.
Worth considering is a Cateye C-1 Belt Clip which is only £1.
Cateye TL-LD 610 at Evans Cycles
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August 16th, 2010 — helmet-
For most training rides I will be wearing a helmet, my old Met was around 250 grams, so this seemed like a relatively useful way to save 75 grams. Not a huge amount but, still worth doing. As well as the light weight, the helmet is also pretty attractive and very well ventilated. To be honest, I rarely overheat in a helmet anyway (I think I would need to try cycling in South of France) rather than England. I needed to replace my helmet because the straps had gone on my old helmet and was intrigued by this simple design focused on a simple elasticated strap, keeping the helmet in place. It is said that the Self-adjusting RL SL fit system only weighs 5 grams – perhaps why the helmet is so light.
With the low weight and good strapping system, the helmet feels easy to wear and it is soon forgotten on a ride. At this kind of weight, you don’t really worry about not wearing a helmet because it will slow you down.
Apart from that it meets the basic EU safety standards (as you would expect). The US model apparantely weighs an extra 30 grams to meet more stringent safety requirements.
When buying a helmet, you don’t have to spend this kind of money, you can buy a cheaper one for same safety standards. There are also good pro helmets for around 225grams for about half the price. So you pays your money and takes your choice. But, if you want the best, the Giro Prolight is hard to beat.
There is a choice of colours, and three head sizes.
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August 16th, 2010 — touring-
Dawes Mojave – ladies version.
Dawes Mojave is a popular trekking bike, great for getting around town, and a bit of light riding in the country, e.g. along canal paths. It comes set up to also be a comfortable commuter, with a lightweight alloy frame. It has plenty of gear choices so you don’t have to worry about inclines. It is also well presented with mudguards, rear panniers and comfortable saddle.
In terms of chic for around town, it is good without being ostentatious. Perhaps a front basket rather than rear panniers is considered cooler, but, panniers enable more to be carried, and it is designed for treking as opposed to purely town. Though, I bet many people end up using it in town as much as elsewhere.
The ladies version is designed with step through frame to make it easier to ride skirt. The other components are relatively good, with a base Shimano groupset offering satisfactory gearing. The simple linear spring V brakes are not the most powerful, but, I guess this is a bike not designed for aggressive riding around corners. Nevertheless for a good trekking bike, this could be an upgrade worth looking at.
At £330, the Dawes Mojave is a fairly priced bike. It does what it claims to do with no frills or unnecessary expense. It really comes across as a good allrounder – fair value, decent aesthetics, practical and easy to ride. This is likely to meet many people’s requirements for this kind of bike. Also for an extra £33, you can go for a front suspension upgrade.
Dawes Mojave at Evans Cycles
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Dawes Kalahari
Dawes Discovery
Dawes Mojave at Dawes Cycles
August 15th, 2010 — pro-
Riding pro cycling jerseys can be a buzz. It makes you feel like a good cyclist, even if you may not ride up the hills with quite the same elan.
The drawback of buying pro team jerseys is that designs change frequently, and teams can suddenly dissolve after only one or two seasons. A Man Utd supporter expects the jersey to change, but, he doesn’t expect his team to go out of business in one or two years. Unless, you have a deep pocket, to buy a new jersey every year, make sure you buy a jersey you would be happy to wear even if team folds.
Having said that, some teams tend to have a longer lifespan than others. For example, Team Sky have gained a long term commitment from their sponsor. Other teams like B Box Telecom seem to go from year to year. It’s sometimes interesting seeing the kind of sponsors that crop up on the roads, I always used to pity those who bought the famous ‘Festina’ Jersey just before the biggest drugs bust in international cycling.
Pro Jerseys give free advertising to the sponsor, but, that doesn’t mean they are going to be cheaper for you. At least, you should be getting a pro quality jersey with good fit and and breathability. The price of pro jerseys can also vary. For example, Liquigas 2010 was being sold for £35. Team Sky for £64. If you are patient and buy at end of season, you can also pick up on quite a few bargains as retailers try to get rid of out of date stock.
Retro Pro Cycling Jerseys
If you really want to get a timeless pro classic, why not look out for one of the vintage Bianchi, Molteni worn by the stars of the 1960s. They are in many ways more classy – not so cluttered with sub sponsors and gharish colours. Again, they tend to be quite dear, but, they will last. (Retro jerseys)
August 15th, 2010 — pedals-
A few years ago, I made the switch from Look to Speedplay. Speedplay were simply much lighter, so as a weightweenie, Speedplay looked very attractive. In that time period, Look have made huge improvements in catching up with Speedplay, the latest Look Keo 2 Max Carbon weighs in at a very lightweight 125g rams. This has moved Look into the same category as the top end speedplay, so adherents of Look no longer have to put up with the excess weight baggage they used to.
The weight reduction in the Look Keo 2 Max is made through injections of carbon fibre into areas of the pedal. This helps reduce weight whilst keeping the pedal strong and rigid for the maximum transfer of power to the bike.
The Look Keo 2 Max has also increased the pedal contact area by 14% over the old Look Keo Carbon, this increases the power transfer area. Look also say they have worked on increasing the longevity of the pedal through developments in the axle and bearings. Look pedals are easy to set up and can be used on any shoe designed for clipless pedals. Each pedal has its own variety of clicking into the pedal, but, once you get used to it it is fine.
As a final thought, the new look Keo looks more classy in black / silver.
At £110 Look is probably now better value than Speedplay, though I still feel Speedplay has advantage in greater float and greater pedal clearance.
Look Keo 2 Max at Wiggle
All Look Pedals at Wiggle
Look Keo 2 Max at Evans Cycles
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Choosing best cycling pedals
August 14th, 2010 — road-
I’ve ridden a 1000 miles on my Trek Madone 6.9, and am so far very happy.
In the tough 25% hills of Yorkshire, the bike performed well, it is light and rigid, which gives an extra power up the climbs. I have been doing some of the local hill climbs and timing myself. Overall, I seem to be going quicker which is good. There is still opportunity to lose weight on the bike because I did not choose the lightest wheels but got some Bontrager X Lite clinchers with Bontrager tyres. These wheels were not standard for a Trek Madone 6.9, but one good thing about the Trek Madone Project One is that you can choose combinations of components, by choosing cheaper wheels I was able to get the bike for less.
The ultra light weight carbon frame and fork are the heart of the bike. A great combination of low weight, rigidity and strength. It feels that all your power is effortlessly transferred to propelling the bike.
The 10 speed Dura Ace 2010 Groupset is very good. It feels a good improvement from my previous Dura Ace. The only disadvantage is that all my old bikes are Shimano nine speed. I really hope Shimano resist the temptation to move to 11 speed. Yes, it will be very, very, very marginally easier to ride ever so slightly up certain hills, but, I’d rather not have the huge cost.
From an aesthetic point of view, I’m still very happy with the Trek Madone 6.9. Again another real bonus of the Project One is that you can pay £300 to get your own colour scheme. For more money you can also get different options like your name engraved. This helps to personalise your bike and make it really feel like a dream bike. If your going to spend £5,000 on a bike, why not add a personal touch and get your favourite colour scheme?
There is also a certain smoothness about the whole product, the integrated cabling and smooth lines are a joy to watch. There’s a small irritation in that taking of those silly stickers about ‘don’t forget to wear a helmet when cycling’ leave a sticky residue which is hard to get off. Also with a white bike, there’s every incentive to clean it as soon as it gets dirty. But, you would want to do that anyway?
The thing I like least about the Trek Madone is the actual name of the bike. I mean Trek is American and it sponsors that cyclist, who I just find irritating. From one point of view, I would much prefer the chic of owning a real Italian brand like Bianchi. But, the thing is Trek do every thing right. It’s hard to find a better choice of bike with all the different combinations. Unless an off the peg bike suits you just fine, definitely look into the Project One, as you will enjoy being able to customise the bike a little.
Overall 10/10.
It’s hard to find any significant, worthwhile fault. It is just an excellent bike with excellent ride properties. Hopefully it will propel me to win quite a few hill climbs over the next few years.
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August 14th, 2010 — bikes-
A backpack with waterproof, high viz cover – great for a rainy day like this.
I’m not a great fan of using a backpack for cycling. On my commuter bike, I used a backpack for a couple of years, but, then tried panniers and much preferred it. The disadvantage of using backpacks is that you carry a weight on your shoulders, and it restricts you’re movement. It can also make it difficult for looking over your shoulder and the agility you need for cycling in city traffic.
However, there are advantages of using backpacks.
- Some bikes don’t have space for pannier racks.
- You may not want to fit panniers because it costs money and you may not use it that often.
- A backpack is much convenient for when you get off bike and walk around the shops / tourist attraction.
I would advise choosing a relatively small backpack – 15 to 25 Litres. Anything more and you will be carrying an uncomfortable weight. If you really need to carry more, a backpack may not be best solution for cycling.
Deuter Speedlight Backpack
This Deuter Speedlight Backpack is a pretty good value, basic backpack. 15 litres means it is quite small but big enough for an A4 file or similar sized laptop. With a breathable mesh back, your shirt won’t get too drenched in sweat, even at the height of summer. A big plus is that it is highly adjustable and therefore light and comfortable to wear. Compared to other (bigger) backpacks, this is fairly easy to wear and once you have it on, it doesn’t really restrict your movement or make it difficult to look over your shoulder. At £30, it is reasonable value for the quality you get, though there are cheaper models on the market. Colour choice didn’t really attract me, but, that is a personal thing.
Deuter Speedlight at Wiggle
Vaude Cluster Air 10 + 3
These stand out for their bold colouring. They come in three colour options (bright yellow – my favourite), black or blue. They have a relatively small carrying capacity (max 13 litres). But, this enables a low weight of 713grams. Also comes with free rain cover which is easy to add. Quite a few different pockets and compartments. Very light feel when worn, but, you may need a bigger size.
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August 14th, 2010 — clothes-
Assos offer some of the best cycling shorts on the market. If you want to get the best possible comfort, it is worth looking at the popular F1 Range.
I have tested the Assos F1 Mile shorts. They are very comfortable and give a unique experience in the saddle. The dimpled ergonomic padding, helps to ease pressure points and the airflow is good for avoiding a build up of sweat. As long as you get the right size, they will fit effortless on the body, without creating any wind resistance.
Assos F1 UNO
The cheapest in the F1 series. This will still set you back £113. But, for the investment you will get a very comfortable ride. Fits very nicely and helps to cushion your ride, with multiple layers of padding designed to Swiss perfection.Once you get into the riding position the carbon fibre mesh insert helps to keep everything in place. Assos F1 UNO at Wiggle
Assos F1 Mille
The mid series short at £150. Featuring the newly developed ASSOS Type A.360 sensitive compression Spandex F1 Mille
The Assos F1 13 S5 Bib Short.
At £215, it’s not entirely clear what you get for the astronomical price tag. The thing is that their (relatively) cheaper F1 series shorts are very comfortable, so it’s pretty hard to improve on them. They even have carbon fibre (3%) in them. They are designed for the serious racer, and they are so clinical that they are not designed to last forever, so it may be worth saving them for when you will really appreciate it.
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August 13th, 2010 — bikes-
At just under £100, the Abus City Chain lock is certainly an expensive way of protecting your bike. But, if follow the principle of spending 10-15% of bike’s worth on a bike lock, it may well be justifiable. On a security setting this lock gets a security rating of 15/15. Bike thieves will give this lock a miss as its extra layers of security make it so much harder to break through. It is certainly a different set up to bike locks with less than 10/15 security rating.
At 2.7Kg, the chain is heavy. It will add a noticeable difference to your bike, but, that is the side-effect of securing your bike. Some people like chain locks because
- You can wear it around your waist.
- It is more flexible in tying to street furniture.
By the way, the standard size is 110cm, but, a lighter version is available in a length of 88cm. The lighter version saves about 0.5Kg, useful if you don’t think you will need the length. The chain cover is well designed to cover ALL the lock, meaning your frame won’t get scratched like when you use other chains, where inexplicably, the leave some of metal showing.
One thing about the Abus City Chain is that you can get the same level of protection for about £25 cheaper, through buying a comparable security rated D-Lock (such as Kryptonite New York) However, if you have preference for a chain the Abus City Chain could be best bet.
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August 13th, 2010 — bikes-
The problem with buying a proteam cycling outfit, is invariable they tend to fold after one or two years, either through lack of money or drugs bust. But, Team Sky look to be here for a good time period. With a great budget they are one of the top pro teams.
Team Sky already have a reputation for the philosophy of ‘marginal extras’. Taking steps to improve performance in all areas no matter how small the gains are. Some of this rubs off onto the jersey, with a very good quality fit and a custom elastic to keep the jersey in place. It is very lightweight, but, on colder days, you can easily wear underneath base layers. It means on the hottest days , you can keep as cool as possible. Also comes with a full hidden zip which is pretty useful for when you want to get more air into you.
The design is striking blue on black. Black may not be the most obvious or safest colour for cycling, but, it does stand out and will appeal to those looking for a sleek look.
Team Sky Replica is £65 meaning it is isn’t the cheapest cycling jersey by a long way. But, if you want to replicate Bradley Wiggins cycling style at least part of the way, why not get this?
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at Amazon
at Amazon.co.uk
at Amazon.com