Life In The Saddle

A chain keeper is a simple but extremely useful little gadget — designed to hold your chain tight and secure during transport and servicing; avoiding unwanted paint chips to your bike's chain stays. The new Feedback Sports Chain Keeper is a great example of the must-have accessory.

I used to have a homemade chain keeper device made from a piece of plastic tube cut to the drop-out width, with a quick release skewer through the centre. It did a decent job of holding the chain taunt when washing and transporting the bike, but it looked pretty homemade and it didn't work with bolt-thru axles.

The new Feedback Sports Chain Keeper Device is a significant improvement over my homemade bodge. You mount the device to the right hand dropout of the bike by either slotting it into a quick-release style drop-out, or with a 12 mm bolt-thru axle you use the neat adapter that expands inside the recess left when you remove the axle.

Once installed, the chain keeper device holds the chain tight…

Your skin takes a battering when you ride in all weather — in the summer sun you can be left burnt and overheated; in the winter winds you can be left cold and dried out. The new range of skincare products from UK brand Bullet and Bone is designed for active sports; providing preparation, protection and recovery for you skin and muscles.

The range consists of four products: Muscle Activating Rub, Vapour Release Balm, Protective Moisturising Spray, and Cooling Recovery Body Wash. All of the products are designed with a specific purpose that should provide comfort and enhanced performance when taking part in active sports.

Bullet and Bone Muscle Activating Rub The Bullet and Bone Muscle Activating Rub contains natural ingredients such as ginger, tea tree, and black pepper, which give it a subtle and pleasant smell compared to many warming balms on the market.

The natural warming effect comes from the ginger and black pepper extracts, while the willow bark and clary extracts help to s…

Transporting kit for any kind of outdoor sports pursuit can be a headache; you have so many component pieces, many of which can be valuable and fragile. A waterproof and robust luggage solution can take a lot of unnecessary stress out of travelling; the Overboard Bags Pro-Sports 60 Litre Waterproof Duffel Bag is a great option.

The Pro-Sports design from Overboard Bags has become my preferred choice of waterproof roll-top duffel bag, because of its plethora of features and cleverly thought out design.

The holdall is made from tough and hardwearing waterproof PVC — the fully welded seams and a roll/fold-top closure system then mean it attains a 100% waterproof certificate — ranked IP66 on waterproofing tests (which means it is submersible). Having a bag that is fully waterproof is a great comfort; you can rest easy knowing that even if it is thrown in the back of a pick-up truck, or left out in the rain on the runway of an airport, then the contents will be kept safe and dry.

Unlike…

Even many high-end models come with hard rubber handlebar grips. One of the best upgrades you can make, in my opinion, is to switch these out to soft silicone foam grips like those made by USA brand ESI Grips.

Silicone foam MTB grips offer improved cushioning, comfort, and grip compared to harder compound grips. Just like tyres, the softer compound increases the contact area between your gloves and the bars, and therefore reduces pressure points. Of course, the softer nature also helps to provide more cushioning from vibrations, which further enhances your ability to hold and control the handlebars.

ESI Grips claim to be the ORIGINAL 100% silicone grip producer, and still make all of their products in the USA. Their range is extensive – with a variety of cushioning levels, and a variety of grip widths.

I have tested the ESI Racer's Edge, ESI Fit XC, and the ESI Fit CR Grips. My favourite of the three is the Fit CR, which is a mix of 'Chunky' deep cushioning and the '…