Skip to main content

Search This Blog

Life In The Saddle

by Tim Wiggins

Subscribe to this blog

Follow by Email

Weekend Watch: ENVE

October 10, 2014

ENVE make some awesome wheels, they also seem to be making some of the best MTB videos at the moment. Great stuff.

Labels: Video Weekend Watch

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Solo Adventuring - The Black Forest 400 #BlackForest400

I am frequently asked what inspires me to ride a bike. My answer is curiosity.

Curiosity to see how far you can ride; how fast you can travel; how many new places, people and cultures you can see along the journey.

Endurance cycling is an adventurous challenge, to both body and mind. At numerous points one will be shouting at the other to stop; but they rarely agree. It is a perpetual cycle of disagreement.

The idea of the Black Forest 400 ride arose from curiosity. At Christmas, I drove for nine hours to reach this beautiful part of Germany. On the drive back, I got wondering… could I ride that? Non-stop? Self-supported? A challenge was born…

400 miles, with over 8,000 metres of elevation gain. My longest ride to date.

Beginnings The ride starts from the historic town of Arras, in northern France. Arras was an important stronghold in both World Wars, and the scene of great battles (including the Battle of Arras in 1917). The long straight road out of town is lined with cemeteries; o…

Planning The Black Forest 400 - #BlackForest400

My previous distance record for a non-stop ride stands at 485 kilometres (300 miles): the distance of the Trafalgar Way ride from Falmouth to London, in 2014. The #BlackForest400 will be a new personal distance record, in new riding territory.

The Route The route starts from the city of Arras in northern France, before heading east and south into Belgium, the Ardennes, Luxembourg, and through Strasbourg; before ramping up significantly to the finish in the Black Forest. A total of 644 kilometres (400 miles), with over 8,000 metres of elevation gain.

You can watch the ride unfold on social media, with the hashtag #BlackForest400

The Bike The #BlackForest400 will be adventure into a new territory, but I have opted to do it aboard a familiar bike - the Neil Pryde Bura SL.

The Neil Pryde was my bike of choice for many great adventures on the road last year, including the #5MaratonasChallenge and the St. Boniface Down Everesting.

I have made a few modifications to the bike, to make it mor…

New Revolutions - Campagnolo Launch New 12 Speed Movement12 Groupset

I have always been a fan of Campagnolo. Today, they announced the arrival of a technological advancement that deserves serious merit: a 12-speed road bike groupset, with disc brake options. The new Campagnolo Movement12 is too exciting not to write home about…

The 11-speed Campagnolo Record groupset was my choice for my Neil Pryde Bura SL road bike build. Having visited the Campagnolo headquarters in Vicenza, I know the care and attention that goes into the production of every Campagnolo product; it is an attention to detail that explains why the Italian brand's parts out-last most others, and which also makes them ideal for an endurance road bike build.

The introduction of the new Movement12 12 speed groupset is exciting to me for a number of reasons. Firstly, it provides a wider range of gears, which makes it more suitable for endurance riding. Secondly, it combines that with disc brakes, which makes it more suitable to a gravel or adventure bike. Finally, it improves a number o…

Review - Thule Shield Saddlebag (Large)

Thule bags are always superbly made in my experience: from the Thule Crossover Carry-On Bag, to the Thule Shield Panniers. With that reputation of quality and durability in mind, I selected the new Thule Shield Saddlebag as my 'adventure bike saddlebag' of choice.

The aero wedge shaped waterproof saddlebag is not an overly complicated or intricate design from Thule, but it is faultlessly made, and built to last.

The bag attaches to the saddle rails and seat-post using strong Velcro straps, with reflective trims for added safety. The opening and closing mechanism on the bag is a simple roll-top design, which coupled with the strong welded waterproof nylon gives the bag an impressive IP54 waterproof rating.

Unlike with many larger saddlebags, I have experience no swaying or thigh rub from the Thule Shield Saddlebag. It seems to attach firmly to the saddle rails, and keeps its contents safe and secure.

The quick release buckles are strong and very good quality; and there are som…

Review - Hiplok Z-Lok Combo Lightweight Bike Lock

Last year, I reviewed the very neat Hiplok Z Lok Bicycle Lock. The reusable cable tie design is great for securing everything from bag zips to car bike racks. The new Hiplok Z Lok Combo is an evolution of the product, and uses a combination lock to secure the tie.

The Z Lok Combo takes the design of the original Z Lok, but adds the benefits of a larger locking circumference and reset-able 3 digit combination mechanism.

The added length is genuinely useful, as I found the original Z Lok to not be quite long enough if you wanted to use it for securing a bike round a lamp post or similar. The combination lock upgrade is also great, especially if like me you have a tendency to lose small keys.

The toughened stainless steel band on the Z Lok is certainly enough to ward off opportunist thieves, and it would take a fairly serious set of bolt croppers to break through it. The locking mechanism itself also feels robust, and the ABS plastic outer avoids any rough edges that might catch on clot…

Powered by Blogger

Archive

2018 47

2017 133
- December 10
- November 12
- October 8
- September 12
- August 18
- July 15
- June 13
- May 11
- April 11
- March 4
- February 4
- January 15
2016 135
- December 10
- November 13
- October 14
- September 20
- August 11
- July 8
- June 14
- May 9
- April 7
- March 8
- February 6
- January 15
2015 132
- December 9
- November 12
- October 10
- September 13
- August 9
- July 6
- June 9
- May 15
- April 13
- March 18
- February 7
- January 11
2014 146
2013 157
- December 13
- November 11
- October 16
- September 13
- August 9
- July 11
- June 14
- May 8
- April 20
- March 17
- February 14
- January 11
2012 124
- December 16
- November 15
- October 7
- September 12
- August 6
- July 11
- June 8
- May 7
- April 10
- March 8
- February 13
- January 11
2011 64
- December 13
- November 5
- October 6
- September 22
- August 2
- July 4
- June 3
- May 2
- April 1
- March 3
- February 1
- January 2

Show more Show less

Labels

Reviews Weekend Watch Touring Gift Ideas Racing Training Video Cycling Accessories Nutrition Accessories

Inspiration Travel Race Reports Endurance Riding Bikepacking Commuting Winter Riding Nutritional Products Touring Kit Mountain Biking Hints and Tips Casual Clothing Recovery Autumn Cycling Cycling Clothing Photo Blogs Isle of Wight Maintenance Products Gadgets Photos Spring Cycling Componentry Mile Log Recipes Wightlink RT Bicycle Touring Discussion Blogs France and Spain 2011 Wiggle Coasts and Cols Tour Jerseys Rude Health Workshop 7Countries7Passes Technique Thule Tyres Electronics Shoes Socks and Overshoes Tools and Pumps Computers-GPS-Electronics Dolomites Race Prep Summer Cycling Bars-and-Gels Drinks-and-Hydration Adventure Care Products Cycling-Shorts Endurance Riding Kit Gloves GripGrab Lezyne Socks-Overshoes Team Wiggle Bags - Panniers Casual-Tees Jackets Jerseys - Short Sleeve Trousers-and-Shorts Tyres-and-Sealant Workshop Focus Bags Clean-and-Lube Cyclocross Rucksacks-and-Messenger-Bags Cycle Computers Indoor Training POC Sports Panniers-Barbags Running South Tyrol Winter-Cycling-Gloves Bags - Rucksacks Bags - Saddlebags Kit Lists Primal Europe Ride More Offroad Swrve Jerseys - Long Sleeve Lights Sportful Waterproof Jackets Winter-Jackets 5MaratonasChallenge Arkel Bike Bags Biographical-Books Italy Jackets-and-Jumpers Sportique Vaude Base Layers Base-Layers-and-Thermals Maintenance MaxiNutrition Night Riding Pedro's Ride-Tools Road Cycling Scicon Sportives Sunglasses Track Cycling Trail-Running Tubeless-Tyres Vittoria adidas Arm and Leg Warmers Bike Profile Bikepacking-Bags Bottles-and-Hydration-Packs Bounce-Balls Cross-Training Enduro Energy Bar Comparison Muc-Off Pumps Pyrenees Tubeless Road Wahoo Fitness Water Bottles and Cages 7-Tips Bar-Fly Bellroy Big Rides Christmas Cycling-Shoes Every Ride Carry Headwear Island Games Kona-Bikes Multipower Recipe-Books RudelyAlternative BarTape-and-Grips Dairy-Free Festive 500 Gore Bike Wear Neil-Pryde-Bikes Running-Accessories Secret Training Sellarondo Hero Dolomites South Tyrol Advice Apres Velo Bags - Messenger Bikes CEP Sports Coffee Companies Criterium Racing Erdinger Alkoholfrei Gilets Healthy Snacks Helmets High5 Intrepid Apparel Le Coq Sportif Locks-and-Storage Mallorca Cycling Mudguards My Rides Photography Porridge Restrap Ride-Reports Road Racing Road-Bikes Running-Shorts-Tights Sealskinz See.Sense Travel-Bags 30DayDrinkingOats Baggy Shorts Cafe Reviews Cafe-du-Cycliste Campagnolo Coming Soon Cycling-Tights End-of-Season-Highlights-2017 Feedback Sports France Gravel-Racing Hiplok Hotel Viva Blue Indoor Trainers Kitspiration Knog Kona Private Jake Mallorca1127 Mallorca312 Mavic Rapha Summer-Cycling-Mitts TorTour Trafalgar Way TransTramuntana TryJanuary Unior Tools Vee-Tire fizik 9RoadsToNowhere Aftershockz Assos Bags - Bike Bags Bike Carriers Bike-Cleaning Bike-Racks BlackForest400 Bounce Balls Castelli Clement Tyres Competitions Craft-Cadence Cyclocross-Bikes Endura EquinoxEveresting Everesting Exposure-Lights Galen-Leather Gears-and-Drivetrain Giro Delle Dolomiti Hill Climbs Insulated-Jackets Isadore Kona-Rove L'Etapé du Tour Le Havre to Florence LedLenser Levi's Commuter Mallorca600 OMM Optimum Nutrition Personal-Care Pyrenees 2014 Rapha Prestige Roads-to-Nowhere Runderwear Running-Tops Saddles-and-Seatposts Salomon-Sports Skratch-Labs Solstice-Rides Spin Cycle Mag Spoke-London Stainless Steel Sugru Summer-Cycling-Gloves Velusso Wild-Camping X-Bionic Year-in-Review 1910 Challenge Advice-Books Aqua2Go Artivelo Backcountry-Research Bike-Fit BikeMap Blood Profiling Book-Reviews Brakes Brevet Brooks-England CX Century Caffe-Latex Camping Chia-Charge Cold-Weather Compression Wear Custom Wheel Build Cyclehoop Cycling-Books Cycling-Guides Dirty-Reiver Easton Eastway Endurance-Conspiracy Equinox-Rides Feetures Fori ForthEdge Garmin GoPro Grizzlys-Adventure-Blends HexArmour Hope Tech How-To Hydration InDurance Inner Athlete Interviews Juice-Lubes Kind-Bars Komoot La-Machine Le-Patron Leatherman Legends Lizard-Skins Lumie Magazines Mallorca Marathon Mountain Biking Marginal-Gains Maserati Motion-Nutrition Motivation Mountain-Bikes Mountains Nairns-Oatcakes Nathan-Sports Neil-Pryde New-Revolutions NiteRider OneLife iD Outdoor Overboard-Bags Panaracer Peatys Pedals Phil-Burt Pinhead-Locks Pip-and-Nut Pro-Bike-Kit Protein Resolute-Bay Ride-Skincare Ride-Snacks RideAir Rock-n-Roll Rotor Running-Shoes Single Speed Sleep Smoove Solid-State Spring-Classics St-Boniface-Down-Everesting Stance Steering Still Going Strong Stocking-Fillers Strade-Bianche Strava Supacaz Superfoods Tents Time Trials Topo-Athletic Tour-de-Yorkshire Transcontinental Turbo Music Twist-Teas Union-Coffee Vel Velopac Ventnor-Botanic-Gardens VintVelo Vredestein-Tyres WaterField Designs Wet-Weather Workstands Yorkshire eelo

Show more Show less

Popular Posts

Solo Adventuring - The Black Forest 400 #BlackForest400

I am frequently asked what inspires me to ride a bike. My answer is curiosity.

Curiosity to see how far you can ride; how fast you can travel; how many new places, people and cultures you can see along the journey.

Endurance cycling is an adventurous challenge, to both body and mind. At numerous points one will be shouting at the other to stop; but they rarely agree. It is a perpetual cycle of disagreement.

The idea of the Black Forest 400 ride arose from curiosity. At Christmas, I drove for nine hours to reach this beautiful part of Germany. On the drive back, I got wondering… could I ride that? Non-stop? Self-supported? A challenge was born…

400 miles, with over 8,000 metres of elevation gain. My longest ride to date.

Beginnings The ride starts from the historic town of Arras, in northern France. Arras was an important stronghold in both World Wars, and the scene of great battles (including the Battle of Arras in 1917). The long straight road out of town is lined with cemeteries; o…

Planning The Black Forest 400 - #BlackForest400

My previous distance record for a non-stop ride stands at 485 kilometres (300 miles): the distance of the Trafalgar Way ride from Falmouth to London, in 2014. The #BlackForest400 will be a new personal distance record, in new riding territory.

The Route The route starts from the city of Arras in northern France, before heading east and south into Belgium, the Ardennes, Luxembourg, and through Strasbourg; before ramping up significantly to the finish in the Black Forest. A total of 644 kilometres (400 miles), with over 8,000 metres of elevation gain.

You can watch the ride unfold on social media, with the hashtag #BlackForest400

The Bike The #BlackForest400 will be adventure into a new territory, but I have opted to do it aboard a familiar bike - the Neil Pryde Bura SL.

The Neil Pryde was my bike of choice for many great adventures on the road last year, including the #5MaratonasChallenge and the St. Boniface Down Everesting.

I have made a few modifications to the bike, to make it mor…

New Revolutions - Campagnolo Launch New 12 Speed Movement12 Groupset

I have always been a fan of Campagnolo. Today, they announced the arrival of a technological advancement that deserves serious merit: a 12-speed road bike groupset, with disc brake options. The new Campagnolo Movement12 is too exciting not to write home about…

The 11-speed Campagnolo Record groupset was my choice for my Neil Pryde Bura SL road bike build. Having visited the Campagnolo headquarters in Vicenza, I know the care and attention that goes into the production of every Campagnolo product; it is an attention to detail that explains why the Italian brand's parts out-last most others, and which also makes them ideal for an endurance road bike build.

The introduction of the new Movement12 12 speed groupset is exciting to me for a number of reasons. Firstly, it provides a wider range of gears, which makes it more suitable for endurance riding. Secondly, it combines that with disc brakes, which makes it more suitable to a gravel or adventure bike. Finally, it improves a number o…

Review - Thule Shield Saddlebag (Large)

Thule bags are always superbly made in my experience: from the Thule Crossover Carry-On Bag, to the Thule Shield Panniers. With that reputation of quality and durability in mind, I selected the new Thule Shield Saddlebag as my 'adventure bike saddlebag' of choice.

The aero wedge shaped waterproof saddlebag is not an overly complicated or intricate design from Thule, but it is faultlessly made, and built to last.

The bag attaches to the saddle rails and seat-post using strong Velcro straps, with reflective trims for added safety. The opening and closing mechanism on the bag is a simple roll-top design, which coupled with the strong welded waterproof nylon gives the bag an impressive IP54 waterproof rating.

Unlike with many larger saddlebags, I have experience no swaying or thigh rub from the Thule Shield Saddlebag. It seems to attach firmly to the saddle rails, and keeps its contents safe and secure.

The quick release buckles are strong and very good quality; and there are som…

Review - Hiplok Z-Lok Combo Lightweight Bike Lock

Last year, I reviewed the very neat Hiplok Z Lok Bicycle Lock. The reusable cable tie design is great for securing everything from bag zips to car bike racks. The new Hiplok Z Lok Combo is an evolution of the product, and uses a combination lock to secure the tie.

The Z Lok Combo takes the design of the original Z Lok, but adds the benefits of a larger locking circumference and reset-able 3 digit combination mechanism.

The added length is genuinely useful, as I found the original Z Lok to not be quite long enough if you wanted to use it for securing a bike round a lamp post or similar. The combination lock upgrade is also great, especially if like me you have a tendency to lose small keys.

The toughened stainless steel band on the Z Lok is certainly enough to ward off opportunist thieves, and it would take a fairly serious set of bolt croppers to break through it. The locking mechanism itself also feels robust, and the ABS plastic outer avoids any rough edges that might catch on clot…

Review - Peaty's Tubeless Tyre Sealant

A change of season demands a change of tyres, and with a recent switch from winter treads to summer treads on my CX bike, I needed some more tubeless sealant. I decided Peaty's Tubeless Tyre Sealant would be interesting to test.

Testing tubeless tyre sealant is a real 'hit or miss' game. If it works, then the often-laboured efforts seating the tubeless tyre in the first place (read my Top Tips for Tubeless Tyres piece) are worth it, and the puncture seals itself with a satisfying clog. When it doesn't work though, you are left standing at the trailside cursing the test product's manufacturer, and wishing you had stuck with your normal reliable brand… Thankfully, my experience with Peaty's Tubeless Tyre Sealant is very much the first of these two.

On springtime trails strewn with freshly cut hedge debris and washed out flints, my cyclocross bike equipped with 40c tyres has been up against a minefield of potential punctures. A few times this month I have heard t…

Review - Rapha Brevet Windblock Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey

The Rapha Brevet collection is designed with distance in mind. Providing comfort and performance, for many hours of adventure. The Brevet Long Sleeve Windblock Jersey is a highlight of the collection, and provides a superb outer layer for riding in mixed weather conditions.

The Windblock Long Sleeved Jersey uses merino wool throughout the garment, to provide breathability, stretch, insulation, and comfort. The technical wind-proof fabric is then overlaid as a second layer on the front facing edges of the sleeves and the chest panel, to provide notable protection from wind-chill and light precipitation.

The merino wool used within the garment is a unique quick-drying variety. The logical thinking behind this selection is that the jersey could be washed and dried in a matter of hours; perfect for overnight stops mid-way through a long distance bike tour.

Bikepacking and bicycle touring always place a premium on stowage space. Storage in the Brevet Long Sleeve Jersey comes in the form o…

Review - VintVelo Casual Clothing

Good quality cycling inspired tees and jumpers can be hard to come by. There are a plethora of brands producing cool designs, but the quality of the materials is also important. VintVelo, a local UK brand, produces some great quality kit.

Made from 100% cotton, recycled cotton, or bamboo, their selection of tees and jumpers are soft, luxurious, well fitted, and long lasting.

The designs printed onto the t-shirts and sweaters are fun and interesting too. 'Contre La Montre' (against the clock), and 'Allez Allez Allez' (go go go) are two of my favourites. The print quality seems to be good, with little deterioration after multiple washes and wear.

Life In The Saddle is about more than just time in the saddle, and kit like this from VintVelo is great après-ride wear.

>> View the range at vintvelo.com <<

Review - Rock N Roll Chain Lubes and Bike Cleaner

I have been testing out a collection of lubricants from Rock N Roll Lubrication: The Extreme LV, Gold LV and Absolute Dry Lubes, as well as the Cable Magic lubricant. To help clean up post-ride, I have also been using the Rock N Roll Miracle Red Cleaner. Here's the low-down...

Rock N Roll Chain Lubes
First, it is worth saying that Rock N Roll lubes are quite specific about how you apply them to the chain: You put the chain in the big chainring, and the smallest sprocket on the cassette; then you apply the lube as a flow (not a drip) to the chain on the point of curvature on the cassette. You can't put too much on. The point of application, and the unique 'carrier' within the lubricant allows it to penetrate deep into the chain links.

The Rock N Roll lubes are also branded as a chain 'cleaner' as well as a lubricant: so when you then come to wipe the chain off (to get rid of excess lube), you are cleaning the links without removing the lubricant deep inside the r…

Review - Juice Lubes 'Scrub and Buff' Bike Cleaner, Frame Polish and Lubricant Bundle

The 'Scrub and Buff' Bundle from Juice Lubes contains their signature Dirt Juice Bike Cleaner, a concentrated Bike Cleaner refill, Juice Lubes Frame Juice polish, Juice Lubes Viking Chain Lube, and a Dirty Little Scrubber chain cleaner. I have been putting it all to the test...

It's that time of year again, when the weather is doing its best to remove as much lubricant and grease from your bike as possible; replacing it with grit, road salt and mud. Bike cleaning is a weekly, if not daily task, but it is one task that becomes a lot more manageable with the right kit.

The 'Scrub and Buff' kit from UK brand Juice Lubes contains the essentials for a quick clean and re-lube.

The Dirt Juice Bike Cleaner will help to clean the frame and wheels, and the concentrated version works well for chain cleaning in the highly effective Dirty Little Scrubber - one of the better chain cleaner designs I have seen to date.

After you have washed and dried the bike, the Juice Lubes Fra…

Best Blogs and Tags