Life In The Saddle

Hutchinson Tires were a pioneer of tubeless tyre technology—creating some of the first tubeless road and mountain bike tyres in the industry. They have continued the strong brand position with an ongoing range of superb tubeless road, gravel, and MTB tyres. Now, they have branched out into an accompanying range of tubeless kits and accessories—to complete the offering. Many riders are cautious about making the switch to tubeless, having heard about tight tolerances that can make tyres a challenge to fit and seal, the setup being a messy process, and the difficulty to repair a tubeless tyre mid-ride. Keen to address each of the above concerns, Hutchinson Cycling has developed a new range of tubeless tool kits and accessories. Hutchinson Tubeless Valves and Tubeless Rim Tape Hutchinson have released a new tubeless rim tape in 20, 25 and 40 mm widths, as well as universally compatible black conical tubeless valves with the option of 20 mm and 40 mm valve extenders. The rim tape and valve

In this Explore blog post I consider my lucky seven pick of the top accommodation options for cyclists on the Isle of Wight—from yurts and campsites, to hotels and pubs. These are my seven favourites that will welcome cyclists with open arms and provide you with a great base from which to explore. The lucky seven includes two farms, two hotels, two campsites and a country pub... The Garlic Farm, Newchurch The Garlic Farm offers a wide variety of fantastic self-catering accommodation; from cottages and converted stable blocks, to a cluster of five family fun yurts. All the options are beautifully maintained and spotlessly clean, with private parking and easy access. The on-site restaurant serves exceptional breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and there is plenty on the farm site to keep children (and adults) amused. This centrally located farm is a perfect base for couples, groups, and families. thegarlicfarm.co.uk Tapnell Farm Park, Freshwater Another converted farm, b

I bloody love banoffee pie. This one is a bit different though... no cream, no biscuits, no syrup, and gluten-free; it sounds like a recipe for disaster. In fact, this Rude Alternative Banoffee Pie is something I dreamed up as a more whole-food plant-based version of the classic. It is not exactly a healthy banoffee pie recipe, but it is a damn sight better than your average. Utilising coconut cream, oat cakes, Rude Health Date Bars, and Bonraw Coconut Sugar; it is still a naughty treat, but without so many of the processed high-cholesterol nasties.  Ingredients  Base 130 grams Rude Health Spelt Oaty Oat Cakes (2.5 pouches) 2x Rude Health Date Peanut and Banana Bars 2 tbsp Butter or Coconut Oil 1 tbsp Maple Syrup Filling 1x 397g Tin Carnation Caramel  2x large ripe bananas 1 tbsp BonRaw Coconut Sugar  1x Can full-fat coconut milk, chilled in fridge Cocoa powder to dust Method Melt the butter on the hob Place all the Base ingredients in a food processor and blitz until they resemble a

The cobbled Spring Classics races are notoriously hard to ride. I interviewed World Champion, Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner Johan Museeuw. These are his top tips for riding on cobbles and taking on the Spring Classics. Johan Museeuw was World Champion in 1996; he won Paris-Roubaix three times and he won the Tour of Flanders three times. With this incredible parcours, he is undoubtedly one of the best riders to share his advice on riding the Spring Classics, whether you are a racer or a sportive rider. Tip 1 – Tyre Pressure and Size for Riding Cobbles "Normally, everyone is riding with a tyre pressure of 7 to 8 Bar (100-110 PSI). But, for the Spring Classics and Paris Roubaix, depending on your weight, this changes: we ride 5 to 6 Bar (70-85 PSI)." A lower tyre pressure allows the shocks of the cobbles to be absorbed, and for better grip on the uneven surface. "For tyre geometry [size]  for the Spring Classics and Paris Roubaix, you go bigger. In my time,