Life In The Saddle

May has been a fairly good month for me, better than April anyway. My rides have been confined to short 1.5hr to 2hr blasts and interval sets because of the need to do revision for my finals. Just one more week of exams to go and then I'm free... free of work, free of commitments and ready to spend a good few months just riding my bike and doing a bit of sailing. Expect a fair bit more activity on the blog as well; some exciting stuff coming up...

This is priceless... my revision is clearly going well.

Chris Akrigg - five from chris akrigg on Vimeo . "This box isn't big enough to tell the full story so all i'll say for now is i had a lot of fun putting this edit together and it was probably one of the most challenging in every way. Have a watch and we'll talk later...."

From the moment I unboxed the Eastway R2.0 it has impressed me. Eastway bikes may be a new brand, but this bike has been designed by people that really know their stuff. The thing that immediately strikes you about the R2.0 is the frame; the big triangular downtube, the contoured chainstays, narrow seatstays and bladed fork; these are characteristics that are found on the highest level frames. The result of these sculpted frame features is a ride that is both responsive, quick and comfortable. The focus of the Eastway range is to make bikes that can conquer the urban streets and provide hours of fun for the weekend warrior. The frame then has a reasonably relaxed geometry, and the narrow seatstays and carbon fork help to soak up the rough roads. However, put the hammer down and that big downtube and bottom bracket transmit every ounce of effort into forward motion. It's not just the frame that makes the R2.0 an impressive bike though, the components are as good as they c...

Cleaning your bike can be a bit of a chore, and it can take up precious time. Here is a little 10 step routine that I use to try and make the cleaning process as quick and as efficient as possible. (1)  Set the bike up in a workstand if you have one, or if not, rest it so that you can walk around it and rotate the cranks with ease. (2)  Wash the bike down with a hose, make sure everything gets a good soaking, it will help to start loosening the dried-on dirt. Spray the whole bike with a cleaning compound such as Weldtite Dirtwash. Then leave the compound on the bike whilst you work on the chain... (3)  Spray the chain with a degreaser, and again leave this to work its magic for a few minutes. You can use a chain-bath on a really mucky chain, but in my experience a spray-on degreaser is kinder on the chain, as it leaves some beneficial lubricant inside the chain rollers.  (4)  After a few minutes, during which time the degreaser has had time to d...

A good pair of jeans is a must for everyone; for cyclists though, wearing jeans on the bike is uncomfortable at best. Swrve Indigo jeans overcome all the problems of cycling in normal jeans, and they do it in style and with incredible quality. Swrve is a brand design for urban riding; running errands, nipping across town, or jumping on the bike to go down the pub; a bike is a great way to get around town, but it is a lot nicer if you can do it in style and comfort. Swrve apparel is designed for just that; with jeans, shorts, jackets and accessories made for cruising the urban jungle. The Swrve Indigo jeans are the flagship of the Swrve range; created with riding in mind. The fabric is a stretch Cordura denim; it looks like normal denim, feels like it too, but is is harder wearing; ideal for the seat of your pants, which takes a fair bit of abrasion on the bike. There are many other features that make these jeans far more orientated towards vélo-life than a normal pair...

CiCLE CLASSIC _ 2013 from Mat Pennell on Vimeo . © 2013 FLAMME ROUGE Media A short film about the 2013 Rutland – Melton International CiCLE Classic. The Rutland–Melton International CiCLE Classic is a road race that starts in Oakham and finishes in Melton Mowbray. The race is characterised by its off-road sections and short, sharp climbs on narrow and treacherous farm tracks - taking its inspiration from Paris–Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.