Life In The Saddle

Protein is a key nutrient in any person's diet, whether they are a Pro athlete, or gentle exerciser. Protein is responsible for renewing and rejuvenating your body's muscles, skin, hair and bones; without it, we simply wouldn't be able to survive. In a recent post , I talked about how I have made the switch to fuelling with more fat and protein, particularly on endurance rides. The change has had a notable positive impact for me, both on my energy levels, as well as on my recovery. With this in mind, and with recent research showing that most people would actually do well to reduce the sugar in their diet, in favour of more protein, it seems that products like the fresh dairy protein drinks from Upbeat, should be a great hit. Upbeat's drinks are different from many pre-made protein drinks, which you can find on the shelves in the supermarket. They aren't packed full of sugar and preservatives, and they aren't sickeningly sweet or gloopy. Rather, they are m

Cycling nutrition has changed. Once, it was believed that the best approach was to consume as much carbohydrate as possible; usually in the form of simple sugars, such as glucose, fructose and sucrose. Protein was considered solely for recovery; whilst fat was avoided like the plague. That has changed... Now, sports nutrition scientists have recognised the downsides of sugar overload; as well as the advantages of protein and fat, for fuelling. Sugar is great at providing a quick hit of muscle fuel, but, that is exactly what it is: a quick-hit. Sugar creates spikes in your energy levels, and when your body is accustomed to the sugar-hits, it can struggle to perform without them. Enter protein and fat fuelling. Fat is packed full of energy, which releases itself over a longer duration than sugar. Protein contains vital amino acids, which help to recover and rejuvenate muscles, as they work. An approach that considers these fuels for endurance sport, therefore seems logical and more

The Levi's brand should need little introduction; they are the original denims, with a heritage dating back to the time of John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men'. What you might not be aware of, is that they also produce some of the best casual cycling apparel in the market. They started out adapting their superb 511 jeans, which I reviewed on the blog last year; more recently though, they've gone one step further, with some beautifully crafted shirts and outerwear. Let's take a look... Review: Levi's Commuter Wool Hoodie First up, my new favourite piece of casual outerwear: the Levi's Commuter Wool Hoodie. Wool jackets have been 'on-trend' for some time in the fashion world, and we have seen a real growth in brands producing trench coats and duffel coats with the material. For riding a bike around town, a woollen coat is rather impractical though, so Levi's have produced this versatile yet smart hoodie, to fulfil that need. At first gl

Thule are probably best known for their bike carriers and roof racks, but they also produce an equally high-quality range of everyday accessories; including bags, phone cases and computer cases. In the past, I have reviewed the Thule Atmos X3 phone case, the  Thule Pack 'n' Pedal Commuter luggage series, as well as their famous 598 Roof Carrier . In this review, I thought it was worth highlighting another product from the Swedish brand's range, which could be ideal for the active cycle commuter... a good quality computer case. Depending on how you look at it, you could either be lucky enough, or unlucky enough, in having the need to take a laptop into work with you by bike each day. Either way, the same holds true that your laptop will not respond well to the knocks and bumps that typically bombard your commuting luggage. Take it from me, I have written-off a laptop in an unfortunate commuting collision. With this in mind, there seems a real argument for cyclists to c

Sunshine, gales and lots of hill climbing featured on today's ride. A chance for a few photos, too. This is the latest kit from Primal Europe , which I have been testing for the last few weeks. It includes the HiVis Rain Cape, Onyx Wind Vest and Onyx Bib Knickers, as well as the Primal HiVis Fusion Jacket . The Primal HiVis Rain Cape has been invaluable with the frequent squalls A shadow! That means sunshine! I am impressed by the features and quality of this latest Primal Wear kit Fluorescent visibility Warm enough for three quarters, just. The Kask Infinity featured in my ' Top Winter Cycling Kit for 2016 ' post I have become a fan of the HiVis pink bar tape. I was dubious at first. Crosswinds! A great day in the saddle. #HappyTrails #NeverLoseYourGrip