Life In The Saddle

As someone that loves off-the-beaten-track adventures, just the title of Chris Sidwell's new book got me excited. 'Really Wild Cycling' is a pocket handbook to extraordinary 'road less travelled' cycling adventures around the United Kingdom. From Devon Tors to Yorkshire Moors; from the South Downs Way to the Pennine Way; the little book has everything from one day rides to multi-day epics, and something from almost every county across the land. The rides each have their own collection of pages—with graded difficulty, elevation profiles, OS map references, and an annotated pocket map. Colour photography helps to show the variety of landscapes that you can expect to find on one of the adventures. Chris has adopted a personal approach with this guidebook. Each ride narrative supplies insight into everything from tea stops to local history; giving context and knowledge to be processed and enjoyed as you ride. The photography is also clearly genuine 'first-hand'

A rack-top waterproof trunk bag is the ideal place to stash ride essentials when bicycle touring or on a cycle commute. The Altura Dryline 2 Rackpack 7L is a superb example and offers a safe and watertight carry. Whether you a commuting, brevet event riding, or on a trans-continental bike tour; a rack top trunk bag is a great luggage solution.  Hopefully, you have read my post ' What Is in Your Gravel Adventure Bar Bag? '—well, on my touring bike that has a pannier rack permanently fitted, I opt to carry the same selection of products (plus a lightweight windproof jacket), but in the Altura Dryline Rackpack instead of a handlebar bag. The Altura Dryline 2.0 Rackpack is designed to be a simple but sturdy, and highly functional rack-top pannier pack. Mounting the Altura Dryline Rackpack is easy. A base plate attaches to the pannier rack using two strong Velcro straps. The rack bag then attaches to a base plate using Velcro strips and three quick-release buckles; to allow f

Chrome Industries are an icon in the world of bicycle courier luggage. More than twenty years ago, in the city of Boulder (Colorado) the brand created the sling messenger bag out of seatbelt buckles and straps, five bar webbing, and a double-lined waterproof truck tarpaulin interior. Their tag-line reads ' Building Indestructible Gear Since 1995 '—a claim they reliably hold true to. The Chrome Barrage Cargo Backpack is a new leading light in their indestructible messenger bag waterproof backpack line-up—created to be the ultimate roll-top bike messenger rucksack. Capable of carry your daily cycle commute load or your weekend adventure kit—this backpack is as versatile and hardcore as they come. The Barrage Cargo is made from abrasion resistant 1050D Nylon, with a welded waterproof truck tarpaulin liner, and a classic waterproof roll-top closure. The design makes it a watertight load carrier—with the cavernous main compartment safely accommodating 22 litres of gear, includi

Endurance athletes need carbohydrates, and they need sugar for energy. There are many kinds of sugar in the world though, and choosing the right ones makes a substantial difference to how well sugar can act as fuel. I have been testing out a range of natural plant-based sugars from Bonraw Foods; interested to see why their Panela, Silverbirch, and Coconut Blossom sugars could be sensible substitutes for refined sugar. Coconut Sugar  Coconut sugar is made from the fresh sap of coconut blossom. It is heated to turn it into syrup, which then crystalizes into small granules. It is neither refined nor bleached and it is recognised as the most sustainable sweetener in the world. Coconut sugar tastes like sweet molasses with intense caramel undertones, and it is perfect for baking sponges, biscuits, and desserts.    Crucially for sportspeople and others looking for a more stable blood sugar level—such as diabetics, Coconut Blossom Sugar has a far lower GI index than refined cane sugar.

Bike frames, whether made from carbon fibre or steel are surprisingly robust—they can withstand big drops, heavy loads, and the constant pounding of rough terrain. What they do not deal so well with are the stone chips, cable rub, and pinpoint impacts that can occur during everyday use. These are a few simple tricks to help protect your bike frame from damage—helping to prolong its strength and life. Chips and cracks on bike frames and paintwork are most likely to occur in a few select areas. The chainstays and downtube are prime subjects; where chain slap and pebble dash bombard the frame. Luckily, there are a few inexpensive and neat tricks that you can do to protect your bike frame. Chainstay Protection Most people know that the drive-side chainstay on a bike is vulnerable to chain slap—that annoying clacking as you ride over rough surfaces and the chain bounces on the stay. At best it will chip the paint—at worst it could cause more serious frame damage. On any frame it

A set of wide-profile carbon wheels is the biggest single upgrade you will likely make to your gravel bike; saving weight, adding comfort, and improving handling. The Reynolds ATR 700C Wheels are a market-leading and pioneering product in the carbon gravel wheelset market—highlighting the notable advantages of wide carbon rims, high-quality hubs, and a wheelset composition designed specifically for gravel and off-road use. I fitted a set of Reynolds ATR 700C Wheels to my Kona Private Jake for testing—they replaced a set of reliable alloy hoops from Stan's NoTubes ( Stan's ZTR Crest Wheelset ). I was eager to see what the reduced weight, improved vibration absorption, and wider rim profile could add to my gravel riding set-up. The answer, was a lot… Reynolds pioneered the 'super-wide' carbon rim with the original ATR wheelset. They were well ahead of their time introducing a carbon rim with a 23 mm internal width and a 32 mm external profile; add in the 40 mm aero teard

Hannah Grant has fast become one of my idol chefs. I love good simple food and I also love bike riding—riding far and riding fast. Hannah's recipes combine the two adorations perfectly: great simple food, made to be the perfect fuel for endurance sport. 'Eat Race Win' is her latest book release. ' The Grand Tour Cookbook ' was the first cycling-orientated recipe book released by Hannah Grant. I reviewed it, and it would be accurate to say that it has become an almost biblical reference whenever we are looking for tasty and wholesome dishes in our household. 'Eat. Race. Win.' is the sequel to 'The Grand Tour Cookbook'—supplying a new bank of superb recipes to try. The book is beautifully illustrated and holds some interesting and inspiring insights on both cycling and cookery. This is a cookbook worthy of being placed on your coffee table. The recipes themselves are the real talking point though... whether it is the ride-fuelling breakfasts,

For road cyclists, road rash is unfortunately something you are likely to suffer at least a few times during your riding career. Icy lanes, bad drivers, greasy roundabouts, and tyre blow-outs; they are just a few of the potential hazards that could leave you with the painful red abrasion to your hips, elbows, and knees. I have had my fair share of road rash. The worst was the 2014 season—plagued by crashes. During that season, I learnt a few tips to help the healing process of tarmac abrasions. 1. Get it Clean. Straight Away Tarmac is not a hygienic or sterile surface and getting bits of grit in your road rash and cuts will prolong the healing process, and potentially lead to infection. It hurts like hell but wash your cut out thoroughly in the shower after the accident, and use antiseptic wipes to really get it clean, before you do anything else. 2. Apply Antiseptic Salve Road rash unfortunately takes a long time to heal and can often leave a scar. The best remedy is to