Life In The Saddle

" They are what they eat " says Hannah Grant—at the time Head Chef for Team Tinkoff-Saxo – one of the most successful professional cycling teams on the UCI World Tour circuit. It is a motto that I subscribe to very strongly. Food is an integral part of cycling. Food is your fuel, and your conditioning agent, as well as your recovery. Energy bars and gels can do so much, when you are on the bike; but it is what you eat the rest of the time that really makes a difference. Cycling teams realised the importance of nutrition some time back, and that is why a number of the top teams now have Michelin level chefs working for them; their role is to ensure that the nutritional intake of the riders is absolutely optimal for their performance. Hannah Grant is one of those top chefs, and just as the mechanics at Team Tinkoff-Saxo played an integral role in preparing the bikes for the riders each morning and evening, Hannah has a fundamental role in ensuring that the riders are co

The Artax GL saddle from Italian brand Repente is designed for the world of gravel cycling. Featuring a non-deformable reinforced carbon fibre shell and rails, as well as greater padding than a traditional road cycling saddle; this perch is made for the challenging and sometime rough terrain encountered on gravel bike adventures. A rider on a gravel bike has a fundamentally different position that of a rider on a road racing bike; with a more upright stance and normally a less stretched out torso. The Artax GL is designed to offer better support for this position: with a squarer front, a semi-flat shape, and additional padding on the rear of the saddle to support the seat bones. The saddle measures 275mm long and 132mm wide at the widest part; these dimensions place is in the 'short and narrow' spectrum in most saddle ranges; allowing the rider to move from side to side on the saddle with ease, pedal without incurring leg friction, while still being able to get their weig

Choose cycling. Choose to ride. Choose to train. Choose to explore. Choose road, mountain, cyclocross, touring, and gravel.  Choose a jersey and shorts in matching colours.  Choose the awkward tan lines and chain oil tattoos.  Choose sunrise ride outs and multi-day epics.  Choose to adventure beyond.  Choose the mountains, the coast, and everything in between.  Choose café runs, park laps, and local loops.  Choose far-away rides and wilderness wild camps.  Choose watching the sunset dip below the horizon with no-one else in sight.  Choose waking up on the side of a mountain and wondering where the hell you are on a cold misty morning.  Choose ride music: dance, trance, rock and pop—to make those million pedal revolutions feel more varied. Choose exhaustion.  Choose elation.  Choose to ride with friends.  Choose to ride alone.  Choose how far and how fast.  Choose freedom.  Choose to dream, and to pedal as far as possible—you might just get there.  Choose Life In The Saddle... Choose Cy

The Isle of Wight is sometimes hyped for being the sunniest place in Britain; that seems like a good excuse for a new pair of cycling sunglasses… The Airas sunglasses from UK brand SunGod caught my eye a while back and I have been lusting after a pair ever since. This month, I ordered a pair of the Airas ZF (frameless) glasses in a classy mirror blue lens and white frame combination. They have not failed to impress. SunGod made their name in the casual sunglasses market, but after moving into the performance eyewear marketplace in the last few years they have been quick to make their mark. The Airas are one of three models within the Pace Series by SunGod; the Pace models share the same ultramodern lens technology, as well as a super adjustable fit, 100 percent UV protection, and a lifetime guarantee. The SunGod Airas begin with the robust and comfortable 'frame' – consisting of the arms and nosepiece only (hence the frameless name). The impact resistant polycarbonate frame com

Signs of Life: A Doctor's Journey to the Ends of the Earth by Stephen Fabes is an amazing book, documenting an incredible journey. Stephen cycles the length of six continents, over six years; his story of experiences makes for a superb read. The narrative is thought provoking and inspiring. Stephen writes extremely well, and his journey is peppered with amusing forthright observations and encounters. Stephen comes across as a kind and compassionate man—who laughs at himself, and at the world he discovers. Stephen's ride offered him time to really look, listen, and think about the people in the hidden corners of our Earth. Reading his accounts, I longed on many occasions to be at his shoulder; tackling another climb, sharing the view at the summit, and marvelling at yet another new and fascinating culture. Signs of Life: A Doctor's Journey to the Ends of the Earth would be an excellent book to put in any cyclist or adventurer's stocking this Christmas, or indeed j

Not every day is a race, even when you are Pro. For me, far more days are spent enjoying the time outdoors and embracing the places that a bicycle can take me, rather than hunting KOMs or sprinting for finish lines. The Rapha Pro Team Training Jersey appealed to me for this reason; I wanted a comfortable summer cycling jersey that I could wear day-in-day-out; a jersey that had style and class, but with a performance fit and superb endurance riding functionality. Rapha designed the Pro Team Training Jersey to meet these demands. Just because you are not racing, does not mean that you do not appreciate a good fitting jersey, performance moisture-wicking fabrics, and quality design. The Pro Team Training Jersey was made for riders that want to experience these design attributes in a jersey capable of going the distance—both in terms of product lifespan and in terms of their training miles. Made from a mid-weight but highly breathable fabric, this summer jersey is not a superlight 'rac