Life In The Saddle

Flexible soft bottles have been a secret weapon of mine on bikepacking and cycle touring adventures. The compressible bottles are the ideal solution when you need to carry more water on scorching days, or you need to stock up on fluid before heading off for an overnight camp. I remember one time on the #RoadsFromRome trip, when a kind Italian man offered to help me fill up my water bottles at the end of a sweltering day. When I kept pulling soft flasks out of my pannier, he took great delight in the apparent magic trick, and then joyously started to try blowing one flask up like a balloon... he didn't get far—these things are surprisingly robust. Soft flasks have been used by runners for a long time, and feature in many ultra-running vests. Equally water bladders have been used in mountain biking hydration packs for years; offering a way to carry water when you do not have bottle cages on your bike. Flexible bottles like the new HydraPak Flux are something quite new though… This

Wild camping and bicycle touring or bikepacking go hand in hand. Camping in fields, on beaches, and in remote rural locations means you can choose your camping spot; allowing far more freedom in terms of route planning and far more scope to account for adverse or favourable riding conditions. Wild camping is also an incredible way to get closer to nature. It lets you experience sunsets and sunrises in secluded places, and lets you truly escape from civilisation on your bikepacking adventures. There is also the fact that wild camping is free, and it is often the only choice for back-of-beyond bicycle touring. This blog post details my personal top tips for wild camping. The advice comes from experiences on hiking trips, and bicycle touring or bikepacking adventures such as the #RoadsFromRome , #7Countries7Passes , #CelticCrossTrail , and #CoastsandCols tours. Camping in the wild is an unforgettable experience—one that should be enjoyed by all. Hopefully, this wild camping guide

Bellroy make brilliant products. From their All Conditions Phone Pocket and Card Wallet that come with me on everyday adventures, to their Passport Wallet  and holdalls for travel further afield. The new Bellroy Laptop Caddy is a fantastic addition to the range, which is perfect for transporting your laptop from home to boardroom, whether in your bicycle pannier or rucksack. Neoprene laptop sleeves are easy and cheap to come by, but after a year of daily use and abuse they will look tatty and stained. The Bellroy Laptop Caddy uses a wipe clean fabric, with a water-resistant zip, to create a protective compartment for your electronics that keeps them safe from dust, moisture and dirt. It has stayed looking smart and presentable after intensive daily use. When unzipped, the front panel of the Bellroy Laptop Caddy hinges down to reveal a smart organisational compartment; with stretch mesh pockets designed to house your mouse, pens, charger cables and plug. This innovative design mea

Those that have ridden a road bike on the Isle of Wight will know that it is an incredible landscape to explore. The unique geology of the island has created a topographic profile that is undeniably tough, but unquestionably beautiful; from towering cliffs to wild wind-swept flats. In this post, I have selected five of my favourite road cycling routes on the Isle of Wight—an insider's choice for the best road cycling on offer, as well as my personal recommendations for café stops and highlights. Wight Road Route #1 – Panoramas and Pottery Difficulty – Medium Distance – 50 kilometres (31 miles) Elevation Profile – Moderate (400 metres elevation gain) We start with a fairly easy route in the West Wight—starting and finishing at the wonderful Caffe Isola in the centre of Newport, the ideal place for a pre-ride breakfast and coffee. The route then heads out of town through the rolling hills of Bowcombe and down to Chale Green—a picturesque village at the southern point of th

I am a strong advocate of wearing protective glasses year-round when cycling; in the winter they shield your eyes from wind, road spray, and grit; then, on sunnier days they protect your retinas from UV rays as well. To account for low light levels and night riding in winter months, a pair of adaptable photochromic sunglasses is the perfect solution when considering the best sunglasses for cycling... the Koo Supernova sunglasses are the best photochromic option I have found to date. The limited edition Koo Supernova Strade Bianche Edition sunglasses are subtly branded with the name of the iconic Italian Spring Classic race, while the design and functionality is the same superb lightweight set-up found in the standard Supernova glasses from Koo. The Supernova glasses are ultralight at just 22 grams per pair; they use a frameless single lens that is shatter-proof and anti-reflective, while providing 100 percent UV protection. The photochromic lens quickly adapts to the riding light

I first tasted and reviewed Veloforte bars here on Life In The Saddle, back in April 2018  – they were an instant hit. After meeting members of the ever-growing Veloforte team this summer, I was eager to try out their new extended range of bars, drinks, gels and energy chews. Veloforte Natural Energy and Protein Bars  The Veloforte energy bars are where it all started. Based on Panforte – the Italian traditional Christmas dessert – these bars are a similar chewy sweet treat, packed full of fruit, nut and spices. Christmas cake has always been one of my favourite ride energy snacks, and these wholesome handmade bars bring a similar refreshing taste and energy boost to your everyday ride. The complete range is comprised of seven bars: all branded as 'energy bars', but with the Mocha and Forza versions also delivering an impressive 10-12 grams of protein (so they might also be classified as protein recovery bars). The flavours range from the tangy Classico with its apricots and

For as long as I can remember I have been a user and advocate of natural medicine. I recall putting arnica gel on bumps and bruises as a small child; smelling the relaxing tones of lavender in the bathroom after an active day in the garden; or drinking cups of honey and ginger tea to soothe a dry throat or a cough. At its heart, natural medicine considers the harmonious connection between people and plants — using it to help us recover and thrive in our everyday lives. For the last two years I have been a Weleda Arnica Ambassador. In that time, I have enjoyed learning even more about Anthroposophic medicine: the holistic view of the human being that promotes a healthy balance between body and mind, using the power of nature and plants. In this blog post, I share some of my favourite products from the Weleda range. These balms, lotions and gels are what I consider to be the perfect choices for an outdoor enthusiast's bathroom cupboard; helping you to relax, rejuvenate and repa

In Simon Warren's latest '100Climbs' guide, he heads to Spain to document one hundred of the finest climbs and challenging gradients that have found fame in races such as the Vuelta a España. Also including the Canaries and the island of Mallorca – which I have visited on more than a dozen occasions, this little pocket guide is the perfect companion to let you know what you're really letting yourself in for on your route planning for that trip abroad… ' 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs of Spain ' took five years to research and ride. It contains epic climbs such as the Angliru, Alto de Velefique, Lagos de Covadonga and the mighty Pico Veleta. Over on Mallorca, you will find familiar names such as Puig Major and Sa Calobra, whilst in the Canaries you will uncover Tiede on Tenerife, and the Roque de los Muchachos on La Palma. Each climb is carefully profiled with gradients and a detailed description of the ascent. I was pleased to see I could tick off every climb i

Choosing the right bicycle saddle is similar to looking for a comfortable pair of shoes; there are numerous factors to consider—both physiological and with intended use. In this article, I offer  7 Tips to consider how you can choose the right bicycle saddle for your anatomy and style of bike riding. 1 – Seat-Bone Width The first thing to consider is the distance between your seat bones. Your seat/sit bone width determines the ideal width of the saddle you should choose. You can measure your seat bone width using a piece of corrugated cardboard: place the cardboard on a hard bench, and sit firmly on it. Rock forwards slightly to mimic a riding position, and elevate your feet to press your seat bones down onto the cardboard—so that they make an indent. Then, mark the centre of the two indents and measure the distance between the two points. This will give you your seat/sit bone width. A narrow sit bone width would be 100 mm or less, medium 100 to 130 mm, and wide over 130 m