Life In The Saddle

Not all cycling caps are made equal. I have worn dozens of different brands and styles throughout my time in the saddle: from Gore-Tex® waterproof ones to lightweight summer ones – each has their place and virtues. It is the classic cotton casquette that I keep coming back to though: the one with a wide brim, and a soft natural fabric that only seems to get better with age. The cotton cycling cap is the perfect headwear to keep the rain off your face in a downpour, or the sweat and sun from your eyes in the summer heat. Yet, I have an issue. I have a large head. At 61cm, it maxes out most helmets and stretches most cycling caps to their limit. To avoid the circulation being cut off to my forehead (and the embarrassing red halo you are left with at the end of a ride), I have resorted to cutting the elastic from many cycling caps, and trawling the market for the largest size available. Then, I discovered Uncle Pete’s… Uncle Pete is based in Bromley, UK, and makes custom cotton cy...

The world is going electric. There are no two ways about it, electronic gadgets have been making our lives easier and faster for years, and the power of electric shows little sign of slowing up in a hurry. The new AS2 Pro Max Electronic Bike Pump from CYCPLUS is a neat little gadget that takes the hard work and frustration out of inflating your bike tyres, while being small enough it could fit in a jersey pocket. I have been testing it out, here is my review… The AS2 Pro Max is the first handheld electric bike pump I have come across to date. I have used bulky compressors and handheld CO2 inflators, but this is a reusable handheld electric bike pump that is charged up using a USB-C cable in just one hour, and can quickly inflate or top up tyres on your bike or car. The AS2 Pro Max is the top of the range model from CYCPLUS, designed to be more powerful and have a greater capacity than its two smaller siblings. It weighs in at 205 grams, and measures 60 x 32 x 81mm in size – small...