Life In The Saddle

We have all had that sinking feeling. Flat tyres are something you accept with bike riding, but there are several ways to prevent and reduce the chance of a puncture on a bicycle tyre. Whether you are running tubeless tyres or an inner tube there is still a risk of a puncture, and several ways to repair a flat. This blog post considers 7 Tips for preventing, fixing, and repairing a bicycle puncture on all kinds of wheel setups. Prevent Punctures – Tyre Choice The single most influential factor in preventing a bicycle puncture is your choice of tyre. Not all bicycle tyres are made equal. Most confusingly, even those with the same name are often not of an equal quality level. Some tyres feature inbuilt puncture protection belts made of Kevlar or a similar fibre—these help to avoid penetration of the tyre and puncturing of the inner tube. When looking at tyre reviews and choices, look out for those tyres with inbuilt puncture protection. It is worth noting that when you bu...

The new Rapha Handlebar Bag has fast become a favourite bikepacking 'day ride' handlebar bag. Rather than just write a product review of this compact handlebar bag though, I thought I would also look inside—to see what comes with me on a solo self-sufficient gravel ride. This is my pack of essentials to keep you riding all day… It has become increasingly important for us to become self-sufficient on our rides; the outbreak of Coronavirus in March 2020 closed most shops, cafes, and even public conveniences, as well as making solo riding a necessity. Luckily, experience with off-road and back-of-beyond bicycle touring has taught me a few tricks to avoid needing to depend on support or re-supply stops when out on the road or trail. I used to favour a saddlebag as my on-bike bag for carrying spares and tools, but that choice has evolved over time; a small handlebar bag does not restrict your view of the front wheel at all, it is a lot more accessible than a saddlebag, and it...

Bicycle riders can be a tricky bunch to buy gifts for. This 2019 gift selection could provide some great ideas for cycling gifts. Not all of them are two-wheel specific, but all of them are fun and useful presents for a cyclist in your life. Nite Ize Doohikey Key Chain Mini Pen-Knife This great little knife clips to your keys and provides you with a compact blade for those essential tasks. Whether it is cutting cable ties on your event numbers, or unpackaging the endless supply of cycling kit and components that arrives at your door; this sharp little locking blade is a super little companion. I personally find it especially useful for trimming tubeless tyre plugs and cutting race numbers down to size. >>  Shop the Nite Ize Doohikey Key Chain Knife here  << Smoove Universal Chain Lube This is my go-to bicycle chain lube; whether riding road, gravel, or mountain bike, and whatever the conditions. It uses a unique wax-based formula that completely...

GULP! That is the usual feeling when mid-race you look at your rear tyre and confirm the squidgy feeling... you've punctured. GUP (actually spelt GÜP) is a quick-fix sealant solution to get you back riding, fast. It is usable for tubes, tubeless, or tubular tyres. This is one product that you hope you will never need to use in earnest, and luckily to date I haven't had to trial it in a 'race' or 'ride' situation. However, to test its performance I did deploy a can of GÜP to fix a flat on a wheelbarrow, and another to simply inflate a tubeless MTB tyre whose sealant had dried up... Application is easy... Rest the bike against a wall or tree, and position the valve of the punctured wheel at the 12 o'clock position Unscrew the Presta valve about 3/4 of the way out (not the valve core, just the valve closing mechanism). Note: GUP also works with Schrader valves Place the can over the valve. DO NOT push can all the way up against the rim With one hand,...