Life In The Saddle

The Aftershokz X-Trainerz MP3 Player Headphones use an open-ear listening design utilising the same superb bone-conduction technology found in the Aftershokz Aeropex Headphones (reviewed last month) . This model is different in that it is designed as a stand-alone MP3 player, particularly suitable for swimming. The Aftershokz Aeropex have very quickly become my favourite headphones for cycling and running ( read the review here ); they offer incredible sound quality, but with the phenomenal benefit of not affecting your ambient noise hearing or balance. The Aftershokz X-trainer attracted my attention because of this positive experience, and because I was looking for a set of headphones to use for water sports—when I do not have a Bluetooth phone/MP3 player connection to hand. The X-Trainerz is IP68 waterproof rated and designed so that it is compatible with swimming goggles, caps, and earplugs. It has a standalone 4GB file storage capacity and supports all major audio file format...

Carrying your phone, cards, ID, and spare change with you when you cycle is essential; but storing them unprotected in your jersey pocket is asking for trouble. The Zilfer Cycling Phone Wallet is a neat solution from the Australian brand; a means to keep your valuables together and safe, both on and off the bike. The design of the wallet is simple enough – the phone slides into one side, and on the other half there are four slots for cards, and a larger sleeve for things like receipts or paper money. The phone wallet then folds in two, and on the back panel there is a zipper compartment for coins and a house key. The Zilfer Cycling Phone Wallet is made from a water resistant and durable material, to help protect the contents. This material is smart enough in appearance that you could use it every day, and Zilfer have consciously only implemented subtle branding to further promote this versatility. The phone wallet does also come with a protective pouch, which can be used to slip ...

A life of adventures, both on two wheels and more recently on the water, demands reliable and versatile equipment. The Victorinox Ranger Grip Boatsman is quite probably the only pocket knife tool that you will ever need for exploring the back-and-beyond and open waves. I grew up in a family of sailing enthusiasts and spent many summers teaching sailing to cadets. One thing that was drummed into me from an early age was the importance of having a good knife with you when you are on the water. A sailing knife is a necessity to handle frequent tasks like seized shackles, but also it is a vital safety aid in the event of you becoming entangled in rigging or ropes. As my summer explorations began to focus around bikes as much as boats, I began to appreciate the importance of a good pocket knife for these adventures as well. Wild camping and cooking necessitate a good blade, and accessories like a corkscrew, bottle opener, can opener and pliers, are useful for obvious reasons. The Vi...

Whether or not you should listen to music when you ride a bike is a topic that sparks a great debate around safety. The new Momentum True Wireless earbuds from Sennheiser could well be the ultimate solution to the cycling headphones question though — thanks to some very clever adaptable technology. The Momentum True Wireless Earbuds are Sennheiser's range-topping offering, and quite frankly offer incredible sound quality and comfort. The clarity and stereo acoustics of the Momentum are unlike anything that I have used previously, and even outshine my Bose over-ear headphones that I previously used for travelling. Music takes on a whole new dimension; with a surround-sound feel and great balance. You can even adjust the equaliser settings to your personal preference using the Sennheiser App, so you can have a more bass focussed beat if you desire. The Momentum earbuds are also extraordinarily comfortable. They sit snugly inside the ear and come with a collection of four earp...

For long distance endurance cycling, battery power often becomes a concern. Not just your personal energy 'batteries', but also power supply for your GPS unit, phone, and other devices. The Cinq Smart Power Pack II is a cycling specific power bank solution. What makes this more suitable to cycling than other power banks on the market? Charging The Cinq Smart Power Pack has three adjustable charging stages: you can charge it at a very low input level, such as from a dynamo hub (using a USB adaptor like The Plug ) or solar panel; but you can also rapidly charge it with a standard USB charger through the micro-USB input. In addition to acting as a battery store, the unit can also act as a 'buffer' between a dynamo hub and a device. This means that it avoids the device you are charging constantly flicking in and out of charging mode at low dynamo speeds. This is particularly useful for power hungry devices, and Android devices that don't charge well at low po...

Some products are faultless. You use them every day, and every time you think about their great functionality they make you smile. The range of wallets and phone pouches from Australian brand Bellroy, fit firmly into that 'impeccable' category. I use my Bellroy All-Conditions Phone Pocket Wallet  every day. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter , you will have likely seen it placed in kit layouts, on café tables, and in jersey pockets. It is a fantastic little case, which is perfect for holding ride essentials, safely and securely. The Bellroy All-Conditions Wallet is a new addition to my 'Every Ride Carry'. It holds many of the great attributes of the All-Conditions Phone Pocket, but in miniature size. Small enough to clasp in your hand, the All-Conditions Wallet will hold your cash, cards, keys and coins, in a weather-resistant pouch. The wallet is made from Bellroy's water resistant leather, and uses a YKK water resistant zip. It certainly provides ...

Everyone needs a good beat to move to, and an outdoor Bluetooth speaker is about the best way to instantly turn your phone into a mini DJ platform; so you can blast out some tunes. The KOAR BeBox Bluetooth speaker is a neat compact unit, which promises to provide some good bass and great clarity; all in a drop-proof, water-resistant package. KOAR is an American brand, who specialise in outdoor audio; they also produce a power bank, as well as a set of bone conduction headphones, not dissimilar to the Aftershockz Bluez 2 headphones  I've reviewed here on the blog. Their overarching mission is produce great music, for the outdoors. The KOAR BeBox uses two 3 Watt speakers to provide a strong output, for around 8 hours of playback. It connects to your audio device (iPod, laptop or phone) via either the Bluetooth connection or a provided AUX-in cable. A re-charge then takes around 4 hours, and is facilitated with a provided micro-USB input cable. It is a fairly common set-up with ...

In May 2015, I posted my review of the Aftershokz Bluez 2 Headphones ; they proved to be an incredible product, which changed my daily commute significantly. The bone conduction technology used in the Aftershokz range, means that you can enjoy your favourite tunes whilst riding, but still hear the warning sounds of traffic and ambient noise around you. This new-found ability to listen to music whilst riding safely, meant that I've used the Bluez 2 on an almost daily basis since; they deservedly featured in my Fifteen Festive Stocking Fillers for Cyclists 2015  blog post. Last month, Aftershokz released the new Bluez 2S bone conduction headphones. I always thought that the original Bluez 2 were very good (clearly), but even the best products have a few niggles. Like any good R&D company though, Aftershokz took on-board user feedback, and the new Bluez 2S headphones promise to be the perfected product. Better Sound Quality and Reduced Leakage The first improvement,...

Back at the start of 2014, I reviewed the original Tate Labs Bar Fly Garmin Mounts  on the blog; they proved to be very well made and very secure. They were so good in fact, that I've been using them ever since, on a variety of bikes. Earlier in 2015, Tate Labs announced their latest range of mounts, the SLi series. These mounts are made of similar high-strength plastic composites, and they are usable across all of the latest Garmin range. The critical new development though, is that you can now bundle the computer mounts with different add-ons, to make them extra versatile and useful. In this post, I take a look at the Tate Labs Bar Fly SLi BAM Garmin Road Mount and the Bar Fly SLi-D Mountain Bike Garmin Mount. For the SLi Road Mount, I've trialled two of the additional add-ons, which allow you to mount a GoPro and a light, underneath the out-front mount. Tate Labs Bar Fly Sli BAM Road Mount - GoPro and Light Bundles Tate Labs have taken their award winning Bar ...

Back in September, I reviewed the Eleven Vélo Ride Pouch on the blog. The leather wallet proved to be a neat and very well made jersey pocket kit carrier, which safely and smartly houses all your smaller ride essentials. It impressed me so much, that it fast became part of my Every Ride Carry . The Ride Pouch was a collaborative project, between Australian brand Eleven Vélo and San Francisco based Waterfield Designs. Although the pouch is really the only cycling specific product that Waterfield Designs have created to date, the quality of the product was so good, that I began thinking how many of the other great looking pieces in their range might be utilised in the two wheeled world. The Gear Pouch range looked ideal... I know a lot of enthusiast cyclists, and the majority of them are also almost OCD organisers. I'm not sure why, but perhaps the desire to have a finely tuned and efficient bicycle, also carries over into their everyday lives; so they end up organising everyt...

The Garmin Edge 810 has been classified by many to be the ultimate GPS computer. It is a compact unit, which has mapping capabilities, as well as full training software, and the ability to connect it to any ANT+ measurement unit. However, for many touring cyclists, the need for training software is limited, and the importance of mapping capabilities is the highest priority... enter the Garmin Edge Touring. The Edge Touring comes in at a significantly lower price than the Edge 810. It is a stripped back, mapping specific cycle computer, which focusses its devoted attention on guiding its user, rather than providing in-depth training data. The Edge Touring is the same size as the 810. It also similarly has a colour touch screen display, two easy-to-press buttons for start/stop/pause and lap, and a waterproofed port on the back to insert a mapping micro-SD card and a USB connection cable. Unlike the Edge 810 though, the Touring is able to meet a price point, by stripping back the u...

Christmas is coming, and that means stockings! In this post, I thought I would feature fifteen of the best cycling products that I've tested over the last year. They are all ideal stocking fillers, which don't cost the earth and would be ideal gifts for anyone that is into cycling. From energy bars to tyre levers, there's a real mix... Bounce Balls Bounce Balls are tasty little energy snacks, which are packed full of natural goodness. They contain carbohydrate from rice bran and starch, and whey protein to keep your muscles in shape. As a Christmas themed option, the new Cacao Orange flavour is seriously tasty with a morning coffee! View the Bounce Balls range (Link) Tate Labs Bar Fly SLi Mounts Keep handlebars clutter-free with an out-front mount. These new SLi mounts from Tate Labs are the best that I've used; I have the Bar Fly Sli BAM to hold a GoPro and Garmin Edge on my road bike, as well as the SLi-D MTB mount on my 35mm mountain bike bars. There...