Life In The Saddle

The potential benefits of oval chainrings are numerous — from reduced strain on the knees, to greater power output, and improved efficiency. I have been riding with absoluteBLACK Oval Chainrings for more than a year now; on gravel bikes, road bikes, and mountain bike. The benefits are notable, and I have now voluntarily adopted the oval asymmetric chainring design on all my bikes. Discovering the Benefits of Oval Chainrings I started using absoluteBlack oval chainrings on my Kona gravel bike; the 1x narrow/wide chainring was an economical replacement for a worn out SRAM Force 1x standard shaped chainring, and it offered me the opportunity to test the oval chainring design. The cyclocross/gravel single chainring from absoluteBLACK has a neat mounting system, whereby the chainring bolts screw straight into the chainring itself — offering a simple and clean look to the crank-set. The alloy that the chainring is made of also seems to be more robust than other offerings, a...

Do not underestimate the upgrade that a carbon chainset and top-level bottom bracket will have to performance; the crankset of a bike is the primary power transmission tool, and its design therefore plays an integral role in the efficiency, feel, and performance of your bike. The Praxis Zayante Carbon Crankset is one of the best value, best made carbon crankset upgrades you will see on the market today. The name Zayante comes from a redwood tree covered climb in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California; a secret training ground for professionals, and a road steeped in history. The name alludes to the relatively hidden, but undeniably valuable upgrade that the Zayante could make to your performance. The Praxis Zayante Carbon is designed for road cycling or gravel bikes, with ultimate versatility. The carbon crank arms come in lengths of 160 / 165 / 170 / 172.5 and 175 millimetres; built onto a unique stepped Praxis M30 spindle—that requires a Praxis M30 Bottom Bracket to fi...

Can a bottle of chain lube ever be worth a 100 GBP expenditure? The new absoluteBLACK GRAPHENlube claims that yes, it can. The most scientifically advanced bicycle chain lube on sale today, this new graphene based dry lubricant can offer serious friction reduction, efficiency gains, and reduced component wear rates. Before I tell of my experiences with absoluteBLACK GRAPHENlube, here is the science bit (taken from the absoluteBLACK website)... GRAPHENlube – 5 Claimed Advantages 5 Watt efficiency gain over 900 kilometres, in dry conditions Extend the life of your drivetrain Repels water and does not attract dirt  Dry paste-like coating stays on the chain for up to 1800 kilometres in dry conditions Does not contain harmful solvents GRAPHENlube – The Development and Product GRAPHENlube is a wax-based water emulsion with a special mix of high-purity graphene. It is liquid when you apply it, but becomes almost solid when it dries on the chain. Wax-based lubricants show far greater to...

If you are running a SRAM Force or Rival 1X drivetrain set-up, then you may well find yourself wishing for a lower gear, especially on bikepacking adventures. The SunRace MX80 / MX8 11-46 tooth cassettes supply two additional low ratio gears than you get on the standard 11-42T SRAM cassette. That is an upgrade worth considering... On my Kona Sutra LTD build , I was concerned about a lack of low end gear spread for the Tour Divide . Whilst pure grunt will usually get you up most things on an 11-42T cassette, I thought with the cumulative fatigue and long climbs on this 21 day bikepacking route, I might need something lower... SRAM rate their SRAM Rival and Force 1X rear derailleurs as suitable for a maximum of a 42-tooth cassette—I was keen to see if the SunRace MX80 and MX8 cassette would work with the derailleurs and provide that sought-after lower gear possibility. You may well not have heard of the SunRace brand, but you likely have heard of Sturmey Archer—the iconic hub gea...

I have been using oval chainrings on my road, gravel, and cyclocross bikes for six years now. I have tried multiple brands, and the offering from AbsoluteBLACK is one of the best designed and best value elliptical chainrings out there. I fitted the Narrow-Wide Absolute Black CX Premium Chainring to my Kona Private Jake to give it a thorough test. Oval chainrings claim a number of benefits: such as reduced fatigue, higher cadence, and more efficient power output. I have tested them on everything from ten mile time trials to my ultra-distance rides such as the Ride the Trafalgar Way and #BlackForest400 ; for me, the biggest notable different is a higher average cadence, especially when fatigued. A higher cadence means reduced strain on your muscles, a more efficient engine, and a faster ride; considering these notable benefits, I have taken to using oval chainrings on all my road and gravel bikes. The Absolute Black oval chainrings are a well thought out, and well-designed option ...

I have always been a fan of Campagnolo. Today, they announced the arrival of a technological advancement that deserves serious merit: a 12-speed road bike groupset, with disc brake options. The new Campagnolo Movement12 is too exciting not to write home about… The 11-speed Campagnolo Record groupset was my choice for my Neil Pryde Bura SL road bike build. Having visited the Campagnolo headquarters in Vicenza, I know the care and attention that goes into the production of every Campagnolo product; it is an attention to detail that explains why the Italian brand's parts out-last most others, and which also makes them ideal for an endurance road bike build. The introduction of the new Movement12 12 speed groupset is exciting to me for a number of reasons. Firstly, it provides a wider range of gears, which makes it more suitable for endurance riding. Secondly, it combines that with disc brakes, which makes it more suitable to a gravel or adventure bike. Finally, it improves a numbe...

I'm a big fan of Barnoldswick based Hope Technology. Hope products ooze quality, style, functionality and durability. Whilst the only parts from the brand on my road bike, are the iconic Hope Pro3 hubs; on my mountain bike it's a different story, and the headset, hubs, rims, grips and crankset all now come from the great British firm. The Hope Technology crankset attracted some great press attention when it was released earlier this year. That's not surprising, because although Hope are constantly testing and developing products, they're the kind of company that won't release anything until it meets the grade, and betters it. Therefore, when a new product does come into wide-scale production, it's sure to be superb. This crankset certainly is. From the moment you unbox this carefully machined piece of metal, it demonstrates all of the signature Hope characteristics. From its anodised colouring, with its laser-etched graphics, to the custom installation too...