Life In The Saddle

" They are what they eat " says Hannah Grant—at the time Head Chef for Team Tinkoff-Saxo – one of the most successful professional cycling teams on the UCI World Tour circuit. It is a motto that I subscribe to very strongly. Food is an integral part of cycling. Food is your fuel, and your conditioning agent, as well as your recovery. Energy bars and gels can do so much, when you are on the bike; but it is what you eat the rest of the time that really makes a difference. Cycling teams realised the importance of nutrition some time back, and that is why a number of the top teams now have Michelin level chefs working for them; their role is to ensure that the nutritional intake of the riders is absolutely optimal for their performance. Hannah Grant is one of those top chefs, and just as the mechanics at Team Tinkoff-Saxo played an integral role in preparing the bikes for the riders each morning and evening, Hannah has a fundamental role in ensuring that the riders are co...

Signs of Life: A Doctor's Journey to the Ends of the Earth by Stephen Fabes is an amazing book, documenting an incredible journey. Stephen cycles the length of six continents, over six years; his story of experiences makes for a superb read. The narrative is thought provoking and inspiring. Stephen writes extremely well, and his journey is peppered with amusing forthright observations and encounters. Stephen comes across as a kind and compassionate man—who laughs at himself, and at the world he discovers. Stephen's ride offered him time to really look, listen, and think about the people in the hidden corners of our Earth. Reading his accounts, I longed on many occasions to be at his shoulder; tackling another climb, sharing the view at the summit, and marvelling at yet another new and fascinating culture. Signs of Life: A Doctor's Journey to the Ends of the Earth would be an excellent book to put in any cyclist or adventurer's stocking this Christmas, or indeed j...

The Cold War has always fascinated me. As a historian and a behavioural economist, it presents one of the most turbulent and captivating case studies of human interaction, economic systems, and cultural polarisation. Last year, I read and reviewed Herbie Skyes' ' The Race Against The Stasi ' – it was a great read and a real insight into the cultural and sporting differences imposed under communist control. Tim Moore's 'The Cyclist Who Went Out In The Cold' provides a post-communism view of the countries on the Iron Curtain divide; all from the seat of a communist produced shopping bicycle. His 10,000 kilometre journey along the Iron Curtain Trail (EuroVelo Route 13) is a humorous yet also historically interesting tale of discovery. From his start at the most northern tip of Finland, Tim Moore rides south; through endless snow-covered pine forests, battling with hypothermia, and becoming an expert in the art of sauna meditation. From Finland to Russia...

Heart warming and intensely personal, this is the story of a journey and the people that have made it. An incredible journey, from Lands End to John O' Groats—by bicycle.  Within its pages it incorporates a history of cycling from 1880 to the present day; how the record to achieve this iconic distance has gradually been reduced to an unbelievably short time.  The book is meticulously researched, beautifully written, and brought to life by interviews with the historic cyclists themselves. As Jones writes the stories of the record breakers, he rides the course himself in several long stages—immersing himself in the history and landscape.  Jones is self-critical and trying to come to terms with his recent decision to leave his job as a secondary school headteacher. His writing is poetic, funny, and observant; describing both his inner turmoil and the outer landscape he passes through. I loved this book, I felt I wanted to take note of particularly resonant phrases so I coul...

Post World War Two Europe makes for a fascinating study. At school and university my history and economic history courses delved deep into the political, economic, and social impact of the divisions between the communist bloc and the democratic west during the Cold War period. However, what my studies never really touched on, was sport. So, when the ' Race Against The Stasi'  was published I was sure it would be a compelling read. The historical account follows the life of Dieter Wiedemann—a cycling hero from the GDR (East Germany). Dieter's biography: composed of quotes, news extracts, and letters from his life, is a captivating account. It is story of ambition, success, challenge, and love. The narrative begins with Dieter competing for the GDR in amateur events such as the iconic Peace Race and tours of the communist bloc countries. However, after realising the true extent of political influence on his life and sport, Dieter eventually makes the life-changing decisio...

'Outside Is Free' by Henrik Orre arrives in a waterproof pouch with a titanium spork... a hint at the theme of this latest recipe book from Vélochef—this, is food for adventure. Henrik Orre is a Norwegian chef who was Head Chef for Team Sky Pro Cycling. His previous books ' Vélochef ' and ' Vélochef in Europe ' are two of my favourite recipe books; providing great insights into the nutritional science behind a professional cycling team—with fantastic ideas for performance enhancing and mouth-watering dishes that you can try at home. 'Outside Is Free' delves into Henrik's new passion... adventure cycling. With the rise of gravel bikes and back-of-beyond touring, this book is packed full of simple recipes that could be made when camping out in the wild. The focus of 'Outside Is Free' is less on the performance approach, and more on simple, wholesome, and satisfying natural nutrition. These recipes are meals to begin and end 'epic...

I have always had a love of mountains. I grew up by the coast but take me into the majestic land of peaks and valleys and I suddenly feel at home. 'Mountains' by Michael Blann is the only book I have discovered that seems to be able to articulate this deep-seated emotional connection through print; it is a literal and pictographic window into the hidden beauty of the mountains of Europe. 

As someone that loves off-the-beaten-track adventures, just the title of Chris Sidwell's new book got me excited. 'Really Wild Cycling' is a pocket handbook to extraordinary 'road less travelled' cycling adventures around the United Kingdom. From Devon Tors to Yorkshire Moors; from the South Downs Way to the Pennine Way; the little book has everything from one day rides to multi-day epics, and something from almost every county across the land. The rides each have their own collection of pages—with graded difficulty, elevation profiles, OS map references, and an annotated pocket map. Colour photography helps to show the variety of landscapes that you can expect to find on one of the adventures. Chris has adopted a personal approach with this guidebook. Each ride narrative supplies insight into everything from tea stops to local history; giving context and knowledge to be processed and enjoyed as you ride. The photography is also clearly genuine 'first-hand' ...

A year or so ago, I reviewed the Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix here on Life In The Saddle. I was impressed by its subtle flavour, natural ingredients, and how effective it was at warding off cramps. In the last month, I have been testing out recipes from their 'solid fuel' solution: the recipes in the Skratch Labs Feed Zone Portables Cookbook. The Feed Zone Portables Cookbook is a collection of recipes for snacks, breakfasts, lunches, and light meals, which you could take with you on any of your outdoor adventures. From rice cakes to panini rolls, and cookies to granola—this is a collection designed for easy transportation and easy consumption. The book is most definitely written for the American reader—with quite a few Americanisms like "grit" and "put it out for 10"; as well as using a lot of ingredients that are far cheaper in the States than they are this side of the Atlantic (such as maple syrup and blueberries). Yet, being selective about ...

Nick is passionate about bicycles—all kinds of bicycles, but particularly the tough practical workhorse bicycles ridden by millions all over the world. His mission is to find out how bicycles are being used across the world. He travels all over—from South America to Japan and Zanzibar. Nick is eloquent and forthright; his writing is funny, well researched, and very readable. The copy I had was a first edition proof copy, and initially the spelling mistakes, typos, and grammatical errors nearly made me put the book down. But, I persevered because I recognise a good storyteller; and Raistrick is clearly that... I laughed out loud. I gasped at his cheek. I was fascinated by his descriptions of other cultures. I was nearly brought to tears by his heartfelt tales of his family. Excusing the need for some proof-reading and editing, this book would be a very welcome addition to any cyclist’s bookshelf. Indeed, it should be read much more widely; by politicians and policy advisers—with i...

To justify an £18 price tag, a magazine must be exceptional. Every word must capture your imagination, and every image should inspire adventure; you should feel immersed in the stories in such a way that they come alive and speak to you. Far Ride Magazine, goes a substantial way towards achieving that—with its beautiful stories of bikepacking and adventure cycling. This journal pushes the boundary between magazine and book—a volume printed on heavyweight and colourful paper, with a spine as thick as your thumb. There is no doubt it is worthy of a place on your coffee table, based on front cover impressions alone. Dive into the publication, and the content lives up to the same impressive standard. Captivating stories of urban exploration in Singapore; accounts of Mexican dirt road adventures; personal and intimate insights into great bikepacking races such as the Transcontinental; even homemade ride fuel recipes… The content is varied, unique, and accompanied by awe-inspiring an...

My copy of Henrik Orre's original 'Vélochef' (see my book review here ) is well thumbed, and well read. I have tried dozens of the recipes from the collection; all of them have been superb, as well as easy to follow. 'Vélochef in Europe' is Henrik's sequel release, and looks into four European regions, with 80 local recipes. Mallorca, Nice, Girona and Lombardy: four regions that are famed for their great riding, but also for their fantastic cuisine. Henrik combines both passions in this 'Vélochef in Europe'; inspiring you to experiment, and to get out and ride. The book is set out in the four different areas, and the exploration of both the riding and cuisine that can be found in each. Mallorca is the region that I am most familiar with, as I have visited the island on several occasions, including for the Mallorca312 and Mallorca1127 . I have always loved the Mediterranean cuisine that I have been served on the island, as well as the bike riding...