Life In The Saddle

Last year, I wrote a post on Cross Country Ride: 'My Every Ride Carry' ; featuring all the kit that comes with me on a weekend trail outing. In this post, I turn to the tarmac, and what I would take with me on a weekend endurance road ride, or middle-distance event. Wearable kit: Kask Infinity Helmet POC Do Blade AVIP Sunglasses GripGrab Cycling Cap GripGrab Windster Gloves GripGrab HiVis HeadGlove GripGrab HiVis Thermo Overshoes These products have fast become my favourite kit accessories for autumn/springtime rides. The Kask Infinity helmet does a fantastic job of providing an enhanced shield from the cold. The POC Do Blade AVIP sunglasses, are perfect for giving added wind protection for your eyes, whilst their lenses are suitable for bright sunshine and dull days (Review of the POC Do Blade AVIP Glasses ). Then, the GripGrab Windster Gloves, Hammerhead Overshoes , HiVis HeadGlove and GripGrab Cycling Cap , are ideal for shielding your vulnerable extremit...

Energy bars are finding their way into my jersey pockets more and more as the racing season comes to a close. Gels and sugary sports drinks are replaced by bars and 4:1 mixes, as the longer endurance rides start again.  Now seems a good time to report back on a few of my favourites then, from the UK based High5 brand . High5  isn't a new brand to the blog; I've previously written on their endurance orientated 4:1 products and their caffeine based range. It's now time to look at what they can provide in terms of solid food in the form of their Sports Bar products and Energy Bars. High5 Sports Bar - Berry Yoghurt The High5 Sports Bars are without doubt one of the tastiest energy bars on the market. This one is a particular favourite of mine in the summer months; it features a fruity berry and cereal centre, with an outer coating of yoghurt. Imagine those yoghurt coated raisins, but with Special K in the middle rather than raisins. Pretty darn tasty, and an ideal pre-r...

I've blogged on energy products from High5 before, in my recent Advice for Multi-day Events post . Their nutrition range is perfect for those that want to get the best from their sport; it's easy on the stomach, with a great taste, and a wide range of flavours to suit every preference.  In this blog, I consider the High5 caffeine energy range; that is the EnergySource Plus drink , EnergyGel Plus gels and EnergySource Xtreme  high caffeine boost drink. There are benefits of caffeine for endurance sports that have been well known for years; it is a stimulant, so keeps you more alert, improves reaction times and reduces fatigue; all significant benefits for endurance athletes.  Interestingly, new research ( Link ) has also shown that caffeine can increase carbohydrate absorption level; providing an additional benefit. High5 were ahead of the game on absorption with the 2:1 Maltodextrin-Fructose mix; this enables the body to absorb up to 90 grams of carbohydrate an ho...

A multi-day event could be two back to back races, sportives or just a hard block of training such as a training camp or a cycling holiday. Whatever the type of multi-day challenge, there is one thing that should be at the forefront of your mind if you want to get the most out of the experience... Nutrition. I have several multi-day events coming up this year myself; including stage races, training camps and touring trips. This post gives some advice on products and eating plans that I have used, which have proven effective at helping to recover after a hard day on the bike, ready to make an assault on the next day in the best condition possible. In chronological order... Before the event The recovery process starts long before you saddle up to ride. If this is the second day of a multi-day event, then your body has been recovering overnight from the previous day's exertions as you sleep. However, by the morning it will likely have run down the supplies of nutrien...