Life In The Saddle

Summer has arrived *touch wood*. Time to Shape Up and get the short sleeve cycling jerseys in action. This cool and quirky design from Primal Europe is a sure fire winner. The Primal Europe brand was first introduced to me because of their custom team kit; we chose it as our kit for the Isle of Wight Cycling Team and at the Island Games . Our kit for the Island Games was in fact the Evo jersey, so I knew well before pulling this new design on that it would be a quality jersey, with a great fit and feel. As well as their custom kit, which is high-end race-ready apparel, Primal also produce a fantastic range of fun and cheerful cycling kit, such as the Shape Up jersey. It is always great to have a few light-hearted designs in your cycling wardrobe, and you will find a great selection at Primal Europe. The design of the short sleeve jersey is certainly fun and different, but the Shape Up jersey is also very well made. The fabric is thicker than some jersey materials, but that mean...

Sunshine, gales and lots of hill climbing featured on today's ride. A chance for a few photos, too. This is the latest kit from Primal Europe , which I have been testing for the last few weeks. It includes the HiVis Rain Cape, Onyx Wind Vest and Onyx Bib Knickers, as well as the Primal HiVis Fusion Jacket . The Primal HiVis Rain Cape has been invaluable with the frequent squalls A shadow! That means sunshine! I am impressed by the features and quality of this latest Primal Wear kit Fluorescent visibility Warm enough for three quarters, just. The Kask Infinity featured in my ' Top Winter Cycling Kit for 2016 ' post I have become a fan of the HiVis pink bar tape. I was dubious at first. Crosswinds! A great day in the saddle. #HappyTrails #NeverLoseYourGrip

Has it finally arrived? Has the weather finally taken a turn to the cool, clear and crisp conditions of winter? I think it might have... With that, it seems appropriate to talk about my favourite pieces of winter riding kit for 2016. These are all accessories and clothing that have come with me on almost every ride this winter, and have helped me to rack up the kilometres during the Festive 500  and towards my 2015 totals . Perhaps you'll find some ideas to keep you riding in comfort... GripGrab Arctic Overshoes Fleece-lined foot warmers. The Arctic Overshoes from GripGrab are serious cold weather protection. The 4mm thick neoprene, the welded and taped seams, and micro-fleece lining, mean these will withstand even the worst winter weather. I can vouch that I have never had cold feet when wearing them. View the GripGrab Arctic Overshoes at Wiggle Primal Paradigm Jacket The Paradigm Jacket from Primal Europe is about as protective as winter jackets come. Con...

A hoodie is the perfect bit of kit for relaxing off the bike, especially after a long winter training ride or a cold cyclocross race. The Rhapsody hoodie from Primal Europe is designed to have a dual purpose though; it is intended to not only be great for chilling out in a casual environment, but also perfect for short rides and nipping around town on errands. On a week off the bike in South Tyrol last month, I tested it out; doing a good bit of relaxing, as well as running up a few mountains... The first thing that you notice with the Rhapsody hoodie, is the fit. This is a product made for cyclists. It features a good body length, so that you're not left with uncomfortable gaps when you're bent over on the handlebars; the sleeves are a good length too, and have large soft cuffs to keep out the chill. Overall, it has a great slim fitting silhouette, and is very comfortable to wear. The hoodie comes in two colour schemes, the first a stealthy grey, and the second (the one ...

Fluoro kit is very much still in fashion, and it is a great way to add a bit of hi-vis safety to your team kit or normal riding apparel in the low-light conditions of autumn and winter. The HiVis kit from Primal Europe is up there with the best, and I've been testing out their arm warmers and X1 jersey for the last month or so; on everything from the daily commute to my 300 mile  Falmouth-London ride . Primal Hi-Vis Arm Warmers These have been used almost non-stop so far this autumn/winter. Team Wiggle kit is largely black in colour, and as a result I tend to be a little concerned about visibility to oncoming and pursuing traffic. Using these arm warmers certainly adds some colour! The warmers themselves are very well designed and made. I have a size medium, and the length is perfect; slightly longer than many warmers, so you avoid the uncomfortable exposed gap at the top or bottom of the tube.  They are nice and narrow too, so they hug your arms throughou...

Summer seems like it is long in the past now, and the short days of autumn and winter are here for a while. Temperatures are dropping and the weather is becoming even more unpredictable. With the racing season behind us too, your riding is more likely to be about training miles rather than race days. All of the above should be reflected in your kit, and autumn typically demands more warmth, protection from the elements and safety in the low light conditions. Conditions that the Primal HiVis Fusion Jacket is designed to cater for exactly... Whether you're saying that neon fabrics are "back in fashion" or "still in fashion", there is one thing that is obvious, they're in the cycling industry in abundance in 2014/2015. In my mind, that's a great thing; anything you can do with reflective detailing and high visibility colours is a significant bonus when you're riding in traffic. As the temperatures fell this last week, I pulled on the Fusion ...

For 12 years Primal have been designing the highest quality cycle apparel from their base in Denver, Colorado. I was first introduced to the brand through their custom kit range; Wightlink RT chose the Evo:Corsa bib shorts and Race-cut jersey to be customised with their yellow and blue colour way, and I was incredibly pleased with it whilst I was a member of the team. Earlier in the year I reviewed the Primal Paradigm Jacket (Link)  on the blog; without doubt one of the best performing winter jackets I have ever used. The reminder of the quality of this kit made me keen to also try their flagship summer apparel; the Helix range. The Helix range uses the most advanced fabric and chamois technology to produce a set of bib shorts and a jersey that are some of the most comfortable and best looking that I have worn. The Helix Accento Bib Shorts A pair of cycling shorts is far more than the sum of their component parts, but the  quality of those component parts plays...

A good quality base layer can transform the way your cycling clothing feels and performs. A high quality jersey with a low quality base layer is in some respects a lost benefit. The Iero 2 Mesh Base Layer from Primal is one of the best base layers I have tested though; and its technical make-up, styling and fit are second to none. Some may query why I am posting a review of a high wicking, extremely breathable base layer in the middle of December. Surely I should be talking thermal base layers? My reasoning is this; if you have an extremely insulated winter jacket such as the Primal Paradigm (reviewed here) , then you will likely find that in more mild temperatures (5-10 degrees Celsius) you only want a base layer underneath, and that a highly wicking base layer is actually ideal as the thermal insulation of the jacket is sufficient. The Iero 2 is up there at the top of the technical base layer range; it uses a mix of synthetic fabrics to transfer moisture away from your skin to...