Life In The Saddle

How do you make a set of overshoes more interesting? They're neoprene booties that keep your toes snug and your shoes clean, right? How about adding some lights! This is a cool new product from SealSkinz. SealSkinz first real venture into the overshoes market appears to be a good one; they've taken a traditionally fairly ordinary product, and added something new and useful. A simple battery-powered 4 lumen light, in the heel of the SealSkinz Halo booties, means they do something I've never seen in overshoes before... they act as a safety device. It's not an overly radical idea, but it's an idea that makes a lot of sense. If you've ever ridden behind someone at night, who has reflective detailing on their shoes, you'll know even the smallest reflection shows up very well because of the speed at which your feet rotate at. Adding a powered light to your heel, could do wonders for your rear visibility. Aside from the flashing light, SealSkinz seem to hav...

A few weeks back, I wrote a post on Wet Weather Riding Accessories , which featured the SealSkinz Mid-Length Waterproof Socks and the SealSkinz Waterproof Cycling Cap. Both products are invaluable when the heavens open on a long arduous ride. With the mercury falling in the last couple of weeks though, I've also been thinking about winter riding accessories, and the SealSkinz Extra Cold Winter Cycle Gloves are one product that has come into frequent use. Like many, I struggle with cold extremities in the winter; when you're spinning along on gentle base mile rides or short commutes, it is hard to get sufficient blood flow to your hands and feet to keep them comfortable. To deal with this, the SealSkinz Extra Cold Winter Gloves are designed to provide maximum insulation for your hands; keeping your digits warm and flexible, even when the ground is hard and frozen. The gloves have a thick double layer construction, with an inner liner made of fleecy Primaloft fabric and a ...

Wet weather has hit the UK in abundance in the last few weeks, and I've had more damp rides than dry ones. The old mantra of " there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad kit choices " rings truer than ever in damp, dark and cold conditions, so here are a few accessories that are definitely the " good kit choice " and should make things more bearable when the heavens open. GripGrab Neoprene Gloves I've been using neoprene gloves for years, but up until this year it has always been for sailing... Neoprene provides fantastic protection from the wet and cold, and even if the water does infiltrate into the gloves, they remain warm (something you don't get with polyester gloves).  During the 2013 Festive 500 I did in fact end up drafting in a pair of my Magic Marine neoprene gloves to use in the torrential downpours; they worked well, but I was very pleased to hear that GripGrab were bringing out a cycle specific pair earlier this ye...

Monsoon rain in Hanoi (Vietnam) - at least it's not that bad here! From October to April, and in the UK it seems all year round, you are likely to encounter rain on your riding schedule at some point. There are three options when confronted with the wet stuff: 1) Bail (not really an option) 2) Get out the turbo (and get bored) 3) Man-up and go out riding In my book at least, the third option is really the only one of these that appeals, even in a torrential downpour. So here are a few tips and tricks to make those damp rides a bit more manageable and enjoyable. Prepare your bike: MUDGUARDS! Get some! There is frankly no excuse to not have full mudguards on a bike in Autumn /Winter/Spring (when you're not racing). When you are riding on wet roads, about 80% of the drenching is from spray off your front wheel hitting your chest (just where you don't want it to) and spray from your back wheel showering your back and buttocks. If there is one thing...