Life In The Saddle

Back to back weekend challenge rides with the New Forest 200 and then the Falmouth to London ride left me feeling rather weak and worn down last week. Time to bring in the serious recovery tools. Pre-made protein shakes like Cyclone Milk are certainly the most convenient and least messy way to get your protein hit post-ride, or to top up your protein intake as a snack. Put one of these in your kit bag or commuting rucksack, and you don't have to worry about used shakers or needing milk to put in your shake. Cyclone Milk is made of UHT skimmed milk and whey protein powder pre-mixed into a drink. It contains 3 grams of creatine per drink, a massive 30 grams of protein, and it's fat-free. It tastes like a proper milkshake, although you do need to give it a really good shake to avoid gloopy bits at the bottom. I've always preferred protein shakes mixed with milk rather than water, so this is a great solution when you're away from a fridge. It seems to work at ai...

Some things are really worth looking after well; your bike and your computer are two of those. Unfortunately, often the two don't always mix that well, and travelling on a bike can lead to you knocking and bouncing your laptop around a lot. I recommend investing in a good case. If you want something just so, then it is worth going bespoke; that's what the Bagaboo Macbook Sleeve is all about. Yes, you could buy a standard neoprene sleeve and it would work all right, but it wouldn't look as cool, last as long or perform as well as something like this case. I had the case made in the same colours as my Workhorse Messenger Bag (Link) , it's also the same ultra durable Cordura outer material, which is water resistant and stain resistant. It's padded on all six sides and it has a strong Velcro closure, so it's not going to suddenly open and let your laptop fall to the ground. As is the trend with all the Bagaboo kit I've tested, it is superbly made. Becaus...

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 ...

A savoury energy bar? That's definitely something new! I was intrigued to try this interesting flavour from UK based brand Mulebar. The Eastern Express bar tastes remarkably like a bar of Bombay Mix; with a tangy curry-like flavour. It's certainly quite different, and can make a pleasant change from the sweet and sticky traditional bars that dominate the market. The bar has a nice texture too, helped by the crunchy pistachio nuts. If you're someone that struggles with not having a sweet tooth, but you're still in need of effective fuelling on the bike, then this could be a good option. Mulebar products are available from Wiggle (Link)

Self-setting rubber... What could that be used for? That's what I thought when a few packets of Sugru turned up for testing. Well, it turns out they can be used for rather a lot in the world of bikes... Sugru is the brain child of a material scientist named Jane. She decided that she wanted to "hack" many of her existing tools and utensils to make them better and more comfortable to use. The first compound used sawdust and silicone chalk; it's come a long way since then and now uses a silicone based compound that dries solid when exposed to air for 24 hours. Sugru is the irish word for "play". So, I set about finding inventive uses for the stuff. The first came pretty quick when I broke the quarter turn mount on my Mio GPS unit. I decided that for daily use these mounts are fundamentally flawed, and have a limited lifespan; so, as I had one spare, I decided to "hack" a Hope Tech QR light mount onto the computer. It isn't pretty but it w...