Life In The Saddle

Last year I rode 483km (300 miles) non-stop from Falmouth to London along the Trafalgar Way ; the route was my first proper venture into Endurance Riding , and it brought a number of logistical as well as physical challenges. One significant hurdle to overcome was power: in particular, the ability to keep lights, GPS and phone topped up throughout the non-stop ride. In the end, I used a small power bank that I taped to my top tube and charged my Garmin on-the-go, whilst resorting to switching lights out with the support vehicle as and when they ran out of juice. Since the Trafalgar Way ride, I've been looking at new means to gain portable power on a bike; I was sure that there was a slicker and better method than insulation tape and elastic bands. Last month I found the Notstrøm pack from the German brand Znex, and it looked like the perfect solution; I was keen to test it out. The Notstrøm is a waterproof, shockproof and vibration-proof high-capacity outdoor back-up battery....

Last month I wrote a post on Rude Health Cereals and Snacks , and talked about how important it is to eat good food before you ride your bike. Never skip breakfast! I'm a bit of a porridge addict, and fuel up on a bowl at the start of almost every day (which normally starts with a ride). Rude Health have one product that presents an interesting alternative (or addition) to porridge though, it's Drinking Oats. These fine ground oats can be added to any drink, and dissolve easily with a quick stir. It's effectively porridge fuel, on the move! Properly portable porridge could have a whole host of advantages for cyclists. It could present a valuable time-saver, before you ride. It could be a whole new way of fuelling with low-GI carbs, whilst on your ride. It could even increase recovery, when mixed in with a shake, at the end of your ride. I decided to find out... This April, I'm going to undertake a 30 Day Drinking Oats Challenge. Each day I'm going to try usi...

The first race of the season is always a tough one: a rude awakening as to how your winter of training has fared, and an indication of what still needs to be done. It's even more of a baptism of fire when spring conditions rear their head in full magnitude, with gale force winds and driving rain. That's what today's James Atherton Road Race near Winchester was all about for me. I've made a conscious decision this year to focus more on road races, and less on short circuit races. The longer stuff works better for me, and it makes travelling to events from the Isle of Wight more worthwhile. For that reason, I haven't done the usual winter series of circuit races this year, and today's 100km road race was my first competitive event of the year. Conditions held true to the forecast, and this morning's wake-up alarm brought with it the sound of wind and rain battering the windows. You know it's windy when the Fast Cat is cancelled! Luckily my 8am (it felt...

In this Workshop Focus post, I thought I'd consider the bare necessities of bike cleaning and lubricating, with a few products from UK brand Muc-Off . When it comes to cleaning your bike, the more you do it, the better. Ideally you'd clean the frame, drivetrain and components after every ride; especially in the winter, when grit, salt and mud coat your bike in a corrosive grinding paste. It's not always possible, especially if you're a daily commuting cyclist ; it's worth it when you can though, as each cleaning and re-lubricating session will help make your bike and its parts function better, for longer. These products are six of the essentials, which will make the process of cleaning and re-lubricating faster and more effective... Muc-Off DriveTrain Cleaner and Claw Brush Cleaning the chain is the best place to start your rejuvenating process. Removing all the grease and dirt from the chain will let you start afresh, and keep the drivetrain components...