Life In The Saddle

Flapjacks are a staple of the cyclist diet. The fact that my High Energy Flapjack Recipe is one of the most viewed blog posts every month confirms that. How can you create variations of the oat based favourite though—to add greater variety and interest? This recipe is for a different kind of oat bar—held together with banana, eggs, and coconut oil—rather than the traditional flapjack honey/syrup and butter. I am not going to claim that it is healthier or better, but it is a great alternative. The less crumbly nature of the bars also means they are ideal for jersey pockets. Ingredients 2 medium bananas 1 large egg 1 cup rolled oats ½ cup wholemeal flour ¼ cup coconut oil ¼ cup dark brown sugar 1 tbsp peanut butter 1 tsp vanilla essence ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 cup of your flavouring of choice: choc chips, chopped dates, raisins, etc. Method Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius Grease a 6-inch square baking tin with butter or coconut oil Mash the banana...

I must admit that I was a little sceptical that a rack-top pannier trunk bag from an unknown brand could be 'Deluxe' when it retails for less than £25. However, the BTR Deluxe Waterproof Rack Pannier Bike Bag is a well designed piece of kit, and offers impressive value as a piece of luggage for cycle tourers, bicycle commuters, and bikepacking enthusiasts. Here is my review... Most rack-top 'trunk bags' retail for at least £40, from major players such as Topeak. So, with the BTR Sports Deluxe bag coming in at £25, I was not sure it would be up to the rigours of everyday use and abuse. Yet, it has shown itself to be a strong performer. The thing that particularly stands out with the BTR bag is the design consideration. Tiny things make a significant difference with luggage that you use every day, and this bag has some notable features that make it a smart choice for a cycling trunk bag. First, the bag attaches to the rack using a universally compatible set of hea...

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post ' What is In Your Gravel Adventure Bar Bag? '—it had a great reception and led to another conversation in a similar vein— What to pack in your cycling jersey pockets for a long unsupported off-road endurance ride? This is my line-up of jersey pocket riding essentials for bikepacking and gravel adventures… First, I recommend reading the ' What is In Your Gravel Adventure Bar Bag? ' post before reading this one—because for me, the bar bag is the best place to store most of your essentials on an off-road adventure—as there is less chance of items flying out on bumpy trails. So, what comes with me in my cycling jersey pockets is therefore a selection of easy-to-access essentials—ones that you might want to grab whilst riding, when you cannot stop to access your bar bag. The Jersey — Sportful Super Giara Jersey My gravel jersey of choice is the Sportful Super Giara Jersey . This cycling jersey was designed with gravel and off-road ...

I am always on the lookout for new and interesting cereal bars—that can work as good #RideFuel energy bars for long bike rides and adventures. The new Breakfast Bars from KIND looked to be a super choice when I saw them arrive on the shelves of my local shops—moist, nutritious, and offering some tantalising flavours. I picked a few up to stash in my jersey pocket… Ravenous, on a 200-kilometre gravel ride this week, I pulled out one of each of the three flavours of the KIND Breakfast Bars over the course of the ride (in addition to a local bakery stop). It served as a great taste-panel test of the #RideFuel . The bars are made with five wholegrains: oats, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. Soft-baked, they are moist and flavoursome; as well as packed full of slow release carbohydrates, protein, and fibre. There are three flavours to choose from: KIND Breakfast Peanut Butter, KIND Breakfast Blueberry Almond, and KIND Breakfast Honey Oat. The line-up has a distinct resemblan...

Read a cookbook such as Vélochef or The Grand Tour Cookbook, and you will see that many sports nutritionists are moving away from white flour based pasta; turning instead to traditional ancient grains such as spelt and rye. These light and fluffy spelt pancakes are a flavoursome low-GI carbohydrate energy source, as well as being rich in protein. Ingredients (Makes 5 large pancakes) 150 grams – Spelt Flour 25 grams – Icing Sugar 150 ml – Milk  2 Eggs 1 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Method Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until smooth Cover and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours Melt a knob of butter or coconut oil in a heavy frying pan on a medium heat Spoon in the mixture and flip the pancake halfway through cooking Enjoy!