Life In The Saddle

KOO's ALIBI sunglass caught my eye earlier this year. With their half-frame design, sturdy looking Grilamid arms, and ventilated lens for clarity of vision; they are an impressive pair of cycling sunglasses. When the brand announced the release of their new 'Galaxy' collection within the ALIBI range, I felt compelled to give them a try… The Super Blue MR colour is a cool and space-inspired option from the Italian brand, with a Category 3 protection high-performance cylindrical polycarbonate lens by Zeiss. The vision clarity is outstanding, and mounted up the glasses feel secure and comfortable thanks to their grippy arms and nose piece. KOO glasses that I have tried in the past have always had a quality feel about them, and the ALIBI is no different; these glasses look the part and allow you to keep riding on or off-road in comfort and with great clarity of vision. >> Shop the KOO ALIBI Galaxy collection here Disclaimer: KOO provided a pair of KOO ALIBI GALAXY ...

Simon Warren's '100 Greatest Climbs' has become an iconic bucket list for hill climbing enthusiasts across the UK. In recent years, Simon has branched out into many more editions focussing both on localised regions of the UK e.g. 'Cycling Climbs of Wales' as well as further afield in volumes such as '100 Greatest Cycling Climbs of Spain'.  The latest addition to Simon's library is 'Another 100 Greatest Climbs' and '100 Greatest Climbs of the Tour de France'. Both brilliant pocket-sized books that give you all the information you need to create the ultimate climbing bucket list. 'Another 100 Greatest Climbs' promises to be " Longer, Higher and Steeper! " than the original 100 Climbs volume. How?  ' Longer' because Cragg Vale is the longest continuous uphill gradient in the whole of England; 'Higher' because Belanch-na-Bà is Simon's new favourite climb; and 'Steeper'  because Vale Street in B...

My recipe for High Energy Flapjacks has always been a favourite on the blog. So, when I heard about this great banana baked muesli bars I thought it needed to be shared with the cycling world—these are a great healthy homemade cycling energy food bar. Combining Rude Health's Ultimate Muesli with seeds, fruit, coconut oil, honey and bananas—these make a great snack either for on the bike or for those early morning or afternoon stomach rumbles. Ingredients (makes 10 breakfast bars) 300g porridge oats (or Rude Health Muesli) 4 medium size ripe bananas (peeled and mashed) 150g dates (chopped) 150g golden sultanas  150g dried apricots (chopped) 150g trail mix or mixed berries/seeds/desiccated coconut 30g pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds or nuts 30g Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil 2 tbsp runny honey 2 tsp vanilla essence 1 tsp ground cinnamon 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg Method  Pre-heat the oven to 180°C Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl Chop the dates and aprico...

I ride a gravel bike on the Isle of Wight more than I ride any other; it is the perfect way to explore the vast network of quiet roads and exciting open trails. In this post, I have tailor-made a selection of the best gravel cycling routes on the Isle of Wight, with suggested pit-stops and highlights. The Isle of Wight roads, trails, and tracks are my home. I have toured all over the world, but whenever I come back to this small island off the South Coast of the UK I am amazed at how diverse and beautiful the riding is here. 'The Island' is very easy to get to with a bike—use one of the three car ferry routes from Portsmouth, Lymington or Southampton; or come as a foot passenger and bring your bike for free on the Wightlink FastCat  from Portsmouth Harbour train station. You can get to the Island from Central London in just a little over three hours. Once you are here, there is a plethora of bike-friendly accommodation: from hotels and B&B's to campsites and Eco-l...

We are nearing the end of winter here in the UK (I hope), but I wanted to share one of my favourite pieces of the season: the Le Col Pro Jacket, featuring Polartec® Power Shield Pro®. The Pro Jacket is branded as Le Col’s ' fastest winter cycling jacket ', thanks to its close fitting cut and high performance fabric. Polartec® Power Shield Pro® is the star of the show, with its highly breathable, waterproof and windproof properties, and its four way stretch. Polartec® Power Shield Pro® is a new bio-based performance fabric, it uses Biolon in 45 percent of its composition; a renewable, non-GMO, non-PFAS, plant-based nylon with a 50% lower carbon footprint than virgin Nylon. With 20K breathability and 20k waterproofing, Power Shield Pro® offers a durable, waterproof and windproof layer to shield you from the elements.  Power Shield Pro® also uses a new molecular diffusion technology that moves water vapour out of the fabric while maintaining a barrier against water droplets. B...