Life In The Saddle

Carrying your phone, cards, ID, and spare change with you when you cycle is essential; but storing them unprotected in your jersey pocket is asking for trouble. The Zilfer Cycling Phone Wallet is a neat solution from the Australian brand; a means to keep your valuables together and safe, both on and off the bike. The design of the wallet is simple enough – the phone slides into one side, and on the other half there are four slots for cards, and a larger sleeve for things like receipts or paper money. The phone wallet then folds in two, and on the back panel there is a zipper compartment for coins and a house key. The Zilfer Cycling Phone Wallet is made from a water resistant and durable material, to help protect the contents. This material is smart enough in appearance that you could use it every day, and Zilfer have consciously only implemented subtle branding to further promote this versatility. The phone wallet does also come with a protective pouch, which can be used to slip ...

I've tried a lot of phone carrying systems on the bike, I mean a lot. Waterproof sleeves, waterproof boxes, zipped wallets, bubble wrap bags, Aquapacks, plastic bags, and a whole array of other things. All have their merits, most have their disadvantages as well; most common is that they disintegrate or degrade after a few months of daily use. The Lezyne Phone Wallet seems like it might have got the wallet/phone case combo nailed though... Let's be clear, this isn't a sleek, fully waterproof case that will save your phone in a monsoon (although it will certainly help); but then it isn't designed to be, it's made to be a stash pack for your phone, your cash and your cards when you go out riding. It does that very well indeed. The Phone Wallet is made of robust ripstop nylon, with a hardened back plate. The phone is kept in a section with a full length water resistant zip, and can be accessed through a clear plastic window underneath a rigid flip-open lid. The...

A protective wallet for your phone and credit cards when cycling is a necessity; your jersey pocket is bombarded by spray, sweat, and dirt—none of those go well with electronics. The Baggicase Cycling Phone Wallet is a neat weatherproof phone wallet that is designed for cycling adventures. The case is a soft case design—it is made from ripstop waterproof nylon, overlaid on a soft padded interior that helps to create rigidity and protection. The external fabric is treated with an anti-bacterial finish that reduces the chance of the case developing a foul smell after hours of being in a sweaty jersey pocket. To seal in your phone, cash, and cards, the Baggicase uses a waterproof zipper with a 'Camlock' design to hold it shut. Inside the Baggicase Cycling Phone Wallet you get three sleeves that can hold a house key, cards, and paper cash. The cards are held securely in the slots with no risk of them slipping out when you open the wallet, and one of the sleeves has a small fl...

Protecting your phone and cards when cycling is a necessity; your jersey pocket is bombarded by spray, sweat, and grit — none of those go well with electronics. The Altuvita Cycling Phone Wallet is a neat weather-proof phone wallet that is designed for cycling.  The case is a hard-shell design, which is quite different from the other soft designs that I have reviewed and used in the past . The hard case gives significantly more drop protection for the wallet's contents; the coating material is also water resistant, as is the zipper, so it provides a weather-proof and sweat-proof barrier. Inside the Altuvita Cycling Phone Wallet you get four sleeves that can be used to house cards and paper cash. There is no zipper compartment for coins, but then perhaps few riders carry shrapnel in their pockets these days? The cards are held securely in the slots, with no risk of them slipping out when you open the wallet. On the other side of the wallet is where the phone sits. This Mk2 ver...

Way back in 2015, I did my first review of a Bellroy Phone Pocket; since that day one of these svelte leather wallets has been in my trouser or jersey pocket wherever I travel or ride. My last Bellroy All-Conditions Phone Pocket has travelled across continents, been on hundreds of local adventures (and countless trips to the shops) — last year it had its eighth birthday, marking a quite extraordinary level of everyday durability. Given the unquestionably high quality of the Bellroy Phone Pocket, I was excited to hear of its re-release into the Bellroy range, following a few years hiatus. Whilst my original All-Conditions Phone Pocket is far from finished, I decided this updated and improved Version 2.0 would smarten things up in my everyday carry, and I was intrigued to see the new design developments… The new All-Conditions range includes two sizes of the legendary Phone Pocket, as well as the All-Conditions Card Pocket. The three new designs feature a sleek and elevated style, with p...

Some products are faultless. You use them every day, and every time you think about their great functionality they make you smile. The range of wallets and phone pouches from Australian brand Bellroy, fit firmly into that 'impeccable' category. I use my Bellroy All-Conditions Phone Pocket Wallet  every day. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter , you will have likely seen it placed in kit layouts, on café tables, and in jersey pockets. It is a fantastic little case, which is perfect for holding ride essentials, safely and securely. The Bellroy All-Conditions Wallet is a new addition to my 'Every Ride Carry'. It holds many of the great attributes of the All-Conditions Phone Pocket, but in miniature size. Small enough to clasp in your hand, the All-Conditions Wallet will hold your cash, cards, keys and coins, in a weather-resistant pouch. The wallet is made from Bellroy's water resistant leather, and uses a YKK water resistant zip. It certainly provides ...

Cyclists need a good phone case. We carry our phones with us as a lifeline and to capture and share the ever-evolving story of our rides. JIMMYCASE is a Californian brand that produce beautifully crafted handmade phone cases for iPhone and Android. Their unique design combines a real wood backplate, with rubber side buffers, and a unique super-elastic card sleeve on the rear. It is a winning design for the minimalist bike rider. I have been searching for the perfect phone case for cyclists, and the JIMMYCASE makes my shortlist of the top three (reviews of the other two options coming soon—check out the label 'Phone-Cases'). What makes the JIMMYCASE a good phone case for cyclists? Firstly, it is protective. Mobile phones are fragile things, and while most modern versions are waterproof, they still would not deal well with being dropped on the asphalt or trail. The JIMMYCASE is robust, rigid, and strong enough to shield your phone from drops and knocks. I admit I have not...

Your ' Every Ride Carry ' - what you carry with you, when you head out on the road or trails, is an incredibly personal choice. It could suggest you're a daring personality; adopting a stripped-back approach, but chancing a mechanical. It could suggest you're adventurous; taking enough supplies for an epic ride. It could suggest you're super organised; when there is a place for everything, and everything in its place. Adopting a Bellroy wallet as part of your 'Every Ride Carry', suggests minimalism, adventure, organisation, and class. The Bellroy products that I've previously reviewed on the blog quickly won me over, and many of them now feature in my kit layouts for every ride. The new Bellroy All-Conditions Phone Pocket is one of the most recent additions to the extensive Bellroy wallets range. It is a smart weatherproof pouch; designed to hold phone, cash and cards; all in a protective package. The wallet is made from waterproof leather, and...

Bored of using plastic bags and zipper wallets to keep your phone dry in your jersey pocket? This is a product for you... Back in 2014, I reviewed the Bellroy Elements Pocket Wallet , and to be quite frank, I loved it. As a minimalist cyclist, it provided a superb solution to taking your wallet with you on the bike; it's compact, slim and water/sweat resistant. I liked it so much that it fast became my daily wallet, and despite hours of dealing with damp, mud and perspiration, it still looks like new. Last month, Bellroy released the Elements Phone Pocket into their Elements range. Given that a cyclist is presented with the same problem of protecting their phone from the wet, as they are in protecting their cash from getting damp, I was keen to test it out. As soon as a Bellroy product arrives, it instantly impresses: the neat packaging, the feel and smell of the water resistant leather and the attention to detail in the design, is really pleasing. Once you start loading th...

Many cyclists can be considered minimalists; I would certainly consider myself one. Whether it is single ring chainrings, tiny saddle bags, pocket size multitools or stuff sack gilets; I love a product that serves its purpose well, but does it with minimal fuss and flamboyance. Bellroy products instantly struck a chord with me then; they're a brand that is all about cutting back to the bare necessities, but still doing it with a luxury focus. The Elements range is their set of products tailored for the outdoor enthusiast, and made to deal with wind, rain and daily grit; ideal for cyclists! Sat in the middle of the Elements range is the Elements Pocket; not quite as minimal as the Elements Sleeve, but still a significantly smaller size than a normal wallet. It is meant to be able to provide you with all the functionality of a normal pocket wallet, but without the wedge-like appearance that many modern wallets have adopted.  The Elements Pockets claims that it can swa...