Schwalbe X-One update - a Three Peaks Contender?

Tubeless very easy indeed

So, 8 weeks in, are the X-Ones living up to their early promise? The short answer is yes. So far, so very good, which gives me a bit of a dilemma...

Dry runs

The Met Office claims that this summer has been wetter than average, but that doesn't seem to be my experience. Out riding on the trails around Leicestershire and Rutland, there seems to be a distinct absence of mud. On recent rides, the ground has been baked pretty hard - even heavy rain seems to dry out very quickly. This has led to some bone-shaking rides which have tested my fillings to the limit. Not that the conditions have bothered the X-Ones. They've stayed puncture and burp free, despite some uncompromising hits on the rutted and occasionally rocky trails. A few visits to Wakerley Woods to improve my handling on the singletrack have exposed the tyres to some nasty sharp gravel sections, again with no difficulties. I have even started making an effort to hit some boulders fairly hard to test the tyres to the limit, but they have shown no signs of giving way. Admittedly, practically all my current training is aimed at the Three Peaks, so I have mostly been running higher pressures than I would normally - around 60 psi. I decided to try them at 45 psi yesterday after some rain. Grip, handling and comfort improved and the tyres stood up really well to the broken tarmac, rocks and random housebricks of the field roads I took in. The only time I felt the tyres to be a bit less secure was when I ran a much lower pressure (below 30 psi) for a cyclocross training session with Dean Barnett. Racing on a steepish off-camber section I felt the rear tyre collapse under the strain - no loss of pressure or burping, but enough to make me back off on the next lap.

A contender?

Which brings me to the dilemma. With the tyres performing really well in the sort of conditions prominent in the descents of Whernside and Pen y Ghent, could my set up survive the Three Peaks? The appeal is obvious - tubeless means less weight to carry up the long climbs. With the risk of pinch flats removed, the opportunity to run lower pressures would make for a more comfortable ride than with tubes. My concern is around durability. The Smart Sams I ran last year were heavy and don't handle as well as the X-Ones, but they survived the whole race without a single puncture. Dave Taylor of Schwalbe UK, gave me this advice: 

Tricky to say, certainly if the weather changes. Smart Sam are the go-to tyre for this challenge although sponsored riders will use Racing Ralph or Rocket Ron (33/35c) or a combination of both. These are LiteSkin tyres so not particularly robust whereas the Smart Sam’s although heavier are more robust. Three Peaks will be a nice test for the X-Ones if you decide to use them and to be honest if you hit something that ends the life of the X-One then it will most likely also end the life of a Ralph, Ron or Smart Sam. For absolute piece of mind in all conditions use Smart Sam. For maximum performance and speed use X-One. Carry a spare tube with either. 

Before extensively testing the X-One, tyre choice for the Three Peaks was a no-brainer. The great performance of this set up is giving me food for thought. I would welcome the advice of any experienced Three Peakers out there..

STOP PRESS:

Cycle Systems Academy got in touch via twitter to point me to this podcast with cycle-tech legend and 3 Peaks addict Keith Bontrager - http://www.cycle-systems.co.uk/archive/201604

In it Keith recommends tubeless, but at 100 psi. Last year's winner Paul Oldham also runs tubeless, but told me he runs 45 psi for comfort. The plot thickens! Further tweeting reveals Keith's logic - Paul is a better rider, picks better lines and avoids hitting rocks hard. Keith likes the margin of error that the higher pressure gives him and recommends a tough tyre like Bontrager CX3. I suppose he would :-)

Schwalbe X One Tubeless Easy Cyclocross Tyres

Decisions, decisions...

Before I got into cyclocross, I spent approximately no time at all worrying about tyre choice. I stuck a pair of Michelin Krylion Carbons on my road bike and basically forgot about them until the profiles turned a bit square-shaped 5 years later. Since getting into the muddy stuff however, I have spent more time obsessing about the pros and cons of various bobbly bits of rubber than any other part of my cyclocross set up. My current race wheels are shod with Challenge Limus tubulars and very pleased with them I am too - they perform excellently in the thick, slippery mud of the local cross courses. I do feel a need to handle them with kid gloves though. After the faff of getting them glued on (with the marvellous help of Nick Walling) I daren't risk damaging those lovely soft side-walls when out training on the rocks and gravel of the local bridleways. Practical they are not.

Tubeless Traumas

I've always been interested in the idea of tubeless for cyclocross. On paper I was attracted to the idea of being able to run low tyre pressures without having to glue various parts of myself to my wheels. I also liked the sound of being able to change tyres to match the conditions without having to invest in a garage full of spare wheels. A couple of years back I tried a set up using Stans Alpha 400 rims coupled with Michelin Muds. At the time there was a dearth of tubeless specific cross tyres, but I was assured this combination would be fine. Here I encountered the first potential drawback of tubeless - getting the tyres onto the rims. Try as I might, I could not get them to hold air. In the end a trip to South Wigston Cycles to take advantage of Graham's massive compressor saw me right, but this did seem to defeat one of the objects of the whole affair. The final nail in this experiment's coffin came after a fairly dramatic "burp" riding down a rocky and treacherous descent that saw me clinging on for dear life as the tyre completely left the rim. After a bit of internet research, it appeared that the Alpha 400s were not really suited to cyclocross tyres and I eventually sold them to a roadie in my club.

Tubeless Easy

My interest in tubeless was rekindled after my experience on the Three Peaks. The top riders all seemed to be riding tubeless set ups, including winner Paul Oldham, who used the Alpha 400s that I had (perhaps rashly) discarded. I found the clinchers I had ridden to be particularly heavy - something I paid for on the long climb up Pen-y-Ghent and was looking for ways to save weight for any future attempts. A timely visit to the Winstanleys Bikes website saw a bargain pair of American Classic Hurricanes winging their way to me - I just needed to find the right tyres. It was then I read about Schwalbe's X Ones. Described as Tubeless Easy, apparently these could be fitted with a simple track pump. Admittedly sceptical after my last experience I decided to give them a try.

The first thing I noticed about the tyres was the design of the bead. As you can see from the photo, this is significantly wider and flatter than a standard tyre bead. Fitting the tyre onto the Hurricane Rims took a bit of thumb power, but was helped by Schwalbe's Easy Fit mounting fluid - basically a slightly soapy liquid with a built in sponge to allow easy application to the beads. After that I was amazed to find that a track pump truly was all that was required to get the tyre mounted:  

After squirting in some sealant, the tyres have held pressure now for several weeks and an experiment in removing and replacing the tyre proved similarly successful. Could this be the tubeless panacea I was looking for?

First Rides

The tread on the X Ones is not an aggressive one - more like a Challenge Grifo than a Limus. I've taken the bike out on some rough bridleways and found handling confident in dry conditions and on grassy tracks but haven't yet had the chance to try them in some decent mud. I suspect they will find their niche in early season courses where I might be tempted to ride them ahead of the tubulars. I will post updates as the weather deteriorates! I am beginning to wonder if this might be a suitable set up for the Three Peaks (should my entry be successful this year), so I'll be giving the tyres some serious hammer over the next few weeks to see how they hold up. Watch this space...

Orange is the New Bike

At the start of 2016 I took the massive decision to leave the GP practice in South Wigston, where I had worked as a partner for 18 years. I was offered the opportunity to work at Lakeside Surgery in Corby where I could devote more of my time to the teaching of medical students. It was a tough decision, made tougher by the fact that commuting by bike - something I had done regularly for 7 of those 18 years - was going to become nigh on impossible. Early starts, a large practice area and limited time for home visits meant that the 26 miles of travelling to get to work in the morning were going to have to be by car. Less awkward cyclist, more frustrated motorist. Salvation was at hand though, from a seemingly unlikely source.

Fold Comfort

I'd always liked the look of folding bikes. This was partly based on the fact that most owners rarely have a bad word to say about them, but also the ingenuity of their designs appealed to my inner nerd. Living 4 miles from my place of work and with plenty of bike storage when I got there, I couldn't really justify the expense of another niche bike. After the move to Corby was confirmed however the seed was planted. A bit of railway timetable studying and a change to my working arrangements at the University and suddenly I was interested in folding pedals, retractable seatposts and tiny little wheels. A trip to a local bike shop was organised and the chance to test ride a couple of models. First up the Tern Eclipse P18. A great bike, you could almost forget it was a folder. Familiar SRAM gears and 24" wheels led to a smooth ride and I was almost tempted. Unfortunately, those large wheels translated to a pretty bulky object when the all important fold was put to the test. Next up, the Brompton M3L. Now here was an unmistakable folder. Tiny wheels, narrow handlebars, Sturmey Archer gears. All very quirky - within 5 minutes pedalling I was hooked. This is a bike that genuinely puts a smile on your face. Collapse it down and it truly remarkable in its compactness - the simplicity of the folding itself being almost addictive. All that remained was to choose the colour.

Brompton a l'Orange

And so I took delivery of my newest and most eccentric steed. The happiness of that first test-ride has persisted and I still smile every time I take it for a pedal - especially if I catch sight of myself reflected in a shop window. After getting used to its twitchy steering and occasionally clunky gears, I found myself getting quicker and more daring on my short commute to the Medical School. That journey to Corby still needed conquering though. On a sunny afternoon in May, I took the plunge. 

A train to Kettering, with the Brompton on the luggage rack, so far so smooth. A quick dash across the platform, another luggage rack utilised and I arrived in Corby. Bike stored snugly under my desk, a surgery completed and it was time to ride home. 

Avoiding the business of the A426 and the A6, I opted for a cross-country route through the quiet countryside I know well from my road bike forays. This is not a flat route and it was with some trepidation I approached the climbs out of the Welland Valley. I needn't have worried. The lowest of the 3 gears proved to be just low enough as I ground my way up the infamous Goadby and Noseley hills. 

No Strava segments were ever in danger, but the gentle pootle I was committed to turned out to be one the most pleasurable rides of the year. I have the feeling that this could be the start of a beautiful friendship. I wonder if I could use it in a cross race?

Velobici Van Chilli Review

Cyclocross Magazine carried my review of the excellent Velobici Van Chilli jersey: http://www.cxmagazine.com/velobici-van-chilli-cycling-jersey-2015-review-england

photo by Ian Nutt

Knog Blinder Arc 1.7 and 5.5 Review: Dazzling Aussie Quality

A couple of years ago, I rode the Dunwich Dynamo. If you’re unfamiliar with the event, it’s an overnight bike ride from the East End of London through 120 miles to the Suffolk coast at Dunwich. Things didn’t go ever so smoothly (as reported in Cycling Plus issue 276). Having not fully considered the vagaries of riding rural roads at night, I brought along a 20 year old halogen Cat Eye that seemed bright enough during testing in my back garden.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, I discovered the bike light technology of the early 90's to be wholly inadequate. I’m not sure how many lumens the old unit was putting out, but I’m guessing single figures. Were it not for a full moon and the odd lucky guess, I’d probably still be cycling round Epping Forest.

Bring on the new Knog Blinder Arcs. It’s apparent that things have moved on substantially in the last 20 years. In common with most Knog products, these compact units look great and feel well put together.  Soft touch silicon is complemented by tough polycarbonate housing with anodised aluminium trim (available in 4 colours). The lights attach to the bike using silicone straps and a stainless steel catch, made extra secure with a small magnet. This strap system features on all Knog’s Blinder range, and there have been reports of the silicone fraying when used on oversized bars etc. Perhaps with this in mind, the straps can be replaced on both Arc units via a small screw under the base. Knog claims that both lights are 100% waterproof and they certainly held up well in a heavy rainstorm. The lights are fitted with lithium batteries, recharged via a foldaway USB plug on the rear.

Blinder Arc 5.5

Pumping out 550 lumens, the Arc 5.5 is remarkably bright on its highest setting. The beam pattern produces a good spread on the road ahead and I was able to ride quickly on an unlit potholed track without suffering the sweaty palms of my Dunwich Dynamo experience. Re-joining the road, a single button press dips the light to avoid dazzling motorists. There are 4 settings in all, 3 levels of brightness and a flashing mode. The battery manages a claimed 1.8 hours on full beam and 17 hours on flash. In the box there’s a helmet mount, an extension lead for the USB plug and a spare mounting strap. The Arc Blinder 5.5 has an RRP of £89.99.

Blinder Arc 1.7

At 170 lumens, the more compact Arc 1.7 is not quite as blinding as the 5.5, but is still bright enough for me to ride on the unlit track, albeit with a bit more caution. The above photo is for comparison with the 5.5 and really does not do justice to the amount of light produced. The light boasts the same lighting modes, giving  a claimed 1.4 hours on its brightest setting, 11.7 on flash. The power is adequate for commuting on unlit roads (or even the Dunwich Dynamo), but if you’re looking to do some night time off-roading, I would plump for the 5.5. The Arc Blinder 1.7 has an RRP of £49.99.

Conclusion: Blindingly good lights, great quality, convenient mount system, easy to use.

http://www.knog.com.au/gear-featured/blinder-arcs.phps

Knog Blinder 4V review

Anna Meares might have broken Victoria Pendleton’s heart in the Olympic sprint final, but we won’t hold it against Australia if her compatriots Knog keep banging out great products like the Blinder 4V.

Knog always take an original approach to design, producing distinctive looking products such as the Strongman lock I reviewed in April. As with the lock, the Blinder 4V backs the style with impressive performance.  Released as a companion to the square-shaped Blinder, the 4V is a rear light with 4 super bright LEDs in a straight line. Blinder is an appropriate moniker as with the help of special optics the LEDs pump out 44 lumens. Translated into lay terms, that means the light is visible up to 800 metres away – giving approaching drivers plenty of notice of your presence. There are 5 different flashing patterns available, my favourite being the “organic” mode. A lithium battery is recharged using a clever little USB plug – giving up to 50 hours of use in flashing mode.

The anodised aluminium case combined with industrial grade silicone makes the light 100% waterproof, just as well in some of the conditions we’ve had recently. The integrated strap secures the light to seatposts between 22 and 32mm diameter using a steel watch-strap style catch.

I love this light – it looks absolutely great and performs brilliantly. Expected to retail at about £30, there are cheaper options out there, but not many that match the Blinder 4V’s quality and none that match its good looks.

Vulpine Cotton High Visibility Gilet

I got to test a Vulpine Gilet - very nice it was too

 

The high visibility gilet. Undoubtedly practical and safe, almost invariably nasty… until now. Vulpine.cc have decided that not only do we need to be seen on a bike, but that we should also want to be seen. The Cotton Visibility Gilet not only catches the eye of drivers, it also will catch the eye of the discerning cyclist.

Quality

Vulpine obviously believe you should enjoy the shopping experience. Not content with a simple polythene bag, the gilet arrives packaged in a matching musette. Matching means lime green - the high visibility part. It’s a bright colour, one that features more subtly in many Vulpine products - doing for green what Rapha has done for pink. The quality of the gilet is instantly obvious, with well finished seams and subtle logos. Constructed from Epic cotton - a fabric made by applying a silicone treatment before weaving, the gilet is water and wind resistant, but highly breathable. The cotton gives the gilet a nice soft feel – this is not a cheap, rustly, plastic mac. The back features a large mesh section to increase the breathability further. There are 3 rear pockets – a practical touch rarely seen on outerwear that certainly beats having to ferret around trying to get things out of the back of a jersey. Scotchlite trims on the pockets, shoulder seams and zip complete the high visibility package.

Extra touches

In use the gilet is very comfortable due to the stretch in the fabric. During a drizzly commute it proved its water resistant credentials and kept my body dry. On a chilly morning ride out to a rural café, it proved to be the perfect extra layer over a jersey combined with arm warmers. The fit is snug, if not skin tight, with a long back suiting taller riders – I would consider sizing down if you want a more sleek appearance. One of the joys of this gilet is the little extra touches that you discover as you use it – I hadn’t noticed the hidden red storm flap folded away at the back, until my riding buddy pointed it out to me. The collar is secured by neat magnetic fixings that can be opened one-handed on the road. The brightness of the green is a bit startling at first (which I suppose is the point) but I soon got used to it and started to appreciate standing out more on my commutes.

Conclusion

To be honest, a high visibility gilet would not have been at the top of my shopping list. However, after receiving this Vulpine offering, I’ve hardly ridden without it – the quality literally shines through. It’s a little bit more bulky when packed down compared to some of the lighter weight options out there, but this gilet is such a pleasure to wear, you probably won’t want to stuff it in a pocket.

Score 4.5/5

For:    

Excellent quality and comfort, looks great.

Does exactly what it says on the tin – very visible!

Against:

Not as light or packable as some.

If you’re not keen on green, it might not be for you.

Price:

£95 including shipping from www.vulpine.cc

Chain-L Bike Oil Review

Perhaps the greatest compliment I can give this bike oil that I actually don’t notice it. I applied it to my chain about 6 weeks ago, rode my bike through the horrible weather that we’ve been experiencing recently and errr… that’s it. No squeaking of said chain, no signs of rust forming on the links after I’ve lazily stuck my dripping wet bike in the garage, nothing at all. Completely and utterly boring – long may it remain so!

Developed by a small company in New York, Chain-L was spotted by Rich from Urban Hunter in the bike shops he visited. Having tried some, he loved it and decided to bring it to the UK. You probably only think about your bike chain when it starts to give you trouble – squeaks and creaks, missing gears, clattering on the sprockets. Failing to look after your chain can wreak expensive havoc with your chainrings and cassette, but cleaning and lubing a chain properly is a fairly major task. Chain-L promises to make it a less frequent chore.

The Chain-L oil claims to last for 1000 miles. It is best applied to a new chain to avoid trapping dirt in the moving parts – if applied to an existing chain it will need a thorough clean first. Applying the lube is a bit time consuming – it’s very thick and it is necessary to warm it up by putting the bottle in some hot water before using it.  If it is a new chain, it is best to apply the Chain-L before fitting it to the bike. I didn’t, and even taking it slowly found I couldn’t help applying a bit too much and got a fair bit on the frame and chainset. This continued to drip out over a day or two, so my oily rag got some heavy use to begin with. After the first week or so, this had settled down and the chain no longer felt sticky – feeling more like a dry-lubed chain. And that’s how it has remained. After 6 weeks of riding in terrible conditions, it looks and feels exactly as it did after that first week.

Marks – 4.5/5

For:        Very durable, apply and forget!

                Excellent value - £8 for a small bottle and I only used 10% on one full application

Against: Difficult to apply

The Ultimate Commuter Bike?

The Ultimate Commuter. Not some slightly off-the-wall superhero, but the bike you dream of when struggling to work on a rusty old hack with a squeaky chain and a flat tyre. A quick survey on Facebook and Twitter revealed an imaginative list of specifications for that perfect bike, most of them from the realms of science fiction and many of them designed to inflict pain on inconsiderate motorists. How about a tailwind generator or Boudicca style wheel-spikes to keep Addison Lee minicabs at bay? Fortunately, Mark Meadows of Milk Bikes has taken a more realistic approach to the challenge and with the RDA, might just have cracked it.

For several years, I’ve been commuting on two wheels to my job as a GP. Mountain, hybrid, road, fixed gear and cyclocross bikes have all been pressed into service from time to time and done a reasonable, if not outstanding job. All of them have been found wanting at one time or other – too heavy, too slow, too skittish, no mudguards, no rack. I own what my wife believes to be an excessive number of bikes. As I have explained to her, all of them have a very distinct purpose - from off-roading, through time trialling, to an incredibly niche bike used solely for hill climb races of a certain length and gradient. Despite spending most of my cycling hours commuting, I have never thought to get a bike specifically for that role (apart from a brief flirtation with an incredibly dull hybrid – the less said about that the better). Mark Meadows found many things to upset him about the bikes he rode on his 30 mile commute. With a background in sports equipment design, including an ill-fated attempt to adapt a Toilet Duck bottle as an aerodynamic drinking system for triathlons (!), he decided to use his abilities and contacts in the industry to get the RDA off the ground. Having been brought up on a dairy farm in Zimbabwe, he adopted the name Milk Bikes. RDA stands for “Recommended Daily Allowance” presumably referring to the amount of use the bike should get, rather than its calcium content.

First Impressions

The RDA is a good looking bike. The aircraft grade chromoly tubing is narrower than that seen on most modern frames, giving the bike an elegant air. The finish is excellent with tidy welds, a nice white paint job and subtle decals. Milk bikes provide their own branded alloy seatpost, stem and handlebars. With its compact frame, the bike has the air of a mountain bike about it, particularly when combined with the Velocity deep section rims and disc brakes. It’s the Gates carbon belt drive that will draw the eye of the discerning cyclist however. Looking a bit like a car fan belt, it is completely dry to the touch, with no stretch that I could detect. No chance of getting oil on my trousers with this system, with or without bike clips. Unable to be used with a derailleur, the belt drive is allied to a Shimano Alfine internally geared hub system, with the 8 speed version on my test bike. A dynamo hub in the front wheel for powering the lights, three sets of bottle bosses (one on the underside of the down tube holding a tool kit), full SKS mudguards and a Tubus rack finish the build.

Riding the RDA

As a roadie, I found the riding position to be more upright than I am used to. This gave me better visibility of the road around me (and I suppose made me more visible too) and made for a relaxed ride. My wife couldn’t resist taking it for a spin and found the position to be quite racy compared to her usual hybrid. With no chain slack to take up, pedalling feels very direct – a bit like riding fixed. The thing you notice most though is the silence of the belt drive. The lack of chain rattle or chattering of sprockets can be a bit unnerving until you get used to it. The Alfine gears work smoothly and efficiently, with little or no delay after clicking the thumb shifter. Another bonus of Alfine is the ability to change gears without pedalling – a boon when having to stop suddenly at traffic lights. Speaking of stopping, the hydraulic disc brakes do a brilliant job – something the drivers of Leicester gave me ample opportunity to test. The horrible weather of the last few weeks also made me appreciate the mudguards and overall stability of the ride. The Continental Tour Plus tyres give excellent grip with the bonus of top notch puncture protection. The bike is no lightweight – you won’t be winning any races off the lights – but once you get there, it holds the speed well and feels surprisingly agile on descents and round corners. After several severe soakings in the torrential rain, the belt drive ran wonderfully smoothly, without a hint of a squeak or creak.

Conclusion

I enjoyed my time with the RDA and was sad to see it go. It was great to be able to grab the bike from the garage and not let maintenance worries cross my mind. If you spend a lot of time commuting, need reliability and ease of use more than raw speed and want a well-designed high quality steed, this could be the bike for you. As a roadie I found the 8 speed Alfine did not offer enough gears at the top end and would recommend the lighter weight and broader range of the 11 speed hub. There are a wide range of specifications available including a drop bar version, the most popular being the 11 speed flat bar. At £1450 for a fully assembled 8 speed and £1650 for the 11, the bike falls outside the £1000 limit for the bike-to-work scheme, a fact that may put off some qualifying buyers. The excellent frameset is also available for just £400 and can be combined with a standard chain. It’s the carbon belt drive that really makes this bike though – a whole lot more practical than those Boudicca spikes.

Rating 4.5/5

Knog Blinder Light Review

 

Australian company Knog first came to my attention when I bought a couple of their Frog bike lights. The silicon encased LED lights looked great and were highly practical, not relying on brackets to fix them to my handlebars or seatpost. Switching the lights between bikes or attaching them to a helmet was a doddle and if you looked at them through squinty eyes they really did look a bit like frogs. Having said that, although bright, they weren’t quite powerful enough to use on their own – I also had to use other, uglier and less amphibian lights to feel safe. Knog have corrected that somewhat with the release of their new Blinder light.

First Impressions

In common with most Knog products, this is a funky bit of kit. Unlike any other bike light I have seen, it has a flat square front with an anodised aluminium face. The 4 LEDs are arranged in a square with the aluminium forming thick go faster stripes (other patterns are available). The whole thing is about the size of a compact bike computer. There is an ingenious clip system that allows bracket-less mounting to the bike, with a metal catch – a bit like a watch strap. The whole thing feels really well made and a big step up in quality from the Frog lights.

Charge ahead

The light is powered by a lithium battery that is charged via an inbuilt USB plug that clips out of the back of the Blinder. One charge gives up to 50 hours of battery life in flashing mode, 3 hours in constant mode. If you have a computer at work, it is an ideal way to make sure you never have to ride home with a dim light.

Blinding Light

In use the light really lives up to its name, the LEDs giving off 80 lumens, visible from a claimed 800 metres.  There are 5 different flashing modes to help catch the attention of other road users. The light is 100% waterproof and survived the recent deluges with no problems at all. Bright enough to use without additional lights, it looks great on the bike, although no amount of squinting can make it look anything like a frog.

Summary

For:        Compact, lightweight, waterproof, USB charging

Surprisingly bright and looks great.

Against: Quality costs - at £30 a light it’s a bit pricey.

Score: 4/5

Knog Strongman Review

Knog make some original and good looking products and the Strongman lock is no exception. Fortunately, in this case beauty is more than skin deep - the lock boasts the prestigious Sold Secure Gold rating.

The lock arrives nicely packaged in a recycled cardboard box featuring Knog’s trademark quirky graphics. The Australian company have their own tongue-in-cheek security rating, which places the Strongman at level 9 –“Ghetto”, ahead of “Crack House” and “Slum”, but less secure than “War Zone”. The more sedate Sold Secure Gold and ART 3 star rating stickers also place this lock at the top end of bike security. The lock looks great with smooth lines and a great finish. Potential contact points, where the lock could rub against your precious paintwork are covered with tough but soft silicone, colour coded in one of three colours. The test lock was labelled red, but was actually a bit more orangey.

Included in the package are 3 keys, with a serial number to enable you to order replacements from Knog and a colour coordinated mounting bracket to fix the lock to your bike for transportation. The bracket is really easy to install with a waxed webbing strap that is tightened with a supplied allen key. The Strongman locks into the bracket – no chance of the lock flying out, no matter how big a pothole you ride into.

The lock is excellent in use, the soft touch silicone really does prevent scratches to your bike, although it can get a bit grubby after a while. The shackle is easy to engage and not as fiddly as some other locks I have used.  The main thing you look for in a lock is security of course, not having an angle grinder to put this to a full test, I can only give it the recommendation that my bike hasn’t been nicked when I’ve used the lock. The compact nature of the Strongman would make levering the lock off very difficult, and Knog’s “interesting” test of using the lock to pick up a car would suggest it is up to the job.

For:        Looks great

                Easy to transport

                High level security

Against: Small size means needs to be combined with a cable or chain to fit round lampposts/trees etc.

Rating: 4/5

RRP £74.99, but currently available at Farnham Cycles for £57.65

Garmin Edge 500 Review

 

 

Back in the late 70s when I was a kid, riding all over North Derbyshire on my Viking Warlord, the only way to find out how far I’d travelled was to get out the map and a piece of string. Some of my better equipped mates had a little plastic odometer that fixed to their front fork and literally ticked off the miles with startling inaccuracy. Whilst distances were interesting, the Holy Grail for a 12 year old budding Bernard Hinault was speed. Efforts to persuade my dad to drive alongside me and clock my mph as I frantically pedalled downhill proved frustratingly unsuccessful. One day, another mate rolled up sporting a speedometer on his handlebars. Green with envy we listening open-mouthed to his tales of daring 50mph bursts down the local hills (before registering that the numbers only went up to 40). Things are a bit different now of course. The advent of GPS means that every possible cycling statistic can be recorded, logged and shared on the internet. The days of pieces of string and wild exaggeration are all in the past.

Pro Input

The Garmin Edge 500 was developed with input from pro-cyclists. Compared to other GPS computers on the market, it is very compact – not much bigger than a standard bike computer. It definitely doesn’t clutter up your handlebars. The pay off for this small package is the lack of anything more than the most rudimentary mapping. I suppose the pro’s don’t really worry about getting lost in the middle of the Tour de France. To make up for that, the Edge 500 can measure and display a huge range of statistics from your ride. There are 3 screens of data available, each with the potential to display up to 8 different readings. There are 45 different measurements to choose from, varying from speed and heart rate, through to altitude, temperature and calories consumed. Scrolling through the data on a ride can be done with a simple press of a button, or automatically.

User Friendly

Setting up the Edge 500 is a doddle, the user friendly interface allowing you to customise your display to show as much or as little as you wish. It is possible to change the data fields displayed mid way through a ride, without losing any of the information collected to that point. Entering rider information (weight, age etc.) and bike information can be done by clicking through various screens, or more easily by using the provided software and adding the details from your PC using the USB cable.

Uploading

Uploading your data after a ride is easy, using Garmin’s own Connect website or the Training Centre software that comes in the package. You can also use other websites such as Strava or Training Peaks if you prefer. Extracting the details of your ride can be a great help if you’re training for an event, especially if you use the optional Heart Rate Monitor. Combine it with the Cadence and Wheel magnet sensor and you can also use the Edge 500 on your turbo trainer. If you really take your training seriously, the unit is also compatible with power meters, including the eagerly awaited Garmin Vector pedal based system. Even if you’re not that keen, there’s something very satisfying about looking at your ride on a map, particularly if you use the Google Earth option.

Motivation

The Edge 500 can also help to motivate you and make solo rides a bit more interesting if you use the “training partner” option. By creating a course from a previous ride, you can race against yourself, as a virtual partner (actually a little stick man on the screen). It’s surprising how this can fire you up into a sprint as you approach the finish just behind your mini-me!

Summary

The Garmin Edge 500 is a brilliant package, well designed, easy to use, tough and robust. With a multitude of features, it is the perfect training aid for those riders wanting to take their cycling up to the next level. I just need to find another use for all that string.

Chrome Kursk Shoes Review

“What colour would you like?” asked Corinne from Chrome as we discussed a test pair of their Kursk shoes. “Whatever you have available” was my cheery reply – the black or grey ones I’d seen on the website both looked great. I have to confess to a slight intake of breath as I ripped open the smart packaging that came remarkably quickly from San Francisco. I can safely say that I have never previously owned a pair of red shoes. Even in my five-a-side football days, I never strayed away from traditional black trainers. In my experience, the players who wore red boots were either exceptionally good or (more commonly) exceptionally deluded about their abilities. I was neither. As a 43 year old father of three I reasoned that red shoes had more place in the Wizard of Oz than on my feet (although the thought of clicking my heels together to magically return home had some appeal for a few of my more difficult commutes).

 

Cycling Specific

Colour aside, these are brilliant shoes, with loads of features to make them great for cycling. The uppers are made from tough Cordura fabric – we’ve come across this before in the bagaboo messenger bag and swrve jeans. It is exceptionally hardwearing, ideal for a bike shoe. The laces are elasticated – strong enough to keep the shoes firmly on your feet, but with a bit of stretch to avoid “hot spots” when pedalling. The aglets (those bits on the end of the laces) are made of metal, so there’s no chance of them fraying. There’s also a “lace garage” – essentially a loop in the tongue – to stop your laces getting caught in the chain. The insoles are thick, comfortable and supportive. These shoes are from the Kursk “Pedal” series, so don’t have SPD compatibility. The soles are very stiff though and reinforced with fibre glass for ¾ of their length. A reflective patch on the back of the heel completes the cycling specific features.

 

Longevity

In use the shoes are excellent. On the bike the stiff sole really comes to the fore – transferring pedalling efforts almost as well as pure road shoes. The grippy sole is so good, I really didn’t miss my cleats. After a few commutes the shoes were showing no sign of wear – a good sign of their potential longevity. This is backed up by Chrome’s one year warranty. I’ve destroyed many a similar looking but not bike specific shoe in a matter of months when using them for riding. Off the bike, the stiffness of the soles makes walking long distances a little uncomfortable, but for nipping from the bike rack to the pub, they were fine. The red colour frequently drew second looks from passersby, but after a while, I started to enjoy their reactions. I was wearing shoes that made me (and some strangers) smile – something I’d never experienced before!

 

Bike to Bar

The Kursks are a well thought out and excellently made pair of “bike to bar” shoes and I would definitely recommend them. Always Riding have them in black at £64.99. As for me, I’m off to find a yellow brick road to ride on.

Scott Foil R1 Review

Certain things mark you out as a serious cyclist. Buying a skin suit, setting up a turbo-trainer in your garage and shaving your legs are all signs that you might have taken your cycling up to the next level. Despite splashing out on skin-tight lycra and making access to my lawnmower almost impossible, I’ve not yet plucked up the courage to take a razor to my varicose veins. Fortunately, the last few weeks have allowed me a hairier route to the world of the elite rider. I’ve been riding a genuine superbike – the Scott Foil R1.

Serious

The Scott Foil R1 really is a serious bike for serious cyclists. With an RRP of £6300, it’s clearly not aimed at the average sportive rider, but does the performance of the bike justify the hefty price tag? I had the ideal opportunity to put that to the test.

The National Hill Climb marks the end of the British racing calendar. Held on the last weekend of October, it attracts the best climbers in the country to pit themselves against the clock and gravity in front of large and enthusiastic crowds. This year, the event was to be held on the appropriately named Long Hill, just outside Buxton in the Peak District. It was a controversial choice, quite different to the traditional short sharp blasts up nasty gradients. Long Hill goes up 4.4 miles with an average gradient of just 3.2%. There was some debate amongst the top riders as to whether a Time Trial bike would be the best choice for the race. I had ridden in the open event on the same course in September on my normal road bike with clip on aero bars. It didn’t really suit me. What I needed was a super-light road bike which would give me an aero advantage without needing to hunch over the tri-bars. Step up the Scott Foil.

Aerodynamics

The Scott Foil was designed to take the best aspects of the Addict and Plasma TT frames and combine them in a UCI legal road bike with exceptional stiffness and light weight. With the help of Formula 1 aerodynamicist Simon Smart, and extensive wind tunnel testing, Scott developed the almost triangular tube shape, removing the trailing edge normally seen on aero-frames. This has kept the weight down whilst still producing what Scott claim is one of the most aerodynamic road frames available – saving up to 20% of drag compared to the Addict.

The result is a bike that is visually stunning, from the large, sculpted head tube to the swooping chainstays. This bike turns heads, from spectators on the hill climb to the pro-rider I caught up with on a training ride. The black and white finish subtly emphasises the aero properties and looks great combined with the weight saving Naked External Tubing – no fancy carbon weaves here. Mavic Cosmic SL wheels, a full Dura Ace groupset, Ritchey WCS carbon finishing kit and a carbon-railed Fizik Arione are added to the 840g frame. With a total weight of 6.96kg it feels amazingly light. Most road bikes, when picked up by a member of the non-cycling public, produce incredulous gasps. This bike produces the same response in experienced riders.

Lightning Fast

On the road I expected an uncompromising ride, but there’s a surprising lack of road buzz and I felt no discomfort, even on long weekend runs. Handling is sharp and responsive, yet reassuringly stable and sure-footed. I soon found myself throwing the bike into corners at silly speeds, coming out with nothing worse than a massive grin! The Cosmic wheels get up to speed quickly and hold it well, but are a bit susceptible to crosswinds, the bike’s general stability compensating for that somewhat. The whole package feels faster than my normal bike, particularly on the hills, where the light weight and stiffness of the frame really comes into its own. I beat my personal best on a seven minute training climb near my home by over a minute, helped by the lightning fast gear changes of the Dura Ace (for electronic Di2 you need the Premium model and a further £3000). Fellow members of Leicester Forest CC who tried the bike on our local hill climb course were impressed by the lightness, stiffness and acceleration.

And so the big test, the National Hill Climb. Riding the Foil definitely gave me a psychological boost and made me feel that I could do well. Sure enough, I managed to beat my previous time for the course by an impressive 22 seconds. Unfortunately, against a very strong field including such legends as Rob Hayles and Michael Hutchinson, that was only enough to lift me to 118^th. A top level bike that my legs and lungs couldn’t quite match.

If you want a unique piece of brilliant engineering and design and can afford the Scott Foil R1 you should seriously consider buying one. A dream bike that will almost certainly make you faster, I’m sure you will not regret your investment. As for the rest of us - Scott are releasing some lower spec models for 2012, including the 105 equipped Foil 40 for about £2200.  

I’ve enjoyed my brief foray into the world of the top rider, I think it might even be time to get out my razor.

 

Rating summary
Performance     10/10  - 5 stars

Quality                 10/10 – 5 stars

Desirability        10/10 – 5 stars

Value                    6/10  - 3 stars
Overall                                 9/10 – 4.5 stars

Fantastic bike but prohibitively expensive for most riders