Ride Stats: June 2013

• More hours this month on the bike than in any other that I have recorded; helped in no small part by the South Downs Way Challenge I am sure.
• Mileage is just slightly below my all time record that I set last December (with the help of the Festive 500). However, a significant number of my rides this month have been off-road, which obviously reduces the number of miles compared to on-road; considering this fact I reckon this has probably been my biggest month on the bike to date.
• Racing results have been rather mixed; all my races have been at an E.1.2. level in June, and I have had two top ten results, this is satisfying in itself. I also managed to race competitively in an 86 mile E.1.2 road race this week, though I didn't produce a commendable result from the event.
• Average speed is fairly high, especially considering the off-road rides
• Average heart rate is fairly similar to most months, although it should be noted that this average derives from a mix of normal rides, some very high intensity race readings, and some very gentle recovery rides.
• Overall, a pretty satisfying month. Bring on July, and Le Tour!

Race Report: Redhill E.1.2. Road Race

Yesterday I travelled to Leigh in Surrey to do the Redhill E.1.2 road race. I knew it was going to be tough. It was.

I was the only Wightlink-LCM Systems rider in the race, lining up against big teams such as Felt-Colbournes, Pedal Heaven and Orbea Twenty3c. Looking at the start list I was a little bit nervous; this was set to be a quick race, and with temperatures close to 27°C it was going to be pretty damn hot too. Adding to my nerves was the fact that for the last week I really haven't been feeling on top form; The South Downs Way Challenge last weekend seemed to take it out of me; partly because of the long day, but also the sheer amount of time in the saddle. Leading up to the South Downs Way ride I had also been focussing my attention on endurance rides, not high intensity, and in the last week I have largely been doing recovery rides rather than hard sessions. The result was that I both felt tired, and knew that I didn't have great top-end power at all; proven by a rather mediocre 10 mile TT by my standards on Wednesday night.

So I suspected it was going to be hard, I suspected I wasn't on top form, and I suspected that I was going to lack power... all those things turned out to be pretty true.

The race started at a moderate pace, far better for me than the rapid criterium races that I have done the last couple of weeks up in Winchester. I began to settle down into the rhythm of the race, and it seemed that I would be able to sit fairly comfortably in the bunch at least.

About 25 minutes into the race a small break of five riders or so went off the front; I was just about OK sat in the middle of the bunch at this stage, and I didn't think I was going to be able to deal with being in a breakaway for the remaining three hours, so I sat in and watched them go.

The bunch seemed to be working well together for a while after that; still pushing hard and keeping the pace high. It looked like we might pull the break back. Then something clicked, all of a sudden the teams seemed to realise that each of them had someone in that breakaway, and everyone started to slow up.

This relaxation of the pace continued for some time, and there were only a few select riders, including myself, who were putting in turns on the front of the bunch. Every now and again a rider or two would go clear; most of the time we pulled them back, however as people began to tire after mile 60 or so, attempts were staying away a bit better. I tried a few attempts with other riders myself, but none of them were successful. Unfortunately I missed a big group of five or six that went off the front as individuals and pairs, and then formed up further up the road. After this lot had gone the pack really began to slow, very few of the teams had an incentive to pull their own riders back.

I did quite a lot on the front, in a desperate attempt to bring it back together. I even tried breaking off the front to try and get across to the breakaway; however my lack of top-end power meant that I didn't have the initial burst of speed needed to get the necessary distance away from the pack and out of sight, to avoid being hunted down. I tried and failed on numerous occasions. All that ended up happening was I was sitting at threshold on the front of the pack for prolonged periods of time. One factor that also didn't help me was that the entire course could be completed in the big ring, with no real hills, this probably didn't play to my favour as I can normally use an incline to get a gap.

By mile 80 it was clear that I was going to end up in the "bunch sprint", or at least what was left of the bunch.  Trying to do a sprint with a lack of top-end power is never productive, and this time was no exception. I tried going early as we went into the final downhill, but that failed. It all came back together and riders flew past me on the final straight. I think in the end I must have finished mid-twenties out of the 79 starters; about tenth across the line, behind the fifteen or so escapees that were up the road at the finish.

To be honest I was glad to finish at all, given how I felt going into the race. I knew it was going to be a tough one, and it was; I knew I was lacking the top-end power, and that was evident. At least I know that I can hold my own in a field containing plenty of Elites, and on a course close to 90 miles in length. It bodes well for the Surrey League 2/3's road races that I have coming later in the year. Time to get out there and work on the top end for the next week or so.

Review: Swrve WWR Lightweight Skinny Trousers

Back in the Spring I reviewed the rather awesome pair of Swrve Indigo Jeans, and it would be fair to say I was rather impressed by them (they've had a good bit of use!). However, with the summer months approaching, and the temperatures increasing, jeans are no longer on the top of the pile of trousers in my wardrobe; instead you want something that is lighter weight in the summer heat.

Enter the Swrve WWR Lightweight trousers; a cycling specific set of slacks that are comfortable both on and off the bike in the summer sun.

The WWR fabric is a lightweight yet durable, wind and water resistant material. It's highly breathable and stretchy; making it the ideal fabric for active pursuits including cycling. The Swrve trousers have a cycling specific cut; low around the waist, and high around the back, with a seamless crotch to avoid uncomfortable abrasion when seated on the saddle. In addition, they have articulated knees, a rear pocket that will fit a mini U-lock, and a skinny fit that is tailored for the cyclist's leg shape.

The Swrve WWRs have fast become one of my favourite pairs of trousers to pull on in the summer mornings; they are just as comfortable and smart around the house and shops as they are on the bike, yet it is the subtle details that make them so suited to two-wheeled pursuits.

For example, the belt loops (like on the Swrve Indigo Jeans) are reflective for added visibility on those summer evenings, the back pocket has a smaller internal pocket, ideal for a smartphone or key, and high enough up the back to avoid sitting on the contents. The seamless crotch makes a significant difference to comfort in the saddle; even if it just nipping to the shops to grab some groceries, it avoids the discomfort and saddle sore.

The WWR fabric, whilst water resistant and wind resistant does not feel oily or stiff, in fact, it has a soft inner face which is smooth against the skin, and helps to further increase the comfort when moving around in the trousers. It has been very durable as well, despite its "lightweight" label; surviving many washes and even tumble-drying. The real benefit of the waterproof nature is that if you do splash through an unexpected puddle even in the middle of summer, the residue will quickly wipe off and dry.

Overall, the Swrve WWR skinnies are a great pair of trousers; suitable for everyday life and 'Life In The Saddle'. They have certainly stayed on top of the pile in my wardrobe for a long time now!

The Swrve WWR Lightweight Skinnies are available from select retailers, and direct from Swrve.co.uk for £88.00 RRP

Review: Garmin Edge 510 GPS Cycle Computer

The Garmin Edge 500 was on my shopping list for a long time; its compact size, long battery life, accurate GPS tracking and power meter compatibility make it the chosen GPS for most road cyclists on the circuit. It provides all the data that you could need for tailored training, without the mapping capability of its bigger brother the Edge 800.

This year however Garmin introduced the 510; predictably it is slightly larger than the Edge 500, it uses a colour display, and a touch-screen interface. Much of the data display is similar to the Edge 500, but it also has many new and interesting feature, such as smartphone tracking, a higher level of adaptability and profiling, and a 'Virtual Partner' training programme.

This review takes an in-depth look at the Edge 510 unit, and is the first in a series of blogs that I will be writing over the coming months, explaining the benefits of training with GPS cycling computers and the programmes that accompany them.



The Unit
As mentioned, the Edge 510 is slightly bigger than its predecessor the Edge 500; measuring 9cm x 5cm, with a 3cm depth. The additional size is by no means a hindrance however; the unit fits discretely and snugly onto a stem or handlebar, using the secure Garmin quarter-turn mount (of which there are two in the box), or using a third-part out-front mount. I used the unit last weekend on a 100 mile off-road ride, and there was no sign of the unit coming loose or bouncing, even on the most rugged descents.

Unlike the Edge 500, the unit has a colour screen, which looks more modern and shows up well even in low light conditions, with the level of back-lighting easily adjustable 'on-the-fly'. The interface is also touch screen, rather than the four button Edge 500; the touch screen works perfectly even with full finger gloves on, and in the wet; an impressive feat by most standards.

In addition to the touch screen, there are three physical buttons; on the front of the unit there are two raised buttons; one a lap button, and one a start/stop/pause button for recording. These easily accessible buttons are a useful addition for a more positive feel when using these functions on the move. As well as these, there is a power button on the side of the unit, again a useful easy-access feature.

The unit connects to a USB port (if you are not using wireless uploading) and to the USB charging plug (that comes with a choice of sockets for global compatibility), through a connection port on the rear of the unit, protected by a rubberised plug.

The Display and Profiles
One of the things that sets the Edge 510 apart from its predecessor is the activity and bike profiles.

Bike Profiles - When you start the unit up for the first time you can input data on your stable of bikes; including the bike type (mountain bike or road), the weight, the crank length (needed for the Garmin Vector power meter), the wheel size, and you can pair the device with any ANT+ sensors that you have; such as cadence, speed and power. The customization means that as soon as you select that bike on the start-up page, it will search and pair with those sensors automatically, rather than finding sensors from other bikes that you may have in your garage. The unit will take up to ten bike profiles, for those that are lucky enough to have the storage space for that many bikes at home!

Activity Profiles - As well as the customization of bike profiles, you can also customize the interface for your activity; for example a race profile, a training profile, and an indoor training profile. The idea behind this is that when you are racing you are likely to want different page-views than if you are training. For example, when you are time trialling you probably want to know just your HR, Avg Speed, Distance, Cadence and Avg. Power. Whilst when you are on a winter training ride you may want ten fields of data (the most the Edge 510 will display and two more than the Edge 500), to help make those long miles more interesting!

Certainly there is a wealth of data that the Edge 510 will show, with all imaginable HR measures, Speed, Cadence, Timer, Distance and Power measures; there's no shortage of choice. Of course, the unit will also display information like temperature, elevation and total ascent. Measures that I will highlight the importance of in later posts on training with GPS.

On each activity profile (of which you can set five), you can have multiple pages of data; displaying different fields, as well as elevation profiles, and the virtual partner function (which I will come onto later). To flick between these pages you simply swipe the screen, this is one function of the touchscreen that seems to be a little less strong, but with a slight delay it will change. You can also change the display by tapping the screen and pressing the arrow button that comes up.

On finishing the ride, you can view a summary of the data you have recorded within your ride. This includes a useful elevation chart, as well as the standard feedback in terms of averages and totals.

Another neat feature is the 'Personal Records' page; which is customisable and gives you information such as your farthest ride, most elevation in one ride, and your fastest 40K. This is a cool motivational feature, which gives you an added boost when you finish that arduous winter training ride, to find out that yes, that was the most climbing you have ever done! Of course, for those that really like setting personal records, using the Edge 510 with Garmin Connect or Strava is the best way to set and beat goals in comparison to your peers.



SmartPhone Compatibility
The thing that really sets the Edge 510 and Edge 810 apart from their predecessors is the smartphone tracking. Using the free-to-download Garmin Connect app, which is available on Android or Apple, you can connect the phone via Bluetooth to your mobile device. The connection is quick and easy, using a Bluetooth connection key, the unit securely pairs with your phone using a key number.

Photo from Garmin.com

The benefits of connecting to a smartphone are numerous. Firstly there's a weather app, which allows you to see the next three hours of weather for your location, so that you can take shelter in a nearby café as that unexpected thunderstorm approaches. Second, there is the ability to search the Garmin Connect database to find your previous routes in your locality; a useful feature when you are on holiday or in a less-known location; you can make a route on-line, and then wirelessly transfer it to your device. Thirdly, just as you can download routes and previous workouts using the wireless connection, you can also upload saved tracks from the device to your Garmin connect account, avoiding the need to attach to USB (except for charging).

The real benefit of the smartphone connection however is the 'Live Tracking' capability. Once you have paired your device, you can enable live-tracking and invite others to follow. This invite can be sent through email, Twitter or Facebook; the link that you provide will allow the viewer to follow your progress, and also see your vitals from any ANT+ sensors that are attached to your Edge 510. Live tracking starts and stops as you start/stop/pause you ride on the Edge 510 unit.

The benefits of live tracking are numerous; largely in terms of safety, but also in terms of meeting up with friends en-route. I will go into more depth on this subject in later posts on "Training with GPS".

Virtual Partner
The Edge 510 does not have the capability to follow a mapped route like the 810, but it does have the ability to follow a "bread-crumb" course; a course that is pre-set on a computer device through Garmin Connect, and then uploaded to the Edge 510.
As well as this feature being useful for following new routes, it also allows you to make use of the new 'Virtual Partner' feature on the Edge 510.

The 'Virtual Partner' allows you to set a pre-defined average speed for a selected course, and then see how far ahead or behind that speed you are in distance and time. With a cheery little animated companion to show your progress in visual terms. It is a neat motivational tool, which I have personally found useful riding around time-trial courses during non-race sessions, as it helps you to judge the pacing against your previous rides.


Workouts
The workout feature is one that I have not used extensively yet on the Edge 510, but it looks promising, and is worth pointing out. It allows you to create workouts through Garmin Connect, and upload them to your device. These workouts are usually composed of set "Steps" of efforts and recovery, measured in terms of HR, time or power. The unit then counts through your workout with you, giving you instructions on what is coming up next, and how long is left in the current "Step"; I can see that it will be a clever and useful way of planning workouts for indoor training especially.

Overview and Assessment

Taken as a complete package, the Edge 510 is an impressive gadget. Its upgrades over the Edge 500 are clear and distinctive. At the top of the list has to be the smartphone connectivity; the benefits of wireless uploading/downloading, and live-tracking are obvious.
In addition to the connectivity there are also the benefits of the touchscreen interface, in terms of speed of navigation, and the more modern looks of the colour display. The unit also offers a higher degree of customizability than I have seen on any other GPS unit; with the ability to set separate bike profiles and work profiles, there is no risk that you cannot be seeing the correct data at the correct time.

As with all Garmin units that I've used, both on bicycles, boats and cars, the Edge 510 is well built, well thought-out and comes with all the necessary accessories.

Is it worth buying a 510 if you already have a 500?
That depends how much you want the live tracking, larger interface, and touch screen capabilities. In my mind, if you value these heavily it is worth upgrading.
Undoubtedly though, if you are looking to buy a new GPS, or replace an old worn-out one, I would certainly invest in the 510 rather than buying the now rather outdated 500; it is certainly a significant step forward, that I expect to see on the stems and handlebars of many bikes in the peloton over the coming year.

The Garmin Edge 510 is available from Wiggle Bike Shop (Link)

Review: Santini BCool Mig 3 Cycling Bib Shorts

Summer is finally getting here, and with it the weather is warming up. I would choose bib shorts over non-bibs any day for cycling; they are more comfortable, they stay up better, and they avoid that chilly gap between your shorts and your jersey when it rides up. However, bibs can be rather hot in the summer to say the least; I rode in 35°C for five century days during the France and Spain trip in 2011, and I found my bibs to be uncomfortable, and far too effective at keeping the heat in, even with an unzipped jersey.

Santini have come up with a solution; the BCool Mig 3 bib shorts still hold the virtues of a traditional bib short in terms of comfort and design, however the bibs have been made as minimalist as possible to avoid the insulating effect that the bib material has on the body. The shorts have also been modified in other ways to increase comfort in extra warm conditions. The bibs are not cheap, retailing around £120 in most online stores, but I can safely say they are one of the most comfortable sets of shorts I have ever worn...

Starting with the innovative bib design... the bibs on the BCool shorts may be better described as braces in my mind; they are narrow elasticated mesh straps that start from low down on the waist, rise over the shoulders and then finish low down on the back. The braces are very effective at reducing the "sweaty back effect" that is often encountered with normal bibs, and they also dry out much quicker than normal material because of their lighter weight design.

It's not just the bibs that have been tailored to the heat though, the whole design of the shorts has evolved to the challenge. The material is far thinner than most; around the lower back and kidneys there is a mesh Lycra used to help ventilation (see large photo below). Then on the leg grippers a wafer thin stretch material is used; this is by far the most comfortable leg gripper that I have used, the effectively wide area that grips your leg means it stays firmly in place, without being overly tight or restrictive.

The seat pad is one of the defining factors in a pair of bib shorts. The Mig 3 in the BCool's name refers to the innovative chamois that Santini use in these top of the range shorts. I've worn a lot of pairs of shorts, and one thing that seems to define the comfort is getting the size of the pad right; too small and there is not enough padding, and you may actually end up sitting on the stitching around the edge of the pad; an uncomfortable experience! The other extreme is that the pad is too large and uncomfortable because if covers more than the area of the saddle, creating unnecessary friction. The Mig3 pad seems to offer a very admirable solution. The pad itself is composed of a padded foam central area, which is seamlessly attached to a large white flannel-like material. The composition means that the wide flannel material means stitching is well away from the sensitive areas, whilst the central padded core provides the much needed cushion.

Padding is not overly generous on the pads, but it is placed where it matters; and it is ribbed to allow added movement. The design fits in well with the warm weather orientation; reducing unnecessary material that may cause excess heat built up and moisture retention. Overall, a pretty impressive bit of padding!

Taking a complete overview of the shorts, the £120 price tag suddenly seems rather reasonable. These shorts are both incredibly comfortable in the hot weather, and very well made. They have a pad that works well, and they look pretty classy too; especially in the neon yellow that I have (they also come in red and blue). If you are planning on doing some serious hot weather cycling this summer, then I would definitely consider adding these to your shopping list!

N.B. Santini clothing tends to come up a little on the small size; especially if you are quite tall. I usually wear a medium size in most clothing brands, but wear a large in Santini. Check the size chart carefully.

Santini Shorts on Wiggle Bike Shop (Link)

Ride Report: The South Downs Way Challenge

On Saturday I rode the full length of the South Downs Way; a historic bridleway that runs down the spine of the South Downs National Park from Winchester to Eastbourne. It was certainly the longest day I have ever done in the saddle, with 13.5 hours of elapsed riding time. It was a very enjoyable day though; I rode with some great guys that I've met through twitter and the blog, and they were fantastic company to help tick through the miles.

In a slightly different style "Ride Report", here's a timeline of the day's events:

• 02:45 - Alarm sounds, stumble out of bed
• 03:15 - Leave the house, bike in boot of car, drive to ferry
• 04:00 - Board Wightlink ferry at Fishbourne
• 04:40 - Arrive Portsmouth
• 05:48 - Board train for Winchester
• 06:50 - Arrive Winchester RIDE BEGINS
• 07:30 - After a few wrong turns I'm on the South Downs Way, pursuing the others who left Winchester twenty minutes earlier. Drizzle and cross winds. Hard Going.
• 08:30 - Meet up with the other seven out on the trail, great to have some company. Looks like this could be a long day if the rain keeps going - feet are already sodden. Impressed by the Union34 waterproof I am wearing though.
• 09:00 - Rain has stopped! Result!
• 10:00 - The hills are getting bigger! We're setting a good pace though, great company chatting with the others. Tailwind is coming in handy too!
• 11:00 - Ticking through the miles
• 12:00 - Lunch of Eccles cake, banana and Fruit Pastilles. Trails are drying out nicely! Group splits in two; half of us are heading the full distance to Eastbourne, half are stopping half-way at Amberley
• 13:00 - We reach Amberley, the half-way mark. 6.5 hours of elapsed time down, about 4.5hours riding time. The hills keep on coming, now completed more fourth category climbs than you can count on one hand.
• 14:00 - Man that was a big hill coming out of Amberley, another one bites the dust though.
• 15:00 - Three quarters of the way through, just 35 miles left to go.
• 16:00 - Up to Ditchling beacon, a few wrong turns, but back on the path now. Getting a lot closer to the sea, it has to be a good sign!
• 17:00 - All feeling a bit tired now, but gradually getting there. Beachy Head is on the horizon; just five more hills to go to get there.
• 18:00 - Counting down the hills like it's a "To-Do List", very glad of the strong gale force tail wind, it is really helping to push us along.
• 19:30 - I split from the others, need to push onto Eastbourne to catch the last train home.
• 20:30 - Reach Beachy Head and the FINISH! One hell of a downhill road ride into Eastbourne town! Yeehaa!
• 20:45 - Board train to Portsmouth
• 22:55 - Arrive Portsmouth
• 00:00 - Board Midnight Car Ferry
• 00:40 - Dad meets me at Fishbourne with bacon sarnie! Ace! 
• 01:00 - Arrive Home. End of one long day! But one happy and satisfying day. Mission accomplished!

Ride Totals:

• 103.5 Miles (166.6Km)
• 3,687 Meters of Elevation Climbed
• 10:50hrs Riding Time
• 13:35hrs Elapsed Time
• 6,532 Calories Burnt
• Average HR: 129Bpm
• Strava Link

It was one big day of riding. It's been on my bucket list of Objectives for 2013 for a long time, and it feels great to tick it off. Thinking about it, I reckon that the weekend that I did in Wales last September (Blog Link) was a harder day overall, but this certainly made my legs ache... a lot! I would love to do it again, I'd be interested to see how quickly I could ride it. Perhaps... just maybe, I would like to see if I could make it a return trip (206 miles)... now that would be a big day out!

Weekend Watch: Danny MacAskill's 'Imaginate'

Awesome!

A Different Weekend Challenge: The South Downs Way Epic

This Saturday I'm not racing around a car park, I'm not racing on the road either. I'm hanging up the skinny tyres for the weekend and getting the mountain bike out... to ride the full length of the South Downs Way in one day, from Winchester to Eastbourne.

Here's what to expect:
96 miles (155km) (All Off-road)
12,700 feet of Climbing (3,870 meters)
Approximately 8-9hrs Riding Time
Approximately 5500 Calories Expended

I've walked most of the route before during training for events like the Ten Tors, I've also run sections of it at night during the Charlton Chase events. However, this will be the first time I've ridden a bike along the route, and I'm really looking forward to it. It was one of my "Objectives for 2012" and got carried over to be an "Objective for 2013", time to tick it off!

I'm doing the route with some great guys that I've met through Twitter and the blog, it should be an awesome day out, and I'm sure the fish and chips at Eastbourne will be well earned! Bring it on! 4am ferry and all!

Click to Enlarge

Race Report: Winchester Omega Crit #2 - Hard Graft

This afternoon we were back in Winchester for the second Omega circuits Criterium race at the Winchester Park and Ride. I came away with a similar result to last week, with a provisional 7th or 8th place; a result which I was reasonably satisfied with, but left me looking forward to doing more road races and less Crit's.

Once again the race started at a brutal pace, with the first few laps averaging well over 27mph. Starts like this were always something I struggled with when I was mountain bike racing, and things don't seem to have changed; I was flagging a bit for the first few laps to say the least.

As things settled down I managed to get myself back up to the main peloton with a few hard efforts. Unfortunately, I paid for those efforts, because as soon as I caught onto the back of the peloton a group of three went off the front, and with it the pace of the peloton itself accelerated to chase them. The acceleration spat me back out the back of the main field, which was quickly shedding riders, including both of my team mates (one of whom was unfortunately victim to a puncture).

I was left a few yards back from the main field (which had now been reduced to around 8 riders of the 25+ starters). Accompanied by two other riders, I then faced the repeat task of trying to get back onto the main pack. The three of us worked well together, although it would be fair to say that the other two riders really weren't coming through hard enough, and we were failing to bridge back across to the main field. The three man break that had gone off the front of the main field luckily came round and lapped us, the benefit was that we could then use them as a pace marker to draw ourselves back up to the peloton.

Eventually, after about 40 minutes of racing we re-joined the main field. Pretty knackered. Then with the race cut short to just 50 minutes for some reason, I had just about time to regain my breath before we kicked into the last five laps.

I'm not a sprinter, by any margin, and with 40 minutes of "peloton chasing" in my legs, a bunch sprint was even less likely to be fortuitous. However, I managed to hang on to get 7th or 8th I think, which is respectable at least. The result gets me a few more points for my licence, but it also left me greatly looking forward to a few hills in my upcoming road races; sprinting out of corners for an hour on end, and rocket-paced starts don't really seem to suit my physique or my riding nature. Bring on the road races that start the weekend after next!

Review: OdPod Portable Bike Stand

Servicing a bike at an event, or when you go on holiday, can be a real headache; a proper work stand is too big to fit in the boot of most cars (at least when it's full of other kit), which leaves you with the option of turning the bike upside down, or getting someone to hold it, if you need to run through the gears to check indexing etc.

The OdPod bike stand provides a unique, simple and clever solution to the problem. It is a tripod design, made of aluminium tubing, which folds completely flat when not in use; allowing you to store it in a bike bag, car boot, or tucked away in the workshop.

The stand holds the bike with a soft plastic cup, that fits around the bottom bracket shell. The bike then rests on the front wheel, with the rear wheel suspended, so you can freely rotate the cranks.

The bracket has fitted all the bikes I've tried it with; including the BB90 on the Whippet, the external BB on the Planet X, and the cartridge bearing BB on my winter bike. On all of the bikes the stand holds the bike pretty securely; if you were to give it a real knock it might come off, especially on uneven ground, but most of the time once the bike is held in the tripod there is no sign of it going anywhere.

The OdPod has come in useful for all kinds of activities; from washing the bike down between events, to tuning up the gears before a race, it's also really useful for removing wheels, and saves scratching the saddle and hoods from flipping the bike upside down.

Well made, and highly convenient, the OdPod is ideal for event maintenance, or for those without room for a full blown work stand in their garage or home. Keeping your bike clean, well maintained and running smoothly is vital for good results at events and also to help avoid gear breakages; this neat tri-pod stand makes it much easier.

The stand comes in a variety of colours, and you can even customise it to your own colour scheme (mine's a classic 'Red, White and Blue'. It can be bought direct from od-designs.co.uk.

Review: Scicon Compact 430 Saddle Bag

Last winter saddle bag straps for some reason became the bane of my riding life; I had three fail on me within the space of a few months! They were going on the seatpost tie, and on the saddle rail loops, and these weren't cheap packs either; mostly Topeak bags, which I have always been fairly impressed with. As a result of my misfortune, and the fact that I was increasingly getting annoyed with the tatty piece of tape that I had to put on my seatpost to save the carbon from the saddle bag strap (I think I'm getting cycling OCD), I was on the lookout for a "no-strap" "click-and-fix" design bag that I could use on my road bikes...

Enter the Scicon 430 Compact. It's not a cheap offering, I got mine from ProBikeKit at a discounted, if still fairly weighty £26.99. However, after using the bag for a few weeks I have decided it's worth the cash; there's a reason this is the chosen saddle bag of almost all the pro teams that are supported by Scicon (and many that aren't).

The Scicon 430 is the middle of the range volume seat bag from the Italian brand, but it is the Rolls Royce in terms of quality. As soon as you pick it up, it is evident that it's a well made piece of kit; the carbon effect side panels, the water-resistant liner, the strong zip and stitching, and the reflective piping are all things that ooze quality compared to other packs I have trialled.

That's before you even get to the gadgetry; the main feature of which is the mounting system. The system uses a bracket that mounts without tools (with a small turning knob) onto the saddle rails. You need to do the knob up quite tight to stop it coming loose, and rattling, but once it's on there it's secure.

The bag itself then fits to the bracket with a simple twist and click motion; placing the bag at right angles to the saddle rails it slots into place, you then turn it 90 degrees for a positive locking effect. Certainly there is no indication that it is likely to come loose.

The mounting casing itself has another trick up its sleeve as well; it houses two Scicon tyre levers, which although I suspected they would be a token offering, they actually perform admirably out on the road when you get stuck with a puncture. Neat!

As mentioned, the 430 is the mid-range offering from Scicon, and it is plenty big enough for a road rider that needs the essential repair kit. Below is a photo of what I keep in my saddle bag; large sized multi-tool (with chaintool), tube, patches, an extra spare tyre lever (in case one snaps), and a chain-link. The 430 swallows all that up without any qualms; in fact, there's room for probably a second tube in there as well if you were going for an extended ride.

If there is one thing to possibly criticize the 430 for, it's that it can rattle a bit; partly I expect because of the mechanism, but partly because the plastic mounting inside the bag provides a hard object for things like tools to knock against. This problem was easily overcome however, by wrapping the multi-tool in bubble wrap (which also helps to keep it dry). Easy fix!

Out on the road the bag is completely unnoticeable; with some strapped bags I have found that the seat post attachment can touch your shorts and pull threads, the risk of that is completely eliminated with the 430; it leaves your seatpost free of clutter and looking good.

Overall, I really can't fault the Scicon Compact 430; no more strap breakages, no more velcro pulling on your shorts, no more fiddly mounting, and best of all, no more unprofessional looks! This really is a classy pack, well worth investing in; it even comes in a Tour de France yellow if you are the next Wiggo!

NEWS FLASH! Get £10 to spend on SportPursuit for nothing!

SportPursuit has been very kind to the blog, even when I was starting up at a grass-roots level. They've offered continued support through advice, and they've helped out with prizes for competitions that I've run.

Because of their great support, I'm keen to give a shout out for the awesome promo offer that they've got running at the moment...

If you sign up to SportPursuit (which is free, and simply allows you to hear about the great flash sales that are going on at the moment), you will currently get £10 added to your account immediately to get you started in the sales!

The sales that SportPursuit have are great; offering discounts of up to 70% on brands such as HighFive, Nectar, Sugoi, Dare2B and Skins, as well as many many more. I've reviewed a number of the brands that sell on SportPursuit, and they've all been very impressive. If you're looking for some serious discount kit, it's a great place to take a look.

To sign up, and get your £10 starter credit for nothing, just click the logo below:

Race Report: Winchester Car Park Crit... Guess Who's Back

This afternoon the Wightlink-LCM Systems race team travelled to a car park in Winchester to race...

Yes, we literally were racing round the South Winchester Park and Ride; on a tight, short and wind-swept course.

After finishing exams this week I've had a few nights of celebrations and it would be fair to say that "some" alcohol was consumed. That, plus the fact that I haven't raced for 6 weeks, meant I was slightly unsure how my body was going to function in a short, sharp E.1.2. Criterium race. Anyway, here's how it panned out...

The race was composed of one hour plus five laps of the short circuit that took just two minutes to complete a loop. That adds up to a lot of laps. 

The race started incredibly quickly. Too quick for me. The first three laps were the fastest of the whole race, and I missed the break that went off the front in the second of those laps. Partly it was because my legs just weren't ready for that shock after 6 weeks of no racing, partly it was because I started at the back of the grid... idiot.

Anyway, a break of five riders went off the front of the pack in the second lap, and by the time I had got to the front of the field, having spotted the move, I had one hell of a gap to bridge. Trying to bridge that gap was what I then spent almost the entire 55 minutes of remaining racing doing; off the front of the peloton, but not able to catch the five man break that was up the road.

In fact, the five man break was working so well that it managed to get a lap up on the field. Whilst I was sat half a lap in front of the main field for almost the entirety of the race. I wasn't without help, one of the elite level riders who was in the five man break, had then gone off the front again after the break had caught onto the back of the peloton with a lap up; and then had continued to work with me for the majority of the remaining race, and clearly went on to win overall, with a one and a half lap advantage over the main field.

To put it another way, what was meant to be a crit, turned into effectively a two-up time trial for me and my break away companion. Holding off the main bunch for 55 minutes at an average speed of 25+mph (which sounds quite slow, but considering the two minute lap had a very sharp 180 degree hairpin in it, it felt fast).

I eventually crossed the line in sixth place (because of the five man break up the road). It was one hell of a ride. I was rather annoyed at myself for missing the break, considering it turned out that my legs were decent enough to hold off the main field for 55 minutes, but that's bike racing. I'm back at the same venue next Sunday to race again, hopefully I won't miss the break this time.

The provisional 6th place gives me 12 more points on my licence, and moves me a little higher towards my 1st Cat. licence target. It is looking like it will be an increasing struggle to make the jump this year, due to the rather delayed start to the racing season due to exams, but I'm going to give it a decent shot. Great to be back racing again.  

New Horizons...

Yesterday I turned a corner. A corner that I have been anticipating for a long time; the end of my time at university, the end of my exams, the end of 17 years of education. To those that say that university life is an easy life, perhaps yours was, mine certainly wasn't. Trying to juggle attaining the highest possible grade, training, racing, a social life and looking after yourself was a struggle at times. At times elements suffered, at times, I felt like it wasn't worth it, but I'm pleased I've finished... it's been a journey.

Turning the corner brings new horizons for me. When I left school I was fairly sure that my horizons were set; my grades and position in the school meant the mounting expectation from family and friends was that I would go into the City with my economics degree; make "the dollar" and live the "high-life". A lot has changed since then. I still have high expectations of myself, and I'll always aim higher, but those particular horizons are no longer in my path. 

Tim Wiggins LinkedIn Profile

Various factors over the last four years have led me to pursue a different course. I've found, or perhaps rediscovered my passion for cycling, I've absorbed myself into all aspects of the sport, and this blog has helped me to realise how much I value helping others in the sport and promoting it as a fantastic hobby to pursue. For those reasons my outlook and aspirations have fundamentally changed. 

Over the next few months I plan to devote myself to almost full-time training, pushing myself harder, in a bid to go faster than ever before, and see what I am capable of achieving. I have a calendar full of races, and although it is looking less likely that I will attain my first category licence this year because of the late start due to exams and other commitments, I hope to get close to it, and make the step next year at least.

In other areas of the sport aside from road racing, I'm doing a 110 mile off road ride along the South Downs Way at the end of this month, with some great people that I have met through the blog and Twitter. I'm also still planning a big touring trip in September; which at the moment is set to involve riding back from Florence to Le Havre, taking in some of the biggest mountain passes in the Alps. 

After that, I'm unsure what the future will bring, and to be honest that really excites me. Longer term I am looking to start a job in the cycling industry, in marketing, buying or selling; I'm keen to have plenty of customer contact to pass on my passion for the sport. However, if no such opportunity arises by the late summer I am considering travelling to New Zealand to work as a cycle touring guide for a few months to avoid the British winter. The future is an uncertain one, but an exciting one.

There will be lots of new activity on the blog over the coming months as well I hope. It is nearing 100,000 unique page views, which is something I never dreamed of when I started writing it, initially to document my campaign for the 2011 Island Games. There will be lots more reviews, advice posts, and race reports to come, as well as plenty of updates on my horizons as they change and develop over the coming months and year. I hope you continue to enjoy it... thanks for reading. Let's see where this horizon takes us.