have a nice ride
A Silca innovative spin on an old but ever nagging problem - the huge heavy pump. We all know the feeling, traveling with a bike is a bit of a pain at times, especially if using trains or local transport. Beyond the logistic pains some of the regular tools to get your bike setup are... Continue Reading →
New Otto Design product review - The Hexband has a load of new features but is the new Hexband lock six times better than the Ottolock?
CES in Las Vegas is the biggest US show for consumer electronics. A quick rundown of some bicycle innovations.
It's one of those things that should happen at least once a year, but if you are like me you find many excuses to push it off. The main reasons for a service : Your wheels will last longer before failure or expensive repair.Your wheels will feel smoother and roll faster.You will have more reliable... Continue Reading →
The Castelli Emergency jacket is designed as an on the go, pocket packable protection jacket, I took it on a few trips to find out really how good it is.
Exploring in the winter months is a double edged sword. On one hand the gravel roads and trails are less dusty, less jarring and you don't get baked from heat so there is less emphasis on water management. But, often you are riding in relatively cold temperatures (36-40 degrees) with raises in elevation, causing dropping... Continue Reading →
Epic single day routes around the Pacific NW area. Not for the faint of heart.
Just another Y wrench? Geeking out on some bike tools this week. As with many of Silca's products which catch my eye, their latest tool called Ypsilon - a y wrench I could not resist. (In case you were wondering, Ypsilon is from the 16th century and means the 20th letter of the greek alphabet... Continue Reading →
We spend a lot of time choosing our gear carefully and as we know cycling gear is expensive! especially when it comes to all waterproof wear. But do you know how to keep your Rapha softshell going strong? Your Castelli Gabba still stretchy or your favourite Showers Pass shedding through the spring? With a little... Continue Reading →
Blake Overview Chrome Industries have been at the apparel game for a while now with some hits and misses. About 2 months ago I wondered into the PDX store to check out their new trouser called the Blake. I ended up walking away with a pair. The Blake is their latest trouser design. It's smarter... Continue Reading →
Fancy bikes all around this weekend. Chris King put on an exhibition from 18 of the most prestigious bicycle builders in the US. Where you could ogle new creations and talk to the builders. This also coincided with the launch of a couple of new finishes for Chris King - Matte Mango and Matte Turquoise.... Continue Reading →
Walton is a great guy and we have a shared interest in bikes and industrial design. I met Walton when track racing at the Alpenrose Velodrome in Portland Oregon and it's great to see this story of how technologies like Shimano's can help. Reposted article from the Shimano blog. I borrowed the Gazelle EasyFlow and after... Continue Reading →
There's a lot of rechargeable tail lights on the market and the Knog Blinder MOB comes in as one of the top ones. The Knog Blinder is a small, seatposted mounted, no fuss, well designed good looking LED light.
Rain season is just around the corner , read up on ShowersPass latest mixed use jackets.
The updated 2018 Rapha Brevet line includes some great new products like their active t shirt, bibs with pockets, and performance lightweight materials. All allow you to travel further and lighter, (#packlightravelfar I think is their hashtag )by making products designed for heat, exploration and overnight drying materials which helps when on the road multiple... Continue Reading →
Part of my route dev series, a pre cursor to epic rides. A second dip into the same lower foothills / inner area of the Gifford Pincot close to Carson WA. This time refining a few roads and trying some different approaches to the climbs and connecting roads. 55Miles, 5,000ft Gravel Bike or Hardtail Mtb... Continue Reading →
Timberline Explore Overview A fresh mix up on the Timberline and West of Government Camp area, mixing up pine covered hard pack trails, dirt, gravel, broken top and even a few miles of smooth road. This ride is in a similar area as Burger Lodge Loop route which was ridden back in 2017 Taking Lower Bridal... Continue Reading →
The North East side of Mt. Hood (Parkdale) has always been a little bit unexplored on the gravel bike for me. I decided to try link up a few things. here is my initial pass which includes the end trip up to Cloud Cap (that you can see in one of my other writeups here)... Continue Reading →
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington is bloody huge, covering 1,400,300 acres (2200 square miles) there's a lot to be explored. Having been on Rainier and St Helens windy ride and Spirit Lake but never down in the Gifford closer to Oregon the plan was to explore some new roads. Overview Set to be a 100degree... Continue Reading →
This Rainier ride has a similar ride sensation to the Sunrise / Cayuse pass ride that I posted up a while ago. (link here) Mountain riding, high altitude, snowbanks, epic valley views, tree lines and killer pacific north-west tree canopy roads circumnavigation of Mt. Rainier with Stevens Canyon. Four phases of the ride: a mellow warm up to... Continue Reading →