My glasses go with me wherever I go. 

As such, they are fitted by a trained optician, each element entirely customised and tuned to me and my requirements.

It also took no fewer than 37 messages, photos and videos on the family Whatsapp chat to choose the design of my current pair. 

The only other object on this planet that does go with me wherever is my rucksack. 

However, historically, it has not been selected in the rigorous manner as befits its frequency of use. There is no appointment with someone trained to fit it and at best only 3 WhatsApp messages to decide on a bag. But having had a number of bags fail on the job through damage, lack of waterproofness or just lack of style, the search for a pack that could be my everyday carry through London has intensified. 

Enter British brand Craft Cadence’s suggested solution to this problem: their 30L waterproof backpack aimed squarely at the cycling commuter. It comes in yellow and black and costs £89.99.

Craft Cadence Waterproof Backpack

This bag has been designed by commuters in London and as a fellow London cyclist I can say that this shows. 

As anyone who commutes in the UK knows, a waterproof bag is nigh on essential, assuming you enjoy your clothes and laptop being dry, and this backpack is waterproof in the extreme. Rated at IPX 5 – effectively providing waterproofness in all weather conditions – this pack kept all cargo totally dry in extensive rain testing both in London and the rainy North (Manchester). This is achieved by welded seams and proper tarpaulin material which means it’s also tough, suitable then for the rough and tumble of city bike commuting.

Big Waterproof Backpack for Commuters

Unlike many other waterproof bags, this one is big. The 30L capacity is ample for all the commuting essentials. My usual payload (laptop, clothes, shoes, lunchbox, towel, flask) all fit in comfortably without origami-esque folding and with space to spare. 

Craft have added a removable internal sleeve to allow a greater degree of organisation. Initially I didn’t see the merits of this, however I’ve recently come to see the light. When going to work, the sleeve was helpful in keeping things in place. But when raw capacity needed to be maximised, like my weekly shop, then one large compartment allowed me to buy and transport way more junk food. There’s also one external, non IPX 5, pocket which was handy for keys/wallet/mask as it allows quicker access than the main compartment.

I can’t decide whether I like the fastening mechanism or not. It’s slightly fiddly but it does work, however my cold winter hands might have appreciated something a bit simpler. It does however allow the bag to be filled to (and slightly beyond) the brim.

Ventilation

As someone who sweats like a pig at the mere thought of cycling, a backpack usually only serves to further compound this issue. In order to alleviate this, the designers at Craft have cleverly added extruded back panels of foam which allows air to flow across the rider’s back. While this didn’t make it a completely sweat free experience, it certainly is better than many other backpacks in this department. With both hip and chest straps, the bag sat securely at all times in a way that didn’t impede my cycling at all. 

Style wise, the yellow variant I got sent is very clearly a cycling rucksack but the black edition is discrete enough for more formal settings. That being said, we were often asked what bag it was as fellow cyclists eyed it up.

So all things considered, has the Craft Cadence Backpack ended up becoming my everyday backpack? Well, not quite… Because it’s been hijacked by my parents who have made it their day to day bag. While my search for a bag may continue, theirs won’t because this bag is waterproof, tough and comfortable, all you need from a bag like this.

The post Craft Cadence Backpack – Review [Waterproof Commuter Bag Tested] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

There was a dilemma I used to face each day on the way home from work. Perhaps it’s a reflection of my incredibly fortunate life so far that this choice was probably the worst thing about my day…

One option was to take the road, fast but very busy and the most atrocious road surface you’ve ever seen (or more pertinently felt).

The second was to take an off-road bike route, the Fallowfield Loop. This runs along an old trainline which has a super smooth road surface and allowed me to avoid all motorised traffic. It had just one pitfall: it was entirely devoid of lighting. Cycling along it after sunset felt like riding into the abyss.

More than once, I ended up in what I thought was some sort of foliage after I misjudged where the path ended and where the banking began. Either I had to resurface and pedestrianize the road myself or find some way of lighting the off-road route.

Bright Bike Light for Riding in Complete Darkness

Australian brand Knog sent us their PWR Road front light to see if it would solve this problem. It costs around £84.99 and is the flagship front light in their PWR range (note: “PWR” is just short for “Power”, not a fancy anagram like I thought).

It’s USP is that it is ‘a modular bike light’. What this means is that the PWR road is made up of a big battery pack and then has a ‘lighthead’ which attaches to it – that’s right, it’s a portable power bank and a bicycle light in one device.

There are a variety of settings ranging from mimicry of a collapsed star to the equivalent of strapping a strobe light to your bars. All these settings are cycled through by twisting the lighthead: much better than having to faff about with tiny fiddly buttons.

This lighthead throws out a maximum of 700 lumens which as you can see from the videos is really quite bright for something as sleek as this. The rate-limiting step therefore will not be max lumens as this was amply sufficient to light any portion of road, Fallowfield loop or otherwise. This setting only lasted for roughly 90 minutes so had to be used sparingly. The lowest ‘Stamina’ lasted a mammoth 20 hours however put out a measly 10% of the maximum output. For most of my testing miles I used the solid setting in between these two which was bright enough for the overwhelming majority of my riding.

You can see a demo of the still and flashing modes from our YouTube channel below:

Given that I have zero desire to induce seizures in my fellow road users I hardly utilised the flashing modes. However if (for some compelling reason) I wished to exercise this ability, there were 3 different flashing modes from intense strobe to eco-flash which claims to have a gargantuan 165 hour life.

I can’t think of any other types of mode you would want for this light but if you can, Knog’s Modemaker allows you to further customise your lighthead’s flashing and brightness behaviour.

The designers and engineers behind the PWR range (all 12 of them) have made the beam slightly elliptical and added clear sections on the side of the lighthead which increases your side visibility to other traffic and makes an appreciable difference to lighting up the whole path ahead, not just a thin beam.

PWR ROAD 700L Black

• 700 Lumens
• Different modes
• Battery Indicator

Check Price

Power Bank Bike Light(!)

Upon removal of the lighthead, one is confronted with a couple of USB ports in the battery section. This is because this pack not only powers the light but will also handily charge your mobile devices.

The PWR light has a 3350mAh battery, which can power up to 180 hours of light in eco flashing mode or charge up a smart phone to about 50%.

A personal bugbear of mine against bike lights is their total lack of indication as to when they will suddenly decide to run out of battery. Thankfully the PWR road has very clear indicators of how much battery it has both during charge and discharge. Unfortunately, the mechanism to remove the light head is reasonably fiddly and I did end up slightly removing the battery from the metal sheath it sits inside.

The mounting mechanism works on bars with diameter 22.2-38.1mm so will fit nigh on every bike in the realm of creation. It can be fastened either above or below the handlebars and could even be rigged to fit a helmet. Throughout the testing the mount kept the light secure.

Knog PWR Road Light Review [In-Summary]

All in all, Knog have made an excellent bike light that also doubles up as a power bank for your mobile devices when you’re on the go. Obviously, this means that this light is more expensive than others out there, but you are effectively getting two useful products in one small package.

The Knog PWR Road Light 700L performs very well as both a bike light and a power bank and would make a great addition to any discerning setup. No more riding into foliage for me.

The post Knog PWR Road Light 700L: REVIEW [Power Bank + Bike Light in One] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

Cycling is my favourite form of procrastination.

Pre-Covid, I frequently extended my commute to include a portion of the Thames or a lap of Richmond Park in an effort to put off the work that awaited me at home.

Now that my commute involves getting out of my bed to sit at my desk, there is less opportunity to do this. However, much to the chagrin of my colleagues, occasions which were meant to be routine errands on my lunch break somehow lapsed into rides round southwest London; you know how it is.

Whether due to efficiency or laziness, both before and during the pandemic, I cycle in the clothes I work in. Since last March, no one from work has seen below my chest, so I can wear (or indeed not wear) whichever trousers I wish. However, the sartorial demands for my Zoom-visible top half remain fairly consistent.

As such, for my lunchtime foray, I must wear a shirt and then cycle in said shirt. While there are myriad garments that would satisfy the first criterion, the moment I leave to ‘pop to the shops’ I feel like I’m actually wearing my bag for life. Cue a bike-friendly shirt.

Vulpine Vauxhall Shirt Review

British brand Vulpine sent us their Men’s Vauxhall Cotton/Merino Shirt to see if it would fit the bill. They describe it as a ‘Luxurious, highly practical shirt, with the benefits of merino wool and a subtly adapted fit for cycling’. It comes charcoal or petrol in a variety of sizes, with a price of £80.

Upon taking it out of the packet, it looks and feels a lot like a normal smart summer shirt with a seemingly classic cut. Suitable then for most workplaces. With its blend of cotton and merino it feels soft against the skin even in my rigorous stuffy office test (i.e. my box bedroom on a hot May day).

The look is clean and smart. My one minor quibble is that the second button is slightly too high for an unassuming open neck. Whereas the third button is too low even by Zoom standards.

Breathable Cycling Shirt for the Office

On the bike, however, is when the Vauxhall really shines. On the warm day in question, what was originally meant to be a milk run turned into a fully-fledged ride (on my new favourite route). In the roughly 15 miles that followed, the aforementioned fabric blend made for very comfortable riding even in reasonably high temperatures. What is more, the merino element meant that the shirt didn’t smell like I had just been for a ride in it which also affords the top a slight stretch which made a noticeable difference.

The tailors at Vulpine have done some subtle wizardry with the back of the shirt by adding a centre back box pleat. This results in something that is especially conducive to cycling and helped me to have a far less sweaty torso than usual.

For a reason that I can’t quite understand, there is a ¾ covered placket on the front which looks slightly odd but you don’t notice it while riding. I wonder if it’s to prevent sightings of your torso while cycling so I’m sure fellow commuters will be grateful it’s there. They will also be thankful that the back of the shirt is long enough that nothing untoward is seen. All in all, the cut looks classic and feels comfortable.

In Summary: Vulpine Vauxhall Cycling Shirt

My mother predicates her entire opinion of my cycling attire on its conspicuity and as such was less than impressed when I came home in a nearly black shirt. Thinking she would be somewhat placated by the reflective piping strips on the cuffs, she needed these pointing out and accused them of being ‘tokenistic’. Notwithstanding, this is a shirt that can legitimately claim that it’s been ‘adapted for city cycling’.

In conclusion, if you need a work shirt that also works well on a bike, don’t look any further than this one. It’s smart and comfortable and at £80 is also relatively inexpensive compared to its competitors.

Read More:

• Best Smart-Looking Shirts for Cycling
• Best Cycling Chinos for Commuters
• Best Foldable Bike Helmets

The post Vulpine Vauxhall Cotton/Merino Cycling Shirt [Review] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

I’m sure you’ve heard the story of the two people in the jungle who run into a lion. The first person gets down on his knees to pray; the second person starts lacing up his boots. The first person asks the second person, “What are you doing? You can’t outrun a lion.” To which the second person responds, “I don’t have to. I only have to outrun you.”

While this of course will hopefully remain hypothetical for all of us, I think this philosophy applies to locking your bike. Let me explain what I mean by this…

The sad truth is that if a bike thief wants to steal your bike, they will almost certainly be able to. The only thing we can do is to make stealing our particular bike a less attractive prospect than stealing other bikes nearby.

How to Deter Bike Thieves

There are two broad ways in which this can be done:

1. Have a less valuable/attractive bike. This may work for some, however the reason you usually go for better bikes is to make riding less onerous and more pleasurable.
2. Make it harder to steal by getting a better lock. The harder a lock is to break, the more time must be spent overcoming it, which, to the bike thief, means a greater chance of being caught. As such, after a bike and helmet, to my mind, a lock is the next most important piece of cycling gear if you value your particular ride home.

Tex-Lock Bike Lock

Anyway that brings us to Tex-Lock, who sent us their signature eyelet with both their U and X lock to try out (more on the difference later). They describe it as ‘the award-winning, recommended, certified textile based bike lock’ and is available from Osloh from $139 or $149 depending on the lock.

Each lock has two elements: the cable and the actual lock.

This cable is the flagship element of this locking system. The designers have aimed at making a secure lock that also looks good, and I think it’s fair to say they’ve succeeded. While earlier versions of the Tex-Lock may not have exactly been synonymous with top notch security, this version has several improvements.

At its core is a hardened metal centre which is the key defence for saw resistance (especially pertinent as an angle grinder is often the criminal’s tool of choice). Over that, there are myriad layers of specially engineered fibres. These protect against high force implements such as bolt cutters. As burn marks on many bike racks round London will testify, sometimes thieves use blowtorches or something equivalent to melt whatever you fasten your bike with. Not only does the textile cover look good but it is also flame resistant beyond 1000 degrees Celsius. Effective then against the triple threat of saws, cutters and fire. This has a Sold Secure Silver rating which is about as good as anything non-rigid can be.

I am not at all precious about scratches on my bike’s frame (I did – after all – pull it out of a skip) but if you are, then the textile sheath means that you can lock up your pride and joy with gay abandon and it won’t leave a mark. This also makes it quite comfy to wear on short rides if you wanted to indulge your inner bike messenger.

In short, the cable is stylish, secure and soft (yes, this third one is contrived but I’m a sucker for sibilance).

We then move onto the rigid lock itself. Both the U-lock and the X-lock have the same locking mechanism; the difference is the shackle length. Consequently both have double sided locking which means that the determined bike thief has to (generally) make two cuts instead of one.

The U-lock is the smaller of the two and primarily serves to secure the ends of the cable as it’s not long enough to attach to any part of the bike itself. If you use your lock for securing your bike for short periods of time, this is probably the one to go for as it’s quite convenient. It’s Sold Secure Silver rated which means (like the cable) it’s a good compromise between security and convenience.

If you attach the longer shackle, you get the X-lock. Coming in at 640g this is the lightest Sold Secure Gold bike lock available (at least that I could find) and the rating tells us this is about as secure as you can get for a bike lock.

How to Use Tex-Lock Eyelet Lock

What then happens when you bring cable and lock together?

This is where a few problems begin to appear. Generally, my locking method involves the frame and back wheel being secured to the rack, with a D-lock and a cable going through the front wheel. This means that it is very hard for the thief to take the frame (to my mind the most valuable component).

Unfortunately, this proves a bit more difficult with the Tex-lock. Even with the bigger X-lock, I wasn’t able to secure the frame to the rack given its smaller size. I was – however – able to secure everything I wanted to (as shown in the photo). The downside was that my frame was only secured by silver level protection.

With the U-lock you are only able to secure one wheel and the frame to the rack (as shown) which I would be happy doing only very briefly.

So while the whole Tex-lock system may not have worked as expected for me, I have found that pairing the big cable with my existing chunky D-lock works a treat. When configured in this way, 99% of other bikes are going to be a more attractive prospect to that pesky bike thief.

Tex-Lock Review: In Summary

In conclusion, all the various elements of the Tex-Lock system are wonderful. However, they don’t quite all come together to make the complete package, but will work well with any of your existing locks.

If you already have a solid D-Lock and what added protection for your frame and wheels, the Tex-Lock will complement it wonderfully. However, if you need a very high level of bike security (i.e. protection from serious power tools) the small size of the both the X-Lock and U-Lock prevent them from being directly locked to your bike frame and the bike rack – limiting it to Silver-level security.

Aside from this frustration, though, the Tex-Lock is a wonderfully innovative bike lock. You can use it to secure both wheels at once, it’s easy to carry, it’s heat-resistant and, heck, it even looks good!

At $139 (U-Lock) / $149 (X-Lock), it’s not cheap and unless you’re happy pairing it with another bigger U-lock that you can attach to your frame and a mount, it might not be the one for you if you live in a risk area.

The post Tex-Lock Eyelet with U-Lock [REVIEW] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

History recounts numerous colossal errors by individuals: Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in winter, the Captain of the Titanic’s hubris and David Beckham’s 2003 haircut. While not of quite the same magnitude as these men, I must add my name to this list.

Let me tell you why…

At my last job, I finished at half past the hour and the train I needed to be on pulled out of the station at 53 past the hour. The station was 6.55 miles away.

Being both stubbornly competitive and desperate to get home as quickly as possible, I had to work out the optimal solution to make it to the station on time.

Read More:

• Best Cycling Trousers for Commuters
• Best Cycling Jeans
• Best Urban Cycling Shorts

Changing into Lycra was both stylistically and functionally not an option as it would take too long to get ready. Instead I had to cycle the distance in my work clothes.

I don’t want to talk about the effects of averaging 17.25 mph in a body and a set of clothes that really shouldn’t move at that pace but suffice it to say, no one wanted to sit near me on the train and there was much remonstration and wincing when standing up the next day.

What I needed were a set of work trousers that I could cycle in without sanding or cooking my undercarriage.

“A pair of hard-wearing trousers for riding around town, commuting and travelling”

In an attempt to alleviate my suffering, Rapha sent us their Men’s Technical trousers which they describe as “a pair of hard-wearing trousers for riding around town, commuting and travelling”. They come in a variety of colours and weigh in at £110.

They look a lot like a normal pair of smart work trousers. According to my sister who is far more sartorially astute than me, they look better when ‘dressed up’ than ‘dressed down’. I think by this she means it looks better with a shirt than it does with a t-shirt. Suitable then for the vast majority of workplaces.

However, when one puts them on and gets on a bike, many of Rapha’s clever features become apparent.

Rapha Commuter Trouser Features

The fabric used is very conducive to riding in, a far cry from the Procrustean bed my usual pair of smart trousers turn into during a ride. It’s stretchy enough for the full range of pedalling motion, but it is breathable too.

When tested on a reasonably warm day (akin to THAT day), my bottom half was kept cool. One of the main factors for this breathability is the lightweight construction, it weighs in at only 336g, and packs down small with the bulk and mass of a coke can (the SI unit for this type of calculation).

The cut is relaxed enough to allow easy cycling and the designers have lifted the back, lest those cyclists you overtake see more than they bargained for. The seams inside are also offset so as not to chafe.

One thing I would perhaps want Rapha to consider is the addition of a reinforced gusset, by which I mean an extra panel where bum meets saddle. This would make the crotch area slightly more durable and perhaps offer an extra layer of protection. However, all in all it was a comfortable riding experience, even at 17.25 mph.

Reflective Detailing

In the eyes of my mother, the proof of any piece of cycling equipment is in its visibility. For trousers, these have a good tally of conspicuous features. The inside seams of the legs are bright pink, and there is a large reflective Rapha logo on the inside. There is also a hi-vis tab on the buttoned pocket which enables other road users to locate your left buttock from a considerable distance. So enough to not simply placate my mother, but for her to actively endorse this cyclewear.

Cycling Trouser Pockets

I can state, almost unequivocally, that the greatest benefit of being a man is that my trousers have pockets. There has been many a potentially great garment which has been rendered ineffective due to its lack of pockets.

Thankfully, Rapha have not only adorned these trousers with a number of pockets, but they also all have closing mechanisms: the front two are zipped and the back has one zipped and one buttoned.

Not stopping here, the designers have also made these pockets deep enough so you can put your phone and wallets in them and not be abruptly reminded of their presence each pedal stroke.

While the whole gamut of pocket attributes might seem to be standard, I can assure you that amongst trousers able to be cycled in, this is almost unique. Chapeau Rapha.

In-Summary: Rapha Men’s Technical Trousers Review

In conclusion, these trousers make the 6.55-mile ride and subsequent train journey home a far more pleasant prospect. They are breathable, ergonomic and visible. Although they cost more than an ordinary pair of trousers, I value the integrity of my undercarriage sufficiently to pay the difference.

The Rapha Technical Trousers are available to buy directly from Rapha for £110.

More Rapha Reviews:

• Rapha Explore Hooded Gore-Tex Pullover – Review
• Rapha Commuter Reflective T-Shirt – Review
• Rapha Commuter Lightweight Jacket – Review
• DISCUSSION: Is Rapha Worth It?

The post Rapha Technical Trousers [Review] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

US Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once said, “There are many things you can point to as proof that the human is not smart. But my personal favorite would have to be that we needed to invent the helmet. What was happening, apparently, was that we were involved in a lot of activities that were cracking our heads. We chose not to avoid doing those activities but, instead, to come up with some sort of device to help us enjoy our head-cracking lifestyles.”

I assume most of you, by virtue of the fact you are reading this, are guilty of indulging in a potentially head-cracking lifestyle. As such it is important to have a helmet to allow one to continue in this indulgence.

LIVALL sent us their C20 smart helmet (available for around £69.99) and is squarely aimed at the head-cracking activity that is the urban commute.

That said, it also has some other fancy features…

LIVALL C20: A Smart Helmet with Built-In LED Lights

This helmet’s USP is the fact that it contains myriad technological features to make the commute by bike (or indeed electric scooter) safer.

The most obvious of these features is the strip of LEDs on the back of the helmet. These seven LEDs are relatively bright and can be on a variety of flashing and static settings.

Additionally, because of the inbuilt accelerometers, the helmet can detect when the rider is slowing down and increases the brightness of the LED strip at the back functioning as a brake light for your bike.

In testing, my riding companion informed me that this worked about 70% of the time when tested on a ride around the city centre. While not fool-proof, it’s still a useful safety feature.

Not only do the lights have brake light functionality but LIVALL also boast of an adaptive lighting feature. In this setting, the LEDs only turn on if the ambient light level falls below a certain level, useful for those winter commutes when somehow in the space of 5 minutes the sky goes from blindingly bright to pitch black.

SOS Feature

When paired with the app (more on this later), the designers have allowed another feature to be utilised. If the helmet detects a sudden movement with no secondary movement following it, it interprets this as a crash and starts a 90 second countdown. After this it will send GPS coordinates of your location to a pre-set emergency contact.

You can see our rigorous testing method below and the sheer variety of experimental setups employed. After what can only be described as the epitome of good science, it was ascertained this feature worked in roughly a third of our ‘crash’ tests.

It did, however, decide to alert my emergency contact that I had fallen off when I put my helmet down at the end of a ride, nothing like a false alarm to invoke a panicked phone call from my mother (aka my emergency contact). There is an option to cancel the message in the 90 second timer.

LIVALL Helmet – But a Smart App?

If LIVALL were aiming to programme a slightly rampant Artificial Intelligence when they created the companion app to this helmet, they definitely succeeded.

In many ways this app is the weakest part of the whole package. At times it felt easier to get a refund on a ticket from Bryanair (name changed for legal reasons) than to try and bend this app to my will.

When it worked, it did the job fine but this was sporadic at best. In terms of aesthetics of the app, there isn’t much to talk about except that it bears more than a passing resemblance to Linux command line.

Waterproof Bike Helmet

In terms of how the helmet feels, it fits well on the head due to its adjustability. It is waterproof which was appreciated in the rain, however the whole thing did feel heavy when I got a bit warmer. There are certainly more comfortable helmets out there.

I’ll let you make up your own mind about the aesthetics, but my sister did say it made me look like an angry duck.

LIVALL C20 Review Summary

In conclusion, this helmet promises a lot with its design and safety features but in many ways fails to deliver the consistency and quality needed to justify the extra expense of the technology.

It delivers a good level of protection and although cheaper non-smart helmets are available, £49.99 for a smart helmet with built-in lights and an SOS system represents pretty good value for money.

Read More:

• Top 5: Smart Bike Helmets with Built-in Bluetooth
• LIVALL BH60SE Helmet Review
• LIVALL BH51M Smart Bike Helmet Review

The post LIVALL C20 Smart Helmet [Review] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

There was a point in time when I wanted to be a professional cyclist.

But not the lycra-clad, hairless-legged, genetically freakish variety… for some reason I had decided that in every way my dream job was being a bike messenger.

Now whether this was due to the fact I’d just watched Premium Rush or I’d been sucked into a YouTube wormhole of the illegal courier alley-cat races, there was something about the messenger culture that drew me in.

Thankfully this phase didn’t last long and the fixed gear bike, hefty chain lock and general air of reckless abandon left as quickly as they arrived.

There is however one appurtenance of that persuasion that is still part of my riding. I am of course referring to the messenger bag. The sling style bag is the staple of thousands of bike messengers for reasons Pete goes into here.

While there are many makers of these types of bags, few are as proliferated on the backs of my fellow London bike commuters as this small Hungarian brand that is definitely punching above its weight.

Bagaboo sent us their Workhorse Messenger Bag which they describe as their top sling messenger bag and it starts at €157.

Cycling Messenger Bag

Most reviews start with opening the box the item comes in, for this one however, it started at the point of ordering.

Bagaboo have made this bag fully customisable in terms of colour for the different elements, tweaking functionality to make it more ergonomic or adding extra features.

There are in fact more permutations of this bag design than there are stars in our galaxy (I actually did the maths), so uniqueness is assured if you want it. I chose the basic Workhorse version in size medium therefore the one you get can only be equivalent or have superior functionality.

So when this personalised bag arrived it felt as a cycling bag should do upon taking it out of the box, namely: tough.

The exterior is made of 1000 denier Cordura, the same fabric racing motorbike jackets are made out of so it’s definitely rugged and is about as impregnable as any bag available to civilians can be.

The inside lining (the colour of which is of course customisable) is made from truck tarpaulin which further contributes to the hardiness of the whole package.

If, like me, you commute in the UK or some such similar climate waterproofness is an essential tenet of any cycling bag. Bagaboo claims waterproofness but due to the style of the bag I was initially sceptical. After testing it out in the torrential rains and driving winds of storm Bella I can testify that it is entirely waterproof.

This is in part due to the aforementioned fabric and lining. However, a number of messenger style bags don’t close well enough to actually keep the contents dry, thus nullifying the effects of the material. With the Workhorse however, the designer (more on him later) has made the flap longer so that no matter how full the bag is, it can still be properly closed and secured by the straps, keeping the contents dry.

The primary mistake I made in the testing of this bag was that I alerted my mum to the fact that it had arrived.

Scarcely had it left the box before she plonked in front of me 30 parcels and letters to be delivered to church members scattered across the city. Firstly I was pleasantly surprised that all these packages fit in the bag as they were an assortment of sizes including some rather large and heavy items. The true craftsmanship however was revealed when I started riding.

Throughout the whole 3+ hour ride, the bag was entirely comfortable. While this is unusual, perhaps even unique for a bag, this product is the brainchild of the founder of Bagaboo who himself was a bike messenger, a fact that is made clear as one uses the bag.

The primary factor for this comfort was the strap system. The main shoulder strap is thick (therefore tough) and padded (therefore comfortable) and there are auxiliary straps that can go over the wearer’s other shoulder and under their arm.

It felt a bit like the love child of a harness and a backpack. This meant that the bag was always secure and fastened comfortably to my back.

It was simple to adjust the straps while riding which meant I could easily reconfigure as my payload decreased. Due to some ingenious strap wizardry (that I don’t entirely understand but can now use), the straps can be loosened by a large amount quickly so you can reach the main compartment without having to take off the whole bag.

The main strap only goes over left or right shoulder so you will need to decide before you put your order in. It did take a while to get used to the whole fastening system so do be careful as while trying it out initially I did almost choke myself when I pulled the wrong toggle. However, once I got used to it, it was the best strap system of any messenger bag I’ve tried. It did at times feel perhaps a little bit overpowered for the medium size but that was a minor worry.

Another feature that provides comfort is the back padding which made an appreciable difference to the feel, particularly when carrying bigger/irregular items which otherwise might have dug into my back.

Despite having what was at one time a decent level of fitness, the moment I am in contact with a bike and a bag I start sweating more than a sumo in a sauna. By some feat of what can only be described as sorcery, I barely perspired at all while using this bag, chapeau to Bagaboo.

This is the opposite of most bags in that it feels more comfortable on the bike than off it however it still isn’t bad if you use it out and about while walking.

There are a number of small inside pockets to store valuables of various sizes and a slightly larger pocket at the front that a pair of trainers fitted into quite nicely.

In conclusion, regardless of your opinion on bike courier culture, this bag is about as good as messenger bags get and I would heartily recommend it to any urban cyclist looking for a bag of this style.

Comfort, capacity and customisability: it really does tick all the boxes so if you have the money, you could do a lot worse than this bag.

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The post Bagaboo Workhorse Messenger Bag [Review] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

One of the best things about my summer job a couple of years ago was the 40-mile cycle back home on a Friday.

It was a beautiful way to switch off from the rigours of rather mundane work week and I got to enjoy cycling through the Lancastrian countryside to usher in the weekend.

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Part of the charm was the fact that in places everything felt so pristine, so unspoilt that it felt like the only people who had ever been there was the farmer who’d marked out the country track.

Then there were other bits which were a far cry from that.

At last count, my route home took me past no fewer than 15 clothes recycling bins, 5 cash for a bag of clothes shops and 3 landfill sites.

Initially I cycled past with an air of superiority given that cycling is so eco-friendly (which it is) it was only more recently that I’ve realised that the clothes I was cycling in were so dangerous to the environment I loved enjoying by bike.

The amount of water to make even a regular t-shirt was so great (circa 3000 litres) that it honestly felt akin to killing a baby seal and wearing its hide as a top instead.

On a more objective note, the clothing industry contributes to 10% of carbon emissions and over 85% of textiles end up in landfill. So, for a cyclist who was quite happy that I was being so virtuous in fulfilling my responsibility towards the planer, I now needed clothes to match

Threads of Adventure

Enter Threads of Adventure – a company making sustainable cycling t-shirts – who sent us a couple of their t-shirts so we could put them through their paces. They cost about £18 and come in a variety of sizes

The first thing I noticed when taking them out of the box was how soft they were. One of the USPs of threads of adventure is their organic cotton. This means that they are very soft to touch and therefore comfortable to wear off the bike.

While this may not have the same functional ability on the bike as some of the synthetic alternatives, this t-shirt was still reasonably comfortable to cycle in. Part of this was on account of the aforementioned fabric but also the tubular design and cut. After a couple of hours of very frantic ‘delivery riding’ (dropping off parcels all over London) I was still comfortable and nothing began chafing or feeling too hot.

The thing that sets these apart from the crowd is that these t-shirts are made with a conscience. Whether that be the actual fabric itself which is organically sourced cotton or the fact that all the t-shirts are handprinted with water based ink, threads of adventure are committed to keeping things eco-friendly.

Eco-Friendly Cycling T-Shirts

As such they are GOTS (the global standard) and PETA vegan certified so not only will you be looking after the planet in riding your bike, but also in the clothes you wear while you are doing so.

As well as the product itself these tops are made according to the standards of the fair wear foundation so you know it was made by someone who is being treated fairly to make it, not something that can be said for many other cycling t-shirts.

In terms of looks, there is a large variety of designs but the couple Ceri (more on him later) sent over received compliments from people far more sartorially astute than myself. This looks like a normal stylish t-shirt and definitely avoids the lycra-reminiscent looks of some other t-shirts. The ultimate aesthetics test for any urban cycling clothes is whether you would choose to wear it if not on your bike. This is a test that these tops have passed many times.

Threads of Adventure is the brainchild of Ceri Middleton who came up with the idea for this on a solo-bike ride across Europe.

He wanted to combine functionality for adventure while being kind to the environment he was exploring and it really does show.

Whether it is their super soft comfortable fabric that is very conducive to long stretches in the saddle or the fact that they aren’t taxing the planet, Ceri definitely seems to have achieved his aim and the tops feel really good quality.

So, especially with Christmas coming, why not get a top (or three) for the discerning cyclist in your life in order that may not only be discerning in regard to sartorial and functional standards but also environmentally friendly ones too.

EXCLUSIVE: Use discount code “DISCERNINGCYCLIST” for 15% off at Threads of Adventure until 31st December 2020.

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The post Threads of Adventure Sustainable Cycling T-Shirts – Review appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

Few dates have engraved themselves on my mind to the same extent as the 1^st October 2019.

In what was to be the most traumatic moment in my time at university up to that point, I had to commute in rain that was so biblical in proportion I felt even Noah would have been shocked.

The worst element was not the flooding of the bike paths, the spray of the Hyde park horse manure or the puncture I sustained halfway. It was instead the fact that I had to engage in the typical awkward Freshers’ Week conversations resembling what I can only describe as a drowned rat with glasses.

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Despite having extensively swum, rowed and canoed prior to this, I had never felt as soaked to the bone as I did that fateful Tuesday.

I can hear those doubters asking why I didn’t have a waterproof. To which my response would be to show them a typical waterproof coat.

Whilst I am hardly a paragon of elegance, I draw the line at riding along in something that looks like the love child of a shopping bag and a parachute. Even if I were to suck it up and wear this waterproof, it would still leak at all the seams and feel like I was sweating into cling film, scarcely better than the drowned rat alternative.

And so began the search for a waterproof coat that kept me dry and actually looked alright. 

In response to this search, Rapha sent us their £250 Explore Hooded Gore-Tex pullover which they describe as “A waterproof hooded rain jacket with a chest pocket for storage, designed for year-round adventure”.

Rapha Gore-Tex Cycling Pullover

On the bike this jacket does the job very well.

Rapha have designed this for exploration rather than speed which means they have given this jacket the regular fit.

Like the lightweight commuter jacket we reviewed earlier, this fell right into the Goldilocks zone of having enough room underneath to wear a jumper but also not so much baggy excess that you inflate like the parachute we so desperately want to avoid.

As the name suggests, this pullover is made from Gore-Tex Active, the premier waterproof clothing material. Having ridden this in rain (and hail) so torrential that I had to stop because it was hurting my hands, this jacket kept my top half entirely dry. When I say entirely dry, I am neither employing artistic licence nor ignoring dampness that seems to find its way in at the seams. This jacket, simply put, is fully waterproof as tested in the most intense rain I’ve faced since that awful Autumn day.

Rapha Waterproof Jacket

The ‘Active’ part of its name denotes the fact that this is the lightest material in Gore-Tex’s range and as such the jacket has an extremely lightweight build, weighing only 224g (the same weight as a an adult hamster).

The designers have given this a storm hood which can be worn above or below one’s helmet. This elasticated hood fits snugly round the wearer’s head when worn under the helmet and kept my hair totally dry in the aforementioned rain. It does work over the helmet, though if so worn, the wearer does rather resemble Megamind. The quarter zip is Aquaguard which, surprise surprise, means it keeps water out.

Breathable and Waterproof?

It is a fact universally acknowledged that something cannot be both waterproof and breathable.

However, the Rapha Explore Hooded Gore-Tex Pullover goes further in avoiding the internal wetness due to lack of breathability than many other cycling waterproofs I have experienced. Given this jacket’s waterproofing prowess, it is clearly the designers’ priority, and so I am inclined to forgive the deficiencies in breathability.

Most waterproofs feel like you are wearing a moist bin bag when you wear them against your skin. Mercifully Rapha have made this soft when it’s against your skin and have even added microfibre fabric on the collar for that extra bit of comfort on your chin.

Pockets

The big chest pocket is big enough to hold all your essentials; my phone, wallet, keys, mask, Bible and Ovid’s Metamorphoses all fit in comfortably. There are also internal mesh dividers to hold everything secure and make sure your keys don’t jangle about too much.

In a very Rapha-esque touch of ingenuity, the whole jacket folds down into this pocket to have a compact bundle which Rapha say can be used as a pillow or just fit into your bag. You can see for yourself, but, to me, the latter is a more realistic possibility than the former.

Not merely content with adding a hem drawstring to keep the pullover tight around the rider’s waist, Rapha have also added an integrated valve core tool on the drawstring.

There are reflective elements on the back and side but given this item is not specifically for road use, there is better (mother-pleasing) visibility on other more commuter-focused jackets.

A Stylish Waterproof Cycling Jacket?

Off the bike, this jacket has received many compliments from people far more sartorially astute than me. The ultimate test of any item of urban cycling clothing is whether I would wear it if I was not cycling, a test that this jacket has passed many times.

In Summary: Rapha Explore Gore-Tex Pullover

Out of all the items of clothing I’ve reviewed, this is the one that is of the highest quality. It does exactly what it says it sets out to do and looks good off the bike. I do however feel that it still does not need to cost more than the bike I ride when wearing it.

Rapha are synonymous with quality, but this does come at a premium. If you have £250 to spend on a jacket, go ahead [although it is on sale for £150 at the time of writing!]

The rest of us might have to settle for something that costs a lot less, even if it doesn’t do the job anywhere near as well as this jacket does. Or is it worth it just to be sure to avoid the drowned, bespectacled rodent look?

Rapha’s Explore Gore-Tex Pullover comes in a range of sizes and in colours brown, dark navy and dark yellow (Rapha’s version of orange).

As well as the men’s version that we’ve reviewed here, a Rapha also have women’s version of this pullover, boasting all of the same features.

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The post Rapha Explore Hooded Gore-Tex Pullover – Review appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

I remember when I was excited to become an adult and live independently.

The hope of doing whatever, going wherever and eating however many tubs of ice cream I deemed fit was something I looked forward to greatly.

This myth was soon dispelled. I quickly learnt that doing whatever did not actually mean true freedom but instead merely meant the choice of what chore I would have to do first.

Rather than going on lots of cool trips, the freedom to go wherever actually meant cycling almost inter-continental distances in the driving rain to save 80p on a bus fare.

Perhaps most surprising, though, was the realisation that, after eating an extravagant and potentially dangerous quantity of mint-choc-chip, my adult metabolism coupled with my desire to not become a sphere meant that even then, my ice cream intake had to be limited.

There is however, one aspect of adult life that trumps all these realities in the pantheon of disappointment.

I am of course referring to the soul-crushing burden that is the laundry.

In a world where we can understand the inner-workings of celestial thermo-acoustics, child-language acquisition and penal substitution it’s almost farcical we don’t yet know how a collection of inanimate objects can conspire so effectively to cause maximum chaos.

Why do all the boxers run out just when you are in a rush, all the t-shirts desert you so you have to wear ‘that’ t-shirt when meeting someone new or rogue socks decide to make themselves mysteriously disappear?

This is a problem only compounded by cycling.

Most days when I commute by bike, I must change shirts. In summer, the heat worsens this to three shirts a day to avoid the chemical weapon that is my sweat-soaked top. And obviously this means facing the dragon (laundry) more often.

Although I like cycling more than most, the ever-present spectre of laundry is enough to kill the enjoyment of any ride.

Unbound Merino

Enter Unbound Merino. They sent us their Long Sleeve Crew to try out and see if it could solve this problem. It costs £66/$85, comes in black or navy and a variety of sizes.

While this looks like a regular long sleeve crew, it is anything but. The reason for this is the eponymous Merino wool that makes up 100% of this crew.

“What is Merino wool?” I hear you cry. 

I am glad you asked.

It is a wool from a specific type of sheep, the Merino or, to give them their Latin name: Ovis Aries, initially bred in southern Europe.

They are now almost ubiquitous having been raised all over the world whether that be in the Austrian Alps or the Australian Outback. The humble merino sheep is at home in a very wide range of weathers.

The fibres are far thinner than normal wool and have a fancy, natural coating on. I could talk for far longer about what Merino wool is, but it’s probably simpler to explain what it, and consequently the top, does.

Upon wearing the top, the first thing I noticed was that it feels super soft and smooth.

There is also slight stretchiness which makes it a very comfortable wear. This is due to the fineness of the merino wool fibres. The lightweight feel also means that this comfort and softness transfers to the bike, none of this chafing or roughness that can come with other tops while cycling. While this felt good, I could feel the rising dread of potentially having the shirt, and even more worryingly a wool shirt, further add to the laundry.

Unbound Merino Wool

Unbound Merino have made some big claims about this top.

They say you can wear it for weeks without needing to wash it.

As someone who upon the mere thought of exercise sweats like a pig, I felt equipped to test the validity of said claim and as someone who despises laundry I hoped it would be true.

The first thing I noticed about cycling in this was its breathability. It felt very much like I was wearing a specifically made sports top and not at all as hot as normal long sleeve tops. This went a long way in reducing the raw volume of sweat.

No top, however, will eliminate perspiration completely.

The real test comes with how it feels when you do sweat, for instance old-school PE bibs don’t make you sweat but they soak it up like a sponge on their way to contravening some health and safety standards.

Merino wool is extremely good at moisture wicking and gets liquid off your body and evaporated very quickly. This stopped me from feeling too hot and stuffy. In case you needed to know (and let’s face it why wouldn’t you), coke and tea also dry off the fabric quickly.

Merino T-Shirt for Cycling

During riding it makes you feel very comfortable; what about after you get off the bike? Because of what is, to my mind, Merino Wool’s greatest feature, it’s not like the shirt pongs because of all the sweat it has been in contact with.

Each fibre of the Merino is by nature, odour resistant and antibacterial. They have a natural coating (or residues of it) called Lanolin which as well as being hydrophobic (water repelling) also guards against odour-producing bacteria.

The result? After more than 15 days of near continuous use, I still have friends, nobody has gone out of their way to avoid me and the shirt doesn’t smell of, well, my usual shirt at the end of one day. All I needed to do to achieve this was hang up the top at the end of the day.

I am genuinely astounded that somebody could make a top that would be immune to over 2 weeks of me and part of me is wanting to change my whole wardrobe to being garments made of this wonder wool.

You might be worried that when it does come to having to launder this top (not that this will happen very often) that it will require some complicated ritual akin in complexity to offering a sacrifice to some pagan Merino gods. Mercifully, it goes in any normal wash; just don’t tumble dry. That being said, if I had many more items of Merino clothing it wouldn’t be too hard to entirely dispose of a washing machine altogether.

This is usually the point in a review when I write about some small quibble with the product. With this top however, it functions exactly as it should, lives up to the claims it makes and looks good. If the price were a bit lower I might only wear unbound Merino.

Unbound Merino Crew Review – In Summary

Unbound Merino have made an exceptional top, which drastically reduces the need to do laundry and helps bring back some of the joy of adulthood. I ever live in hope that they turn their hand to mint choc chip ice cream next.

The post Unbound Merino Long Sleeve Crew Shirt – Review appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.