First it was Black Friday. Then it was Cyber Monday. Now it’s Amazon Prime Day.

The American sales invasion has well and truly gripped the UK – and it’s hardly a surprise when you can pick up some big discounts.

Indeed, as a cyclist, you’ll also be able to find some great cycling deals during Amazon Prime Day. But first, what exactly “is” Prime Day?

What is Amazon Prime Day and When Is It?

Amazon Prime Day has been running since 2015, usually taking place in July.

In essence, Amazon Prime Day offers exclusive discounts on thousands of products – but with one caveat: the offer is only available to Amazon Prime members. I say only, but there are over 150 million Prime members worldwide.

However, due to the pandemic, Amazon decided to move Prime Day to October this year. Ironically, Prime “Day” isn’t actually one day… it’s two days. This year, Amazon Prime Day is expected to take place in the second half of 2024.

Is Amazon Prime Day Available in the UK?

Yes. Amazon Prime Day will be running in the UK in 2024.

Is Amazon Prime Day Only for Amazon Prime Members?

Yes.

However, if you don’t yet have an Amazon Prime Membership, you can pick up a free 30-day trial here and therefore getting access to the thousands of Prime Day deals available.

Amazon Prime normally costs £7.99 per month (or £79 per year), for which you get:

• Unlimited, FREE One-Day Delivery on millions of items
• Watch over 15,000 movies and TV episodes with unlimited instant streaming
• Borrow from thousands of titles from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library
• Secure, unlimited photo storage with anywhere access
• Listen to over 2 million songs on Prime Music

How to Find Amazon Prime Day Deals

The easiest way to find Amazon Prime Day deals is to keep an eye out for the light blue “PRIME DAY DEAL” badge that is located beneath the product.

But, in order to help you find the best Amazon Prime Day deals for cyclists in the UK, I’ve compiled a list of the top cycling Prime Day offers – which will be frequently updated.

Best Amazon Prime Day Cycling Deals + Sales

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GORE WEAR Men C3 WINDSTOPPER Vest neon yellow/black Medium 100037

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• GORE WINDSTOPPER Technology: Windproof, water-repellent and extremely breathable

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day wolf Heated Socks,Electric Socks 7.4V 2200MAH Battery Rechargeable Foot Warmer Winter Skiing, Motorcycle,Cycling,Hiking, Working, Hunting, Camping, Warm Socks for Men & Women

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PGYTECH Pgypgm108 Gloves, Black and Grey, XL

• Included Components: PGYTech Gloves (XL)

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GORE WEAR Unisex Cycling Shoe Covers, C3, GORE-TEX, Black, 38-41

• Waterproof unisex overshoe for cool weather conditions
• GORE-TEX Active Technology: Waterproof, windproof and extremely breathable
• Ideal for all common pedal systems, Open sole with reinforced edge for abrasion protection, Optimal fit thanks to adjustable Velcro fastener at the back

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GORE Wear Men's Waterproof Cycling Jacket, C3 GORE-TEX Active Jacket, M, Neon-Yellow, 100034

• Versatile men's jacket for sports activities in all weather conditions, For the leisure-oriented cyclist - Comfort Fit
• Suitable all year round, Permanently waterproof, windproof and extremely breathable thanks to GORE-TEX Active technology
• Extended back section as splash guard, Drawcord adjustable waistband, Adjustable sleeve width

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F.lli Schiano Unisex Adult E-Boss E-Bike, Black, 20 Inch

• The bike comes 95% assembled. Please, check the "Assembly % Guide" below to see actions required to complete the assembly

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F.lli Schiano E-Ride 28" E-Bike, Men's Electric City Bicycle with 250W Motor and removable 36V 10.4Ah Lithium Battery, with 21 Speeds, in Black, Urban classic Style

• The motor: powerful 250 W and 40 Nm Ananda RM M129H rear wheel motor with a maximum supported speed of up to 25 km/h, which offers a long service life and high performance
• The battery: Greenway YJ145 36 V, 10.4 Ah, 374.4 Wh lithium battery, which is conveniently stored under the pannier rack, 90 km autonomy in ECO mode
• The transmission: Shimano Altus transmission, which has 21 gears and is suitable for all types of roads

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WASAGA Bike Tail Light, Sport LED Rear Bike Light USB Rechargeable, Red High Intensity Bicycle Taillight Waterproof, Helmet Backpack LED Lamp Safety Warning Strobe Light, 5 Light Mode Bike Back Light

• MULTIFUNCTIONAL SAFETY LIGHT: Easy to install. Lightweight and durable bike tail light that can be mounted on all bikes, children's bike, adult bicycle, handlebars, seat posts, dog collars or...
• SET YOUR OWN LIGHT MODES: 5 light mode options: Strobe(9 hours), Slow Strobe(56 hours), Meteor Flash(14 hours), Tai Chi Flash(17 hours), Breathing Flash(8 hours). You can switch different modes...
• NO BATTERIES REQUIRED: Built in USB charge port for this bike rear light (USB cable included). Please charge it when the indicator light is red. It will turn green when fully charged

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Moma Bikes, E-28 PRO, Electric City Bike, Black, Aluminum, Full SHIMANO 7 Speeds, Hydraulic Disc Brakes Integrated Bat. Ion Lithium 48V 13Ah

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• Shimano TX 31 - 7 speeds
• Last generation display

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Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Compact Bluetooth Speaker with Alexa - Charcoal Fabric

• Our most popular smart speaker: now with a fabric design and improved speaker for richer and louder sound.
• Voice control your music: stream songs from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, TuneIn and others. You can also listen to audiobooks from Audible.
• Bigger, better sound: pair with a second Echo Dot for rich, stereo sound. Fill your home with music with compatible Echo devices in different rooms.

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The post Amazon Prime Day 2024: Best Cycling Deals in the UK [UPDATED] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

It’s better to be safe than sorry, so while you may have a preference between chain locks and U-locks as far as bike protection is concerned, ideally you should equip your bicycle with one of each when leaving it unattended.

We’ll look at the main chain lock benefits and U-lock advantages below, as well as a ‘U-lock vs chain lock’ comparison (including which the better choice for commuters is), and the current stand-outs on the market in each category:

Chain Lock Pros + Cons

A chain lock for bike riders is comprised of hardened steel links, often within a protective nylon sleeve, and the lock itself, which can become part of the chain or a separate padlock entirely.

Here are the biggest chain lock advantages and pitfalls:

U-Locks Pros + Cons

U-locks are a solid metal shackle with a removable cross bar. They loop around your bike frame and a post (e.g. railing, bike rack) to secure your bicycle.

Essentially giant padlocks, they also usually come with a cable to loop through your quick-release wheels.

Let’s look at the main U-lock benefits and drawbacks:

Is There a Difference Between U-Locks and D-Locks?

No. U-locks are so called because, from a certain angle, they form the shape of the letter U. Turn them on their side and they will look like the letter D, hence why they are also called a D-lock.

That’s why the same type of lock has two commonly-used names, so don’t be confused if you’re left wondering what separates the Us from the Ds.

Are Chain Locks Better Than U-Locks?

It really all depends on what you want from your bike lock. If you want value for money or ease of use, then U-locks probably trump chains in those departments.

But if you prefer a sturdier, tougher lock which provides greater versatility and perhaps acts as a stronger visual deterrent, chains are the better choice for you. Even if you don’t mind paying that little bit more of a premium.

So, What Type of Bike Lock is Best for Commuters?

Given commuters may be working on tighter budgets and time constraints, the U-locks may be their first port of call given you get much the same level of protection for a fraction of the cost of chains.

Plus, they’re generally quicker and easier to fasten around your bike, and won’t weigh you down on your cycle to work as a heftier, bulkier chain lock might.

Are chain locks good for commuters, too? Undoubtedly. Their tougher build and greater flexibility would still render them a great choice for cycling to and from work. But in this scenario, we’d say U-locks just have the edge.

What is the Best Chain Lock for Bicycles?

What is the Best U-Lock for Bikes?

Epic Protection

Great Value + Lightweight

Small but Secure

Abus Granit Extreme 59 D-Lock

Oxford Shackle 14 U-Lock

Kryptonite New York FAHGETTABOUDIT Mini Lock

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Read Review

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Epic Protection

Abus Granit Extreme 59 D-Lock

Read Review

Great Value + Lightweight

Oxford Shackle 14 U-Lock

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Small but Secure

Kryptonite New York FAHGETTABOUDIT Mini Lock

Read Review

The post Chain Lock vs U-Lock: Which is Best for Bike Commuters? appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

For many cyclists, electric bikes have been the perfect invention: they require less pedal power yet still improve your fitness, are an environmentally friendly alternative to cars or motor vehicles, and generally look pretty slick, too. Which is always important.

What would make them more impressive? Well, perhaps if they could charge themselves. You might have seen some companies try to invent them, or even market new products as having this state-of-the-art function.

But is it just false advertising, or do electric bikes charge themselves? Can you charge an electric bike by pedalling? And how do electric bikes recharge, anyway?

How do Electric Bikes Normally Charge?

In much the same way as you would with electronic devices like your phone or tablet. An electric bike comes with a charger, so you just plug one end into a socket and the other into its charging port.

How long do electric bikes take to recharge? Well, a totally dead battery usually takes between four and six hours to become fully juiced up again. Plus, often the last hour or so of a charge will add the final few finishing touches to a full charge, so you may find your battery is already about 90 per cent charged within 2.5 hours or quicker.

Its battery can be charged both on or off the bike, while all of the battery types are easily removable, so you can charge it indoors if you like.

An electric bike’s lithium ion battery does not have to be dead before it can be recharged, either. It has no ‘memory’, so most of them can be charged whenever you like.

Do Electric Bikes Charge When You Pedal?

But do electric bikes self-charge? As a general rule, no, though some e-bike manufacturers may brand their products as bikes which can regain lost power while you brake or ride down a hill.

But this is extremely rare, given how new this ‘regenerative braking’ technology is (at least to electric bikes, if not electric cars). To generate extra energy, you would need a sensor which, when you brake, triggers the motor to start using the bike’s forward-motion energy to charge the battery, rather than dissipating it as heat through the brakes.

The problem with it is it gives a pretty poor return power-wise, in that the extra weight and rigmarole that comes with adding a regenerative system is often seen as futile or detrimental.

It’s still much faster and more efficient just to charge normally, at least for now, though it does fare better on static exercise bikes.

Is There Currently a Self-Charging Electric Bike Available to Buy?

Some are certainly advertised as such; whether they are or not is another matter.

In 2016, for instance, Austria-based VELLO launched the fundraised VELLO BIKE+, which they described as ‘the first self-charging electric folding bike’, weighing less then 12kg (26lbs) and with the smallest fold on the market.

At time of writing, on their official website, the BIKE+ BELT and BIKE+ TITANIUM are available for €2,990 and €3,990 respectively, boasting a speed range from approximately 30 to 50 km in ‘Turbo mode’ to essentially an unlimited range when using the self-charging technology.

Companies Working on Self-Charging E-Bikes

VELLO are not alone, either. Far from it, in fact.

The crowd-funded DX self-charging e-bike launched in 2019, while you’ve also got the Neomouv FURTIVOO single-speed self-charging electric bike which weighs just 13.5 kg, and the foldable, aluminium-framed Eahora Snow X6 to choose from, too.

Could E-Bikes Charge Themselves in the Future?

It feels like there’s still a long way to go. Many remain dubious about how legitimate they are when it comes to being capable of self-charging, while others simply feel their extortionate prices represent little value for money.

Just reading reviews and YouTube comments about some of the above designs essentially bear that out. Many revolve around a lack of affordability – all of the above cost four-figure sums – as well as overselling the ‘regenerative braking’ concept.

Meanwhile, a review of the Eahora Snow X6 on Electrek, for example, says “this system is the most impressive form of energy recapture I have tried to date,” but adds that “that bar is very, very low.” Which about sums up what an embryonic stage self-charging electric bikes remain at in their development.

Maybe, if they become more affordable or more fine-tuned, they’ll become more commonplace in turn. For now, though, there seems to be a fair amount of scepticism.

Read More:

• Best Hybrid Electric Bikes under £1000
• Electric Bikes vs Electric Scooters (Which is Best)?
• E-Bike FAQs Answered

The post Do Self-Charging Electric Bikes Exist? appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

You’ll know full well that cycling has numerous and varied health benefits: for starters, it burns calories, which will help if you’re trying to lose weight. It can also lower your risk of cancer and boost your mental health just as much as your physical well-being.

But is cycling good for circulation, too? Does cycling increase blood flow at all? And why is good circulation so important to your body anyway? Let’s find out:

1. Why is Blood Circulation Important?

Circulation is key in helping your muscles perform to their maximum and can go some way to alleviating muscle pains and facilitating your recovery.

Good blood circulation also means your body’s most important organs receive the right amount of oxygen and nutrients to function properly. Without this, you could potentially risk various cardiovascular diseases, which could harm your heart, kidneys, and brain, for instance.

According to the NHS, poor circulation makes the skin on your feet and legs more prone to injury, infection, and ulceration. Injured skin may also take longer to heal, and infection may spread, while your mobility may also decrease.

2. How to Improve Blood Circulation

• Take regular exercise. To that end, it’s worth mentioning that the NHS highly recommends cycling as one of the best and most beneficial forms of exercise. A healthy diet, including less/no drinking alcohol and smoking, will also help.
• Drink plenty of water. The more dehydrated you are, the thicker your blood becomes, so the harder the circulation process around your body will be, and oxygen around the body. Energy drinks are a good substitute, while students show antioxidants in tea, which also help with circulation. You can’t beat good, old-fashioned H2O.
• Try more therapeutic methods. A massage, warm bath, or a trip to the sauna should relax you, lower stress levels, and improve blood circulation, too.

3. Does Cycling Help Circulation in Legs?

Absolutely. Poor circulation in your legs can be avoided most simply through regular exercise – especially in the form of aerobic activities like cycling.

Pedaling will boost circulation in your legs, work your muscles hard, and burn calories. You don’t have to go too hard at it, either—high-intensity training can make your legs swell and restrict circulation, so little and often is perfectly fine.

4. SUMMARY: Does Cycling Help Blood Circulation?

Of course. Cycling is a fantastic way to stimulate and improve your heart and will greatly lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Plus, as noted by Better Health, research shows that people who cycle to work have two to three times less exposure to pollution than car commuters, so their lung function is improved. A 14-year Danish study consisting of 30,000 people aged 20 to 93 found that regular riding protected people from heart disease, too.

In a 2018 study published in the Circulation journal, it was found that people who cycled often suffered roughly 15 percent fewer heart attacks than non-cyclists. Even small amounts of cycling time were discovered to be linked to lower heart disease rates.

So, if you’re looking for that extra bit of vitality without making too drastic a change to your lifestyle, regular cycling, even if in short bursts, is the ideal remedy.

The post Does Cycling Improve Blood Circulation? (ANALYSIS) appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

Whether you’re a cycling fanatic or novice, music or comedy lover, or just want a much-needed sense of normality about life again after COVID-19 has deprived us all of it for more than a year by now, a wonderfully unique cycling festival in Cheshire is bound to have something in store which takes your fancy.

The stunning new Velio festival is set to run in September in Cheshire – but what is it? What can you do there? How much does it cost? And do you need to be a cycling buff to really get something out of it?

We’ll answer all of these and more below…

What is Velio Festival?

A cycling and music festival taking place during the weekend of September 17 – 20, 2021.

And while it’s understandably billed as a ‘three-day celebration of life on two wheels,’ there’s plenty more going on than just bike-riding and music, including comedy shows, feasting, wellness programmes, talks and workshops.

Is Velio just for Hardcore Cyclists?

Absolutely not – not only because there’s more to do than just cycling, but because Velio state on their own website that they’re “on a mission to get more people into cycling and bring it’s wholehearted culture to the world.”

There are five cycle routes found across the site, including ones for beginners, disabled riders and children, as well as those for the more seasoned cyclists.

Where is Velio Festival Taking Place?

At the picturesque Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire, which is just a 45-minute drive from Manchester and half an hour in the car from Chester.

Overlooking more than 50 acres of ornamental gardens and 670 acres of parkland, the castle was built in the early 1800s with turrets added to it in 1817.

There’s so much to discover around the gardens, too – including Temple and Folly Water Gardens, Rose Garden, the ornamental woodland on Tower Hill, and the more recent addition of Lavinia Walk, a 100m-long double herbaceous border dedicated to Lady Lavinia Cholmondeley.

What Will Be Happening at Velio Festival?

There’s so much to pack into your weekend that you’ll never be short of things to do.

The cycling perks also include the ‘Velutopia’ route, comprising 14km of closed roads with plenty of surprises along the way, while there’s a fantastic on-site indoor cycling centre for the bicycle aficionados who are desperate to to test out the latest models and accessories, as well as the chance to experience virtual racing.

Other cycling routes at the festival measure at 3km, 30km, 60km and 100km in length, while there are two days of cycling talks and workshops to immerse yourself in, too. Bike storage is safe and insured, while you can also rent models, and there’s also the possibility of bike fittings and maintenance.

Elsewhere, the Getahead-curated wellness programme offers you the chance to relax and be pampered, while thanks to The Great Village Feast, food also takes centre stage – the award-winning restaurant Volta will help produce the banquets at the festival where, you can enjoy long-table communal feasts.

Music comes from the likes of Sister Sledge, Everything Everything, The Bootleg Beatles, and live orchestra thanks to Disco Classical and many more, while Jason Manford and Marcus Brigstocke are just some of the names providing the comedy at the festival.

On top of all that, you’ve also got a late-night jazz café, brass bands, film screenings, cabaret, karaoke, meditation, yoga, boozy brunches, wine tasting and so much more. It’s a truly unique experience with something for everyone, no matter how keen a cyclist you are.

It’s also worth pointing out that, in these ‘unprecedented’ times, this is the first ‘flexi-distanced’ festival, meaning that measures are in places to run the event socially-distanced or not, depending on what the restrictions are (if any by then) in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic at the time of the event.

Can You Get 1-Day Velio Festival Tickets?

No – tickets are only available for the full weekend – three days and three nights.

This, of course, does include access to toilets and showers, while motorhomes, campervans and pre-erected tents are also allowed on site. There is also the optional extra of luxury camping at the boutique hotel, where you can choose between Bell, Lotus or Mahal tents which can accommodate between two and eight people.

All luxury campers will also enjoy premium bedding, bedside lights and tables, optional upgrades of electricity, toiletries, mirrors, and towels, as well as exclusive access to specialty food vendors and bars, and VIP toilets and showers.

Velio Festival Prices: How Much Do Tickets Cost?

The one thing we haven’t covered yet about Velio: price. Under-5s go free, 6-13-year-olds’ weekend tickets are available from £17.60, 14-15-year-olds from £70.40, and adults from £175.12.

You also have the option to pay for extras such as weekend-long secure and insured bike storage (£15.45) and car parking (£20.60), while accommodation is available via the Boutique Village (£661.13), pre-pitched tents (£97.38), or a live-in vehicle pass (£82.00). For more information on Velio tickets, click here.

The post Velio 2021: A New 3-Day Cycling Festival at a Cheshire Castle appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

Google Maps Bike Speed

Google Maps assumes a standard cycling speed of roughly 16kph (10mph) for its estimates. However, the speed can vary based on factors like gradient and intersections, influenced by past GPS data from other users. It doesn’t adjust for weather, time of day, actual personal cycling speed, or route surfaces.

If you take your bicycle out for a spin and end up venturing into the unknown, embrace it. Not only because you might find your new favourite cycling route, but because as long as you’ve got signal on your smart phone, you’ve always got good old Google Maps to bail you out if need be.

Introduced in 2005, before adding bike-specific functions in 2010, Google Maps has plenty of cycling benefits. For one thing, it actually shows you where the bike lanes in your area are, but it also gives you a rough estimate of how long it will take you to ride from your current location to your destination.

Obviously, this can be seriously different in reality if you go significantly faster or slower than the speed they use. So, what speed does Google Maps use for biking? And are Google Maps cycling times accurate all the time?

Why is Google Maps Cycling Speed Important?

Google Maps cycling speed is important so that you can:

• Plan the duration of your journey ahead of time.
• Find the quickest or most accessible routes.
• See how much longer it will take you if you took a quieter or scenic route.

How Fast Does Google Maps Assume You Bike?

Google Maps assumes a standard moving speed of roughly 16kph (10mph) irrespective of the length of your journey.

It also does not take into account time lost due to stopping for water, checking directions, and so on, while it uses the average stopping time for traffic lights, rail crossings and other stops.

Yet people often say they complete their journeys before the clock hits Google Maps’ estimated time of arrival (ETA), so don’t take that speed as gospel. There are other factors at play, of course, as we’ll get onto next…

Does Google Maps Adjust Cycling Speed?

Yes. Google Maps bike speed alters for each part of the route based on factors such as gradient and the number of intersections, while GPS data previously logged by other Google Maps users can also affect it.

Cycling speed is not adjusted because of:

• Weather conditions
• Time of day (and so the amount of congestion)
• Traffic lights – it assumes all cyclists wait until red lights turn green
• Route surfaces (e.g. off-road cycle paths, bumpier, less even terrain)
• How fast you cycle on average

How Does Google Maps Calculate Bike Time?

Don’t just take our word for it. Richard Russell, an ex-Google engineer, used Q&A site Quora in 2013 to expand on how Google Maps calculates speed.

Asked if ETAs are determined by speed limits or actual travel time by previous users, he said: “These things range from official speed limits and recommended speeds, likely speeds derived from road types, historical average speed data over certain time periods… actual travel times from previous users, and real-time traffic information.

“They mix data from whichever sources they have, and come up with the best prediction they can make.”

Is Google Maps Good for Cycling?

Of course – it offers you multiple routes from A to B, giving you a pretty good estimate of how long each will take.

But it’s not perfect, either. As we’ve established, there is a sense of uniformity about its ETAs which, while rarely if ever wildly inaccurate, aren’t exactly geared to individual cyclists or specific factors mentioned above, like weather or traffic.

That said, credit where it’s due – it’s still pretty reliable, and is always adding new improvements, including a visual overhaul last summer courtesy of algorithmic analysis of satellite imagery, which tries to automatically decipher the nature of the environment.

Then, late in 2020, Google Maps launched a messaging function, so verified businesses can now communicate with customers directly from the Google Maps app. Its performance insights were also updated, as well as adding Street View contributions straight from your phone, and a Community Feed.

And as of March 2021, Google Maps have started defaulting to the route with the lowest carbon footprint, rather than the fastest, in a bid to make it more eco-friendly.

Google Maps Alternatives for Cycling Routes

If you decide you no longer want to be of the billion-or-so users of Google Maps, you’re at least spoilt for choice when it comes to picking another app.

Google Maps may offer great ease of use and arguably the most contemporary data, but some understandably feel uneasy about the amount of information it logs about you.

So, if you’re looking for something a little more private, niche or under-the-radar, these are a few good recommendations:

• Apple Maps – for iOS users, obviously, but Apple Maps is, perhaps a little surprisingly, one of the most privacy-friendly options available. It doesn’t like to your Apple ID or retain a search or cycling history, and when you save locations across devices, it uses end-to-end encryption, so Apple itself can’t view them.

• OpenStreetMap – like a Wikipedia of maps, where the users update it themselves through GPS devices, aerial photography and their own manual changes. No-frills, non-profit, only collects limited data, no logins or ads – simple but effective. The only real downside is it has no official app, so isn’t exactly tailor-made for smart phone users.
• OsmAnd – best for when you’re looking for previous users’ experience, it uses the OpenStreetMap database, which allows them to provide more precise live traffic updates. Available both online and offline, it’s also free with a Premium subscription from $1.99 a month. It also has tools to change the look of maps, ‘dark mode,’ and Wikipedia integration.
• CycleStreets – a UK-wide, non-profit journey planner, which offers a choice of four different route modes based on the type the user prefers. It also saves previous routes, tells you how many calories you’ll burn on a route, as well as how many traffic lights you’ll come across and how busy it is.
• Bike Citizens – an app which, through logging its users’ journeys, will then suggest the best routes for you, or help you explore a new city through a ‘cycling tour’ curated by the area’s regular riders.

The post Google Maps Bike Speed: How Fast Does It Assume You Cycle? appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

During the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I dusted off my bike and running shoes and lost a good amount of weight, which you can read about here.

Of course, when I was cycling during this time, I wasn’t cycling to work because like probably 99 per cent of the population, I was working from home.

But don’t be fooled into thinking I went above and beyond, embarking on endless, painstaking rides to feel the benefit.

Little and often was my mantra, and it proved just as useful health-wise, as you too will surely find if you choose to take your commute by bike:

How Much Exercise is Recommended for Healthy Adults?

Well, cycling is an aerobic exercise, and the minimum recommended amount of moderate aerobic exercise is 150 minutes per week for adults (per the World Health Organisation).

So, if you cycle a total of 30 minutes per day (e.g. 15 mins to work and back), five times a week, you reach this threshold before even considering any other exercise.

This makes cycling a great baseline for core fitness. It’s part of your commute, so won’t eat into any ‘extra’ time in your day.

Is Cycling a Cardiovascular Exercise?

Yes – though formally a type of aerobic exercise, cycling is one of the best and most highly-recommend cardio workouts.

The ‘aerobic’ aspect to cycling strengthens your heart, helping it pump more oxygen to the rest of your body, while the ‘cardio’ side of it means your heart will pump more efficiently.

So, you get the best of both worlds in that respect through cycling. There are plenty more health benefits – such as alleviating your risk of cancer – from it, too, which you can read about here.

Does Cycling Burn More Calories Than Walking the Same Distance?

For the same distance, walking usually burns more calories is all on your muscles and cycling involves the bike itself sharing the workload with you.

Think about it – it will almost always take longer and more effort on your part to walk 5km than it would to cycle 5km.

So, you would burn more calories through cycling than walking for the same amount of time, but not the same distance.

More intense exercise, like running, will burn even more calories than cycling, but cycling is also easier on the body, meaning you can last for longer before tiring yourself out.

It’s all good for you, though, really. Check out this calories calculator if you’re curious, too.

So… is Cycling to Work ‘Enough’ Exercise?

Cycling 15 minutes to-and-from work each weekday would see you reach the minimum amount of aerobic exercise recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Of course, this is just the minimum recommended amount – but it’s also an incredibly passive way of reaching this amount. All exercise after this is basically a bonus!

Obviously, getting “enough” exercise really depends on a number of things – chiefly your goals, your distance, and your intensity.

If you want to lose weight, you essentially need to burn more calories than you consume – so cycling at a moderate pace for 30 minutes per day will shed roughly 300 calories on average.

Which isn’t an enormous amount, but then you don’t want enormous – the best and healthiest way to lose weight is to do so steadily and gradually.

What cycling to work is, though, is a positive lifestyle change for everyone who does it – as plenty more have found since the ‘cycling boom’ which COVID-19 appeared to trigger.

It’s not just about losing weight – physical exercise such as cycling can help your heart, your brain, your mental health, and much more. That in itself should make it feel worthwhile and rewarding.

The post Is Cycling to Work ‘Enough’ Exercise? appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

The Short Answer

Rapha is a brand known for its stylish and high-quality cycling gear, but its expensive prices and perceived elitism divide opinions. While some view Rapha as worth the investment for its excellent products and customer service, others criticize it as overpriced and exclusive. Ultimately, the worth of Rapha clothing depends on personal preferences and circumstances.

In a way, perhaps they’re the Apple of cycling.

Formed in 2004 after founder Simon Mottram spotted a gap in the market for stylish cycling attire, Rapha are renowned for making beautiful, cutting-edge, high-quality gear. But many remain deterred by how expensive their products are, or the sense of pretentiousness associated with it.

Maybe that makes them less Apple, more Marmite: people tend to either love or hate Rapha’s products, with no real middle ground.

But this is no Rapha hatchet job. After all, Discerning Cyclist is all about cycling in style and Rapha’s City Collection is a wonderland in this regard, with beautiful stylish jackets, backpacks, polos, trousers and more that perfectly tow the line between form and function.

Yes, their stuff doesn’t come cheap, but if you can stomach the premium, you’ll get beautiful gear in return. It should also not go unmentioned that they pride themselves on their excellent customer service and returns policy (they even have a free repair service).

But, obviously, this all depends on your own circumstances and preferences, and you can’t just ignore the fact that there is an anti-Rapha audience out there. But why? Is Rapha clothing worth the money?

Why Do Cyclists Hate Rapha?

It’s important to first understand the story behind Rapha. Inspired by pictures of the 1950s St. Raphael racing team, Mottram honed in on the luxurious aspect of cycling fashion, bemoaning the lack of its availability prior.

A surge in sales arrived when the Tour de France came to the UK in 2007, coupled with the Cycle to Work scheme at the time, and a contract with Team Sky followed in 2013. It’s since then, really, that Rapha has become a worldwide name, but with greater publicity also comes a greater number of critics.

In January 2016, for instance, Rapha released a new ‘Shadow’ collection, with eye-watering £480 price tags slapped on the jersey and shorts. And as much as the range may have claimed to boast bespoke, extensively-tested yarn with state-of-the-art technology and unmatched protection against the elements, these figures are the real source of antipathy for some.

It’s not just the cost alone – cycling forums debating the issue are awash with Rapha sceptics labelling their marketing as exploitative or provocative, and their image as elitist and exclusive.

A lot of this, of course, may just be chalked down to class prejudice – which perhaps explains why Rapha riders are concentrated more in particularly affluent areas like London.

As Mark Bourgeois, executive director of a London-based listed property company, told the Guardian in 2016, it is “is far less ubiquitous in Yorkshire than it is in London. You rarely see packs of MAMILS [middle-aged men in Lycra] riding in head-to-toe Rapha, like you do around London.

“They [anti-Rapha cyclists] tend to be those who have been riding to a high standard since their teens. It’s possible they feel a certain resentment that Rapha has sort of stolen their sport and made it their own.”

Yet divisive as they may be, Mottram seems fairly unconcerned – “Some people love us, and some people don’t like us, and that’s fine,” he said to the BBC in a 2015 interview.

“But our stuff is really good, and if someone is going to spend, say, eight hours on a bike… then their clothing should be really good. I don’t want to make bad shorts or jerseys just to hit a [lower] price point.”

Is Rapha Clothing Worth It?

While DC is a big advocate of Rapha products, let’s do a little comparison.

Below, we’ll compare the Rapha Commuter Jacket – a ‘premium’ product of theirs – with a more entry-level variation from elsewhere: the BTWIN 100 Waterproof Urban Cycling Jacket.

What materials are each made of? What are their best features and USPs? How much do they offer in the way of style? Let’s take a look:

	Rapha Commuter Jacket	BTWIN 100 Waterproof Urban Cycling Jacket
Materials	‘2.5 layer fabric with waterproof membrane’	100% recycled polyester (with polyurethane coating)
Features	Welted zip pockets for essentials Integrated mesh back yoke for extra breathability around the collar Full-length waterproof zip Detachable hood with adjustable drawcord Reflective print on the tail Signature Rapha armband Loop zip puller Mesh lined upper back panel for improved ventilation Close, relaxed fit, suitable for longer rides Machine-washable	Taped seams and hood provide waterproof functions (can resist up to 2,000mm of water) Vents on the sides to let air in PPE-certified neon colouring ensures 360-degree visibility Lightweight – weighs only 300g (in size L) Windproof fabric coating Compact – can be folded into back pocket easily
Colours	Multiple	Neon Yellow
Price	£100	£24.99

As a whole, the Rapha range probably has more going for it in terms of style, but the BTWIN coat compensates for that with extreme visibility in its neon yellow design.

Both cover pretty much all of the essentials, but perhaps Rapha has a more additional features to boast about. If, to you, it feels worth paying more than three times the price of the BTWIN coat, then you’ll certainly reap the benefits of a high-end coat.

But the truth is, while the BTwin probably just about keeps up with it’s Rapha alternative in terms of functionality, it doesn’t touch it when it comes down to style.

Beauty isn’t cheap, nor is it universally agreed. It’s why some paintings are worth millions and others are nearly worthless.

If you’re not bothered about their style and you scoff at their pricing, then no: Rapha isn’t worth it. But if you love the look of their gear (and you can afford it), Rapha is absolutely worth it.

Read More:

• Does Rapha Have Sales?
• Top 3 Stylish Jackets for Bike Commuters
• Rapha Lightweight Commuter Jacket – Review

The post Is Rapha Worth It (and Why Do Some Cyclists Hate Them)? appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

They require less maintenance, last longer, and are more durable than chained bikes, and there’s little difference in terms of performance.

Yet despite this, the belt-driven bicycle remains a real rarity in the cycling world. Here, we’ll explain exactly what they are and how they work, examine their benefits and drawbacks, and discuss why they haven’t ever become a new cycling craze.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at the most commonly asked questions about Belt-Drive Bikes, to give you a better understanding of them:

• What Are Belt-Drive Bikes?
• How do Belt Drive Bikes Work?
• Belt Drives v Chains
• Belt-Driven Bicycles: Pros + Cons
• Do Belt Drive Bikes Have Gears?
• How Can a Belt Driven Bike Change Gear?
• What is an Internal Gear Hub?
• Are Belt Bikes Good for Commuting?
• Why Aren’t Belt Driven Bikes Popular?
• Why Don’t More Bikes Use Belt Drive?
• Where to Buy a Belt Bike?

What Are Belt Drive Bikes?

Belt drive bikes are bicycles which use a toothed belt made of synthetic materials like polyurethane or carbon fibre, as opposed to the more traditional drivetrain system with a steel chain.

How do Belt Drive Bikes Work?

A bike chain transmits almost 99 per cent of pedal power to your rear wheel, so if you’re replacing it for a belt drive, you need to know just what a big decision you’re making.

Belt drive bikes operate in the same way as a typical chain – the crank drives the belt and turns the rear wheel.

Though, belts can’t shift between cogs like a chain can, so they need an internal hub gearing system in that regard.

Belt Drives v Chains

Belt drives are manufactured from carbon fibre, which means they’re lightweight, durable, rust-proof and has up to twice as long a lifespan as a chain given it wears much slower.

Plus, not only does a carbon belt drive bike not need oiling or lubricating like chains do, but this means you’ll wont risk getting covered in the stuff, either. Indeed, belt drives require relatively low upkeep – just a splash of water every so often should keep it running smoothly.

They also make far less noise than chains do, which is always a bonus.

Belt-Driven Bicycles: Pros + Cons

Belt Bike Benefits

• No grease marks or rust
• More durable – can last up twice as long as a chain
• Cleaner – dirt won’t stick to it like it does to an oiled chain, so no lubricant required
• No risk of spilling oil or dirty water on you or the floor
• Compared to a chain bicycle, belt drive bikes are lighter and quieter
• Also compatible with fitness and stationary bikes

Belt Bike Disadvantages

• Require specific ‘split frames’ to install the belt – can’t take it apart and re-install like you can with a normal chain
• Can’t be used with derailleurs – only work with bikes with internal-gear, fixed-gear and single-speed hubs
• More costly – tend to cost about £200 more than a bike with a chain
• Not particularly common away from Europe
• Limited selection of bike lengths – must accommodate bike frame design
• Less flexible than chains – more likely to cause excessive friction

Do Belt Drive Bikes Have Gears?

Yes, if your belt drive bike has an internal gear hub or fixed gear hub. If it’s a single-speed belt drive, then obviously you’re stuck with one ‘gear’ in that sense.

Located inside the rear hub, many good hub gear bikes will likely provide a good range of about eight to 12 different gears for riders to shift between.

Some belt drive bikes also possess a bracket-mounted gearbox, many of which will work with two sets of maintenance-free gears, much like the transmission in you car.

How Can a Belt Driven Bike Change Gear?

Obviously, you can’t shift between gears on belt drive bike like you do between cogs on a bike chain. This is where the internal gear hub comes in:

What is an Internal Gear Hub?

The internal gear hub is the system used to change a bike’s gear ratio through ‘planetary’ or ‘epicyclic’ gears (two gears mounted in such a way that one’s centre revolves around the other’s) secured within the rear hub.

For instance, a basic three-speed hub gear bike has a single ‘sun’ gear attached to the middle of it, with three of four identical ‘planet’ gears merging with and revolving around it, while surrounded by a ‘gear ring’.

As the planet gears revolve, attached to a ‘planet cage’, the gear ring will revolve four times for every three revolutions of the planet cage. So it’s essentially an ‘internal gears bicycle’, if you like.

Interestingly, with an internal gear hub, you can even shift gears while stationary, because you don’t need to be pedalling to change gears with them.

Are Belt Bikes Good for Commuting?

Yes. In fact, belt drive bikes make a great urban bicycle and are probably best suited to commuters, owing to their cleanliness, higher durability and lower maintenance more than anything.

Nobody wants to arrive at work drenched in oil and dirt, or be late because you needed to lubricate; with a belt bike, these two predicaments and many more go out of the window altogether.

Why Aren’t Belt Driven Bikes Popular?

It’s somewhat a mystery, not least given their ease of use, longer shelf life and low upkeep. A belt-driven bike, commuter or otherwise, could easily be perfect for you, too.

Perhaps their extra cost compared to typical bike chains goes some way to explaining that, though. And in truth, they may be slightly too ‘niche’ to ever become a mainstream craze in the cycling world, given they can’t work in tandem with traditional gearing systems and their necessitating of a split frame to install.

And while belt drive bikes rose to prominence in Japan back in 1980 with the Picnica folding belt drive bike, they only really became common knowledge in the US, for instance, in the late 2000s, with the modern Carbon Drive system.

Also, though they remain popular with commuters and more recreational cycling, chain drives are still more energy-efficient at these lower power inputs, and they run at a lower tension than belt drives.

Why Don’t More Bikes Use Belt Drive?

One of the main reasons is they’re not compatible with all bikes, of course.

Yes, they’ll work with bikes with internal-gear, fixed-gear and single-speed hubs, but not with derailleurs. Plus, they need ‘split frames’ to be installed; you can’t take it apart and re-install like you can with a normal chain, so perhaps they lack versatility in that sense, too.

Where to Buy a Belt Bike?

In the UK + Europe

They can be hard to find, for sure, but in our guide (LINK HERE) you can find an in-depth guide to the best belt bikes in the UK and across the continent.

There are a few other specialist manufacturers that make them, including:

• Trek Bikes
• Schindelhauer Bikes
• Priority Bicycles

In the US

If you’re based across the Atlantic and don’t want to pay for shipping costs, whether it’s internal gear hub bikes for sale, a commuter belt-drive hybrid bike, hybrid bikes with internal hub gears or many more, your best bets lie with US-based provides such as Cannondale, Marin or belt drive pioneers Gates.

GUIDE: Best Belt-Driven Bicycles

The post What is a Belt-Drive Bicycle? Pros + Cons of Belt Bikes appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.

If the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 left us all mentally, emotionally drained, it felt almost impossible to find any silver lining in these dark clouds.

But there was at least one positive from a cycling perspective: it seemed to trigger a ‘bike boom.’

The Bike Boom of 2020

As coronavirus ravaged the planet, we had pop-up bike lines appearing everywhere, as many as 8.9 million people in the UK cycling per week during the pandemic’s early months, and bike repair voucher schemes introduced by the British government, too.

And it wasn’t just outdoor cycling that saw a surge in popularity. Indoor cycling-focussed apps and services such as Peloton experienced enormous growth in 2020, going from less than 700,000 paying customers at the start of the year to over 3 million by the end of it.

So, why has cycling become so popular again so quickly? What has happened to bike sales during COVID? And will the bike boom last? Let’s explore all of this and more:

Why Has Cycling Become More Popular?

Well, fewer people took public transport to help alleviate the spread of COVID-19, and used cycling as a healthier means of transportation – either getting to work or just riding for pleasure – but also to shrug off cabin fever caused by the constant ‘Stay At Home’ government messages.

Why has cycling increased in popularity other than general anxiety towards buses and trains? Well, add that to the fact that more exercise can improve your immune system, which in turn gives your body a better chance of fighting coronavirus if you contract it, and cycling ultimately became a craze again all over the world.

“People were at home with nothing to do, a bike sitting in their garage with flat tires.

“One of the barriers to bicycling across the ages is anxiety about a thing with 100 moving parts: people worry, ‘How do I store it? How do I fix it?’ But lockdown changed that. Suddenly, everyone had the time to tinker.”

Morgan Lommele, director of state policy at People for Bikes.

Cycling Statistics During COVID-19

• An enormous $4.1 billion worth of bikes (excluding e-bikes) were sold in the US between January and October 2020, a 62% increase on the same period a year earlier.
• E-bikes, meanwhile, raked in $490.8 million in US sales, a 144% growth on the previous year.
• One in 10 American adults were reported to having rode a bike for the first time in a year (or longer) since the beginning of COVID-19.
• China exported more than 40 million bikes in the first nine months of 2020 – that’s four times the EU’s annual bike production.
• According to Eco-Counter, who have tracked monthly cycling levels globally in 2020 and comparing them to last year’s figures, these were up in September 2020 by 27.5% in Italy, 25.3% in Portugal, 24.5% in France and 20% in the UK and Germany respectively compared to September 2019.
• Cycling trips clocked into Strava increased by 56% in Berlin in April 2020 compared to April 2019, by 82% in Barcelona between June 2019 and June 2020, by 119% in London between May 2019 and May 2020, and by 222% in Liverpool during the same period.
• Cycling in Polish cities has increased by 50% according to the draft national Recovery and Resilience Plan. This has caused the government to feature cycling projects prominently in their plans – 14 of the 16 Polish regions have submitted cycling-related proposals, as such.
• VanMoof, a Dutch e-bike maker, saw ‘unlimited demand’ in the early months of the pandemic, causing a ten-week order backlog for its commuter electric bikes, compared with typical one-day delivery time, said its co-founder Taco Carlier.

You can check out more jaw-dropping statistics of the 2020 bike boom here.

Has Cycling Increased in the UK?

Absolutely. Firstly, take a look at this graph, which shows use of each transport mode compared to use 12 months earlier in the UK:

As you can see, the only form of transport to have increased in usage in this time frame in the UK is cycling, though there has been a slight fall below the previous year in the recent winter months.

That is reflected in the early figures, in particular: from early April to mid-May 2020, during the UK’s first national lockdown, as much as 16% of England’s population (8.9 million) had been cycling each week during the pandemic.

And tellingly, even when restrictions were loosened in June, bicycle traffic in London was believed to be up by 90% based on Google Maps data.

“Despite fewer people travelling over the last few weeks during this crisis, we’ve actually seen around a 100% increase in weekday cycling and at weekends that increase has been up to 200%, compared to the pre COVID-19 levels.

“We want to use this recovery to permanently change the way we travel, with huge levels of investment.”

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, June 2020.

It’s not just England that has seen cycling soar in the UK, either – in Scotland, it was reported in late April 2020 that journeys made by bike had risen by 120% since the pandemic, while bus, rail, ferry, plane and car journeys had fallen by 95%.

Why is there a Bike Shortage?

Indeed, it’s not just toilet paper that’s been flying off the shelves at exponential rates during the pandemic – it’s bikes, too.

Both larger bike stores and independent, smaller shops saw demand go way beyond their projections last spring. And while sales in the US, for instance were up 120% on the previous year, many places just didn’t have the stock to maintain it.

It’s even predicted that a shortage of bikes and/or bike parts may last until 2022.

This is pretty self-explanatory. Given the unexpected and ‘unprecedented’ nature of the last 12 months or so, bike shops could be forgiven for not anticipating such a surge in sales, and thus for not having enough supplies to match the demand.

“It’s come to a point where… everyone has realised we’re running out. There are no bikes to go around anymore.”

Amy Schweiger, assistant manager at Oxygen Bike Co. in Toronto.

“If a customer were to order a new bike today, the earliest we would likely receive it is December and maybe even as late as May.

“We just got a shipment of 60 Treks this week. Most are already spoken for, and the rest will probably be gone before the weekend is over.”

Jimmy Revard, co-owner of ‘The Bike Line’, September 2020.

“We saw the lockdown coming months before it happened, because many of our suppliers are in Asia.

“What we weren’t prepared for was the speed at which it hit.”

Will Butler-Adams, managing director of Brompton Bikes.

Investment in Cycling Infrastructure

Certainly, the advent of greater bike lanes, however temporary they may be, has made riding a bike seem a safer, more viable proposition to many more cycling novices.

For instance, temporary lanes introduced in Westminster, London last May surely contributed to cycling levels reaching ten times the level they were at before lockdown.

London was far from alone, either. Paris created hundreds of kilometres of pop-up lanes along the Rue du Rivoli, while in Germany, local authorities in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district implemented a temporary widening of two cycling lanes in March 2020 to help cyclists keep the necessary 1.5 metres apart.

Elsewhere, in Budapest, cycling lanes led to bus passenger numbers falling by 90% and car travel halving, and Bogota, the capital of Colombia, created 72 miles of new bike routes by mid-March 2020.

Will it Last? The Bike Boom Legacy

New infrastructure will certainly help in this regard. If there’s more – and better – cycling provision, as well as less traffic, and still a lingering aversion to public transport short-term, then even if the bike boom declines, it should still show an increase on pre-COVID times.

But recent figures suggest that the early momentum is unlikely to be rediscovered, in truth.

For example, bike stocks dipped considerably in November 2020 following news that Pfizer had developed a COVID-19 vaccine. Giant fell 9%, Dorel Sports by 7.6%, and bike parts maker Shimano 13.1% in a single day. A month later, those stocks were still trading below their summer peak.

But there is hope from perhaps less obvious sources. Bike share systems are more popular than ever, while electric scooters, offering an even more environmentally-friendly alternative than cars, have risen to greater prominence, too.

The overriding feeling, though, is that continued improvement of infrastructure will be key, or else this current boom will die out just like the 1970s cycling craze did.

“A hundred thousand miles of bikeways were promised across North America. Because they didn’t actually appear, then there [was] nowhere for people to ride their bikes. And so they were put back into garages and then, they were forgotten about, unfortunately.

Carlton Reid, transportation writer and contributing editor to Forbes.

It’s perhaps important to remember, though, that 2020 was an anomalous year in almost every possible way.

But even if we don’t cycling numbers hitting the same heights as 2020 every year, cycling is on the rise, as you can see by the increased number of miles ridden in Great Brituain since 1993.

The Bike Boom may be coming to an end, but the more sustainable Cycling Surge shows no signs of slowing down.

Read More:

• Where to Find Stylish Cycling Gear for Commuting
• Best Urban Cycling Shorts for Summer

The post Has Cycling Increased in the UK? [The Pandemic Legacy Question] appeared first on Discerning Cyclist.