Category: Extras

Blaze Laserlight

Post author By Editor
Post date 15/12/2015

The Blaze Laserlight is a solid reminder that crowd-funding, in this instance via kickstarter, continues to incubate a good number of products that are both innovative and beautifully executed. The Blaze Laserlight is, at heart, a powerful front cycle light that adds significantly to the safety factor by incorporating a laser projection up to 6metres ahead of the rider.

As a standard light the Blaze Laserlight, with its sleek machined aluminium casing, is capable of delivering a combination of 100lumen flashing, 100lumen solid or 300lumen solid � all of which can be used either with our without the laser projection (of a bicycle of course) in solid or flash mode.

Technical spec

The aluminium casing of the Blaze Laserlight, with its discreet silver nickel control panel, contains a full aluminium internal chassis designed to aid both cooling and overall robustness. Weighing in at 182g it�s recharged via supplied USB cable to provide anything from 2hours use (high beam and constant laser) to 29hours (low beam, flashing and no laser.) The whole unit is fully waterproof � rather than merely resistant � and attaches to handlebars from 24�32 mm in diameters via a quick-release clip.

The Blaze Laserlight on test

Attaching the bike mount section of the quick release clip to the handlebars is relatively easy using the supplied 4mm allen key and appropriate rubber insert for the tube size. Fine-tuning the laser to project at the desired ahead takes a few additional minutes (and really needs to be done in low-light conditions) and you�re good to go.

Operating either the standard lamp or independent laser takes the briefest of touches to the panel to cycle through the options and there�s no denying that 300lumen is a dazzlingly effective way of lighting up even the darkest of country lanes. Better yet, if you�re an enormous attention seeker, it�s impossible to ride anywhere with the Blaze Laserlight and not encounter people willing to coo over it and tell you how cool the projection looks. (Okay, so that�s not going to appeal to every ego out there.)

A thing of beauty

The Blaze Laserlight has, without question, been designed to appeal to those who think contemporary aesthetics begin and end with all-things Apple. In fact the light is made in partnership with PCH International, a manufacturing company that also makes products for Apple � if you don�t like sleek, tactile and brushed metal, this isn�t the light for you. Actually everything from the typeface to the packaging and slender lines of the light itself have been beautifully thought through to balance form and function in one neat package.

Downsides of the Blaze Laserlight

Yes, it looks gorgeous, yes, it�s crazy-bright and yes the laser projection in both very cool and integral to added safety; but…

As much as we love this light there are still flaws and drawbacks. Starting with the USB charger, which uses the kind of magnetic clip that Macbook users get all worked up about. Whilst the Mac version is robust, the Blaze Laserlight version has an utterly annoying tendency to be knocked off with the slightest of efforts. Several times Cyclo has gone to pick up what we were hoping would be a good-to-go, fully charged light, only to find it untethered and lifeless.

The quick release clip also proved frustrating longer-term, slowly unthreading itself (in days, not weeks) to leave the light swinging wildly from wide to side. Even when tightened to the max there�s far too much lateral movement. More disturbingly � arguably this is a fault in the unit we had on test � was the tendency for the light and laser to both go off unexpectedly when we hit a bump in the road…

You make your choices…

There is much to love about the Blaze Laserlight. Personally we really appreciate the aesthetics and attention to detail and there�s no denying that the projected bike image is going to add significantly to safety (apparently �79% of cycling incidents happen when drivers manoeuvre into the rider�s path.�) The main beam is bright and crisp � even if 2-3hours on full is nowhere near long enough � and there�s something of the Star Wars generation in us that loves the idea of attaching a laser to the bike.

The Blaze Laserlight is also, predictably, on the costly side at �125. Of course it�s unique selling point is the laser itself, but of you just want a really bright light then something like the Lezyne Macro Drive 600XL is going to offer up twice the lumens for half the price or the Exposure Sirius Mk4/TraceR Light Set gives you front and rear (500 and 110lumen respectively) for a comparable �129.95. Both the�Lezyne and�Exposure Sirius lights are available on wiggle.co.uk

Full details on online purchase of the Blaze Laserlight at Blaze.cc

Tags bike lights, cycling safety, Road Safety

Extras Featured Reviews

Oakley Jawbreaker

Post author By Editor
Post date 02/09/2015

The Oakley Jawbreaker is a collaboration between one of the world�s biggest names in eye-wear and Mark Cavendish, one of the biggest names in cycling, but the results are likely to leave people as polarised as the company�s legendary lenses�

�Aggressive� is the adjective most often used to describe the aesthetics of Oakley�s output � there are a few exceptions such as the sleeker RadarLock range � but for the most part there�s a somewhat bolshie angularity to their glasses and the Jawbreaker is no exception. The first thing you�ll notice about the Jawbreaker is the size � these are true XL glasses that provide an exception field of vision; they appear disproportionate without a helmet, but once suited up it all falls into place (guess Cav and Oakley really do know what they�re doing�)

Comfort levels are exceptional here with weight coming in just under 35g � the lower frame is perfectly curved to sit snuggly against the cheeks and the arms are hinge-locked to provide a range of lengths to fit perfectly under any helmet. The downside here, particularly if you are reckless enough to try and adjust them on the fly, is that it�s possible for the entire arm to disconnect with catastrophic results.

The Jawbreaker has a hinged lower frame that gives them their somewhat aggressive (there�s that word again) name for fairly quick lens switching, which is only fiddly on the first couple of tries. Ruggedness has been upped by the addition of a tiny metal cam, which sits behind the rubberised nose bridge, and replaces the more traditional weakest link plastic affair on other Oakleys.

As you would expect from Oakley, when it comes to the lenses they are outstanding with a range of tints and polarized options for every conceivable condition (conceivable, so long as you have the budget of course with additional lenses starting at around the �70 mark.) On the subject of price � the Jawbreaker starts at �170 � we still feel slightly short-changed that Oakley only adds hydrophobic coating to the outside of the lens but will happily sell you, for �17, the Nanoclear treatment for inside application. Also the specific Oakley Jawbreaker Cavendish Edition � with the dinky CVNDSH logo on the lens � is at a premium of an additional �20�

The Oakley Jawbreaker clearly brings plenty to the table, not least a slightly old-school aesthetic, and if you want the added kudos of wearing glasses that have had input from Cavendish then these are the sunnies for you. Venting is excellent, optics uncompromising, and comfort superb � if you can live with �aggressive� and are willing to spend upwards of �170 these won�t let you down.

Further details of Oakley Jawbreaker at oakley.com � available online for purchase from, amongst other places, Wiggle.co.uk

Tags Mark Cavendish, oakley, sunglasses

Extras Featured Reviews

Boot Bananas

Post author By Editor
Post date 11/08/2015

Boot Bananas are a novel and effective way to take care of those stinky cycling shoes.

In essence Boot Bananas are full size banana replicas that deodorise and absorb moisture from post-ride shoes using a range of natural active ingredients including bamboo charcoal, sodium bicarbonate and zeolite. The latter is a mineral that was used to absorb radioactive caesium following the Fukushima disaster, so it�s fair to say it will cope with your bike shoes.

Instructions for use almost go without saying: remove your feet from the shoes (if you need to be told this you probably shouldn�t be tackling shoes alone), stuff in the Boot Bananas and leave them to work their magic hanging from the integrated carabiner. From time to time they need to be refreshed by simply setting to dry in the sun or near a radiator; eventually they will give up the ghost entirely � the makers claim a good six months depending on use and, helpfully, they slowly change colour (or ripen) as an indicator.

The natural fragrances used are lavender, lemon, patchouli and tea-tree oils and whilst the we had feared that lavender would leave our shoes smelling like a Sunday afternoon at nan�s, the scents are actually very well judged and not in the least overpowering.

Boot Bananas are a truly useful � and fun � addition to any cyclist�s bag of tricks.

�13.99 a pair Boot Bananas can be purchased online at bootbananas.com or from a range of stockists.

Extras Featured Recovery Reviews

Hot Ginger Muscle Soak

Post author By Editor
Post date 05/08/2015

Having launched with Hot Ginger Muscle Rub and Cool Peppermint Muscle Spritz, both very good, Natural Hero added Hot Ginger Muscle Soak to their offering. Never wanting to pass up a hot bath in the name of work, Cyclo took the plunge.

Whilst both the Hot Ginger Muscle Rub and Cool Peppermint Muscle Spritz boast 98% and 99% natural ingredients respectively the Natural Hero Hot Ginger Muscle Soak goes the full distance with 100% credentials. This means there are no parabens or added sodium laureth sulphate (both cosmetic and toiletry staples) to worry about. What the soak does contain is a blend of premium grade ginger root, rosemary, and sweet fennel essential oils that soak tired muscles; the ginger also adds a glowing warmth to proceedings. A dash of sweet almond and starflower essential oils, both of which nourish and condition the skin, are excellent addition when you consider the damage that the elements do to the exposed expanses of the average cyclist.

Look, we’re not necessarily suggesting you light some candles and put on a little Katie Melua, but a recuperative soak after a tough race or training session makes good sense as part of the recovery process and Natural Hero�s Hot Ginger Muscle Soak ticks plenty of boxes.

Hot Ginger Muscle Soak comes in packs of�six 18ml bottles, each good for one soaking. Available�online from, amongst others,�Amazon.co.uk

Tags recovery

Extras Featured Reviews

pOcpac

Post author By Editor
Post date 06/07/2015

Keeping belongings dry on the bike is a perennial problem and one to which the pOcpac may well have the solution. If legend (or marketing) is to be believed, two brothers from South Africa � both engineers and keen mountain bikers � were out one day in the bush and caught in a torrential downpour that soaked everything in their saddlebags and pockets. They noticed that the only thing unaffected was the water in their camelbaks and so the pOcpac was born.

The pOcpac range of sealable bike packs are made from recyclable (though not actually recycled) material which has both memory and elasticity, meaning the cases can be filled to the brim and still close effortlessly. The closure is achieved via a fairly standard looking zipped press-seal, but unlike many fastenings of this type TriGear has encountered they stayed firmly and reassuringly shut however much we tried to over-stuff the packs.

The pOcpac is available in a range of sizes and even smartphone specific flavours; a neat and functional solution that do one thing and do it extremely well. An obvious benefit is that they can be slipped into a jersey lumber pocket; neatly hold everything together in one place (and keeping them dry as a bone) without the need for saddle- or seatpost bags.

Also of note on the pOcpac website is the Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight pack � bit of a mouthful, but a useful emergency first aid kit to keep with the bike. The 70g kit offers basic wound management and blister treatment and whilst a couple of the items (two giant nappy-size safety pins for example) do seem like filler items the basics are pretty much covered and the tiny water-proof zipped pouch works well.

The three sizes of cycling pOcpac retail at �9.99 (although both the road and off-road pacs are currently on offer at �5.99), whilst the phone pOcpacs are �8.99. The medical kit is yours for �11.99. Further details and online orders at thepocpac.co.uk

Extras Featured Reviews

Quickstrap

Post author By Editor
Post date 10/04/2015

The cycling world is undeniably full of some pretty sexy kit � weather-defying materials, carbon components, high-tech gadgets and the latest nutritional science. It�s equally undeniable that there are some mundane issues that need to be addressed and some kit that really can�t be described as anything but functional; Quickstrap, part of the Quickloader family of products falls squarely into that category.

The Quickstrap is a unique strapping system that probably has a dozen applications for cyclists � although in all honesty Cyclo have only, so far, used it only for added securing of bikes to car-racks and for garage storage support. Pretty sure you�ll come up with other applications (let us know�)

A couple of things set the Quickstrap apart from more conventional strapping systems. Firstly there are no hooks, buckles or other fasteners to tackle, the Quickstrap just wraps around and through itself making attachment and removal a doddle. The lack of any metal or plastic components means that there�s nothing to scratch or dink the bike (or whatever you�re securing) and the rubberised material won�t crack or harden with age, meaning a set of these are likely to last you years.

Sold in sets of two for �11.94, each QuickStrap is 90cm long and capable of supporting a load of around 50kg (120lbs); they can also be linked together in various combinations as the situation requires.

There you go: not sexy, but incredibly useful and versatile.

Further details of the QuickStrap at quickloader.com and online purchase via aspli.com

Extras Featured Reviews

Hot Ginger Muscle Rub

Post author By Editor
Post date 23/02/2015

For quite some time QM Sports Care QM2 Hot Embrocation has been Cyclo�s default muscle rub � a ridiculously complex name, but we�ve always found it hits the spot when it comes to aching legs and exhausted muscles. Enter though Hot Ginger Muscle Rub from relative new kids Natural Hero � a �superpowered� recovery product boasting 98% natural ingredients, which, coming from the makers of the excellent Cool Peppermint Muscle Spritz (review here), we felt compelled to put to the test.

Hot Ginger Muscle Rub boasts a range or natural ingredients including ginger root oil (obviously), fennel � a �vasorelaxant�, which aids absorption, rosemary leaf oil, which apparently just smells nice, and borage seed oil (starflower), which is a rich source of essential fatty acids to aid muscle repair. To each their own on the perceived efficacy of any of these ingredients, but what we can say for sure is two things: the sensation of heat is extremely mild and it�s absorption rate was middling. If you�ll forgive the excess of detail, our testers overly hairy legs still looked like a matted spaniel even after many minutes of vigorous massaging.

If you are wondering about the 2% synthetic ingredients they are benzyl alcohol and the emulsifier sodium stearoyl glutamate � nothing in the least to worry about, but curious that Natural Hero didn�t got the whole hog on the natural front�

Okay, so QM still retains the title as far as Cyclo is concerned (despite being ridiculously difficult to source) but Hot Ginger Muscle Rub is a great alternative for those looking for a less �sciency� or industrial approach to rubbing away those post-ride aches and pains. Natural Hero Hot Ginger Muscle Rub retails at �9.99 (100ml) with details and online purchase at naturalhero.co.uk

Tags massage, recovery, sports recovery

Extras Featured Reviews Tech

Tangent Trainer

Post author By Editor
Post date 18/02/2015

The Tangent Trainer is designed for use with a turbo trainer; it�s one of those deceptively simple innovations that always begs the question why hasn�t this been thought of before? Bolted between the crank and any clip-in pedal � a painlessly simple operation, well within the grasp of most cyclists � the Tangent Trainer demands a �tow� pedal action for optimum transference of energy.

It takes some getting used to of course � it�s a training tool after all � and initially using the Tangent Trainer is a little like patting your head whilst rubbing your stomach, but with practice (and starting slowly) the technique becomes almost second nature. Although we didn�t find it necessary it�s fine to start with just one Tangent Trainer attached � on the non-dominant foot � and move things on from there. It�s important not to over use it, particularly at first, and the manufacturers suggest two sessions a week of around 20 minutes � that certainly fitted with our testing regime as little-used muscle groups slowly kicked in.

The makers say that trials are still on-going to establish true power gains from working with the Tangent Trainer, but estimate that as much as 20% could be achievable. Even sitting on the side of overly pessimistic a 10% gain would be impressive and worth the investment in the Tangent Trainer.

It may not seem that important, but we also thought the Tangent Trainer was really rather pleasing aesthetically; too often we see gadgets of one kind or another hitting the market still looking like prototypes. The Tangent is both beautifully engineered and has clearly had much attention paid to detail.

The Tangent Trainer, although not cheap at �99.99, should pay dividends for those serious about upping their game and improving their technique for either road or track. Full details, including fitting instruction video, and online purchase at tangenttrainer.com

Tags indoor trainer, Training