Category: Extras

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Extras Reviews

Zéfal Air Profil

If you’re looking for exceptional value for money when it comes to buying a micro pump then the Zéfal Air Profil certainly fits the bill. At less than £15 it’s the kind of price you would expect to pay for a bog-standard all-plastic affair for your kid’s bike; but does buying cheap mean buying twice?

 

On the contrary the Air Profil seems remarkably well constructed given the price point – you could easily double (and then some) for the price of other manufacturers – and although the handle is plastic, the barrel, stem and thumblock are all aluminium for rigidity and, hopefully, longevity.

 

230mm in length and weighing in at 92g it achieves 8 bar (116 psi) with ease, but being a mini pump there is work to be done in fully inflating a tyre – it took us just shy of 180 strokes to completely refill a flat, but even squeezing in those final few puffs required little effort, with a good valve connection throughout and a comfortable, ergonomic handle design which didn’t leave any unwanted pressure sores. Cyclo’s only word of warning is that the screw cap for reversing the Presta/Schrader connection was initially so tightly secured that it required a multi-tool to shift the first time out – not something you want to have to deal with on the road with freezing fingers.

 

Not surprisingly the pump attaches to the bike frame via the water bottle mounts and the clip that holds it in place is augmented by a Velcro strap. This might, at first glance, look almost literally like ‘belt and braces’ but it does an excellent job of insuring that it’s still there when you need it.

 

A decent o-ring to prevent water entering the chamber between the stem and body should be something you check for whenever buying a pump and with the Air Profil you get not only this but a second sliding o-ring on the body which simply slips out of the way when pumping; a nice touch which many more expensive models neglect. Cyclo have had this pump on test for a month and so far no sign of any slacking off in parts or action despite some fairly rough handling. It remains to be seen if a mini pump at this price will truly withstand the rigours of a full winter, but so far we’re impressed by this budget model.

 

For further details and to find a retailer see www.zyro.co.uk

 

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Extras Recovery Reviews

RespiBelt

RespiBelt

We hope we’re not getting to ‘sciencey’ here, but breathing relies on muscles. And like the other muscles of the body, those involved in respiration can be trained to maximise their efficiency. For years now the major player in training these muscles has been the Power Breathe (powerbreathe.com) and its imitators, small handheld devices that look not unlike a ventilator and which rely on slowly increasing the ‘load’ or resistance across a program of daily breathing exercises. Now there’s a new kid on the block which could go head to head (lung to lung?) with the Power Breathe…

 

Developed by Progressive Sports Technologies, based at the Sports Technology Institute at Loughborough University, the RespiBelt is, to put it in reductive terms, an elasticated belt that attaches just below the pectorals or breast and can be adjusted with Velcro webbing to increase or decrease the resistance on breathing. The unique selling point here is that, unlike the Power Breathe, it can be used during training sessions on the bike (or indeed run) to deliver results in tempo with whatever workout you already had planned.

 

In terms of use, things couldn’t really be simpler: line up the tabs with the marks on the Velcro webbing to increase or decrease the level of additional workout and slip the belt on; then just cycle or workout as usual whilst the RespiBelt does its thing. Gradually increasing the load over several weeks (which is recommended for maximum benefit) means that the device never feels constrictive and on testing Cyclo noticed tangible results within ten days. There seems to be a wealth of credible science behind the RespiBelt (lots to be found and pored over at respibelt.com) and testimonials seem to be coming thick and fast – Mo Farah’s pre-Olympic training regime included its use and even at less elite levels we can certainly see the benefit.

 

Available in five sizes – XS to XL – and, whilst not cheap at £59.99, adding this to your bag-o-tricks means effective exercising of muscles essential to cycling but all too often neglected. Full details and online purchase at respibelt.com

 

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Extras Reviews

Lezyne Femto Drive LED

Lezyne Femto Drive LED

We hate to say it but the nights are drawing in aren’t they? Time then for all sensible cyclists to have their thoughts turn to safety and lighting and here at Cyclo we’ve been having fun playing with the oh-so-cute (but at the same time deeply practical) Lezyne Femto Drive LED lights.

 

Barely 5 years old as a company, Lezyne’s express goal was and remains, ‘…to engineer and produce premium quality accessories that meet the same high standards as high-end bicycle components’. With the Femto Drives they have combined their passion for design aesthetics (these are as close to a thing of beauty as a simple bike light could be), with an impressively functional approach and a careful eye to cost, coming in at a reasonable £12.99 for a single front/rear or £21.99 a pair.

 

The machined aluminum body, durable and Brit-weather resistant, is just 30mm long with the unit coming in at sub-25mm diameter, small and light enough (29g with bracket) for tucking into a jersey pocket, meaning there can never be an excuse for getting caught out at dusk ill-prepared again. Although not brilliantly bright – 15 lumens front and 7 lumens rear – the crisp, clear quality makes them seem more powerful than mere numbers suggest and with five modes (flash, slow flash, rapid flash, strobe and solid) are hard to fault as backup or additional lighting. Turning the Femtos on and off and switching between modes involves pressing and holding the lens directly, ideal for tackling in gloves, but, given Cyclo’s reluctance to ever read instructions, something it took us longer than we care to admit to figure out.

 

The Femtos use a nifty silicon sling bracket, one end of which attaches semi-permanently to the light’s asymmetric hooks, to wrap around and hold pretty much any part of the bike. This quick fix option, with a wealth of permutations, is a key selling point and improves over, say, Knog Frogs or NiteRiders – the alternatives they most closely resemble.

 

The only (very) minor gripe Cyclo has is that battery insertion (two x replaceable CR2032 batteries per light) is slightly fiddly with the screw thread having a tendency to cross, but weigh this against their plus points – durability, practicality, ease of fit, gorgeous looks – and it’s easy to forgive.

 

Available in anodised black, silver, red or blue the Lezyne Femto Drive LEDs are widely available including from Wiggle.co.uk

 

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Extras Reviews

Abus Airflow

Abus Airflow

Is it really possible to pick up a decent bike helmet for under £30? There was certainly a time when spending this kind of money would have involved a trip to a discount bike-shop for a bundle of  ugly bulk and utilitarian polystyrene, but the Abus Airflow has certainly proven Cyclo’s expectations wrong serving up a helmet that’s not just great for the money, but quite simply… great.

 

The Airflow is sleek and attractive without being (or looking) over engineered and weighing in at 287g stacks up well against helmets at nearly double the price. The lack of bulk naturally adds to comfort but this is helped along by the inner rubberised cradle which, whilst hardly a thing of beauty (who cares, it’s out of sight), sits incredibly easily during the ride giving the slight feeling of a free-floating lid. The ‘Zoomlite’ ratchet dial is the simple one-stop shop for tightening and loosening everything which may not give the endless adjustment permutations of top of the line helmets but is quick, reliable and lacks fuss and nonsense.

 

14 air vents keep things cool and with the front three offering protection with an integrated bug mesh you should end your ride with fly-free hair (or at least as fly-free as you started.) The Airflow comes in two sizes: S-M (52-58cm) and  M-L (58-62cm), and in a choice of three colours (blue/white, red/white and black) all with reflective detailing.

 

At £29.99 the Airflow is a downright bargain and an excellent all-round choice that delivers on comfort, weight and adjustability fronts too.

 

Further details and to find a local retail see www.zyro.co.uk

 

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Extras Reviews

Wemmi Expandable Wipes

Wemmi Expandable Wipes

Good things, we are often told, come in small packets. Never truer than when it comes to Wemmi Expandable Wipes, the latest addition to Cyclo’s bag-o-tricks, genius little tablets that expand with the addition of water to give you just enough wet-wipe to clean away the grime of a good ride.

 

100% natural – basically rayon, a cellulose fibre – disposable and biodegradable (making them as environmentally friendly as a disposable item can be) Wemmi Wipes are available in either boxes of four (around the £1.45 mark) or tubes of eight for £2.45 and expand to approximately 230mm x 250mm. Weighing next to nothing, we now invariably tuck one or two in a pocket during a ride to wipe away the gunk involved in a quick spot of puncture repair or chain or mech inspection. Little more to say on the subject, apart from go get some right now – just like this review, good things come in small packets. Widely available online.

 

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Extras Recovery Reviews

Rocktape

Rocktape

Rocktape is, for Cyclo’s money, far and away the best kinesiology tape available. Useful for supporting injuries in a variety of ways, Rocktape can also be used to apply compression for injuries (potentially reducing inflammation and speeding recovery) and to help fatigued and ‘pulled’ muscles repair – used sensibly it can even allow for the continuation of exercise during a recovery period.

 

We’ve tested this under numerous conditions and for treating and supporting a range of minor niggles and it plays out well right across the board, but there are a number of unique selling points to Rocktape that really raises it above the competition. For a start the huge amount of elasticity means that it can be more accurately applied and provides far better range of motion once in place, it also (crucially) stays absolutely put even under hot and sweaty conditions. Secondly not only is the width generous but because it isn’t pre-cut it can be used at lengths that best suit the injury, so everything from IT band to plantar problems can be addressed. That really brings us neatly to the third thing we love about Rocktape – the manufacturers take the time and effort to clearly and precisely spell out its uses, including a details instructional leaflet and online video guidance to help you get the best from it.

 

For bonus plus-points, and purely on the fun side of things, it is available in a wide range of colours and designs that even includes hard-as-nails looking tattoo or skull options. Aiding recovery has seldom looked so cool… Costing a little more than some of the competition (expect to pay in the region of £10 for 5m, good for around 5-10 applications to injury) but far superior than most. Well worth the extra in Cyclo’s opinion and if you don’t want to take our word for it then note: Rocktape are the official tape supplier to Team Garmin Cervelo, so now you can recover, if not quite ride, like a pro.

 

Available from www.rocktape.net

 

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Extras Reviews

Milk Skincare

Milk Skincare

A skincare product review on Cyclo? Have we gone soft? No, but out skin has, and we have three main reasons for wanting to cover this range. Firstly it’s been designed and formulated by World and Olympic champion swimmer Michael Klim specifically for men (sorry ladies) with a passion for sporting pursuits; secondly if you don’t look after your skin you’ll all end up looking like Iggy Pop on a bike; and thirdly it’s just damn good stuff.

 

A range of five components – moisturiser, body wash, face scrub, a pre-shave and scrub/cleanse wipes – built around natural marine-based ingredients (including brown seaweed and algae extracts), all five work well either together or individually. The Moisturiser includes vitamins A, B and E to aid the skin’s healing process and SPF 15+ to give a level of sun protection that never goes amiss even in the UK’s so-called summer. Like the moisturiser, the body wash has a subtle smell of rosemary and mint that stays just on the right side of masculine, whilst the 2-in-1 face scrub uses jojoba ester (chemically close to the skin’s natural oils) and walnut shell to exfoliate and clean. The pre-shave milk combines menthol for cooling with moisturising coconut oils and a peppermint gum aroma for freshness.

 

Our favourite though is the scrub and cleanse wipes which Cyclo has enjoyed packing in our post-sportive bag for a touch of luxury once all the hard work is done. Infinitely nicer than a quick dap down with a sweat-band or bandana…  Now available on the high street at Boots, the range costs from £9.95 for a pack of 25 wipes to £19.45 for 150ml for the moisturiser. Further details at www.milkskincare.com

 

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Extras Recovery Reviews

Biofreeze Gel

Biofreeze Gel

It’s a fact that the quicker an injury can be treated the better and invariably with muscle pulls, strains and aches that treatment will begin with cooling. Of course in the real world, and particularly out on the road, access to an ice-pack is limited which is where Biofreeze Gel may well comes in.

 

Although also available in larger 32 and 16oz sizes, the more pocket-friendly 4oz size is perfect for longer rides and sportives; a useful addition to any first aid kit. Alcohol-based Biofreeze uses menthol as it’s active ingredient which works (through a process know as ’gating’) by stimulating sensory receptors in the skin, thereby blocking other (pain-related) receptors and effectively tricking the brain into believing there is nothing to worry about.

 

Although nowhere near as effective, particularly longer-term, as choosing a gel or cream that contains non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – often known as NSAIDs – Cyclo certainly found that Biofreeze brought fast and effective relief to both calf pain and post ride plantar aches. The cooling effect felt relatively short lived but seems more than adequate for quenching that initial stab of pain or low-level throb. There is also something to me said for the simple curative effect of ‘rubbing in’, a massaged muscle or well thumbed tendon will respond quickly, which is why we certainly prefer the gel version to either the spray or roll-on options, although the latter works well for applying pressure on application to larger muscle groups.

 

Ice-packs and coolant bandages such as Physicool undoubtedly deliver longer-lasting results and NSAIDs will work harder for rehabilitation and in treating more serious conditions, but as a quick, easily transported fix Biofreeze Gel has much to recommend it.

 

Widely available, the 4oz (118ml) gel retails at around the £9.99 mark on the high street, but is available for £7.45 online via www.biofreeze.co.uk although shipping costs of £3.95 apply for orders up to £36 making this best as a bulk buy option.