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Apparel Reviews

Odlo SwissPower Jersey

Odlo SwissPower Jersey

ODLO Scott SwissPower Jersey reviewFounded in the mid-1940s by the brilliantly monikered Odd Roar Lofterød, whose motto was ‘always make sure you’re one step ahead’, Odlo know a thing or two about producing technical apparel. With a solid reputation for innovative design and production the Odlo SwissPower jersey landed on Cyclo’s desk with a bundle of high expectations.

 

A stand-up collar jersey with full-length zip for that bare chest ventilated look, the top, though obviously suitable for road riding, bares the busy design of the Scott-SwissPower mountian bike and cyclocross team. For more than a decade, the Swisspower development team has worked with Switzerland’s up-and-coming mountain bike riders and, under the guidance of Thomas Frischknecht and Andi Seeli, yhey have won seven world championship titles, 10 European titles and a host of other MTB accolades. Naturally owning the jersey won’t, in itself, make you ride like a champion, but stylish looks and robust construction make for an excellent start.

 

Technically brilliant it wicks sweat well and sits incredibly comfortably with rubberised taped seams at the rear waist to ensure it doesn’t ride up when you ride out. Three pretty generous back pockets for a wealth of power bars and gels could be improved only slightly by the addition perhaps of a zipped valuables pocket, the lack of which is probably testament to the fact that it was designed for a team unlikely to need such niceties.

 

If you’re in the market for a great quality warmer weather jersey that’s relatively gentle on the wallet (online prices from around the £50 mark) and you like the fully-logoed look, then the ODLO SwissPower is hard to beat. Perhaps take a leaf out of Lofterød’s book and make sure you’re ‘…one step ahead’.

 

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Apparel Reviews

Altura Night Vision Windproof Jacket

Altura Night Vision Windproof Jacket

Altura Nightvision Windproof Jacket ReviewThe shortest of mid-winter days and gloomiest of conditions have given Cyclo the perfect opportunity to test out the new Altura Night Vision Windproof Jacket; we found we liked it. A lot…

 

For starters, although headline advertised as windproof (and it certainly is) there is also an incredible degree to which the Night Vision shakes off water; more than once, caught out on rain, it has shrugged off water without a care and left us dry and somewhat relieved. The water repellent panels to front, shoulder and sleeve did a better job of keeping out the elements than other jackets promoted specifically as waterproof. The stretch fabric moves beautifully on the ride, hugging the body without ever feeling restrictive and the cuffs, waist and neck closures are likewise snug without pinching or even, hardly, making their presence known. For extra comfort and warmth the collar and inner back and sleeves are thermal lined in a soft flock fabric.

 

However, there were two things that particularly made the Night Vision (forgive the pun) stand out for us. Firstly the incredibly generous rear pockets – two large, open ones and a small, zipped secure pocket for keys and valuables – which however much we stuffed them full of gels, bars, gloves and the like never bagged and seemed to continue consuming things like some bike-based magic act.

 

Secondly – and here the clue is very much in the name – the level of visibility is superb. Reflective panels and details across all parts of the jacket will have you glowing like Tron in headlights and if you opt for the eye-strainingly bright orange colour (black also available) it’s likely you could be spotted from space.

 

The spec on this jacket is admirable indeed and its ability to perform across seasons (autumn rides were a temperature-regulated pleasure) make the already reasonable £69.99 price tag something of a bargain. Available in seven sizes from XS to XXL (34-51” chest) the Altura Night Vision Windproof Jacket is available from, amongst others, wiggle.co.uk

 

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Extras Reviews

The Hornit

The Hornit

The Hornit 140dB cycling alarm loudest on marketSeldom, if ever, has a product divided Cyclo quite so much as The Hornit. At dB140 it is the loudest cycle horn on the market; the developer (an ex-lawyer) set to work on the unit after five years of commuting by bike through London traffic and is at pains to point out that it is for use in emergency situations only rather than day-to-day use or as a replacement for the humble bell.

 

The unit comes in two parts, the main horn unit, which houses the two AAA batteries used to power its mega-blast, and the rubberised trigger, which connects to it via a short lead.

 

In an emergency, yes we can see some value here.  According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) 80% of cycle accidents occur in daylight and 75% occur at, or near, a road junction; having something like The Hornit at hand (or more accurately at finger) could give cycling commuters the edge when it comes to such situations. The temptation though would be to use the horn in non-emergency situations, when dB140 would be nothing short of a rude slanging match. dB140, let’s be clear, is the loudest recommended for exposure to with hearing protection and even short term exposure can cause permanent damage to hearing. Granted exposure isn’t going to be anything but short, but this is still equivalent to the noise a jet engine would make at less than 100foot.

 

This is probably a true Marmite product and if you want to add a dash of reassurance to your commuter bike (you’re unlikely to fit it to your 5k carbon beast) and think you can resist the temptation of just scaring the hell out of wayward pedestrians, then The Hornit may be for you. We can’t help thinking that even the name sounds aggressive (and as it comes from the less than tactile-sounding Bullet Ventures Ltd, they aren’t doing themselves any favours), and one last thing to consider: the connector on the lead going into the main horn unit is incredibly prone to simply falling out – it jumped out three times on test rides with Cyclo – so the unit may not even be there for you to rely on just when you need it most.

 

The Hornit costs £34.99, further details and online purchase at thehornit.com

 

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Featured Reviews

Orbana Healthy Energy

Orbana healthy energy drink review

Orbana healthy energy drink review

There has been a noticeable buzz around Orbana Healthy Energy drink over the last few months. Here at Cyclo we can’t quite remember when it first started creeping into our collective consciousness, but one thing is clear: it’s becoming hard to ignore this new kid on the block – time we tried it out and delivered our verdict.

 

First to note: Orbana comes powdered in either individual-serving 50g sachets or 800g tubs which, those of you quick on the maths will know, delivers 16 servings. Powdered versus pre-mixed drinks is always down to individual preference, but the Orbana option arguably helps prolong shelf life – and eliminates artificial preservatives – whilst also allowing you to mix to whatever dilution suits (250ml is the base recommendation). Whatever your taste, it mixes effortlessly with only a few shakes of the bottle for a lump-free drink that, whilst advertised as being ‘orange, lemon and pineapple’, is probably better described as ‘generic sport fruit flavour’. Not to say it tastes bad, it doesn’t – although there is a slight tang about it.

 

Okay, so easily mixed and perfectly palatable means that Orbana clears the first couple of criteria jumps. How does it stack up beneath the bonnet?

 

The approach to energy delivery is certainly to be admired; the 185kcal provided by each packet is split between low and high GI carbohydrates, meaning the release of energy is staged rather than being ‘dumped’ into the body, thus avoiding spikes in performance, followed by those dreaded ‘sugar crashes’. To achieve this Orbana delivers 36% of its energy via high GI ‘simple sugars’ (a blend of dextrose and fructose) to give an initial power kick; backed up by the remaining 64% coming from the much lower GI starch-based maltodextrin for more sustained energy. Depending on the intensity of exercise, Cyclo would reckon on getting a good 60-90minutes out of a single sachet.

 

Orbana also throws in antioxidants in the form of vitamins C and E (200% and 25% of your RDA respectively), in addition to various amino acids – including muscle-strengthening creatine – and a range of B vitamins for energy conversion.

 

Maintaining a good balance of minerals and electrolytes (often simply referred to as ‘body salts’), which are otherwise lost through the sweat process, is critical to exercise performance; drops in sodium, zinc and potassium can quickly lead to cramps and fatigued muscles if not kept in check. Orbana measures up well against standard hydration drinks and bests a number of regular sports drinks in this department; We certainly found it a bonus not to have to consider a separate hydration salts strategy on the bike – although in extreme conditions it would probably still be wise to have one.

 

In test (three cyclists, two rides each, since you ask…) we found energy levels stable, without jags or noticeable lows, enjoyed the taste – certainly enough find it easy to consume – and appreciated not having to top up with hydration tabs. It seems that the hype around Orbana could well be justified but if you want to make up your own mind we have free sachets to give away to the first 100 readers who follow the link below.

 

Orbana retails at: 6x50g sachets £12.96, 16x50g sachets £34.56 or 800g tub (16 servings) £30.00 – full details and online purchase at orbana.co.uk

 

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Featured Features Reviews

Cyclo: Best Books

The popularity of cycling in Great Britain is at an all-time high and if you’re looking for some supporting evidence for that, then the heaving bookshop shelves tell the tale more than adequately. If you’re also looking for a stocking-filler for your cycling-loving loved one or just need a good read to distract you from that winter ride that you’d rather put off, then Cyclo brings you our rundown of the very best cycling books. We’ve mixed and matched some brand-new titles with some perennial favourites and oft overlooked hidden treasures. Enjoy…

 

My Time – Bradley Wiggins Book Review Top Cycling BooksMy Time – Bradley Wiggins

 

It has, of course been the year of Wiggo, so no better place to start than with the great man’s autobiography, My Time. Proving he can deliver more than 140-character tweets (although largely ‘ghosted’ by cycling journalist William Fotheringham), Wiggins’ renowned dry wit, level-headedness and downright frankness shines through here and whilst his previous book In Pursuit of Glory felt slightly thin on the ground – in part perhaps because it came pre-national treasure status – My Time packs the full punch. Published by Yellow Jersey, ISBN-10: 022409212X, RRP £20.00, Amazon £9.00

 

Bradley Wiggins: Tour de Force by John Deering - Team Sky Book Review Top Cycling BooksBradley Wiggins: Tour de Force – John Deering 

 

Naturally no shortage of other books available on Wiggo too as the clammer and crush for a little vicarious success infects all-known journalists. But best amongst them is, in Cyclo’s opinion, Tour de Force by John Deering who, as a regular contributor to Eurosport’s cycling coverage, Procycling and The Official Tour de France Guide, certainly knows his (French) onions. Intertwining biographical detail with a pretty much day-by-day account of the 2012 Tour, Deering’s book works brilliantly for those wanting to learn more about the intricacies of team tactics in general and Team Sky in particular. Read the full Cyclo review here. Published by Birlinn Ltd, ISBN-10: 1780271034, RRP £12.99, Amazon £9.09

 

The Flying Scotsman – Graeme Obree Book Review Best Cycling BooksThe Flying Scotsman – Graeme Obree

 

First published back in 2004, Graeme Obree’s autobiography has lost none of its considerable clout with the kind of candidness that often leaves you open-mouthed. Like all great sports biographies/autobiographies the lesson learned is that from terrible beginnings (and, on occasions, presences) great things can still be achieved. Sir Chris Hoy calls Obree ‘a true inspiration’ (and provides the book’s foreword) and it’s almost impossible to disagree. This is a book that deserves to be better known and wider read – we can’t recommend it highly enough. Published by Birlinn Ltd, ISBN-10: 1841583359, RRP £8.99, Amazon £7.99

  

French Revolutions: Cycling the Tour de France – Tim Moore Book Review Top Cycling BooksFrench Revolutions: Cycling the Tour de France – Tim Moore

 

Very much on the lighter side of things Moore takes the everyman approach to tackling the toughest ride in the world. As a self-confessed slouch Moore takes to the roads and, indeed, the mountains to test himself against everything that’s thrown at him – his trademark humour and observational wit carries the book and, whilst you may not learn anything particularly new – it at least proves that, once in a while, the hackneyed phrase ‘laugh-out-loud book’ can be more than appropriate. Published by Vintage, ISBN-10: 0099433826, RRP £8.99, Amazon £6.75

 


Between the Lines – Victoria Pendleton and Donald McRae Book Review Best Cycling BooksBetween the Lines – Victoria Pendleton and Donald McRae

 

Having just retired from what has often, rightly, been called a glittering career it’s no surprise to find Victoria Pendleton autobiography on the shelves. In fact much of the donkey-work writing duty has fallen to McRae, but as the double-winner of the William Hill award (for Dark Trade and In Black & White) that’s perhaps no bad thing and Pendleton’s story is both engaging and, at times, enlightening. There is turmoil here to be sure, along with a good dash of raw emotion, but the real target audience is those who have followed her career and admire her brilliance rather than those out for revelations or true insight. Published by HarperSport, ISBN-10: 0007327528, RRP £20.00, Amazon £9.99

 

It’s Not About the Bike – Lance Armstrong Book Review Best Cycling BooksIt’s Not About the Bike – Lance Armstrong

 

Really? Hell Yes! Okay so we now know that rather than being the greatest ever Tour de France champion Armstrong was, in fact, the greatest ever Tour de France cheat, but revisiting the book with that in mind brings an excellent new dimension, not to mention sense of irony with regards to the title. Whatever Armstrong did wrong (and it would appear to be legion), there is no taking away from him the fight he undertook against the cancer that ravaged his body. In light of recent revelations this book may no longer be held in such high regard, but if you haven’t read it already now would seem a good time… Published by Yellow Jersey, ISBN-10: 0224060872, RRP £8.99, Amazon £6.29

 

Racing Through the Dark – David Millar Book Review Best Cycling BooksRacing Through the Dark – David Millar

 

And on the subject of doping… Millar pretty much begins his tale of rise and fall and rise  again with the lines: ‘My name is David Millar. I am a professional cyclist, an Olympic athlete, a Tour de France star, a world champion – and a drugs cheat.’ A powerful start and so in continues, with one of the most painful (and painfully honest) accounts of the pressures of professional cycling ever put to paper. Don’t dismiss this book as an exercise in self-flagellation; no doubt it was part of Millar’s redemptive process, but his honesty to improve and fight the good fight burns on every page. Read the full Cyclo review here. Published by Orion, ISBN-10: 1409120384, RRP £8.99, Amazon £6.29

 

Road to Valour – Aili and Andres McConnon Book Review Best Cycling BooksRoad to Valour – Aili and Andres McConnon

 

Or to give it its staggeringly long full title ‘Road to Valour: Gino Bartali: Tour de France Legend and Italy’s Secret World War Two Hero’. The McConnons may be guilty of overly breathy narrative prose, but Bartali’s story of rise from rural poverty to multiple wins at the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France pretty much warrants it, especially when considering his sideline as WWII Italian Resistance hero. This is real ‘boy’s own’ stuff, likely to appeal as much to non-cyclists and cyclists. A thriller wrapped up in a sports biography… Read the full Cyclo review here. Published by W&N, ISBN-10: 0297859994, RRP £20.00, Amazon £13.50

 

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Reviews Tech

AfterShokz Sportz 2 Headphones

AfterShokz Sportz 2 Headphones

AfterShokz Sportz 2 Bone Conduction Headphones - cycling safetyWhere do you stand on the issue of listening to music whilst cycling? It’s a divisive subject, one that splits riders almost as equally as the great helmet debate, but what is certain is that if you do want to while away those saddle-hours to thumping tunes (or some Kenny G) then you’ll be a whole heap safer using AfterShokz Sportz 2 headphones.

 

The reason for this is simple: rather than plugging into (and therefore blocking) you ears, AfterShokz use bone conduction technology – the kind used by ‘special forces ops’ apparently – to deliver sound through the cheekbones to the inner ear, leaving the way clear for riders to hear traffic and other crucial audio cues. Held in place by a rigid, but perfectly comfortable headband, the buds sit just in front of the ears and the quality and clarity of sound is remarkably good – slightly on the tinny side, but then no one is arguing that the bike is the perfect spot of picking up every nuance of your favourite tracks.

 

The new Mark 2 model features an impressive 21 improvements over the earlier device, itself already pretty damn good, and several of these are immediately apparent. Sleeker (and blacker) than its predecessors, with a reflective safety strip thrown in for good measure, the aesthetic improvements continue through to the in-line controller, which is now smaller and far less of an ugly box.

 

Love them or hate them, the in-line controller is something of a necessity as the tech requires its own power to deliver the bone conduction sound and it houses, along with the obvious volume controls, the rechargeable lithium ion battery that facilitates this. Powered-up via micro-USB (another improvement over the original fiddly arrangement), the battery promises up to 12 hours of playback from a three hour charge – this can vary, we found, depending on the level of volume used.

 

Under test Cyclo found the AfterShokz to be undeniably comfortable (weighing in at around 45g) and, perhaps more importantly, stayed absolutely put even with some (unintentional, don’t ask…) off-road action that rattled the bones, but left the music still serving as a soundtrack to our misfortunes. Being able to still hear and react to ambient sound whilst enjoying music on the ride was a true revelation and has gone a long way towards changing our minds about the possible distraction of ride play-lists. If you like music on the move then the AfterShokz Sportz 2 are an essential bit of kit.

 

Priced at 49.96 (ex VAT) – further information and online purchase at aftershokz.co.uk

 

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Reviews Tech

ithlete for Heart Rate Variability

iThlete Heart Rate

ithlete heart rate variability app and heart rate monitor chest strapHeart Rate Variability (or simply HRV) can be a key indicator of fitness. Daily measurements taken, crucially, at the same time each morning can be charted in order to build up a picture of the overall ebb and flow of training stress on the body and, through analysis, work as an early indicator of when ‘enough is enough’. Anyone taking training seriously is well advised to listen to the heart and plotting the HRV should be at the top of the list when it comes to determining over-training limits and planning rest days or periods. Enter – at least for true tech lovers – the ithlete for Heart Rate Variability, a small ECG receiver that plugs into Apple and Android phones/tablets and picks up the signal from compatible heart rate straps. In turn this is analysed and charted by the ithlete app, which keeps a running record of the HRV and displays the results in colour-coded form.

 

The principle is excellent and the thlete receiver is dinky and reliable, but the app (a separate purchase at £6.99) lets the process down somewhat by being graphically clunky and limited in both function and flexibility. To expand first on the aesthetics: the design of the graphic interface is either deliberately retro or just simply ugly and whilst looks alone may not be that important it also has an impact on functionality with both the chart and list being difficult to comprehend (who uses the dating system ‘2012-10-08’? That’s almost exactly the reverse of what we need to know…)

 

At its simplest – and the ithlete app doesn’t go much beyond ‘simplest’ – things work just fine. Strap up, wait for the signal (an impressively fast connect), hit ‘start’ and breath slowly in and out in time with the (ugly) graphic for one minute; then save the result. The app displays both that day’s heart rate and the HRV value – the higher the better – in list form or on a chart along with a daily, weekly and monthly change values. Depending on results either a blue/green, orange or red indication will be given suggesting that normal or lighter training be considered or that a rest day is in order.

 

Unfortunately the app doesn’t really allow for any user annotation beyond adding an optional ‘training load score’ (you can make up your own system, 1-10 for effort for example, but can’t mix and match.) Repeatedly we found ourselves wanting to add some detailed notes to a day’s results; to record the fact that a heavy road session had been followed by a lack of sleep or that jetlag was almost certainly a factor – but whilst any online training log worth its salt easily accommodates this, the ithlete app doesn’t. A widely missed opportunity, especially as the ithlete’s own manual lists everything from work-related stress to dehydration and diet being contributory factors.

 

HRV is a crucial tool for anyone looking to improve their overall performance (and downright essential for those who love to crunch every available number) and the ithlete is a brilliantly simply way of collecting the data. A shame this is let down buy an app that really needs to be thoroughly updated in order to deliver real user satisfaction. Certainly the pros outweigh the cons, but a reworked and much more user-friendly app (one that also includes the ability to record HR during exercise – currently a separate app of another £6.99) is needed to help propel the ithlete into the realms of the indispensible.

 

ithlete ECG receiver £39.99, or bought in combination with the Cardiosport HR chest strap £59.99 – chest strap available separately at £29.99 and ithlete app retails at £6.99.

 

Further details and online purchase via myithlete.com

 

Note: v2 of the app allows fuller notation on each record made, along with a sleep quality score of 1-5.

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Books Featured Reviews

Bradley Wiggins: Tour de Force

Bradley Wiggins Tour de Force

Bradley Wiggins: Tour de Force by John Deering - Team SkyHard to move without bumping into another book on Bradley Wiggins – his autobiography, My Time, is out, as is an update of his In Pursuit of Glory, and the official Team Sky’s 21 Days to Glory. Then there are the books Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe, Press Association Sports, et al. Britain’s first ever Tour de France winner and Olympic hero is certainly proving a gift to publishers… We have to assume the collective noun for these is ‘a peloton’ and amongst this bunch we find Bradley Wiggins: Tour de Force by John Deering, a regular contributor to Eurosport’s cycling coverage, Procycling and The Official Tour de France Guide. The fact that Deering has arguably nabbed the best title for his book reveals something of the tabloid headline nature of his book, but where it succeeds is in perfectly balancing biographic history with a virtual day-by-day account of Wiggins’ 2012 Tour de France battle, thus splicing together several of the other viral titles available.

 

Deering pulls off his trick by alternating chapters between breathless present tense details of the TdF with stories of Wiggins’ childhood and rise through the ranks. Whilst the latter is really better detailed in Wiggins’ own books and words, Deering’s blow-by-blow of the Tour is both evocative and perfect for those looking to learn more about the machinations of team tactics and minutiae of life on the road. If you can forgive the tabloidisms (‘He kisses the podium girls with the relaxed confidence of a former lover’) then Tour de Force is a rewarding read that ranks amongst the best on its subject.

 

Bradley Wiggins: Tour de Force by John Deering is published by Birlinn Ltd, £12.99 RRP paperback (ISBN-10: 1780271034) and £8.15 Kindle Edition. Available from Amazon.co.uk