by helenelisabethredding | Feb 7, 2020 | Kit Reviews
Whether your bike is your pride and joy, or just a cheap commuter to get you to work and back, it will always be a disaster if it gets stolen. Bikes are seen as easy money to thieves, with over 400,000 bikes stolen every year, or stripped of their components.
There is no such thing as a completely unbreakable lock, the good news is that there are many products available that will go a long way to deter thieves, and make your bike near theft proof. Here are some tips from mountain bike coaching experts.
Of course the obvious place to start is with buying a proper bike lock. There are so many different locks available, so it’s important to know that not all bikes locks are created equal. The price can be a good indicator of the quality of a bike lock. There are bargains to be found, but increased cost will bring increased security. Buy the best lock you can afford.
U-locks, or D-locks, made out of hardened steel are great options for reliable primary locks. There are innovations in smart locks now, that feature such technology as key-less Bluetooth locking mechanisms, alarms, motion detectors, and GPS tracking.
It’s important to consider where and how to lock your bike. Locking your bike to a solid object, such as a dedicated bike rack or immovable street furniture like a sturdy bench or railing is generally going to be the safest option.
In addition to making your bike more secure, the more time and effort seemingly required to steal your bicycle will often prevent theft. Combining a secure U-lock to secure the frame with a sturdy chain or reinforced cable lock for the wheels is a popular option and enough to deter opportunistic thieves, leaving them searching for an easier target.
Don’t forget to enjoy your bike, and get out and have fun. If you’re thinking about wanting to use it more, and looking for mountain bike coaching in the UK, then get in touch.
Concerned about bike security? Insure your mountain bike through our partner BIKMO and get 10% off
by hattenburrow | Feb 20, 2017 | Film & Photo, Kit Reviews
Last weekend I had the pleasure of working with Grip Grab on the promotional videos and photography for their up and coming women’s range. This progressive company has been listening to customer feedback and decided to produce an exclusive women’s range designed specifically for female riders.
The new women’s range has been developed to work seamlessly with existing cycling kits, the colours they have chose turquoise and purple/pink compliment many existing women’s kits, however if you fancy being totally matched then their new women’s kit is an appealing choice.
The new women’s kit includes matching shoe covers, gloves, headbands and cycling caps all designed using the highest quality materials with performance and comfort at the core of each product.
Here are some of the pictures from the shoot.
Photo by Martin Paldan | GripGrab Media Crew
Photo by Martin Paldan | GripGrab Media Crew
Photo by Martin Paldan | GripGrab Media Crew
by hattenburrow | Oct 10, 2016 | Kit Reviews, Nutrition
The Power Bar natural energy cereal is one of the samples I had through being a Power Bar product tester.
I have been really impressed with the products I have tasted and this is no exception!
During my 3 hour training ride I used this as an energy snack. The session was mid to high intensity and I found I had to slow down to eat this bar. However the taste was brilliant a mixture of wholegrain oats, fruit pieces, pumpkin seeds and peanuts. It was the right balance of flavours and the mix sweet and savoury.
The texture was like a normal cereal bar and it was easy to chew when riding at a steady pace.
I found later during my ride that my energy levels had been maintained and I did not get a sugar rush or a low which was great. On long rides you want your fuelling to maintain your energy levels for the duration of your workout without major changes in your energy levels.
Nutritional Information:
| Nutrition Information |
per 100g |
per bar (40 g) |
| Energy kJ (kcal) |
1549 (367) |
620 (147) |
| Fat |
7,2 g |
2,9 g |
| of which saturates |
2,6 g |
1,0 g |
| Carbohydrate |
65 g |
26 g |
| of which sugars |
22 g |
9,0 g |
| Fibre |
5,8 g |
2,3 g |
| Protein |
7,2 g |
2,9 g |
| Salt |
0,33 g |
0,13 g |
|
|
|
| Magnesium |
180 mg |
72,0 mg |
|
(48%**) |
(19%**) |
I would recommend this bar for a pre-training snack and on long steady training rides its great to have as a crunchy snack.
by hattenburrow | Sep 13, 2016 | Film & Photo, Kit Reviews
Earlier in the year I took part in the Trans Alp bike race. For the race I rode the Specialized ERA Comp. The brain technology in the shock made for a super comfortable ride without loosing power going up hill. The Era is a brilliant bike for long distance mountain biking because the full suspension allows the bike to keep excellent traction and provides a comfortable ride, whilst the 9mm FACT carbon frame is light and means that the bike is agile. The rear shock uses’ Fox/Specialized Brain technology which means the bike understands and adapts to the ground underneath it, it knows if the shock is coming from the terrain or from me and adjusts itself accordingly. Pretty cool stuff!
Thanks to MA-Aerial Worx for the video!
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by hattenburrow | Jun 8, 2016 | Kit Reviews
Flying with a bike
It’s roughly a month until the Trans Alp, I am currently in the air (well I was on Saturday its now Wednesday!) flying to Spain on a much needed break with my family. However due to the proximity of the Alps race and the brilliant opportunity to ride some big hills I couldn’t resist bringing my bike along for the ride!
I contacted Box My Wheels who kindly leant me a bike box to keep my specialized Era safe during transport.
The bike box Alan is a big box with special wheel segments and an anti-crush bar. As my wheels are bolt thru skewers they haven’t fitted in the holes as they should, but with some careful arrangement it has all gone in!
It’s pretty simple to get the bike in you need to remove your handle bars, to do this you need to loosen the headset with an Alan key. I have also taken my forks out as this meant it fitted in further away from the edges of the boxes which made me feel more confident in its safe arrival. If you’re going to do this remember which order your spacers go in and store them securely on you forks by refitting the headset cap. Remember the bits with ball bearings in need handling carefully!
I had to take the rear hanger off which was a simple Alan key bolt I then wrapped this in bubble wrap.
As my wheels don’t fit in the proper wheel holds I have taken my rotors off and wrapped them in bubble wrap too.
Once the frame is in pieces you simply fit it into the box securing with Velcro straps, in the spaces I’ve secured my seat post, a pair of shoes and some inner tubes in the space remaining.
The frame is separated from the wheels by a large sheet of foam. I have also added a blanket for added protection.
Once your wheels are in and the anti-crush bar the box closes securely and once stood up has very handy wheels. Although, a bit like a shopping trolley, these sometimes have a mind of their own!
My top tips for flying with your bike:
- Hire a bike box from Box My Wheels around £60 a week
- Get a decent alan key set to make dismantling easier
- Get some Loctite 222 to put on your rotor bolts
- Take photos of things like the headset before you undo them so you know exactly where to replace them
- Put some tape round your seat post before you take it out so you know where it goes in
- Get bike insurance
I hope you enjoyed my post, see you in a week!
by hattenburrow | Feb 27, 2016 | Kit Reviews
Here is my latest product review for Grip Grab this time it’s the high vis arm and leg warmers. Not only are these super comfy and warm in the winter but they also serve a safety purpose making you more visible on the roads and trails.
As a cyclist who trains mostly in the early hours of the morning on quiet country back roads I feel it’s important to make myself stand out to drivers as much as possible.
The arm and leg warmers have a warm fleecy lining for those cold morning rides, the breath ability of the fabric means you don’t get hot and sticky when your body starts to warm up which is great.
The silicon gripper at the top of the leg/arm keeps them securely in place even on the busiest of trails.
My arms and legs are both mediums, the legs are a little long on me (5ft5) but this isn’t really an issue the arms are also a little tighter in my upper arm than I would normally like when you first put them on, after a little while riding I forgot about this and I don’t feel it affects the function of the arm warmer, it still keeps my arms toasty!
