by hattenburrow | Apr 23, 2014 | Kit Reviews, Nutrition
I have recently discovered Bounce Balls, these convenient natural energy balls come in a variety of interesting flavours packed with protein, complex carbs and the vitamins and minerals we all need to keep our bodies fuelled and raring to go. Whether your about to exercise, have just exercised or just need a pick me up there is a Bounce Ball that has got nutrition covered.
So far I have tried most of the flavours and will give a summary of each and its benefits but here are my favourites first;
The ‘Orange’ one: Almond Protein Hit.
This has become my go to snack as I leave the gym and head for the showers or after a ride as I’m washing my bike I grab a almond Bounce Ball. With 12g of protein and 100% natural ingredients this tasty mixture of whey protein and almonds (my favourite nut) is the perfect size (49g) to eat on the go. The outside is coated in crunchy almonds with a chewy centre packed with protein and carbohydrate to help you recover quickly. The ball is naturally sweet with grape juice and leaves you feeling satisfyingly full which means you wont snack on anything naughty before you have time to make a well balanced post workout meal.
The ‘Blue’ one: Coconut and Macadamia Protein Bliss.
The most indulgent of them all! This little ball tastes naughty but is packed with healthy natural ingredients. Only 9g of protein and slightly more sugar but it beats any biscuit, chocolate bar or sweet treat you might usually reach for on nutritional values so I would highly recommend putting some of these in your office draw for those days when there is plenty of cakes sitting around, instead reach for your Protein Bliss Ball and feel great for avoiding the cakes but get that sugar craving you needed! I think on a long ride these would be perfect for those moments when you feel like you need something sweet and energising I will be packing those for Ride London that is for sure.
The ‘Green’ one: Spirulina and Ginseng Defence Boost.
This ball is like nothing I have ever tasted, in a good way! The colour maybe off putting to some but never judge a good snack by its colour. This ball is a chewy mix of almonds, oats and sesame seeds, combined with the super foods spirulina and ginseng. It is the perfect snack at any time of day to boost your energy levels. This ball has plenty of anti oxidants so is great as a defence against any nasty bugs that might keep you off the top of your game.
The ‘Yellow’ one: Peanut Protein Blast.
With the most protein at 14g like the almond Bounce Ball it is a great post workout snack to help on the way to recovery. The texture is more chewy than the almond Bounce Ball. The peanut taste is delicious and I like the crunch of the nuts on the outside too.
by hattenburrow | Apr 19, 2014 | Kit Reviews, Nutrition
This high performance energy drink which comes in powered form, is mixed with water to create a sweet orange tasting drink.
The Cyto Power HP from USN has key electrolytes and 40 grams of carbohydrate to help your body refuel and sustain high intensity training.
I used the 50g servings with 500ml of water (as directed) and drank whilst out on a training ride over the course of 1 hour 45 minutes.
I found that although this product is highly sweet it is easy to drink and has a really nice orange flavour.
I didn’t, as suggested, start taking 20 – 30 minutes before my training ride but took at regular intervals during training, this seemed to work well for me.
I have been recovering from a elbow injury and this was my first proper training ride out on single track. I felt a bit nervous and didn’t eat much because of this.
Arriving at the trail I felt a bit shaky and put this down to a mixture of nerves and not eating enough I had some of the Cyto Power HP just before we started to ride. About 20 minutes into the ride I noticed that I felt more energised and focused on my riding instead of the jelly leg feeling I had, had previously.
Overall I think USN Cyto Power HP is a great training aid to refuel and energise you.
It would be good in races as long as you also carried water as I think personally I wouldn’t want to drink it continually during a race as it is rather sweet so being able to alternate between this and water on longer races would be advisable.
I will certainly be using it during Ride London this year!
Check out my other reviews here.
by hattenburrow | Apr 10, 2014 | Kit Reviews
The Trail 42 vacuum thermo flask is made from double walled stainless steel with a screw in heavy duty leak proof lid and flip up cap.
The flask is a good size (0.33L) for packing in a bag if your going out for the day to hold either hot or cold drinks. It’s lightweight design makes it easy to carry.
If you had a long day on the trails you would also need at least one water bottle as this isn’t enough fluid and you would get dehydrated. This flask is perfect to carry your mid morning tea break cuppa for on the side of a mountain or forest walk/run/ride! You can then refill the flask with more tea when you get to a pub very easily ready for the afternoon ahead.
The flask keeps drinks hot easily for two to three hours, because of its size I never had any drink left after this time to test the heat.
The flask is easy to use with a simple flip top cap which shuts firmly and has never come open in my bag, however I always have it wedges standing up right just in case, but I would do this with any flask.
The flask looks and feels like it’s made of good quality materials. The surface of the flask is hard wearing and the Trail 42 logo has survived many washes, knocks and scrapes showing the quality in design.
Overall this is a really handy flask for hot or cold drinks whether your commuting or out on the trails. The other place we have recently been where the flask showed its handiness is on holiday it’s the right size for your pre flight tea then on the other side of customs you can simply fill it up for the perfect tea on the plane i.e one not it a plastic cup that cost £3.60!
by hattenburrow | Apr 6, 2014 | Kit Reviews
Unwrapping another product from Giant I was excited about trying my new Jersey. Being a girl clothes are always welcome and from past experience when they come from Giant there going to be practical, stylish and comfortable.
My new red and black women’s fit Giant/Liv jersey did not disappoint.
It fits well with a good half zip which is low enough to ventilate but not too revealing. The back is longer than the front to give more protection from spray and mud from the back wheel and to stop the jersey riding up this is a real bonus, it could do with a silicon insert to keep the jersey from riding up at the back.
The red and black is a great combination and great for mountain biking as it’s a rather muddy sport sometimes especially in the UK and the dark colours wash well and hide the dirt! It also washes really well and keeps it’s colour.
On the back there are three small pockets handy for gloves, inner tubes and a snack. A good addition would of been good to have a small zipped pocket for car keys or mobile phone as these are the two things I’m always paranoid about loosing, not being in a zipped pocket I spend a a lot of time reaching round with one hand to check they are still there after each bit of single track instead of concentrating on my ride.
The high vis strip across the top of the pockets is a good idea and a nice touch.
The jersey wicks away the sweat from your skin quickly and stays dry. The fit is snug without being too tight I have warn it with a base layer underneath and it works really well as the sleeves and body still have room to manoeuvre and steer without restriction.
I have really enjoyed my Giant/Liv jersey and would recommend them to any female cyclists whether your passion is on or off road Giant provide a great stylish product that is comfortable to wear and easy to look after.
Check out my other reviews here
by hattenburrow | Mar 30, 2014 | Kit Reviews
One Life iD is a functional, affordable and aesthetically simple identification bracelet. The bracelet incorporates a silicon strap in a variety of different colours which is easily cut to wrist size and then secured with a stainless steel clasp.
The stainless steel tag is engraved with a unique QR Code, webpage link (URL) and PIN to allow access to the user’s online OneLife iD profile and emergency details to be shown if they are in need of help.
Each bracelet is linked to your online One Life profile which has information like your ICE (in case of emergency) numbers and any allergies you may have. The bracelet is similar to that of a medic alert bracelet but with a dash more style!
The bracelets durable materials are tough wearing which is great for an active lifestyle you can put this bracelet on and feel safe in the knowledge that should something happen to you, your emergency contact details are a click away for any one to access.
However recently I went snowboarding and found out that with wrist guards on you cannot wear the bracelet something I hadn’t thought about. Looking at the One Life iD product range this is easily solved by buying the necklace version.
One Life iD for me is all about peace of mind when I am training. Being a cyclist I often train alone either out in the woods or on long country roads so knowing that my emergency contact details are on my wrist puts my mind at ease and allows me to train hard without worrying about getting into trouble. Don’t get me wrong I don’t feel invincible, this is no magic bracelet and I am still cautious when training alone but it gives a certain peace of mind which helps me to concentrate on training.
As well as ID, One Life do a range of tags which can be attached to kit in case it’s lost, these are great and I attached them to everything, the durable plastic makes then mud, water and oil proof! As a cross country mountain biker my kit gets doused in everything the elements throw at it so knowing I have tough durable tags labelling it as mine is great in case I ever miss place something.
Carrying an ID bracelet with contact details if you are into outdoor sports is a really good idea especially if you are doing sports where the risk factor is higher. I would recommend One Life iD to anyone who is looking to take part in outdoor sports.
Happy Adventuring!
by hattenburrow | Mar 29, 2014 | Kit Reviews, Nutrition
I was sceptical when I got my Zip Vit ZV9 protein bar, I liked the idea of chocolate orange, who wouldn’t, but after trying many flavour protein bars the overwhelming taste in all was the protein and the consistency was also chewy and thick.
The ZipVit ZV9 bar was a totally new sensation, the taste was chocolate with a zingy orange tone with no hint of protein taste. The most important factor after how it tastes was the consistency unlike over chewy, dry bars this one was smooth and almost moist.
It was easy to eat the whole bar and when I arrived home I felt satisfied but not bloated and able to eat dinner.
The Zip Vit ZV9 bar has 20g of high quality protein (milk & whey) alongside 25g of easily digestible carbohydrates and a blend of vitamins and antioxidants to help protect against harmful free radicals.
The ZipVit ZV9 is a great grab and go protein source the silver foil keeps the bar in tact in warm weather and although it crumbled in the packet slightly it was easy to eat whilst stretching.
During a race i would still find this difficult to chew, however during a sportive or training ride it would be easy to eat whilst riding.
