Review: Maloja Women’s SilsM sleeveless jersey

VERDICT: An attractive, comfortable and nicely fitting summer jersey that’s almost good enough to wear as a ‘normal’ top

The cut and pattern are nicely feminine without
being pink.

I bought this top in an attempt to even out my cyclist tan lines. Being out on the bike so much during summer inevitably means getting a tan, and my short-sleeved jerseys meant I had a very defined tan/white line across the tops of my arms.

Most sleeveless or strappy cycling jerseys seem to have integral bras, which are no good for me. Anything that fits around the waist is way too small in the bra area, while if the bra fits the top will be hugely baggy everywhere else. Also, I have really good sports bras, so why would I want a top with an integral bra that simply won’t offer the same support?

A trawl through all of Wiggle’s short-sleeved women’s jerseys turned up just a couple that were both sleeveless and didn’t have internal support. Maloja’s SilsM jersey was one. I instantly liked the design: very pretty without being at all pink. I like pink, a lot, but I don’t want everything I wear to be that colour. At £54 it’s a bit more costly than I usually pay, but I really did like it so decided to treat myself (although as of today, 30 July, it’s in Wiggle’s sale for just £42.66).

The fit is more relaxed than my usual race look, but that’s probably a good thing in the heat and no doubt contributed to what is a very comfortable to wear top

I tested the jersey on a 30-mile ride through the Essex countryside on a hot and sunny day. The fit is more relaxed than my usual race look, but that’s probably a good thing in the heat and no doubt contributed to what is a very comfortable to wear top. Moisture wicking was pretty efficient and even after a few uses in the sun there was no telltale sweaty aroma. The manmade fabric is light and smooth against the skin.

There are two generously sized pockets, but no zipped pocket for valuables. I tend to use a saddlebag for keys and cash so this isn’t a problem for me, but it’s something of an oversight that could be easily remedied. There’s also no zip on the front so it can’t be adjusted for extra airflow, and there are only two, rather dark, colour options. But these really are the only criticisms I can make. On the whole, this is a nice looking, well fitting and comfortable jersey from which I expect to get lots of miles. I’ll certainly be buying more Maloja clothing in the future.

Not a great photo, but kind of shows what it looks like on.

Review: dhb Flashlight arm warmers

VERDICT: A useful piece of kit that does the job – just be careful with sizing

What’s the point of arm warmers, I thought to myself. Just wear a long-sleeved top. Then April arrived with its chilly mornings and much milder evenings, and suddenly I understood.

I commute by bike at least four days a week and this means bringing in a day’s clothes, food, spare inner tube, mini pump and other bits and pieces. April’s spring weather meant that mornings were still cool enough to require covering up, but the evenings were much warmer and sunnier and I wanted bare arms.

They do exactly what they were intended, keeping my arms warm and covered in the chilly mornings but small and light enough to roll up and put in my rucksack on the way home

I took to bringing in a short-sleeved top for the evening and a long-sleeved one for morning. Adding yet more gear to everything I already need wasn’t ideal. It took a full week of doing this but eventually the penny dropped: this is why people buy arm warmers.

So I invested in the dhb Flashlights. I’ve got various items from the Flashlight range (a long-sleeved jersey, full-length tights, quarter-length unpadded tights and quarter-length padded tights) because I like being seen at night.

The arm warmers work much as you might expect: a tube of stretchy material that you pull on up to your upper arms and under your T-shirt sleeves. There are rubber grippers at both ends to keep the product in place. These are advertised as black, but I would describe them as a very dark slate grey. The Flashlight logo is emblazoned on the lower arm.

They do exactly what they were intended, keeping my arms warm and covered in the chilly mornings but small and light enough to roll up and put in my rucksack on the way home. They’re actually small enough to stuff in my jersey pockets, so if temperatures do rise while I’m wearing them I won’t even even have to go in my bag.

Arm warmer selfie

Length-wise they’re perfect – just long enough to stretch over my gloves and so keep the cold air off my hands and wrists. However, despite me carefully measuring the tops of my arms and concluding I needed a medium, the arm warmers are too loose around the top, so they tend to slide down when I’m riding. This is annoying and definitely lessens the product’s usefulness.

• NB: since writing this I’ve invested in a pair of small arm warmers and they fit perfectly.

Tech spec
• Sizes: small, medium, large (medium tested) • Length: 45.5cm • Colour: black • RRP: £16.99 • Available from Wiggle • I bought this product •

Review: Yoga for Cyclists by Lexie Williamson

VERDICT: a useful, easy-to-read book that should help any cyclist remain fit and flexible; this practical training manual is a great addition to your cycling bookshelf

I’ve put in quite a few miles on the bike by now, and a few weeks ago I started to develop a bit of a niggle in my upper thighs. Not the horrible, sharp pain of a damaged muscle, more the dull ache of an over-used one. To fix this, I turned to yoga, and this book.

As a British Wheel of Yoga and Yoga Sports Science qualified instructor, author Lexie Williamson knows her stuff, and she’s also talked to several experts in the world of sports training. Yoga is fast becoming a powerful weapon in the trainer’s arsenal, improving flexibility, core strength, balance, breathing efficiency and mental focus. Lexie explains how the unnatural slouched posture and repetitive nature of riding takes its toll on the body – hence my aching leg muscles.

Yoga is fast becoming a powerful weapon in the trainer’s arsenal, improving flexibility, core strength, balance, breathing efficiency and mental focus

The book is split into sections covering such topics as why yoga is so good for cyclists, breathing and the all-important stretches. This last is split into legs, arms and wrists, back, core and so on. The research to back up Lexie’s claims is presented in an accessible and highly readable manner, and I really appreciated this empirical approach. For example, I’ve always thought of yogic breathing as one of the more esoteric elements of yoga, but here it’s explained that a more efficient breathing technique delivers more oxygen to the muscles, meaning an athlete can perform more strongly – simple really.

This book suffers from the same problem as all yoga guides: it’s much easier to correctly adopt a proper pose if shown first. The instructions are clearly written and easy to follow, but the written word plus one image can never adequately replace an instructor. This is presumably why Lexie also advises her readers to join a class.

All the stretches have been adapted for cyclists and I’ve been performing several of them after being on the bike. I can report that they really do help; I can no longer feel that niggling muscle. I’ve also joined a weekly yoga class on Lexie’s advice. There’s also an excellent chapter on flow poses – a series of postures that lead into one another – which I’m very much looking forward to incorporating into my training.

Tech spec
Yoga for Cyclists by Lexie Williamson • Published by Bloomsbury • 194 pages • RRP: £16.99 • ISBN: 978-1-4081-9047-0 • This product was a present

Review: Anker Astro Mini USB Charger

Keeping my iPhone battery charged is necessary if I’m to get home after a long ride out; will this portable charger do the job?

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In its pouch, the charger, plus cables, fit
easily into my backpack.

I couldn’t do half the riding I do without a smartphone and Google Maps. Or I guess I could but it would involve paper maps and lots of stopping to figure out where I am and just wouldn’t be as enjoyable. As it is I just attach my iPhone to my handlebars, key in my destination and follow the directions.

However, having the screen on all the time drains the battery, especially on longer rides to Battersea Park and Richmond. In fact my first trip to Battersea could have ended in disaster when my battery life was down to 10% in a totally unfamiliar part of east London. Luckily I got to Bethnal Green before the phone died and knew my way home from there.

I still don’t know what I would have done. I might as well have been in the middle of nowhere – no cab offices to be seen and not a chance of finding a black cab. I don’t know my home phone number or The Chap’s mobile number, because they’re safely stored in my phone. And therefore would have been totally unaccessible. I guess the best I could have hoped for was finding a corner shop whose proprietor would let me phone a local taxi service.

It was this near-disaster that made me realise that I needed some way of charging my iPhone while out and about. I needed a portable charger. I wanted something that could fully charge an absolutely dead phone, but was small and light that would easily fit in my rucksack or saddlebag; it also had to look good.

After a bit of research, I went for – to give it its full and somewhat unwieldy name – the Anker Astro Mini 3000mAh Ultra-Compact Lipstick-Sized Portable Power Bank Pack External Battery USB Charger. It comes in a variety of colours, and I chose pink. I make no apology for liking pink; anyone who thinks pink is too girly clearly hasn't watched Grease enough times.

Pouch, charger, USB cable and pink iPhone
cable (purchased separately).

The charger is cylinder with USB and micro-USB ports at one end. It comes with a USB-mini-USB cable, but if you want to use it with an iPhone you'll need to buy the relevant iPhone-USB cable. Luckily a pink one is available for iPhone 5S. You can charge the product via the mains if you've got a USB plug, or via a computer. An orange light comes on while charging; this turns green when the battery is full.

I've used this a couple of times now and it does exactly what I want it to. After a longish ride to Battersea Park my iPhone battery was showing more than half gone, so I plugged it into the charger while I had lunch and by the time I was ready to head home the phone was at 100%.

I make no apology for liking pink; anyone who thinks pink is too girly clearly hasn't watched Grease enough times

It's small and light enough to fit in my small rucksack and will easily slip into a saddle or handlebar bag. But describing it as 'lipstick sized' is something of a stretch, unless your lipsticks are flipping massive.

The only drawback I've found so far is that there's no way of knowing how much charge is left in the battery. A small window with a percentage, as found on phones and laptops, would be really useful. As it is, I have to charge it after every use as I don't know if it'll have enough power left to charge my iPhone next time around. There's no way of telling if the battery has totally run out of juice either – until you actually use it, by which time it could be too late.

Pros
• Small and light enough to fit in saddle or handlebar bag
• Fully charges iPhone from empty

Cons
• No way to gauge how much charge remains
• Not 'lipstick sized' as described

Tech spec
Weight: 76g • Size: 9x2x2cm • RRP: £39.99 (currently available from Amazon for £13.99) • Supplied with micro-USB cable and travel pouch • I bought this product myself

Review: Abus Liix Design Sumo lock

I like this lock which combines cute good looks with some sturdy protection

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The Abus Liix Design Sumo lock.

Bike locks aren’t the most exciting of purchases. A lock’s job is to keep your bike secure, and so long as it does that then anything else is unimportant. Unless, of course, you’re like me. I want a lock that looks good in addition to performing well.

The Liix Design lock from Abus is wrapped in material with a red and white polka dot pattern. The print makes it look ultra cute. But that cuteness disguises a really heavy-duty chain-link lock, while the locking mechanism itself is encased in thick plastic. I haven’t had any qualms about leaving my bike while it’s protected by the Sumo.

The lock wraps nicely around my handlebar post.
Photo by Idoru Knits.

The polka-dot material is pretty thick, so nicely protects my paintwork from getting chipped by the metal chain. It’s also waterproof so should help keep the lock rust free – an important feature in rainy ol’ Britain. When not in use it wraps neatly around the handlebar post, keeping it well out of my way when I’m cycling.

I’ve got the 85cm version, and this is the longest available. It’s just long enough to fit through the front wheel, frame and round a handy post. I would have preferred something a bit longer, maybe 100cm. But then it wouldn’t fit so snugly around my handlebar post, so swings and roundabouts really.

The print makes it look ultra cute, but that cuteness disguises a really heavy-duty chain-link lock

I’ve also found that the key can quite easily fall out of the lock, which means I’m quite likely to lose it. My other lock securely held onto the key until the locking mechanism was fully engaged, which felt a lot safer.

This lock is available from Amazon for £32.99, plus p&p. I bought the product myself.

Pros
• Heavy-duty metal chain
• Protective covering
• Looks good

Cons
• Could be longer
• Key falls out

Review: Selle Italia Women's Diva Gel Flow saddle

A new bike means a new saddle. Find out how I got on with this model from an Italian company specialising in bike saddles

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I’ve learned that a new bike requires the purchase of a new saddle pretty darn quickly. I suspect this is especially true for cheaper models, as one of the ways manufacturers can save money is on the seat.

Much as I love my new bike, the seat was causing some serious chafing in areas you really don’t want chafed. I could have changed it for the saddle that’s currently on my hybrid, which is perfectly comfortable, but I wanted something a bit special. Also I intend to carry on using the hybrid and don’t really want to have to swap over each time.

The Selle Italia Women's Diva Gel Flow saddle.

As this is the bike I’ll be doing the London to Cambridge on, I was prepared to spend a bit more to ensure comfort. I also did a lot more research this time. In fact my last saddle was a case of ‘I need a new seat; that one looks nice.’ It also only cost about £20.

Turning to some trusted cycling sites, notably Wiggle and Total Women’s Cycling, it soon transpired that most women agree that the Selle Italia Women’s Diver Gel Flow saddle is about the best there is. This retails at £79.99, but it’s currently available on Wiggle for £55.99.

It’s available in both black and white, but I particularly liked the white version. The silver and pink highlights nicely match my grey and pink bike, and this is a neat, nice-looking saddle that doesn’t look out of place on a sleek road bike.

During my research, two pieces of advice stood out to me. First was that your saddle should go unnoticed; second was if you’re saying that your saddle is ‘exactly what I want, except for this one thing …’ then it isn’t exactly what you want.

I forgot about the seat completely and just enjoyed myself – which is entirely the point

After fitting the new seat I took the bike out for a short ride to test it out. It was only when I stopped at a junction and actually thought about the reason for the ride that that first bit of advice came back to me. The only thing I noticed about the new saddle was that I hadn’t noticed it. By the end of the ride the front of the saddle was pressing into my pubic bone, which was quite uncomfortable, but there was no chafing.

The silicone gel inserts are nicely positioned for the sit bones, providing excellent cushioning. I also found that I was seated very securely, with no sliding forwards or backwards. The large cutout adds to the comfort.

I had deliberately put the saddle in the zero position to begin with, knowing that I might have to tilt it forward slightly. So when I got home I adjusted the saddle accordingly.

Of course a short ride was fine as a test, but I needed to get the bike out for longer to be really sure. A 13 miler this weekend was perfect. And the saddle performed exceptionally well. No chafing, no rubbing and no pressing into bones. On the way out I was deliberately concentrating on how things felt down there and there really was nothing to report. Coming home I forgot about the seat completely and just enjoyed myself. Which is entirely the point.

The silver and pink styling nicely matches my
grey and pink bike. All photos Idoru Knits.

Review: Shimano Women’s WM34 Touring Cycle Shoes

I test out my first-ever cycling-specific footwear; are they worth the cost?

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Why buy cycling-specific shoes? Well, for those of us terrified at the very idea of clipless pedals – attach your feet to the pedals? What if you lose your balance and don’t unclip in time? – it’s really about power and protection.

The shoes have much stiffer soles than normal footwear, and this transfers more of your pedalling effort directly to the pedals. The more rigid soles and tougher uppers also provide more protection for your feet, which is especially important for anyone cycling on the road a lot. I hadn’t really considered the need for special footwear until I decided to do the London to Cambridge. After some 60 miles of cycling I might appreciate having the right shoes.

I noticed the extra power immediately. For me this translated to higher gears, giving me lots of extra speed. My commute is now under half an hour, and that’s got to be a good thing – a shorter commute means longer in bed! I’m sure I must be burning calories, as well as miles, more quickly, too.

I noticed the extra power immediately – and I’m sure I’m burning calories, as well as miles, more quickly

I love the look of these shoes. Dark grey with pink highlights, they look like trainers. I wanted shoes that I could wear off my bike as well as on, and this pair definitely fulfil that criterion. The hard soles do make walking a bit difficult; you wouldn’t want to go very far in these, but for transitioning between the bike racks and the office, or even popping out to the shops during lunch time, they’re fine. As you’d expect, they’re perfectly comfortable to cycle in.

It did take me a while to get used to wearing these. Those thick, hard soles meant I wasn’t getting the same ‘feedback’ from the pedals as when wearing my usual light walking shoes. I felt I had less control, like my feet were more likely to slip off. This didn’t happen and I feel fine with them now.

The list price is £64.99, but I qualify for a discount with Wiggle and got the shoes for £57.19. Compared to some other pairs out there, this is cheap, but it’s still a tad more than I was planning on paying. However, I do think the shoes have improved my cycling and I’m pleased with my purchase.

Price: £64.99
Available from: Wiggle
Disclaimer: this product was bought and paid for by me

Review: Muc-Off Bike Care Essentials Kit

Winter rain makes keeping your bike clean essential. Find out what I thought of this kit from Muc-Off

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As an all-weather, all-seasons cyclist, my bike tends to get pretty mucky, and obviously I want to keep it as clean and shiny as possible. I had been using just soap and water, but this wasn’t really up to the job. Roads in winter tend to be quite oily and it wasn’t easy to get the layer of black off my bike, especially the wheels.

The kit in full. Cleaner, protector, brush, sponge and tote
bag to keep it all together. Photo by Idoru Knits.

That’s where Muc-off’s Bike Care Essentials Kit comes in. The package includes a sponge, a wheel and component brush, a Nano Tech bike cleaner and an after-clean bike spray, which protects and shines, and it comes with a tote bag to keep it all together. This all represents the first two parts of a three-part programme; the third, lube, is sold separately, and all elements in the kit can be bought separately too.

It’s much less labour intensive than soap and water and the end result is cleaner and shinier

It’s really easy to use, especially if you have a garden hose. Just wet your bike, spray it all over with the cleaner and then leave for a few minutes. Give it a good going over with the brush and sponge and rinse it all off with the hose again. Then spray with the bike spray to get rid of excess water and help protect against grease.

It works, too. It’s much less labour intensive than soap and water and the end result is cleaner and shinier. The bike spray really does help keep your bike clean between washes. You do use an awful lot of the cleaner, though. About a quarter of the bottle each time, so just four uses until you need a replacement, costing £8.50. There are various other kits to buy, however, which might save you some money.

My only real criticism is the sponge, which after just two uses has started to fall apart, with bits coming off. This is because I used it on the wheel spokes, so possibly my own fault, but I would have expected a sponge meant for cleaning bikes to hold up when attending to the spokes.

The sponge has unfortunately already started to fall apart.
Photo by Idoru Knits.

Cost: £25
Available from: Muc-Off
Disclaimer: this product was bought and paid for by me

Review: Craft ladies’ performance bike stretch jacket and dhb ladies’ merino zip neck base layer

The winter weather has really tested my cycling kit this month. Find out what I thought of my new jacket and base layer

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The last couple of weeks have provided me with the opportunity to really test out my winter cycling wardrobe. While this winter on the whole has been really rather mild, the last couple of weeks have included at least one very cold day and lots and lots of rain.

The base layer
When I took the dhb base layer out of the packaging my first reaction was “This is too nice to keep as a base layer – I could wear it to the pub!” The fit is absolutely spot on and I love the bright raspberry colour (it’s also available in grey).

The merino mix fabric is so light and thin it seems impossible that it could keep you warm, but so far I’ve mostly only needed the base layer and my winter jacket. In fact I’ve only twice had to wear another layer. It’s also incredibly comfortable to wear, and I speak (type?) as someone with very sensitive skin.

The dhb base layer. Love this colour.

The top is great at keeping you toasty while wicking away sweat. Unlike my other (cheaper) ones it doesn’t start to smell sweaty after a couple of outings, which is a bonus. I tend to push myself pretty hard on the bike, so yes, I do sweat, and I don’t want to start smelling a bit musty after just a couple of rides, or be constantly washing my kit.


My only gripe is the lack of choice regarding colour. All women’s cycling kit seems to be either pink or black/dark grey. Now I actually like pink, but that doesn’t mean I want everything I wear to be in this colour, and I don’t really want to be head to toe in black either. The combination of black leggings and top is just too ‘mime artist’ for me. A nice purple or turquoise would just add to the choices available.

The jacket
Combined with my Craft ladies’ performance bike stretch jacket, I haven’t really needed any other layers this winter. The jacket got a proper testing a couple of weeks ago, when, about halfway home, a light rain turned to a downpour of biblical proportions, complete with hail stones and high winds – I can reliably report that hail stones blown into the face while riding sting a lot.

By the time I arrived home my bottom half was absolutely drenched. In fact my shoes were still wet the next day, despite being left on a radiator all night. My top half, however, protected by the jacket, was completely dry.

By the time I arrived home my bottom half was absolutely drenched – my top half, however, was completely dry

It’s pretty hot in the looks department too: dark purple with turquoise stripes and silver light-reflective accents. I like long sleeves and the jacket doesn’t disappoint. The elasticated cuffs keep the wind out when I’m riding, but what I really like is the long ‘over-cuff’ which covers part of my gloves and provides an extra layer of warmth.

I’m generally not keen on tight clothing, so I’ve had to get used to the ultra-fitted look of cycling gear, and when I first put on this jacket I was a bit unsure. However, on the two occasions that I’ve had two layers on underneath it was fine. The fit is actually really good now that I’m more comfortable with the snugness of cycling clothing.

The Craft jacket. Sorry no photos of me wearing the clothes.
I tried but couldn't do it with my iPhone.

Both these items were given to me by family members as presents and were bought from www.wiggle.com; the jacket is no longer available.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Why a new saddle was an essential first purchase

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After a couple of weeks of cycling 11 miles every day for five days a week, it quickly became clear that no, I really wasn’t sitting comfortably. In fact I was somewhat chafed, even with a gel cover on my saddle.

The original seat (left) and the gel cover (right).
Even combined these two couldn't compete with the Velo.
Photo by The Happy Commuter.

It wasn’t agony, exactly, but my backside wasn’t happy, and even trying to find a comfortable position on the sofa in the evenings was getting more challenging. It would seem that the saddles supplied with bikes really aren’t that great.

If I was going to be spending an hour every day on my bike, I needed a more comfortable seat. An internet search revealed a bewildering array of choice. Where to start? The first bit of advice I received was to go for a saddle with a centre cut-out. My brother – who rides a lot more than me – said he wouldn’t buy one without these days. Then it was to Amazon to read some reviews.

My arse stopped hurting almost immediately

The type of saddle you need depends on the kind of riding you do. But as I aim to do my shortish road commute as well as longer rides off the road, it was quite a challenge to find one right for me. In the end I went for an inclined plus women’s saddle from Velo. The reviews were nearly all very positive and it seemed the perfect compromise – good for both longer-distance and short rides.

I’ve been using it for a couple of months now and it really is a good seat. My arse stopped hurting almost immediately and and I’ve had no problems since. The saddle is much smaller than the one that came with the bike, which surprised me. I thought a bigger saddle would be more comfortable, but it seems not.

The centre cut-out relieves pressure on sensitive nerves, and it really seems to work. With the old saddle, my bum would be numb by the time I got to work, but isn’t the case with the Velo. It also provides excellent shock absorbency. I previously could feel every bump and dip in the road, but the Velo offers great protection.

I still need to test the saddle on longer rides, but so far I’d say it’s a comfortable bike seat that is a great upgrade from the saddle supplied with your bike. It also costs just £17.99, so it won’t break the bank either.

The Velo in action. So far the saddle has been
comfortable throughout my whole commute
to work. Photo by The Happy Commuter.