Non Professional Cyclists Wearing Team Jerseys- Yes or No?

As cycling has become more popular more and more amateur cyclists are wearing team kit. I have a Wiggle Honda team jersey myself, I brought the jersey because I wanted to help the team out by buying the kit (in the hope that maybe a couple of pounds may go towards the female cyclists) but also because I wanted to look a little like Laura Trott! shh don't tell anyone!

I also have a pair of black Team Great Britain cycling gloves which I brought from a bike sale at the Manchester Velodrome and are fantastic.

I have seen amateur men wear Team Sky and Omega Pharmacy - QuickStep among other team kits and on Twitter there is the ever growing conversation whether amateurs should be wearing kit because they have not earned it. Here is my take on the topic.

Is it time to hang up my Wiggle Honda jersey for good?

Yes-

1, Go with the status quo.
If football fan's can wear team kit why cannot cycling fans? The more team kit amateur riders wear will only enhance the profile of the team in question. That can only be seen as a good thing in my eyes because it could ignite an interest in someone to learn more about a cycling team or take an interest in cycling.   

2, It look's good.

Team kit does look good. As I said above I like Wiggle Honda's offering of the orange and black- very striking. I also like the kit that the domestic team Epic Scott Woman's Race Team wear which is purple, black and white offering from SMS Santini. I thought the Shamano Argos and the new Liv Shamano kit look smart as well. I find at times that non pro kit look boring and uninspiring or for females just pink and purple with some stupid graphic like a hearts or cats. 

3, It makes you think you are a pro cyclist for about five minutes.

Not everyone can be a pro cyclist. I am not one myself so I would like my five minutes to dream! 

No-

1, Jerseys need to be earned.

Being a pro cyclist takes a lot of talent, guts and determination.and dedication. I do find it cringey when someone is cycling in national gear or the rainbow jersey when they have not earned it. It sets yourself up for a lot of stick. 

2, All the gear and NO idea...
There is nothing worse than a cyclist overtaking someone in pro kit.

3, You are a moving advert.
Some people I have been reading argue that the sponsors get enough money therefore why give them free advertising. At the end of the day its your choice if you want to wear a jersey with a logo on.

So here is my verdict.

I don't have a problem with cyclists wearing pro kit. The benefits far outweigh the negatives and there are plenty of non team kit alternatives available.

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Mountain Biking at Llandegla Forest

Hello, I know its been a while. I have been very busy with work and then being ill which has kept me off my bike. Today I am writing about Llandegla Forest that I and my partner went for a afternoon of mountain biking a month back now. Llandegla Forest is in Denbighshire North East Wales and according to the website the forest is privately owned.

My partner and I decided to do the blue route which was the medium route because again we were not advanced enough yet in our mountain biking skills to tackle the harder routes. The route had a variety of slopes, pump tracks and berms. I enjoyed the views and couldn't resist in stopping and taking a few photos. The tracks were wide enough in the most part that if other people could get past you. So you don't feel as if you are holding people up. The day I went was a school day therefore there wasn't many people about. Which meant I could go at my own pace and spend ages practicing on the Pump Track  The route was appropriately challenging for myself and I would certainly recommend for a great day out.

Points to note:
There are facilities on site such as the toilets and a Cafe.
You do have to pay for parking. I cannot remember how much however I do remember thinking it was a reasonable price.
There is a great mini pump track at the end of the route which I loved going around. There is also a free ride track. For more information please visit the Llandegla Forest website.

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Tour de France 2014 Round Up

On Saturday I went down to the see the Tour de France pass through Yorkshire. I went to Skipton and fully enjoyed the day. The residents of Skipton had really made the effort to welcome the cyclists and visitors to Yorkshire and there was a real party atmosphere to the place. I will leave you with photos I had taken of the day.

*Author retains all image rights.

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What I Take Out Cycling With Me

A small post from me today. A while back I was reading on twitter an article about what everyday cyclists take with them on their rides. So I thought I would share mine here.

1, Schwalbe Tyre Leavers. Amazon £3.95
These tyre leavers were brought after hearing reading the good reviews on Amazon. These tyre leavers do the job fine.

2, Inner Tube Raleigh 700x19-23c. Amazon £10.89 for three
I always carry a spare inner tube on longer rides just in case.

3, EyezOff GP96A Alloy Mini Bike Pump. Amazon £10.99
The pump is very easy to use and is easy to mount onto the bike. You can use this pump with Presta and Schrader valves.

4, Energy Gel Hi5 Brought as part of the race pack at The Cycle Show but see here
If I am cycling a longer route then I like taking one of these out with me. I really like the taste of these energy gels as the taste is not too sweet and the texture is not too sticky. Sometimes I just take a cereal bar instead.

5, Drinks Bottle. Wiggle (not available)
Essential for any ride this Wiggle bottle is one of many I own.

6, High5 Energy Bottle. Amazon £5.49
I tend to carry a larger water bottle and one smaller one. This High5 bottle is just one of many I own.

7, Puncture Repair Kit. This was a freebie from a cycling magazine but you can find similar from any cycle shop.

8, Lazer Sunglasses. From a bike jumble sale at the Manchester Velodrome.

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Mountain Biking at Cannock Chase

On the Bank Holiday Holiday weekend my partner and I headed over to Cannock Chase to go mountain biking for the day. Both being quite keen road and track cyclists, mountain biking was something new to try.
Cannock Chase is situated on Staffordshire which is in the West Midlands. Easily accessible from the M6.

You can hire out bikes but we both brought our own as hiring bikes are £30 each. My bike is nothing fancy just a cheap Apollo brought second hand. At Cannock Chase there are different routes to try with the black route being the hardest and the green route being the easiest. We both decided the Blue Route (the middle of the two) would be best- 7 1/2 miles long so not too short but not long for us as we both are not used to riding on tough terrain.

The signage is excellent and we soon got going along our way (just to note you can download trail maps from the internet). The paths are wide so you can go more at your own pace as you don't feel that you are holding anyone up. The route was easily achievable with a nice selection of uphill cycling with some fun downhill riding and plenty of puddles and dips to go through!
On the blue route there wasn't any obstacles to overcome however I am aware there are obstacles on the red and black routes.

Physically I found the ride quite tough. I hate cycling up hills so having a hill right at the beginning of the route certainly does not motivate me! It took around an hour and a half to do the route whereas if I was on my road bike I would have cycled twice the distance in that time. This could be because of the bike that I had not being the best.  However I felt that I had a good workout and Cannock Chase is lovely to look at. So I couldn't resist stopping and taking a few photos.

At the end we wondered around a Swinnerton Cycles a shop that is situated there. The shop mainly sells mountain bikes and gear but also lots of nutritional food. There is also a pressure washer which for a £1.00 you can spray your bikes down which is extremely handy if you went in the rain like I did to get mud off.

The second time I headed back to Cannock I tried the longest of the blue route which was 12 miles. This time it was sunny therefore I managed to take some really good pictures. I had recently brought a better bike (a Carrera in case you were wondering) and sold my Apollo and it made such a difference. I found that the bike could cope better with the terrain as it was lighter. Even though the route was longer it was much easier on a better bike.

There are plenty of facilities at Cannock Chase as well as Swinnerton Cycles mentioned above there are toilets and a cafe shop as well as a go- ape course and you could hire a segway if you want.

If you would like to go mountain biking in Cannock Chase or see what else the park has to offer check the website out here

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Muc Off- 8 in 1 Bicycle Cleaning Kit Review

*Disclaimer- the pictures are not the best on this post. These are my opinions only. 
I got the Muc-Off 8 in 1 Bicycle Cleaning Kit as a Christmas present last year. I have used the set a few times this year so feel I have tested the kit enough to warrant a review.

First up is the Muc- Off fast action bike cleaner

What does the cleaner promise?
The cleaner promises to 'get straight to work on your dirty grubby bike' with its nano tech formula (no I didn't know what that meant either, I had to Google it!) claiming to penetrate grime quick. You spray the pink liquid, leave for 3-5 minutes and get to work scrubbing the dirt away.

Does the spray deliver?
To be honest I didn't really see much difference in getting muck off the bike using the cleaner than using different bike cleaners. The muck did come off quickly. What I do like is that you can buy refills pouchers that are cheaper than the bottle itself so you can reuse the bottle. The liquid also claims to not be made of nasty chemicals which since I am conscious about the environment ticks another box .

Muc- Off Detailing Brush

What does this brush promise?
This dinky brush promises to remove dirt from hard to reach areas and to be very hard wearing.

Does the brush deliver?
I use the brush around the brake area of my bike and the frame on the side of my bike chain. I do agree that it certainly gets on those hard to reach areas effectively. However if it wasn't part of the set I proberly would have not brought this brush because I find a normal kitchen sponge would do the trick.

Muc- Off Soft Washing Brush

What does this brush promise?
This brush (shown on the left hand side of the image) is designed to get rid of dirt on the bike frame, spokes and components.

Does the brush deliver?
My favorite brush of the lot, it certainly works. You can lift a lot of dirt down off from the bike and the nylon bristles do not damage the bike either. This brush retails for £8.00 individually and I think that it is very good value for money. This rubber grip on this brush (like the other brushes) make sure the brush does not slip out of your hand.

Muc- Off Two Prong Brush

What does this brush promise?
Again like the others this brush promises to remove tough grime from hard to reach areas. This brush is for the spokes, discs, shocks pedals, linkages and footrests.

Does the brush deliver?
This brush is used on my frame technically speaking the seat and chain stays and is a good size for this. I don't think that the brush is big enough for the top and down tube and for the spokes I prefer the Washing Brush.

Muc- Off Claw Brush

What does the brush promise?
Promises to clean the chain and sprockets

Does the brush deliver
This brush does get the muck out of hard the chain alright.

Muc- Off Bike Spray

What does the spray promise?
The spay promises to protect, preserve and freshen the bike.

Does the spray deliver?
In all honesty I don't see a real difference with the bike with or without the spray. I use the spay because it is there so I may as well but I would not buy again. I see the spray as more of a 'filler' item.

To add a big sponge was included in the kit. I do not own the sponge anymore because it got old and dirty. However since a sponge is a sponge, I do not feel the need to review that item.

So would I buy the box again?
I certainly think this box is perfect for the cycle mad friend or partner however I wouldn't buy the box again but would buy the individual items instead. I would buy the claw, washing and two prong brush but give the others a miss.
To finally add I like that on the site there are videos about how to use the products. The black bucket that that set arrived in also doubles up as a wash bucket.

You can visit the Muc- Off site here

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XXR Ultimate Gears Gel Max Padded Mountain Bike/ Cycling Gloves- Review

I bought these gloves back in September because I wanted a pair of fingerless gloves as the weather got warmer and came across this pair on Amazon. I had read the reviews and they seemed to be positive and were cheap (£5.24 including p&p).

These gloves are a bargain, when I first tried them on I was worried that they would not be flexible enough around the thumb and index finger. However after a few rides out on my bike they were fine. My hands aren't sweaty inside the glove and the gloves do not feel bulky on my hands. The material is comfortable due to the gel and foam pad and provide enough grip and protection in dry and wet weather. The top part of the glove is a flannel like material which I find useful for removing sweat.  

I have put the gloves through the wash several times and they have kept their shape. The gloves are also more longer lasting than my other Crane gloves which have only been out a few times and already the material is going bobbly. 

If the colour red does not take your fancy, a bright yellow and pale orange pair are available and for £5.24 you cannot go wrong. 

Have you got a pair of these gloves, if so what do you think? Are there any cycling gloves that you would recommend?    

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Mental Block- The Ability To Keep Going

Recently I have been thinking about my mental ability on long rides. I have always had the tendency to give up easier than most other people and this has included cycling.

I still cycle regularly- at least once a week but often more than that. On long rides if there is a part I know I am going to struggle (mainly hills) then I tend to break the route up into chunks. For example my first target will be to reach the lamp post then once the lamp post has been reached I will then try and cycle without stopping to the next tree.

I will eventually get up the hill- it will just be slow. However my partner is able just to visualise the very end point and will not stop until he gets there no matter how tough the route gets or at how rubbish he feels. For me on long steep slopes to have no interest in getting to the very end and I think this is down to there being no consequence of me stopping before the finish. I think, 'so what if I do not reach the top, nobody is going to shout at me.' One could argue that I am cheating myself, however in an odd twist of fate the next time I try the same route I want to beat my previous time.

So long, where is the finishing line...

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