Travel Kit – pedalnorth

READ OUR REVIEWS BELOW

Larisa Selle Italia Flite Boost TM Superflow 2 — Selle Italia SLR Boost Lady Superflow
Saddles are important, especially to me. I don’t like it when I have to use a strange bike and the saddle is uncomfortable. I want to be comfortable on my bike, so that I can give my best performance. That means not worrying about being on a bad saddle.
February 22, 2021/by Pedalnorth Website

Elite Fly bottles and Voom — Elite Fly Water Bottles
Elite Cycling from Italy don’t just make great indoor cycle trainers. They also make the most technologically researched water bottles for cyclists. We thought that we’d take a look at this critical item of cycling kit.
February 7, 2021/by Pedalnorth Website

Nero rollers on white background — Elite Nero Rollers Introduction
Larisa is currently testing the Elite Nero interactive rollers and by all accounts they're awesome. Read her first thoughts on riding these high end technology packed rollers from this leading Italian brand.
January 24, 2021/by Pedalnorth Website

Larisa in snow on Transgarafasan — Indoor Cycling – Not Hibernating
Indoor cycling isn't about hibernation. Instead, it's all about developing your performance to be better equipped to tackle those hills outside, bringing you more smiles when the snow and ice thaws. Elite provide the very products and apps to help you to make the most of indoor cycling.
January 14, 2021/by Pedalnorth Website

Rotor QRing and crank — Rotor Q Rings on MTB And Gravel Bike
Rotor Q Rings can be a great addition and upgrade for mountain bikers and for Gravel Bike users, helping those with knee pain issues in particular. The technology and science behind them is constantly developing. Time then for us to take a detailed lookat them with Scott Cornish.
January 13, 2021/by Pedalnorth Website

Elite setup mirror 1 — Elite Tuo Interactive Indoor Trainer
I've owned the same turbo trainer since I met Noah in the harbour one day. A huge piece of analogue iron with steel roller and a cable attached to a gearing mechanism to provide a little change in resistance. The future I thought to myself and to be honest, back then, it probably was. It has done me proud over the years but along came my Editor one day recently, lugging a heavy box from Elite Cycling. Time for an upgrade he told me and indoor cycling life has not been the same since!
January 4, 2021/by Pedalnorth Website

Elite Trainer in Italy HQ — Elite Indoor Cycle Training
I like a challenge - I’m still a competitor at heart. But the distance involved in travelling to practice and, the onset of colder weather means my training has to be adapted. Yes, I can go out into the smaller hills in my local National Park, the Dales. They’re truly beautiful, but the winter is coming. Yesterday we had snow! My wife’s parents sent a picture of it.

Yes, I’ll be back onto the rollers again I guess, spinning away and wiping away the sweat, as I try to retain my legs in readiness for spring or a crisp winter day. It won’t give me the strength though, just the stamina, which as a former distance athlete God or my parents already gave me.
October 28, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

aeropress — Aeropress Coffee
I used to be a bit of a philistine when it came to coffee, coffee was just coffee and instant tasted okay. That was until I started drinking freshly ground and freshly made coffee. What a revelation and how bad instant now tastes. Far from being any kind of connoisseur, but I can now appreciate the subtle undertones of flavours in different coffees, although this has created a bit of hole for myself, demanding good coffee wherever I travel, even bikepacking.
July 19, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

Larisa Feedback Omnium — Feedback Omnium Trainer Review
Stuck for trainer options due to space? This well engineered trainer from Feedback combines the best aspects of rollers & fixed trainer
May 24, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

Nadezhda Pavlova on bike in new ladies cycling kit — Riding Alone
We didn't choose these times, but it is all we have, so we have to look at the positive aspects for our training. Riding alone can help us in our training plans and gives us time to focus too. Here's a few positive aspects that I have found to riding alone.
April 1, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

Nadezhda white kit and black bike no helmet — Cycling Safety
These days when road cycling, were faced with the growing battle between cars and bikes for space. Whilst some countries embraced cycling as a general form of transport many years ago: Holland, Belgium, parts of Germany and France; elsewhere in the world you can take your life into your hands by riding the roads.
February 20, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

SELECTED REVIEWS

QUAD LOCK PHONE MOUNT

BEELINE NAVIGATION

FEEDBACK OMNIUM TRAINER

Tailfin Carbon Bike Pannier

March 8, 2019/in Health and Lifestyle, Kit Reviews, Technical Kit, Travel Kit /by Pedalnorth Website

Tailfin Carbon Bike Pannier

For many years, the general view in terms of touring cycles has been to use either a steel frame, aluminium, or at the higher budget end, titanium. Whilst carbon is now the mainstay of the road bike industry, it was simply not seen as being strong enough for carrying panniers.

Yes, a frame bag or two could be used, but for a long road trip where panniers were necessary, the extra weight of the metal frame was seen as the only reasonable option.

Setting out to challenge this theory, and to try to encourage more people to seek a cycling adventure, we looked around for two key elements: firstly we needed a bike to fit the bill, and then we needed something really special – a carbon specific pannier. As our expedition would be taking us to France, it was only logical, and indeed only polite to find a bike designed and made by this heart of cycling nation.

We contacted the iconic French brand ‘Look’, and were rewarded with their 765 Ultegra disc bike, in high modulus carbon, with a bit of flax also woven into the frame, to help with the spring when you’re riding off the roads and hitting the tracks. Having tested this on winter bridleways in the Yorkshire Dales, I’m now addicted to flax in frames, with the bike handling like a well broken in Mustang.

It’s all day bike, with a geometry suited for climbing, and tucks you neatly into the corners when descending too. The top tube length and overall angles keep you well seated for comfort and power transfer all day long. All we needed now then was find the panniers. Obviously thinking along the same lines as us, had been a young English engineer and designer, Nick Broadbent from Bristol, producing a sleek and unique product that could win awards on design alone.

The Tailfin is a simple, carbon constructed rack system that fits onto any bike without touching the frame, weighing only 350 grammes, which is less than a can of coke, and allowing you to fit two pannier backs that lock onto the rack and stay stable wherever you ride. Trust me, some of the rustic roads of northern France would wobble anything loose, but on our 1100 km ride over 11 days, not one rattle was heard or felt. In terms of aesthetics, it looks sleeker than a wet ferret, and more stylish than than David Beckham, and will guarantee to not get sent off at that crucial moment.

Fastening the Tailfin onto the bike is simplicity itself, with a strong rubber strap and fastener that locks around the seat post, and a special axle replacement/ quick release for the rear wheel, with two protruding pegs onto which the lower arms of the Tailfin fit and lock into place with the superbly designed clamps. Security is further enhanced with torx screws for you to lock it onto the bike to deter thieves. All that you need to do then, is to drop the Tailfin bags onto the arms on the top bar of the device and use the lever clamp to lock them down … voila.

Two key issues should be mentioned here, for the benefit of anyone thinking of cycle touring. How much kit can you fit into the 22 litre bags, and how waterproof are they?

Tailfin themselves state that the two bags on each Tailfin device should be limited to 18 kg, which I’m certain we used to its full capacity. Despite riding in a torrential Normandy storm too, everything inside the bags remained dry and fresh, meaning we looked like bobby dazzler tourists when we’d cleaned ourselves up in the evening, and like stylish cyclists the following morning when the sun decided to shine.

How good is the Tailfin then; it’s a game changer, really it is. This innovative bunch of Bristol based engineers have redefined cycle touring, opening up the long haul expedition to anyone with a carbon bike. Instead of the extra expense of a touring specific bike, you can save money for socialising and eating well along the way. On our initial 11 day ride from Mont st Michel, to the heart of France and back to the iconic island, it was looked at in awe by the people we met along the way, and the only instability was our own mental state after 100 km into a headwind.

We’ll be writing more over the coming weeks, about the trip and the kit we used, along with more useful tips and advice for would be adventurers. It’s not often you can say that a product has totally reinvented an element of activity, but Tailfin has done just that. All that’s left for now is for you to visit the Tailfin website and book your future expedition, by adding one to your own cycling kit and add even more miles to your life.

B and W Bike Bag

March 8, 2019/in Health and Lifestyle, Kit Reviews, Technical Kit, Travel Kit /by Pedalnorth Website

B & W Bike Bag

For someone whose riding is carefully circumscribed by a radius from my house, there’s something impossibly glamorous about a dedicated bike bag. It’s sitting there now, daring me to turn my back on Northern England, with its endless floods and storms, and get myself on the nearest flight to somewhere warm and dry.

I can’t claim I’m not tempted. But,even if you’re not about to jet off to somewhere exotic, bike bags are handy things to have for a number of reasons:

They tidy the bike into a more stowable shape that doesn’t lock pedals with neighboring kit (a perennial problem if you’re one of those folk for whom the correct number of bikes is n+1)

They hide expensive kit from acquisitive eyes.

They allow the bike indoors without fear of getting chain oil on your new cream sofa (if you’re one of those folk who worry about bikes catching a chill in the garage)

They keep the car upholstery clean when lifting bikes in.

This one is very smart. Ideal for road bikes (an MTB would probably require disconnecting the bars before you could do the zip up),and it has a robust ABS tray with an alloy subframe that supports the bike by its drop-outs. The wheels zip into circular pouches on either side of the bike but inside the bag. The whole thing zips into a neat, portable package that feels tough and will protect your prized ride for when you unwrap it at the other end. There are several handles for grabbing hold of the bundle and, if in transit through a large airport, you can fasten wheels on one end and pull it behind you. In effect it’s easy to move around and won’t trouble the keen traveller.

The bag fits neatly into a hatchback with the seat down, and easier still into the back of an estate car. Packing the bike is ease itself, and wheeling it along at the other end is simple and effortless. We’ve taken this out and about a bit during the late winter and it’s been a good piece of kit for keeping the bike tucked safely away. In terms of storage in the house, when the bike is back hanging, the bag folds down small enough to be tucked away into the garage – simple.

More importantly, as highlighted, the robust nature of the bag means that both it and the contents will survive the efforts of airport handlers and luggage systems, leaving you free to concentrate on planning the rides!

Now, where’s that passport?

Aeropress Coffee

July 19, 2020

I used to be a bit of a philistine when it came to coffee, coffee was just coffee and instant tasted okay. That was until I started drinking freshly ground and freshly made coffee. What a revelation and how bad instant now tastes. Far from being any kind of connoisseur, but I can now appreciate the subtle undertones of flavours in different coffees, although this has created a bit of hole for myself, demanding good coffee wherever I travel, even bikepacking.

Feedback Omnium Trainer Review

May 24, 2020

Stuck for trainer options due to space? This well engineered trainer from Feedback combines the best aspects of rollers & fixed trainer

Beeline Navigation Device

Everybody in cycling seems to talk devices these days. Strava has become a pain, yes a pain, Garmin is a close run second and there are a plephora of other devices that cyclists seem lost ... literally without. I'm no technophobe, but I do believe that you should first learn to use a map and compass, and in truth, with great devices like Quad Lock which allows you to pop you mobile phone onto the handlebars, Google Maps simply can't be beaten - or can it 😉

Technical Reviews Accessories

Buzzrack Scorpion 2 Bike Rack

March 8, 2019/in Health and Lifestyle, Kit Reviews, Technical Kit, Travel Kit /by Pedalnorth Website

Buzzrack Scorpion 2 Bike Carrier

The truth of the matter is that wherever you live, at some point you’ll want to travel elsewhere to ride your bike – and your mates will want to come too. With this simple fact, bike racks are a necessity unless you own a transit van; in which case your mates will be uncomfortable. For mere mortals with simple cars, choosing the rack is the issue then.

This rack is the type of quintessential engineering that you’d want to carry your pride and joy. It folds up for ease of storage and is like a ‘mini transformer’ when you fold it all out to put your bikes on it. Built by Buzzrack, the model tested is for 2 bikes. It’s a techies dream, with lots to show off to your buddies about it. It’s a solid steel frame that will take the daily knocks with ease and will carry the heavier bike – up to 30kg per bike. Everything is so simple and smooth when setting this little gem up for carrying the bikes.

Straight out of the box, all you have to do is fit the clamp arm post to the main body with 4 bolts – instructions and tools supplied again, then it’s ready to use and put on the back of your vehicle. Once you’ve had a play with it, it just gets easier and slicker to set up or take off and store.

The rack is heavy duty so may be a little weighty for some users, but don’t let that put you off. Heavy is good, as it will last the test of time, with all parts available as spares if damaged or lost. As with everything, there are some bits that a heavy hand could lose or knock lose, so spares may be useful – and cheap. The tow ball attachment takes a bit of getting used to (unscrew fully before dropping onto tow ball) but once again, when you’ve done it a couple of times you’ll be all over it. The screw lock for the tow ball is supplemented with a locking bolt for that extra security and comes with a spanner to tighten it more securely onto the tow ball. I used my own adjustable for extra purchase to ensure it was ‘on’.

The carrier is ideally suited for big bikes, including electric models, but we’ve used it for MTB – 29er, 27.5 and 26, as well as road bikes. We’ve carried carbon, aluminium and steel frames and it hosted and carried them all admirably. The wheel supports, which are easily adjusted by screwing the locking bolts via plastic handles, easily accommodated all the bikes carried.

The rack will also take the kids bikes if required, with easy to use ratchet straps and locking clamps on the securing arms which again – are easy locked with the keys provided. Once clamped and ratcheted in, which is very simple to do indeed – there were no worries whilst transporting the bikes.

Safe as houses and no fear of losing a bike in a ditch on a sharp bend.

There’s a built in tilting handle, which enables you to get into the boot when required – very simple to operate – so no more taking the bikes off to access the boot. Another well thought out design feature by Buzzrack. The company have also just introduced a loading ramp accessory to help with Electric Bikes, making this an even better option all round.

The lighting rack is built in and has 5 function lights with adaptors to suit most tow bars. When you’ve finished using it, you just fold it all up while its still on the tow ball, lock it down, take it off and store it away, very easy. Be mindful when using it in the wet or having hosed it down, the frame stores water in the recesses and it will trickle out, so store in the shed, on the garage floor or on an old towel / sheet. Overall we’re very very pleased with this rack and the performance and usability – everything about it is hard-core and it will, without shadow of a doubt last longer than your bike and quite possibly your motor – well-earned 4.5 stars.

Yakima Front Loader Bike Carrier

March 8, 2019/in Health and Lifestyle, Kit Reviews, Technical Kit, Travel Kit /by Pedalnorth Website

Yakima Front Loader Bike Rack

I’m sold on the new breed of bike carrier’s from Roof Box Company that fold around the wheels, but this one had me a bit wary to start with. The main issue being the lack of ‘T’ bar connection, and the structure of the front gripper for roof bars, which seems to have a square block type structure, meaning that it doesn’t look as though it’ll go neatly around your aero bars.

It’s a small point, but when testing I wanted to make sure that it stayed firmly attached to my Audi bars, and that it didn’t dig into them with its block edges. A small piece of foam around the front gripper soon resolved this, and it was firmly and safely attached. If you have non-aero bars, or bars that aren’t so dramatically aero then it won’t be an issue. For me though, it could be fixed by Yakima with a small adapter to round the gripper off for aeros. A small point and only 1 star lost due to this.

Now then, onto the real detail – how did it perform on test on the road?

Fitting the carrier to the car was simplicity itself once this aero issue was addressed. It simply slipped over the bars, on when the fixing below the bars, a quick tighten at both bars and hey presto! Giving it the usual stability test, it stayed firmly in place despite my efforts to move it.

Opening the front wheel loader was easy, by simply fitting the supplied lock, twisting the red handle and lowering it to lift the bike into. The rear wheel arch support moves easily along the carrier arm for the variety of bike sizes, and has a really tough and easy to use ratchet wrap for keeping the rear wheel in place.
Lifting the bike up, you place the front wheel into the very wide wheel guard, which has clips to alter the size for all wheels. Then it’s a case of lifting the smaller or the wheel arms onto the back of the front wheel and twisting the red handle to lock it in place.

You’re also given a very useful security strap to fit the bike carrier around the frame for peace of mind. All good so far then, and a very quick and easy for anyone. Best of all, your nice expensive carbon frame is not touched and therefore not damaged .

Testing this carrier on the roads, I’ve been using it on long motorway journeys, as well as some very tight and twisting and steep country lanes. Whilst I actually passed a car that had a bike hanging off a carrier from another manufacturer, the Yakima has been rock solid all the way, with no adverse movement, and no cries from lane side sheep as a flying bike hit them full on!

I’ve fitted a selection of bikes to the carrier: BMX, Road Bike, Mountain Bike, getting a good selection of tyre sizes, and all slip in to the very wide and very secure wheel arms easily.

I suppose that despite my early reservations, the Yakima Front Loader from Roof Box Company is a great little carrier. With all the carbon frames now on the road, it makes sense to get yourself one of these. Price wise, they’re also very reasonable and won’t break the bank.

If Yakima bring in a ‘T’ Bar adapter and/or an aero bar adapter it would be a full 5 stars. However, it’s a very worthy 4 stars for the Yakima Front Loader

Inno Wheel Hold Bike Carrier

March 8, 2019/in Health and Lifestyle, Kit Reviews, Technical Kit, Travel Kit /by Pedalnorth Website

Inno Wheel Hold Bike Carrier

If you’re a keen cyclist, at some point in time you’ll want to take your trusty steed on an adventure to far flung places. In terms of the transportation options, there’s a myriad available.

The tow bar option, where you can’t always fit into parking places, or you reverse into walls. The rear mounted rack, which in most cases means that you can’t access the boot, and the lights can’t be seen without a lighting plate fitted. You can of course stow the bike in the car, which is fine if you’re ‘Billy no mates’ and you only have one friend at most. You could even buy a van – but that’s not as cool as a slick Audi A4 (don’t comment – I own one).

Then finally, there’s the roof mounted option, which you can’t see, and which may lead to you forgetting about things when you drive under that barrier or into the garage! Arh! Maddening all of them in one way or another. My personal choice is the roof mounted option, as it offers these benefits: access to the boot, access to parking places, and my friends can join me too – if I had any!

Testing the Inno Tyre Hold Bike Carrier from those clever people in Japan has been a joy. I mean it – a real pleasure producing joy. It’s light for a solid and firm frame carrier, well-engineered and well made, easy to fit, and holds the bike rigid. Living on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, there’s some great tight and twisty, steep and stomach churning lanes to drive along. Ideal then to see if the bike takes off in the wrong direction on route to a ride! Taking the carrier from the box, I not only read the instructions (I have 3 sisters – they told me instructions are invaluable guys), but I also looked at Youtube for a fitting video – off we go then.

It was simplicity itself, with the locking brackets easy to adjust, loosen and tighten, and the slotted arms also being simple to adjust for the variety of wheel sizes, by the removal and adjustment of the shaped wheel holder. All that remained was to lift the bike up and slot the front wheel into the front arm, then fit the extra cable around the frame and into the locking mechanism before snapping shut.

This action brings in the rear arm against the rear wheel and ‘hey presto!. Even better, once the front wheel is up and in, the carrier makes the bike stand firm and self-supporting, allowing you some thinking time. The laws of physics then ensure that the wheels cannot move and the bike is firm and secure, and no part of this ingenious carrier is touching your valuable frame; a real bonus these days, with most carriers clamping down on expensive carbon.

Test drive time then!

For the first drive I set off into the wilds of Wensleydale, taking in the trickiest roads on route to Semer Water. Yes I did worry a bit at first, but before long I was confidently whizzing along and enjoying the feeling of security that comes with knowing that the bike will not move and fly over a drystone wall hitting a shocked sheep and spoiling my day.

In terms of fuel consumption, I’ve noticed very little difference at all, and very little noise – if any.

Arriving at the other end, it was simply a case of one quick unlock, lift the bike down and off I pedalled. Finishing the ride was just as quick and easy, and it even drew in a small audience of interested Dales wanderers.

Over many months I’ve used both road and mountain bike on the ‘Inno Tyre Hold’, all with equal success. I’ve driven as recklessly as common sense allows, and have been pleased that the bike stayed safely attached to the car. Better still, I also feel confident leaving it attached when popping into cafes for tea and cake, as the rear locking arm also locks the bracket that attaches to your roofbars.

If I had one negative thing to say, it would have been the lack of a ‘T Bar’ fitting for my roofbars. However, having fitted and taken off the carrier several times now, this is definitely not an issue, and I’m actually really pleased that the brackets are designed as they are. It makes fitting to the bars a matter of a couple of minutes – brilliant. The carrier is also really good looking, top quality and well-engineered and should last a long time, protecting your precious bike frame at the same time.

I’m genuinely in awe of this carrier. It has to be the best cycle accessory I’ve personally tested this year. A well-earned 5 stars for Inno and Roofbox Company.

Bike Bags, Travel and Touring Stuff

March 8, 2019/in Cycle Tourism, Health and Lifestyle, Kit Reviews, Technical Kit, Travel Kit /by Pedalnorth Website

Bike Bags, Travel & Touring Stuff

Whether or not you’re heading out into the mountains locally, or taking a bikecation abroad, travelling with your bike is far more frequent these days. We think that it’s important to get it right, and give your bike the best chance for staying looked after. Time then to look at what we think are the best options for your own travels with your bike.

These days, with so much carbon around, we need to take extra care and frame protection has to be top of the list. That’s we we recommend bike carriers that hold the wheel rather than the frame. In terms of bike boxes, top of the tree in our book is Yorkshire based Bike Box Alan and during 2020 and beyond, we’ll be testing and reviewing their boxes as we travel around the globe.

We truly believe that the kit that we like and that we use ourselves, looking after our own bikes at home and during our travels, is the very best available. That’s why we want to share it with you, so that your own bikes can have the same superb treatment.

Look road bike fitted with Tailfin carbon pannier

Click below to read the reviews

INNO WHEEL HOLD BIKE CARRIER

The perfect bike carrier for your carbon dream machine,the Inno wheel hold carrier is strong and super secure, without touching the frame.

Click here for review

TAILFIN CARBON PANNIER

The Tailfin totally changes the concept of a bike tour, as you can now take your best carbon bike fully loaded, making the riding so much easier.

Click here for review

REVELATE DESIGNS BIKE BAGS

Taking yourself on a bike tour requires the very best kit. Our Alps editor, Scott fitted himself out with some great kit from Revelate Designs, carrying all he needed with ease.

Click here for review

YAKIMA FRONT WHEEL LOADER

The Yakima front wheel loader is surprisingly strong and secure,and on tests here and in Europe, it took bikes of all types and sizes.

Click here for review

BUZZ RACK SCORPION 2

Foldaway and titling bike rack for tow bars, that’s super strong and easy to stow away. The Buzz Rack comes in various sizes and is a well engineered product.

Click here for review

Cycle Holiday Favourites

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Taking a Beeline

Confessions of a Technophobe

Related Content

Technical Accessory Stuff

READ OUR REVIEWS BELOW

Selle Italia SLR Boost Lady Superflow

Elite Fly Water Bottles

Elite Nero Rollers Introduction

Indoor Cycling – Not Hibernating

Rotor Q Rings on MTB And Gravel Bike

Elite Tuo Interactive Indoor Trainer

Elite Indoor Cycle Training

Aeropress Coffee

Feedback Omnium Trainer Review

Riding Alone

Cycling Safety

Beeline Navigation Device

SELECTED REVIEWS

Tailfin Carbon Bike Pannier

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B & W Bike Bag

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Buzzrack Scorpion 2 Bike Carrier

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Yakima Front Loader Bike Rack

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Inno Wheel Hold Bike Carrier

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