Product Reviews - Fat Girl Fit

Book Review of ‘Wintering’ Following a (long) Swedish Winter

I saw on social media someone sharing a post that referred to the book Wintering by Katherine May. I had not heard of it and I was in the middle of a dark, cold and what felt like long Swedish winter and so this book peaked my interest.

We moved to Sweden in December 2023 and everything was covered in thick white snow. This continued for several months, and coming from England where there is little snow, it was a novelty for us and made everything look beautiful! This year, however, we had cold temperatures but little snow, which was a shame. Part of living in a country with four proper seasons is experiencing those and this just felt a little flat without the snowy sparkle.

Now I won’t lie I found this winter tough. When I saw this book I promptly bought it after seeing it described as being:

‘a beautiful read’

‘The book explores how to embrace life’s challenges and quiet seasons’

‘This book will inspire and calm your mind, reminding you that these dark times will pass and there is no harm in taking the time for yourself.’

What Is Wintering?

So wintering can be different things to different people but in the context of this book the meaning is described as:

‘Wintering is a poignant and comforting meditation on the fallow periods of life, times when we must retreat to care for and repair ourselves. Katherine May thoughtfully shows us how to come through these times with the wisdom of knowing that, like the seasons, our winters and summers are the ebb and flow of life.‘

My Thoughts

This is not my usual type of book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were so many instances in the book that I felt I could relate to. The opening book is dedicated to all who have wintered. Every individual will almost certainly relate in different ways, and the various examples in the book really illustrate this.

My key takeaways were:

wintering is the active acceptance of sadness
lean into the things you love
live the best life you can with the parameters that you have
there are times when everything seems easy, and times when it all seems impossibly hard and that is ok
to remember that our present will one day become a past, and our future will be our present

Category: Fitness, Product Reviews

My (Less Than) Rosy Thoughts On Rosacea

Ever heard of Rosacea? For the longest time I knew my mums cheeks were the cause of Rosacea and I was not so lucky to soon realise I have the same. A friend of mine said she spends time every day applying blush for that fresh faced rosy cheek look, but for those of us with rosacea we spend time every day applying products to dull it down! I tend to always feel like I have been out for a 5k run and it can make me quite self conscious.

So what Is Rosacea?

I know it as red cheeks, made worse by the flushes of perimenopause, and it is actually super common. It can also vary from person to person and some have a slight rosy cheek to others having very sore skin that can look like a rash, acne, dermatitis or a breakout but it is not, that is simply the result of enlarged blood vessels. For some it is also not just specific to the cheeks and can appear on other parts of the face, neck and chest.

The redness can last for a little or long time and is thought to be caused by inflammation but, although research continues, there is no specific known cause only that it runs in the family (thanks mum – could have got me a new handbag or something).

After posting on my social media I was surprised how many people I knew who also had rosacea and all experienced flare ups from different triggers. Some of those triggers were stress, exercise, sun, wind, specific beauty products, bacterial reactions, certain foods with the strangest I heard being bananas. So the banana thing seemed odd to me but they said it is because bananas are high in histamine which can cause a flare up (other foods high in histamine are also cheese, chocolate, citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, eggs, shellfish, processed meats, nuts, beans and I am sure loads more).

How Do You Treat Rosacea?

So after I looked how I treated it I found there is no cure for it. However, there are many products on the market now that help to control it or stop the things that can cause it to flare up.

antibiotics prescribed by a GP depending on the severity (someone reached out to me saying they use ivermectin cream from the GP but did note they have very enlarged blood vessels from the condition and was told that this sort of cream would not usually be prescribed for less severe cases) – a lady I know uses doxycycline and says this has been a huge help for her
laser treatment
red light therapy
dermatologist appointment for advice
increase your SPF to at least 25/30 though this is more preventative
brimonidine gels such as Mirvaso can help with redness (not for spots or more sever cases) by reducing the size of blood vessels that are inflamed
vitamin c beauty products

Items I Have Tried And Tested

You can go down a complete rabbit hole with this and I was lucky to know people who had already tried and tested products and could recommend based on their experience. The products I have used so far include:

Vitamin C skincare – I felt like when I started looking for these they seemed to be everywhere so it was really easy to find. I used pretty much the whole range from Garnier. I did find that this didn’t change my rosacea at all and actually made my skin sting a little so I switched. Vitamin C helps with inflammation that can be the cause for a lot of people of rosacea.
Dermatica skincare – I subscribe to these products and the way they work is to complete a short survey and the products you receive on a monthly basis are specific to your skin type. I have noticed a big difference in how my skin feels and looks and my sister also swears by this skincare too.
Rosalique 3 in 1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula SPF50 – this was an item I had looked at for a long time but for the price I wanted a recommendation and again a friend of mine used it, really rated it and then gifted me some for my birthday. This is a product developed specifically for red skin conditions. I also really recommend this and will be purchasing again when I run out!
Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream – not actually a recommendation from me but again a friend uses this and it must be popular as I have tried to purchase it multiple times from various places and it is always sold out. The cream is colour correcting and also has SPF for protection.
Estee Lauder Day Wear – this is my favourite! It has light coverage, vitamin C, SPF and was recommended to me at Duty Free when I tried to buy the Clinique cream above. The sales assistant said to me excuse me asking but are you looking for something for your rosacea (cue blushing more and making it worse – just kidding, she was lovely), and then said she would recommend this. Bonus to get it cheaper through duty free too!
The Glow Mask from Nordic Luna – this is a relatively new present from me to me. Again I have a friend who has a red light mask, which I have used and life got in the way from buying one but now living in Sweden with the more harsh weather changes I needed something and this came recommended and had a huge saving in the January sales so it would have been rude not to! The mask has several settings, one of which is red light and this has anti-inflammatory effects, which can calm the skin and reduce inflammation. A mask like this is a non-invasive approach, gentle on the skin and great for people like me who are a coward and not up for needles! Plus I very much look forward to scaring my husband with this!

Category: Fitness, Product Reviews, Running

Jeffing My Way Through Couch To 5k (again)

When I see people running it makes me want to put on my trainers and get out there. Then I remember I am a terrible runner. But I think I have always focused on improving and time and I now just look at time on feet and enjoying it, and it has made it much more enjoyable!

I say couch to 5k again as I feel I have done this multiple times before, but I find these plans work! Last year I used a plan that synched with my apple watch but I am back to using my good old faithful Garmin Fenix watch and so this time I opted for the Jeff Galloway Garmin Coach Plan.

Jeff Galloway 5k Plan

I knew of Jeff Galloway as the creator of the Galloway run walk run and that sounds like a plan I could get behind! It is claimed to help with fatigue and injury.

I know many runners and a lot who adopt different methods or structure run/walking at different ratios and felt that this would be a good fit.

The Garmin Coach Plan

The plan itself links from my Garmin Connect app direct to my watch. I set the days I want to train and it schedules the rest for me. You can reschedule a workout too if you need to change any.

Once the watch is synched I can start my activity and the scheduled workout is good to go! Once I finish it syncs again and the workout is then ticked off and progress logged.

There are 12 weeks in total in the plan and in the app I can see the schedule, the next workout and those that I have completed.

It could just be my personal preference but I like to know in advance what is on the plan.

Where I Run

I am surrounded by trails so spoilt when it comes to trail running and I much prefer that than pounding the pavements if I have a choice. There is also the canal at the end of my road too, which is very popular with runners. However, I have tripped up a few times so have a number of bruises on my legs. I think being a bigger and slower runner I have a short stride and there are no high knees so all the rocks and tree roots are obstacles as I go.

How It Is Going

When I go back to years ago when I did my first 5k I believe it took me somewhere in the region of 49 minutes. On the trails I think I am probably around about the same level now. I could let that dishearten me but honestly I don’t care (not sure if that is a good or bad thing) as I am actually enjoying it. When I go back to the UK and don’t run I look forward to getting back to it when I come home to Sweden. Who am I?

This morning was the final scheduled run on the plan and although it is Couth to 5k, the run was a total of 4.7 miles, so 7.5k. I won’t claim there are no walking breaks because there are and I am fine with that.

What’s Next?

I am not doing this with an event in mind or to increase distance. I am doing it to enjoy the trails, keep active and get some run fitness. This all helps when cycling and hiking so one complements the other nicely.

Hopefully there is less tripping up in the coming weeks!

Category: Cycling, Product Reviews

My Review Of The New Zwift Play

Zwift has launched their new Zwift Play and kindly sent me a set, which I have been having a play around with.

So what did I think? Let me tell you……

What Is Zwift Play?

When I was contacted by Zwift, I will be honest, I had not heard of this so was intrigued. A relatively small box turned up and I quickly fitted them to my bike to check it out.

I was sceptical and must admit I didn’t really get it. I use my set up with Apple TV and Companion App on my phone, which I have on my bars using a Quad Lock and it works well. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the controllers can be used for not just steering but also accessing settings, which is much easier.

Is It Easy To Set Up?

The controllers are clearly market left and right, easy to attach to the handlebars and out of the box there are also spacers if you require them.

Log into Zwift you can connect via the pairing screen as easy as you would for heart rate or cadence sensor for example.
Press the Zwift button and the light will come on and it will power on.
You can see paired devices including battery life for the controllers too.
Then you are pretty much good to go!
Good to go after a short tutorial, which explains how to use them.

How Does It Work With Apple TV?

As I mentioned earlier I was pleasantly surprised that the controllers can be used for not just steering but also accessing settings, which is much easier.

When pairing using Apple TV, this is limited to 2 devices so in setting up I had to use the Companion App for this.

What Did I Really Think?

All of the pics I had seen showed the controllers level but I found that due to the handlebar drop I was unable to get them level unless I was to roll my bars right up, which I don’t want to do as it is set up following a bike fit.

The steering can be done both on the road and at junctions without having to use the app/Apple TV controller to select anything, which is much easier when you have the options of straight/left/right. I find depending on the road or if I am doing a structured training session the last thing I want to do is mess around too.

Think of the menu options and ease of use at your fingertips including power ups, ride ons, drafting (always a winner) and braking (which I have accidentally used more than once!).

I use Zwift with my road bike but I have seen others use with a mountain bike and I can’t see how these would work for that or bikes with flat bars in general and TT specific bikes too. Basically you need drop bars to use these.

It can be a little bit laggy and it did drop a couple of times.

Battery life says 20 hours and I have not had to charge mine but you can do this whilst riding, which is handy.

They are currently £99, whilst in beta, on the Zwift website so you can save £50 right now. Depending on how much you use Zwift this could be seen as really reasonable or a lot of money for a bit of functionality. Check out the technical requirements here before you purchase to make sure they are compatible with your set up.

Product was gifted but all opinions are my own.

Category: Fitness, Hiking, Product Reviews

What Hiking Leggings Are Best?

We all have favourite kit and honestly this is one of those things that is personal preference – I prefer hiking leggings to trousers as I find they give me better range of movement when both hiking and also climbing and scrambling.

And yes I do have my favourites but here is an honest review of some that I have tried and tested:

North Face – Women’s Mountain Athletic Leggings – £50. I have a lot of their clothing (tshirts, fleeces and jackets) and always a fan, however, the leggings were not great (at all). They were very poor fitting and too big in some places and snug in others. There was a lot of movement when hiking and I had to pull up and readjust a lot (like constantly), which is far from ideal. Unfortunately not a pair I would use for hiking, like I recently did in the Lake District, probably more for local short dog walks.
Columbia – Hike Leggings – £35. These were nice fitting, with a little movement but nothing too much. I did slip over on a descent wearing this and ended up with a very wet backside, which stayed wet for a very long time – this may sound odd but others that wick better will dry quicker.
Berghaus – Aether Leggings – £45. Really comfortable and no movement at all. Was a little worried when I received them as they looked very small but they were fine and material was super wicking too.
Rab – Flux Pants – £45. These are my go to leggings. They are super comfortable, no movement and have withstood a lot of scrambling and rock surfaces where I use my backside as a crampon! Plus they wick quickly when wet.
Rab – Skyline Tights – £70. These are more robust than the others and feel slightly warmer with a little compression. They also have zips at the ankle should you need to adjust for socks/boots.
Revolution Race – Energy High Waist – £69 – a friend of mine recommended this brand and since moving to Sweden (they are a Swedish company) I see it everywhere so figured why not. Their about them says they are the hikers who got tired of overpriced, badly fitting clothes and honestly from a few wears they have done a great job in my opinion. No movement, super comfortable, pockets on the legs, which considering all the leggings I have this was a first and now a must going forward!
Revolution Race – Summit Core – £75 – more robust feeling than the above pair from the same brand but all the same excellent qualities plus more. These have reinforced knees, which is great as I tend to be more of a nervous scrambler and often use my knees and bum!

And for tops I wear a lot of my mountain biking clothing as it is comfortable, breathable, wicks really well and does the job perfectly!

I also regularly look at the Fjallraven clothing but the pricing is a little wowsers – I would be interested to know from anyone who has tried and tested them if they are worth the investment? I did invest in a winter coat from them when I moved to Sweden and have a warm beanie for the snowy months, both of which are amazing, plus I have a couple of bags.

Category: Product Reviews

Are Skinny Food Co Products Worth It?

Try some food, give it a review and rate it? Oh go on then!

Now as someone who has had their weight fluctuate up and down for pretty much all of my life, I am always up for a little better for you swap. So when Skinny Food Co sent me some items from their range, I was happy to oblige!

Who Are Skinny Food Co?

Now first things first, the name Skinny Food Co – under their ‘about us’ it says the following:

When we say Skinny, we’re talking about our food. Skinny because of the sugar we take away. Skinny because of the calories we reduce down to virtually zero. That’s the only Skinny we care about.

I will be honest when I see these products I assume low fat or a diet version of something else to compare it with. The company came about from having diabetic family members and looking how to find favourite foods that they could still eat with less sugar. It does, however, also state on the website:

Making sure we’re uncompromisingly low calorie.

So whilst less sugar they are implying low calorie/low fat. And less sugar does not mean not having lots of added sweetener.

What Is Being Reviewed?

The items sent to me were:

Ketchup
Garlic Mayo
Wraps
Hazelnut Spread
Protein Bars

I should caveat that I was not sent these products to compare with others, but it is hard not to do just that.

I would also note that a lot of the products on their website are also vegan (over 80% of all products are vegan), gluten free, dairy free, low calorie and high protein so could be ideal for those with certain food intolerances.

My Honest Opinion

If you have read my reviews before you will know I am honest – what is the point of a review if there is no honesty? I, like you, have seen many post from people about the products from this company. Most are influencers and I am often more sceptical when you see review after review after review that is all positive. I am not saying it is not possible, but we are all individual and have different tastes and opinions. That being said my review is mine and so you may well taste these yourselves and think what are you on about Lisa these are delicious – and if you do then great. Each to their own!

I would also not that I have not been under a rock and am aware of the previous Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) complaints about Not Guilty Food Co (who trade as Skinny Food Co) including removal of customer reviews and debate on nutritional information on social media posts) but I did not take this into consideration when forming my own view.

Ketchup – this was always going to be a tough call. Can you beat Heinz? In my opinion, no. But I gave it a go. Unfortunately it was not for me, neither the taste nor the consistency (very watery) was just right.
Garlic Mayo – just no. Less sugar sure but it was sweetened to death and so synthetic tasting. Garlic mayo is not something that should generally be sweet. Also far too runny – consistency of the sauce definitely needs some work.
Wraps – not much to say about this but they were more dense than normal wraps and mine split easily when I did wrap them (I had a tuna salad filling in case that makes a difference).
Hazelnut Spread – this is actually not bad at all. Again can definitely taste the sweetener but tasted ok.
Protein Bars – I received 6 different flavours and they were quite nice, however, for price and taste there is another brand I would buy over these.

Conclusion

I went through all the nutrition labels for all products and honestly the difference in calories etc is pretty negligible. Across the board. And you will pay more for these products too – taking prices from the Skinny Food Co versus comparable items from Tesco, it would cost just under £12 more from Skinny Food Co.

My husband uses the syrup in his coffee and is a huge fan – I don’t drink coffee (I know shock horror) so I cannot comment on that.

In summary eat what you want, when you want, in moderation.

Product was gifted but all opinions are my own.

Category: Cycling, Fitness, Product Reviews

The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology Book Review

I was very excited to be sent the new book from GCN written by Mark Beaumont and Dr Jim Taylor.

Mark Beaumont

Mark is an endurance cyclist (however there is so much more to Mark than this and I would describe him as an avid adventurer), but in relation to cycling he currently holds records for:

fastest cycle on Scotland’s North Coast 500
fastest cycle round the world covering a distance of 18,296 miles in 194 days and 17 hours
fastest cycle from Cairo to Cape Town covering a distance of 10,000 km in 41 days, 10 hours and 22 minutes
hour record on a penny farthing

Dr Jim Taylor

Dr Jim Taylor is a specialist in the psychology of performance sport and has worked with professional cyclists and athletes in many other sports. He is also an Ironman and world-championship age-group triathlete.

Basically we are in good hands with the authors!

Favourite Quotes From The Book

I am a sucker for a good quote and this book had loads but a few notable that resonated with me:

‘It is about knowing yourself better and using cycling as a means for personal growth and meaning.’

‘Understanding your ‘why’ is at the heart of this book.’

‘Contrary to popular belief, when you focus on the result, you are less likely to get the result you want.’

‘Putting the fun and social back into training made me feel more energised when I got back on the bike.’

‘Knowing you can ‘out-suffer’ the rest is good motivation when the going gets spicy.’

The quotes above are areas that I think are so important for us individually. We all have different goals, different reasons for doing anything we do and know what works best for us and this often gets lost and we need a reminder!

Cycling Psychology Assessment

This is referred to as the physical testing for the mind in this book and delves into 5 attitudes that affect performance. During this process you rate yourself against each attitude (ownership, process, challenge, long-term and balance).

This assessment is at the start of each stage within the book and each stage is a section that goes into further detail of each attitude mentioned earlier. Each talks about its individual importance and how this relates to your cycling performance and mental attitude towards it.

Main Takeaways From The Book (for me)

This book was so relatable. I cycle therefore I am a cyclist, of many disciplines and varying distances. I am my worst critic and the mental side is my biggest weakness – when my head goes, it is game over! I was surprised to read that Mark suffers from imposter syndrome – so easy to assume athletes do not worry about things like this – we are all human!

I think too often we forget to focus on what we can affect, there is no point in worrying about what we cannot after all. The book talks about grounding yourself in order to set yourself up to cycle to your capabilities.

We can use our motivators to bridge the gap between our goals and efforts to achieve those goals. Are we setting ourselves up for success? Do we know how to identify when we are suffering with low motivation and how to change that mindset? Is there a pattern? How can this be addressed for the better? Do you need a way of staying accountable?

It covers what constitutes quality training, consistency and dedication, and what you can have in your mental took kit to set yourself up for success. I often use my social media channels to voice my goals/objectives for public accountability – it may not work for everyone but I find it does for me. I keep a log of my training activities, how I felt, what worked and didn’t – I think it is the project manager in me treating it like a retrospective and identifying lessons learned so that I can turn negatives into positives.

This book covers it all with real life examples how Dr Taylor worked through this with Mark for his various challenges. I cannot recommend it enough and will be sure to add to my Christmas 2022 gift list!

Product was gifted but all opinions are my own.

Category: Cycling, Product Reviews

New Bike – Specialized Aethos Comp

If you have been under a rock you may have missed that I sold my beloved ‘pink princess’ bike recently and I purchased a new bike!

The new bike is a Specialized Aethos Comp and I got it from the lovely people at Cycle Evolution in Colchester, Essex.

Why Was I Looking For A New Bike?

I’ve been asked this a lot and I added a video to my socials showing the new bike in the shop but the sound is muted. Why is it muted? My friend Karen was in the shop and you can hear her saying to me ‘Lisa, why did you want a new bike?’ and then my replying ‘Karen, what a stupid question’. Meant entirely in a nice way but also serious – who wouldn’t want a new bike?!

I loved my Tarmac and was really sad to see it go, but I have loads of great memories with it and it went to a lovely new home. I was injured and off the bike and figured I would take a look and see a) if I could get a bike I wanted in my size (as they are not as easy to source these days) and b) if I could sell mine for what I wanted to help fund the upgrade.

My Tarmac was rim brake and I had no issue with it at all but as my gravel and MTB are both disc brake bikes, I knew I eventually wanted to upgrade my road to be the same.

I had looked (drooled) over the Aethos for a long time and so this was what I was looking at. I did also look at other options but kept going back to the Aethos. I had test ridden it, knew the geometry was almost identical to the Tarmac so it would be a comfortable ride for me and also spoken to others who had ridden both the Tarmac and the Aethos to get some feedback and everything seemed to confirm my choice so Aethos was it!

The Technical Bits

Frame – Aethos FACT 10r Carbon
Fork – FACT Carbon
Handlebars – Specialized Shallow Drop
Stem – Specialized Pro SL
Tape – Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
Saddle – Body Geometry Power Sport
Seatpost – Roval Alpinist Carbon Seatpost
Brakes – SRAM Rival 1, hydraulic disc
Shift Levers – SRAM Rival eTap AXS, hydraulic
Front Derailleur – SRAM Rival eTAP AXS
Rear Derailleur – SRAM Rival eTap AXS, 12-speed
Cassette – SRAM Rival, 12-speed, 10-36t
Crankset – SRAM Rival
Chainrings – 48/35T
Bottom Bracket – SRAM DUB BSA 68
Chain – SRAM Rival 12-speed
Wheelset – DT Swiss R470 rim, 20mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT Swiss brass nipples
Tyres – Turbo Pro, 60 TPI, folding bead, BlackBelt protection, 700x26mm
Inner Tubes – Presta, 48mm valve

Of Course I Changed Some Bits

When you purchase a bike the bulk of the cost is the frameset. I already knew I wanted to change some parts on it and so after buying I left in the shop with some parts on order to upgrade as follows:

Roval Alpinist CLX II front and rear wheels – I had deeper rim wheels on the Tarmac but had been looking at these for the Aethos and they are the ones recommended
S-Works Carbon Hover handlebars (40cm) – on my Tarmac I had the handlebars rolled up slightly for a more comfortable fit and initially was looking at the Alpinist bars but was recommended these, which also meant it raised 15mm)
Shimano Ultegra R8000 SPD-SL pedals – again what I have used before so tried and tested
Specialized Turbo Cotton tyres (700 x 28) – I am general a Continental girl so this is new for me, partly following recommendations but also those tan walls are just lush
Latex inner tubes – recommended and is a little bit of a learning curve for me with the lower PSI and having to remember to pump up every ride (which I forgot to do on my very first ride)
Custom Fat Girl Fit stem cap cover – I had this on my Tarmac and like to add a bit of pink where I can so always planned to swap this over to any new bike I got
Mimic Pro saddle – my go to saddle that is tried and tested and works for me (I also have this on my turbo bike)

Where Did I Get The Aethos?

Full disclosure I work with the guys at Cycle Revolution but I will always give an honest opinion and I can hands down say they could not have done enough to help me. I can talk! And I spent several hours in the store asking questions and discussing options and they were nothing but patient and super helpful.

I also met a friend in their Colchester Evolution store who was struggling to source a bike suitable for her needs and in her size and they were equally as great helping her and she has a bike on order from them too.

Most Importantly What Do I Think So Far?

I will admit it is early days (I have only had it for just over 2 weeks) but so far I am seriously impressed! She rides like an absolute dream and is just as comfortable as the Tarmac.

I was sceptical about SRAM as I have only ever known mechanical and Di2 but after a few ‘oops that’s the wrong gear change’ I picked it up.

Naturally I look to see how I can pink up my bikes but not sure I can with this one. My Tarmac was fairly in your face and I loved it but part of what attracted me to the Aethos was the simplicity of it. I liked that it stripped it back to being a bike I would just love to ride – less is more was something a friend said when she saw it last weekend and I couldn’t agree more!

Category: Cycling, Fitness, Product Reviews

Beeline Velo 2 Cycling Computer Review

I am always up for trying new cycling gadgets and kit, so when I was asked to try the new Beeline Velo2, of course my answer was yes!

This is the second iteration of the Velo cycling computer from the computer and follows a hugely successful kick-starter campaign.

The Techy Bit

Here are the main details:

Cost – The unit itself costs £79.99 and for that you get the bike computer, charging cable, handlebar mount (two different sized rubber bands to allow for different sized handlebars) and instructions. I was also sent to the carry case, which easily holds the bike computer, has a net to hold the charging cable too and a carabiner to secure when transporting.
Battery – battery life is over 11 hours ride time so less when comparing with other major brands offering competing products but still more than a respectable battery life. When I complete in rides longer than this I would carry a battery pack so I can charge on the go/at rest stops as a fall back and could do this for this unit too.
Display – 32mm LCD screen, with rocker top buttons rather than touch screen so great if you are riding with gloves as you don’t have to take them off! It has ambient lighting and back lighting, which is great for rides not in daylight but also if off road and in heavily shaded areas too. You can adjust the brightness as well.
Shock and water resistant (including dust for the off road riding)
Weighs just 25 grams!

Getting Started

Initial set up was super simple and complete very quickly. The bike computer works with an app and once downloaded and device paired you are good to go. I have an iPhone but this is available on android too. I would note that you need software of iOS 13.0 and above to run the app on an iPhone. This does mean you need your smart phone with you when riding although for me I always carry my phone so this is not an issue and it’s not super heavy draining the battery either, which is good, although I have not tested on any endurance riding.

Route Planning

You have the following two options:

Route mode – this uses the most commonly used route and best for road riding and you can add points to go via by simply dragging the route on the screen in the app
Compass mode – this is best for off road riding and is an ‘as the crow flies’ navigation, so you are given an arrow in the direction you need to go and can pick the path to follow to get there

In addition to the above you can also choose from the route mode out of:

Fast route – will select a route to get you to your destination as quickly as possible
Quiet route – will select a route that uses more quiet roads
Balanced route – a blend of the two options mentioned above

The routes are feedback led too and so you can see those that have been rated good and not good by others and amend your route if you wish. You can do this too when riding using the red and green rocker buttons on each side – reminds me of the Waze navigation system I use in the car and helps other users.

It is also compatible with Strava and again super simple to pair and claims worldwide navigational coverage but I have only used in the UK so cannot comment on that.

You can also import routes from other planners, so once I paired with my Strava the app showed immediately routes I had from there that I could select and use.

Like other bike computers the route planning uses turn by turn navigation, easy re-routing when off the planned route and although it uses the app on the smartphone it will still work if you do not have any service on your phone.

Recording Data

The unit itself tracks all the usual/expected things you would expect from a bike computer including speed, average speed, distance covered, distance remaining and estimated time left on the route with your ETA. Personally I prefer not to have data overload and just enjoy the ride and if possible would remove some metrics from the display. I did reach out to Beeline support to ask if this was possible and they confirmed and got the following response:

Unfortunately at the minute, it’s not a feature we have. But, it is a very popular request, I will make note of your email, and who knows what the future may bring!

Not so long ago we launched our largest ever single update that was almost entirely made up of user-based ideas and feedback, we made a brand new UI to go along side major improvements done to our route planner. So it is how we as a company like to work, so stay tuned, and do share any further ideas you may have!

I did reach out to Beeline support to see if it was possible to pair heart rate and cadence and got the following response:

At the moment, Velo 2 is unable to connect with heart rate or cadence trackers.

I would say they were super quick in getting back to me and offered further help with anything else so was impressed on that front.

My Thoughts

I love the simplicity of this and the price point is far more accessible than competitor units.

Part of what I love about being on the mountain bike is exploring and making up routes so I love that I can use this unit to do just that and think it will live on my MTB. The mountain bike I also find goes back to just loving being on the bike and that simplicity is matched with the unit.

I was really impressed with the customer service and that developments are very much driven by customer feedback.

I also loved that the brand have intentionally designed this unit to be carbon and plastic negative with sustainability in mind.

I will probably stick with my current bike computer for my road bike as I use that for training and require access to some functionality that is not available on this unit but for MTB and casual riding (as in not specific training sessions) it is perfect.

Product was gifted but all opinions are my own.