Product Reviews - Fat Girl Fit

Category: Cycling, Fitness, Product Reviews

Raleigh Motus E-Bike Review

I am very lucky to be supported by Evans Cycles this year for my adventures and events. I was asked if I would be interested in trying an electric bike. To be completely honest I have never tried and electric bike before and have never felt the need to have a bike with a motor in it so I was sceptical and not expecting to like it. BUT it is so much fun!

The bike I took delivery of was the Raleigh Motus Evans Exclusive Low Step 2021 Electric Hybrid Bike and I will admit I was super impressed with the chap who delivered this on a push bike in a trailer! This bike, like most electric bikes, are heavy so kudos to that man.

The Bike Spec:

A bit more about the bike – it comes with:

mudguards front and back
pannier rack with straps
it does have reflectors, however, I would always add bike lights depending on the time riding and how dark it is
a bell, which is always useful especially with a hybrid bike if riding off road or through park pathways
kickstand

The spec is as follows:

300WH battery that provides energy output of up to 250% of your pedal power
7 speed
Bosch motor – weighing in at 2.9kg that is a decrease from the previous version by 25%
hydraulic disc brakes
schwalbe tyres
anti slip pedals
mains adaptor for charging
handlebar bike computer to turn on, change settings and displays speed and current range in miles

The bike has the following settings:

eco
tour
turbo
sport
walk

Depending on what setting you use the battery, when fully charged, can last up to 60 miles.

It does have front suspension to make certain terrain more comfortable, however, don’t expect the same as an off road ride as it was still fairly bumpy even on the road going over some bumps/cracks/holes.

How Does It Work With Strava?

When I tried the bike for the first time I loaded my ride onto Strava and it flagged with a message to say it looked like the ride was on an e-bike (which I was fully planning to mark it as) and gave me the option to amend. Interestingly I had someone comment on the activity joking that it was lazy, however, electric bikes do have a place so hold that judgement!

Why Choose An E-Bike?

I had a friend who was very unwell a couple of years back and loves cycling, so she had said that if she did not recover enough to cycle as usual she would look to purchase an electric bike so she could still enjoy the sport she loves, which is amazing.

You may wish to continue cycling and not be able to go as far as you wish and an electric bike may allow this. You may have an injury that would mean an electric bike is more suitable. You may be getting older and wish to continue cycling without as much stress on joints that an electric bike facilitates. Plus it enables time outdoors, which is always an environmental benefit and good for wellbeing.

As you ride an electric bike you continue to pedal and work and yes it makes it easier especially on inclines but there is a common misconception that you jump on a electric bike and it does all the work for you, which is not strictly true.

Electric bikes are obviously cheaper than travelling by car or train and with no emissions are more environmentally friendly. However, I would note that they are not cheap to purchase.

I had a lot of fun using this bike and would love to try a mountain bike version, which I am sure would be huge fun on the trails!

Thanks to Evans for sending me this bike to have a play around with!

Category: Cycling, Fitness, Product Reviews

Bike Packing & Wild Camping Kit Checklist

Last weekend my friend Laura and I did part of the King Alfred’s way, which you can read about here. As I embarked on my first bike packing trip I realised how much there is to plan, prep and take with you and it can be a minefield.

Bike bags

Originally I was going to borrow bags from my friend Helen but I have been luck to be supported by Evans this year with my plans that they supported me with some bike packing kit that included the following:

Altura Vortex 2 Waterproof frame bag – I actually didn’t end up using this the past weekend as it is a much better fit for my gravel bike rather than MTB
Altura Vortex 2 Waterproof front roll – this was amazing and fit on the bike perfectly plus had loads of loops to change where straps went and strap things on to
Altura Vortex 2 Waterproof top tube pack – for longer road rides I always have a similar bag on the frame for easy access to nutrition
Altura seat pack – an oversized saddle bag again with lots of straps to attach things to
Patagonia 5L waist pack – essentially a bum bag to carry whilst riding

Quick Bag Review

The bags were amazing and I was really impressed and have the following feedback from their first use:

they were easy to attach
I particularly liked the foam pads to protect the bike from straps although you are bound to get some movement as you ride over technical terrain so there may still be some marks left but these definitely minimise the risk
they cleaned up brilliantly with a baby wipe despite having a lot of mud on them – using a tap of water when home was also fab
they fold down very flat when not in use
the only thing I would say is because they are not normal zips to ensure they remain waterproof you do have to be conscious not to overpack them otherwise the track can come away and open

They are now packed away in a bag ready for the next adventure!

Kit Checklist

So this is the final list of what we took with us:

Bike – (obviously) and again there is much debate on this with some people saying gravel bikes over MTB and others vice versa but we decided (mostly because of me rather than Laura) that we would do this on our MTBs. Laura is an experienced cross racer and far more comfortable with rough terrain on on a gravel or cross bike whereas my preference is MTB. Feedback showed opinions were split from those who had completed the ride so I would suggest go with what you are more comfortable with and I am happy with my choice!
Bike bags – bike packing means you carry all of your stuff and with British weather being so unpredictable waterproof is always best, as compact as possible and that fit on your bike and are comfortable to ride with. My lovely friend Helen also lent me a number of dry bags so everything I packed went into a dry bag just to be doubly sure nothing would get wet.
Sleeping bag – again as compact as possible and I was lucky that my husband had purchased one from Omm for when he did the half MDS ultra run, which was perfect and packs down very small and now in the sale too. There are different sleep options where you can have trousers that zip to jackets, which is what my friend Laura took. She also took a sleeping mat, which I didn’t – although light they are bulky and I can practically sleep anywhere so chose to leave that off my list but is personal preference.
Tent/bivvy – again a bit of preference and we opted for sleeping bag with bivvy bag and also took some tarp that we made into a bit of a tent for two that covered us and the bikes (this genius idea was all Laura so I can take no credit here).
Headtorch – for obvious reasons we are wild camping and so it gets dark and the headtorch is invaluable!
Waterproof jacket – again British weather means this is a necessary. You are carrying minimal kit so don’t want it wet. I have a lightweight jacket from BioRacer that packs away in a drawstring bag that is fab.
Thermal jacket – sounds bulky but I have a thin Specialized thermal jacket that packed down small, is lightweight and was a god send for when you stop cycling and are sweaty that soon turns to chills so essential to wrap up quickly.
First aid kit – hopefully do not need but very good to have for obvious reasons. Also an emergency blanket and poncho just in case.
Essential toiletries – baby wipes, toilet wipes, travel deodorant, travel brush, sudo cream, lip balm, travel toothbrush and toothpaste, mini towel, hand sanitiser, earplugs. You cannot underestimate the power of a wild camping wash to freshen up! Sun cream too because much as we moan about British weather it could be sunny and sun stroke/burn is no fun. Also don’t forget bug spray as you will get eaten alive as I did even though I was covered.
Bag for rubbish – work off the logic of leaving no trace. If you have rubbish or used items then bag it up and take it with you!
Money – cards and cash.
Battery pack – useful for phone as well as bike computer for the route. Also make sure you take the right cables for various devices if needed.
Bike computer – my wahoo was ready with the route loaded.
Bike lights – one front and one back light, we were aiming for long days so living by the logic of be safe and be seen.
Bike spares – 2 inner tubes, tyre levers, quick links, pump, puncture repair kit, multitool, like the first aid kit you hope not to need it but being prepared for various eventualities is the best approach.
Chamois cream – yep that! I took a few of the Her individual sachets so they were smaller and lighter to carry.
Bike lock – there were two of us but if you need to go to shops, toilets etc have a lock. We both have these compact locks from Hiplok that are perfect for cafe stops.
Helmet
Cycling sunglasses
Water bottle – I took one but ran out three times so would definitely either look to take two next time or a hydration vest of some sort – you need to judge by your set up and if you are using a frame bag or have a bike that allows for two bottle cages.
Spare clothes – take what works for you. I wore padded bib shorts, a base layer, technical top and my trusty five ten shoes. Also took a gillet, arm warmers, spare top and spare socks in case of wet feet and a buff – so versatile! Lightweight leggings for off bike, woolly hat and another top. Laura took spare bib shorts and honestly I think next time I will do the same!
Food – we knew there would be stops on route so were not planning to take enough food for the whole trip though had enough electrolytes, fuel we knew worked for us when cycling and of course a couple of emergency gels. Laura had got me a hip flask for my birthday so we had some gin (for post riding not whilst on our bikes obviously).
Miscellaneous – cable ties, electrical tape and string.

It looks like a lot of stuff but you can see from the pic that it fit nicely in the bags I used. I filled the bags as follows:

Top tube bag – nutrition, tyre levers, puncture repair kit, multi tool, cable ties, mini tube of lube with electrical tape wound round it, chap stick
Handlebar bag – thermal jacket, hat, gillet, waterproof jacket, bivvy bag, toileteries
Saddle bag – spare inner tubes, sleeping bag, spare clothes
Waist pack – battery pack, charger cables, bike lock, money, tissues

Some items mentioned in this post were gifted from Evans Cycles but all opinions are my own.

Category: Cycling, Fitness, Product Reviews

Wahoo Element Bolt Bike Computer Review

When I started cycling, and running also, I always went straight to Garmin and have had various versions of their products for both disciplines. I can’t say I was unhappy with them either and in fact I still have and use the Garmin Fenix watch but I was intrigued by the bike computers from Wahoo.

And then they bought out a limited edition bike computer – in pink. Call me fickle but that interested me even more (I know it is just a colour – don’t @ me).

Wahoo Elemnt Bolt versus Wahoo Elemnt Roam

My husband had already made the switch and had the Roam, which he found great and surprised himself by his own admission that he would find it a struggle to move away from them after use. However, he did say in hindsight for his use he would probably look at the Bolt and so I opted for that.

I should say to start with I am not hugely technical and when it comes to areas like this I do tend to lean on my husband (a complete gadget geek) for his input.

Most notable differences:

Wahoo Element Roam	Wahoo Element Bolt (V1)
Up to 17 hours battery life	Up to 15 hours battery life
Colour screen	Black/grey screen (new version has colour screen)
Screen size 2.7 inches	Screen size 2.2 inches
Screen resolution 240 x 400 pixels	Screen resolution 240 x 300 pixels
Memory 4gb	Memory 4gb
Charging time 1 hour 47 minutes	Charging time 1 hour 44 minutes
94 grams in weight	68 grams in weight
89 x 54.4 x 17.8mm	77 x 47 x 21mm
£299.99	£249.99

So what one is better?

Honestly I think it is personal preference. Yes one is bigger than the other but the differences otherwise are quite subtle.

I would say though I find the Wahoo Bolt so much easier than other bike computers I have had and am very happy with it for the following reasons:

super easy to set up
it links with the app almost instantly
charges very quickly
can upload routes very quickly – I have joined rides and had a shared route that has loaded within minutes
extremely easy to follow routes (and I am directionally useless so if this works for me then honestly it’s good)
battery life is great – I used for the Vatternrundan 315km bike ride and it didn’t come close to running out
customisable screen layouts – I personally opt for moving speed, gears and cadence so I don’t get in my own head for average speed etc
can link to my wahoo kickr turbo trainer and follow a route on there, where the resistance will follow the increase/decrease in gradients I would experience on the road

There are obviously some cons (nothing is perfect) and I would list those as follows:

not touchscreen – however I have not found this to be an issue when using
not colour – but again as above and definitely not a must have and more of a nice to have and the screen is very clear even in sunlight
if you are connected to your smart phone you can set it up so you can see incoming calls – I find this a nuisance as the unit does not answer but it does allow you the option to stop and take the call as it is very visible/audible

Category: Cycling, Fitness, Product Reviews

Sleep Cycles With Tempur® (AD)

When it comes to both physical and mental health, sleep plays a huge role. During sleep your body recovers and repairs muscles stressed during your day’s activities and training. Effective training requires energy and lack of sleep also results in lower energy levels.

I try to ensure I get 8 hours sleep per night. I know how my body works and its response to lack of sleep. Lower levels of sleep not only affect my energy but also my motivation, which in turn impacts my training.

TEMPUR® and Drops Le Col

TEMPUR® ‘strive to create products that consistently provide deeply refreshing, restorative sleep’ and announced their partnership with Drops Le Col women’s cycling team earlier in 2021. In the press release from TEMPUR® they referenced the partnership as ‘a sign of their continuing commitment to helping athletes perform at the highest level’.

Drops Le Col are a UK-based UCI Women’s Cycling team. They follow a wellness programme with their athletes that includes working with the riders in relation to their menstrual cycle, mental health, and sleep. Every athlete receives mattresses and pillows from TEMPUR® (the only products of their kind on the market whose mattress materials are recognised by NASA), to assist with getting the best out of their sleep and help with their training.

La Course by Le Tour 2021 Brest > Landerneau 107.7km ©RhodePhoto

What Are Sleep Cycles?

According to the NHS the two main types of sleep are Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). The sleep cycle the human body follows is broken down to the following stages as below (although not always in this order):

Very light sleep, can be woken easily as your body relaxes for the transition to sleep
Sleep where we see a drop in body temperature and heart rate as we enter deeper sleep stage
Deeper sleep where muscles relax, blood pressure and breathing rate drop, where you are generally more difficult to wake
Even deeper than the stage above where the magic happens, and the body gets most benefit from rest and recovery
REM stage where the brain is most active, body is relaxed and there is an increase once again in heart rate and blood pressure

Sleep Tracking

This is where you can really benefit from sleep cycles. I have found to function best, I follow a routine where I go to sleep at a time that enables me to wake earlier in the morning, still ensuring I get around 8 hours sleep, and find this works best for me.

My main form of fitness is cycling, including events as well as commuting and many training sessions/rides, most of which I complete before work in the early morning.

I like my sleep and I know I need it – honestly when people say they get a mere few hours per night I know personally I would not function that well at all with the same, however, I know I am lucky that I do not have sleep issues, which is not true for many.

I wear a smart watch that records my sleep time including a breakdown of:

total sleep time
deep sleep
light sleep
REM
awake

I also keep a log of my training and I can refer to each if I have a good or bad session so whilst it is not an exact science for me, I can refer to this and make the connection in some instances where things have gone well or not so well.

Personal Experience

I found out earlier this year that I am going through perimenopause. This can affect sleep hugely as you are transitioning to the menopause and gradually stop producing progesterone. This hormone assists with sleep, and I find a regular sleep cycle really helps both with my training and how I feel in myself. According to The Sleep Council, part of The Sleep Charity, 40% of people suffer from sleep issues, which is a staggering statistic. In addition to this over 70% of people get less than seven hours per night, the minimum of the range advised by the NHS. They also provide seven steps with advice on sleep, one of which is your bed, which demonstrates how the athletes from Drops Le Col will benefit from the TEMPUR® partnership providing them with the best kit both on and off the bike.

MentalHealth.org published a paper regarding sleep and the benefits to mental wellbeing. In this paper they reference sleep and not just the importance of the amount of sleep but also the pattern of sleep. This evolves from child to adult and moves from sporadic sleep patterns throughout the day to one phase throughout the night respectively. One of the key points of the paper is that ‘the consequences of poor sleep should be taken seriously in healthcare, education, family life, and society at large’.

Other Areas for Consideration

There are many other things you can do to help with sleep and here are some things I find help me:

comfortable pillow, mattress, and bedding – the saying that there is nothing like being in your own bed is often very true – I have been using the comfort pillow and I described it to my husband like sleeping on clouds, so comfortable it is like a hug for your head and he used also and got the best nights sleep, which is rare for him
allow time to unwind before I go to bed, which includes less screen time before bed – I am sure we are all guilty of getting in bed because we are tired and then sitting on phones checking social media – I purposely have no TV in my bedroom also
hot bath/shower for me is always relaxing (not just before bed either!) although not a hot bedroom for me – I am a windows open in the bedroom girl
sleep masks often help especially during summer months with lighter evenings and mornings
I am an early bird so tend to have a routine where I am in bed by 10pm if not earlier (I know most people will gasp at this time being too early) but this is because I regularly wake at 6am to exercise in the morning. It is also surprising how your body will get used to the routine very quickly.

I look forward to seeing the ladies from the Drops Le Col team at the Women’s Tour later this year.

This post is in conjunction with TEMPUR® but all thoughts are my own.

Category: Product Reviews

Rehook PLUS Product Review

You can mostly find me out and about on my bike and it doesn’t always go to plan. Like most cyclists I ride equipped in the case of minor mechanicals and punctures (the dreaded ‘p’ word) but secretly hope you don’t need anything from your saddle bag and the ride will be smooth sailing or smooth spinning.

I prefer to try and take as few items with me as possible and pack what I know is useful into my saddle bag . I wrote a blog post on what I carry in my saddle bag that you can read here.

When the lovely people at Rehook offered to send me their new Rehook PLUS product of course I said yes! So what is it? It is 11 tools in 1, which includes:

Rehook chain tool head – really useful gadget
2x Tyre levers
2x Spoke keys
8mm, 9mm and 10mm wrench (I have nothing I could use these for on my road, gravel or MTB bikes so didn’t test these, but appreciate other bikes may have)
5mm and 6mm Hex / Allen keys (I found that out of six bikes in our household these sized Hex tools only fit the bottle cages of two bikes. It doesn’t fit any of the brakes, cleats for SPD (MTB)/SPD SL, seat clamps, bike computer mounts or stems, which all required 4mm and I tested on road, TT, gravel and MTBs which are from three different brands. It did fit the crank arm bolts and the derailleur, however, if I had an issue with that I would be using a torque wrench and not this tool if I am being honest although I appreciate I would not be cycling carrying a torque wrench.
PH1 Phillips screwdriver

The first product from this company was the Rehook product, as seen on Dragons Den. This was marketed with the purpose of getting your chain back on without the mess and this product is an evolved version with additional features.

The Rehook PLUS is nice and compact with the tool dimensions being: 148mm x 28mm x 14mm and is also super lightweight weighing at just 60g. The strap that comes on the tool means you have the option of putting the tool in a saddle or bar bag, a tool case in a bottle cage and also strapped to your bike frame. I wouldn’t put mine on my frame, just personal preference, as I would be worried that through vibrations in the road it could lead to paint damage, and it is too long to fit in my saddle bag so when I’ve been riding recently I have put it in my jersey pocket.

There is no flat head screw driver piece, which could be useful although limited use on most bikes. I recently got an MTB and wanted to remove reflectors and some other pieces and used the tool but did need a flat head screw driver so thought this could be something for consideration.

Would be good to have a magnet under the Hex/Allen keys storage that you find under the tyre lever. I found when testing and using this that a couple of times they didn’t clip back in properly or fell out and a magnet would be useful to keep them in place. The insert to use the pieces does have a magnet in the bottom which is a nice touch. I would note once the tyre lever is in place they cannot fall out but it would be annoying to take the tyre lever out and them fall out, which was what happened to me a few times.

Rehook PLUS costs £26.99 with free UK shipping.

I was gifted this item but all opinions are my own.

Category: Product Reviews

Premax Chamois and Warm Up Cream Review

As a cyclist I have been through my fair share of chamois cream and whilst I know people who do not need this, I am a fan and on the road or turbo will always see me applying a generous amount of chamois cream pre ride and sometimes mid ride too depending on the distance.

I have a few people who are friends and that I follow on social media who use Premax products and so looked into them a little more. I was particularly interested in the warm up cream and seeing if this would help me when on the bike, especially during winter months in particular.

Chris Hall yesterday finished his personal #107TDF Project, which is raising money for The Pace Centre. This challenge is following Chris Hall cycling from London to Land’s End to John O’Groats and back to London, covering at least 107 miles per day on the days the Tour de France is on. During this epic ride Chris has had many questions about comfort whilst in the saddle and is using the Premax chamois cream and as I type this has suffered no issues.

The Internationelles, who are raising awareness for gender equality in cycling, are also using the Premax chamois cream and honestly whilst the Tour de France route was not possible this year they undertook the challenge on turbo trainers and followed this up with an Everesting challenge. For me products that help with challenges as noted above are always ones I am keen to try as they are tried and tested to such a high level.

I have been using the chamois cream now both on the road bike, gravel bike, MTB and the turbo so a real mix of riding and different terrain. I would always maintain that there are also other factors for saddle comfort to take into consideration such as the saddle itself and bike fit but for me chamois cream is also on that must have list. I have written a blog post about saddle soreness that you can read here and will need to update it to include reference to Premax also. I use a Mimic saddle on my road and turbo bikes but have a Brooks saddle on my gravel which is much stiffer but surprisingly comfortable. I have found a real difference in opinion on some creams with a lot of triathlete friends liking sudocream as it will not wash off in the water but I don’t personally like the consistency of cream like that for riding. I found the Premax cream to be pretty much perfect consistency, smells nice, noticeable difference when riding, easy application, doesn’t stain (this is important as some can leave some discolouration on chamois pads that no one wants!) and no chaffing experience whilst riding. The cream I used was women’s specific so was designed with a female specific PH formula too. Pretty much ticks all the boxes! What would be great would be individual sachets – an item I will often take on long rides in my saddle bag.

Now the warm up cream! Well I had been looking at another brand who offered something similar and was keen to see if this stuff worked. I always find the first 10 miles of a ride to be the hardest to warm up and get going so a cream that claims to warm up the muscles is something I was definitely interested in. I was keen to know the feel because having used magnesium sprays post ride previously I knew that using too much can pack a little bit of a sting and I had heard the same of some warm up creams too. This cream was smooth, easy to apply and smelt great! I have used it again on road, gravel, MTB and turbo and a real difference of short and endurance rides too with the shortest being one of the gravel rides at about 10 miles and the longest being just over 130 miles. Now I know I said it takes me about 10 miles to warm up but I also find off road riding much harder and will joke saying 10 miles off road feels like 20 on the road so that my comparison. I was pleasantly surprised that my legs felt that they were in fact ready to go sooner into the ride and will be keen to continue using this to test more especially in the winter months to see if it shows benefit then too. The only thing I haven’t yet done is take with me on a long ride to reapply and think that could be useful too.

I was gifted the items, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Product Reviews

Hedkayse Helmet Review

Now I am not shy in saying I am a firm believer in wearing a helmet whilst cycling. I am aware it is not a legal requirement, however, having had 3 separate instances where my helmet has saved my head I personally choose not to ride without a helmet. I do have a blog with more on this that you can read here.

When the guys from Headkayse got in touch about reviewing their helmet I will admit I had not heard of them before and having a look into them a little more I found their mission statement as follows:

‘We believe that our heads are worth protecting and have made it our mission to provide the safest head protection possible for cyclists. We want to be the drivers of head protection innovation and believe that by introducing our Enkayse™ liner material we have changed the face of cycle helmet technology forever.’

You may or may not agree but I felt the above was a bold statement and so of course I was intrigued!

The main features are as follows:

multi impact – can retain the integrity upon impact (to a certain degree of course mentioning small bumps and knocks)
multi fit (all helmets are one size)
foldable
fully customisable

Lets dig into the areas above in a little more detail:

multi impact – I don’t plan on crashing in epic style to find out if this works but knowing first hand the damage that can be done from coming off your bike I am not sure how comfortable or confident I would feel to continue using a helmet if I know it has suffered a knock? The helmet actually arrived in a material bag that was inside a brown envelope and no box – given how parcels and post get knocked around in transit this was not lost on me and I assume is to show how confident they are in their product that a box is unnecessary? This claim comes from their inner material called Enkayse. This lining they claim to be over 150 times safer than traditional helmets. To quote the company:

‘Unlike EPS Enkayse is designed to manage the energy of impacts whilst retaining its integrity. Enkayse dissipates energy rather than deforming on impact, it also cushions small bumps. Protection from small knock and bumps may also have long-term benefits as researchers believe the cumulative effect of small knocks contributes to brain disease over time. Enkayse shrugs off the bumps, knocks and everyday abuse, so you can be sure that Hedkayse | ONE will provide continuous protection.’

and

‘Hedkayse | ONE is not a fragile one-hit wonder, our unique Enkayse liner enables the helmet to pass EN1078 safety tests after multiple impacts and provide unrivalled protection time and time again.’

multi fit – one size fits all, which again I was a little unsure of as all helmets I have come across come in different sizes and wearing the correct size helmet, in the right position and fitted securely is key to its effectiveness. The helmet has a rear fastening strap, which will fit a size range of 49cm to 58.5cm. A check I complete to know if my helmet is secure is to adjust the fastenings and without having to do the strap up under the chin you should be able to lean forward and the helmet not fall off your head as per British Cycling – this does not work with the Hedkayse helmet and fell straight off when tested.
foldable – the helmet can fold down to 50% of its original size although I couldn’t get it to fold down to that. I would imagine for some commuters this may be a bonus as I know I try and carry as little as possible with me. I am lucky to have a secure bike lock space at my work office and locker so I can put my kit in there easily but maybe if I were commuting out and about the ability to fold this to put in a bag could be good – many people work on the go especially in cities and move from location to location. However, I must admit if I have been out and about with my helmet I will clip it on to my bag and it is no issue.
fully customisable – the team were super responsive and once they had my logo and checked what colour I would like they came back with designs ensuring they were totally happy with the finished product.

Lets dig a little deeper here and I will start with the weight as this was the first thing I noticed when I unpacked the helmet. It is heavy! Not like a bowling ball heavy obviously but compared to four helmets I have really very heavy and on wearing you can really notice this. I did a little comparison with some of my helmets as follows:

the Hedkayse helmet weighs 1.2lbs
my Kask Protone helmet with the classic polystyrene casing weighs 0.5lbs
my Endura Pro SL helmet with the Koroyd core casing weighs 0.5lbs

Now for comfort – there are 3 foam pads inside the helmet on the inner lining material, however, these are not that secure and on the second use had already come unstuck. The lining of the helmet (the special Enkayse material) is bulky and honestly not comfortable when on your head. I have been out before on my bike and touched my head to check if my helmet is on (sounds silly especially as I am such a pro helmet cyclist but it can happen) and I wouldn’t need to do that with this helmet as I would be aware at all times I was wearing it and that is not a positive. It also feels like the front is too far away from my head – I could easily fit a couple of fingers between the helmet and my forehead, which is not a confidence builder.

Lets talk sweat because the Enkayse lining does not feel breathable at all. We have had warm weather but this was noticeably moist when I took it off – I definitely would not want to take it off and put it back on again at a cake stop mid ride.

Instructions – there is a tag on the helmet although I also referred to the website where there is a video also on how to fit your helmet, which starts from its folded position. It just seemed to me over complicated for no reason. When you get a helmet even though you will only need to refer to it once do you really want to have to log online for further instructions?

Looks – I am firmly safety first but I will admit the shape is odd looking and does appear to sit on the head when you look at it. I would liken the shape to a helmet for another sport and not cycling, maybe horse riding or climbing although I cannot quite put my finger on it. It feels like it sits on top of your head, I noticed immediately it seems to sit away from my forehead and as I mentioned earlier I can easily fit a few fingers in between the front of the helmet and my head, which I don’t believe to be right and it felt not as protective as a normal cycling helmet feels. Whilst I get that appearance is not the top priority here it is a valid point and adjustments are needed when using a cycling cap under the helmet which I always do.

I also noticed on the website that the Hedkayse helmet has passed safety EN1078 safety certification, which passes for the UK and Europe but they are still waiting to achieve this for other countries/continents and as I often travel with my bike and not always in Europe this would be another blocker for me using this helmet.

Long and short is that this is not the helmet for me unfortunately. Helmets are personal preference and being in a cycling club I know first hand when you find the helmet you like you tend to stick to the same brand, especially if you have had a knock and needed it replaced as you know it has withstood the job it is intended for. So just because it is not for me does not mean it might not be for you, I am just not sure if this product is answering a question that is just not being asked in the market currently.

The helmets retail at £150 and if yo are interested you can use the code YK193LJ7 for a 10% discount. I was gifted the helmet, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Product Reviews

Book Review – Gears for Queers

At a time when we are in COVID-19 Lockdown, self-isolation, lots of turbo bike miles and my company have said we cannot carry over holiday entitlement to the new holiday year I found myself with two weeks leave (should have been cycling in Sweden, Denmark and Norway but lets not dwell on that) and the offer of a book review – perfect timing!

So the above was how I came about the book Gears for Queers. Now I will admit when I first got the book I saw the title and thought eek, will that offend anyone? Well the book is written by Abi and Lili who are a couple and refer to themselves as queer. The book quotes:

‘to queer something is to trouble boundaries, to question the division into binaries, success/failure, commuter/cyclist, made/sane, travel/migrate, leave/remain’

The book documents the couples journey of bike touring from Amsterdam to Spain. Lili is from Cambridge and having cycled there myself I know it is flat albeit very windy at times, not Lanzarote windy but windy nonetheless. I did a 100 mile cycling sportive in Cambridge with two girlfriends and we practically flew for the first 50 miles and then turned and battled wind for the remainder of the ride! Lots of people cycle in Cambridge and Lili is one of those very people. Abi, however, had not cycled more than 20 minutes as part of her commute before agreeing to take on this trip!

Both Lili and Abi had second hand steel framed bikes for this bike tour, one of which cost only £40, and these were the bikes they cycled in Amsterdam, through The Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland as part of this tour. Two steel framed bikes, a printed route from Google Maps, many pannier bags filled with all sorts (I have 2 items they took that my firm favourites but I won’t give away what they were), leaving technology behind and they were set for an epic adventure!

There was so much in this book I could relate to as a cyclist including aching legs, saddle sore, grimacing at hills as you approach them, navigating busy roads and traffic, trying to understanding signage in different languages when cycling abroad and much more.

Both Lili and Abi are vegan and so a bike tour of this nature is made even harder when trying to find vegan friendly places to eat and buy food – I know this first hand as my husband is plant based and we have cycled in many countries abroad and the concept in some countries is just not known as much so you need to adapt and be creative at mealtimes.

The book is an honest account of their journey, including periods, hormones and the moods that go with that. It is a refreshing account including warts and all and not just the good fun stuff that went to plan but all the bits that didn’t too. It shows the kindness and generosity of people who are perfect strangers. I learned about Warmshowers, a non-profit organisation that is a community of like minded people who bike tour around the world and host other people bike touring – I didn’t even know this existed before reading this book and love that there is something like this out there.

Oh and there are cats! Not cycling with them obviously! Camping, wild camping, interesting hosts along the way and lots of chickpeas!

I loved this book and finished it in two sessions. I struggled to start with the gender neutral pronouns used as Lili is non-binary but only briefly at the start and then it naturally flowed as I read more and more.

Bravo to Lili and Abi for completing approximately 2,000km over a two month period – what a way to see different countries than by your own speed and power on a bike. I am completely envious of such an experience and hopefully one day will experience something similar.

Category: Product Reviews

Füd – Energy Drink Review

Füd is a new healthy alternative energy drink that claims to be a natural energy boost. I will admit I am not a fan of energy drinks and also not a fan of anything with the consistency of milkshakes or smoothies though I know many are. When I was offered some samples of this new drink I was keen to try.

The drink was developed by Philip Udeh after struggling for years with chronic fatigue due to sickle cell anaemia, looking to create something better than the sugary energy drinks being offered at the time in the market.

If you watch Dragons Den you may have seen the pitch from these guys and also saw that they managed to bag investment from Peter Jones as a result.

So what is in it? Just sparkling water, real fruit juices, natural caffeine and B-vitamins, low calories and vegan friendly.

What did I think of the taste? There are two flavours currently being Berry & Coconut and also Pineapple & Ginger.

So first with the pros:

Now normally what puts me off the most about some energy drinks is the over powering smell and how fizzy some of them are. The berry and coconut flavour definitely smelt stronger but was nice and not off-putting and the pineapple and ginger didn’t have much of a smell.
Natural flavours and no added sugar or sweeteners.
Vegan friendly.
Packaging is nice and simple, all information clearly displayed that you could want as a consumer and recyclable.

And the cons:

I found both flavours had a clear dominant flavour in each with the berry and coconut one tasting mostly of coconut and the pineapple and ginger tasting mostly of ginger. I think I am maybe one of the few people not to like coconut water or similar drinks so this was not a pro for me but I am sure others won’t mind it so much.
I found the flavours quite bland overall.
The taste was actually ok but probably not something I would purchase myself. Not too much flavour but equally not enough and the same with the fizziness, not too fizzy but not still somewhere in between that didn’t seem quite right.
We won’t get into the name……….

I only had one can of each so can’t comment on the effects as that is not enough to form any real result with regards to noticeable difference in feeling, performance etc.

Looking at the composition of the ingredients, and I should state I am not a qualified nutritionist, it would appear that I would not gain anything from switching from my nutrition I currently use for both energy and electrolytes.

If I were given this I would drink it, I didn’t dislike the taste and it was much more palatable than other energy drinks I’ve had, but I wouldn’t buy it myself specifically. Unfortunately not for me but give it a go for yourself and see if you like it maybe?

When you visit the website you can subscribe to their newsletter to get 10% off your first order.

I was gifted the products, but all opinions are my own.