Summer? A Taste And A Test

After a prolonged cool and damp spring, this past week has brought Proper Summertime Temperatures, i.e. 20C degrees! That's 70 in Fahrenheit. (Normal service resumes tomorrow: cool and unsettled with thunderstorms, which means showers, including hail I have no doubt.)

Today is the climax of our mini-heatwave, with temps of up to 27C expected.  This presented me with an unexpected (and very welcome) opportunity to set up my Brompton according to the plan I had devised (on paper) for our South of France trip next month. In addition to prepping the bike, I have also kitted myself out according to plan, anticipating similar temperatures in the Avignon area. 

Revisiting The "What To Wear" Winter Challenge

   

London cycling

Two of my very first posts after starting this blog covered my experiences and recommendations for clothing and accessories to keep yourself comfortably dry and warm enough to cycle through the winter. The commuting version is here, and the road cycling version is here. 

Three years on, my commute has changed so that it is, in fact, mostly road cycling -- with a 10-minute ride at the London end that can be done in pretty much any kind of clothing suitable for light exercise (comparable to walking) in whatever the weather conditions are on the day. The road cycling component of my commute (25-30 minutes inbound, 35-40 minutes outbound) however poses challenges in terms of temperature and moisture control. 

Cycle to Work Day, September 2014
(only a 3 mile ride to the train station,
so I tended to just half dress for the office)

I have been doing this new 12-mile roundtrip road commute for 10 months now. This is my first winter and I have wondered how "deep" into the winter I would get before feeling the need to take a few weeks off (perhaps six weeks at most... if I'm lucky) through the very worst of the winter with a view to restarting in the spring (early March... if I'm lucky). 

Update on Womens Bib Shorts

I posted recently on my experiences with a variety of women's bib shorts from brands making an effort -- with varying degrees of success -- to create innovative designs enabling toilet breaks without the need to completely strip off (not fun on a night ride, whether in suburbia or out in a dark country lane with the foxes and frogs). While some (such as Gore) do not differentiate the way they market to men and women, they do, I think, quietly "get it". Others (like Pearl Izumi), on the other hand, trumpet their women's specific designs as a unique selling point yet miss that point in some crucial aspect. 

Fortunately, more brands are having a go at designing solutions to this challenge. I stumbled across an article in Outside Online magazine today applauding women's bib shorts designs from six cycling brands. I have not personally tried all six, but again it looks like a mixed bag of the good, the bad and the rather silly. Here are my initial impressions, along with UK pricing details. Where possible, I am including from the manufacturers' own websites photos that show the specific "bio-break" design features, rather than simply an overall front view. 

My favourite Gore Power 2.0 bib shorts are at the top of the list. At £99, they are the second cheapest pair of shorts featured and very good value. The placement of the zips has been altered in the latest update to this design, so I cannot comment on that. I would caution that the keyhole front dips below the belly button, which for some women will not be the most flattering look. 

Photo: Gore

Mini Reviews of Women's Bib Shorts - Some Brands "Get It", Some Don't

Some time ago, a discussion about womens bib shorts came up on the LovelyBicycle! blog. The usual issues were covered: lack of availability generally, lack of choice for sizes and body shapes and of course the inevitable challenge of the Toilet Break, or as some manufacturers delicately if somewhat obtusely put it, the "Bio Break"*. 

At some point in the middle of the discussion, I was struck with the impulse to dig out all the bib shorts I owned and take comparative photos. So I abandoned the computer for 15 minutes, dashed upstairs, upturned a few drawers, arranged various samples on the bed, snapped a couple of shots, then uploaded them to a photo website so that I could post a link to share with the other ladies in the discussion. On each of the two photos, I jotted down the brand and style name of each item, a link to where they can be bought (ideally where more details are provided directly by the manufacturer) and then a summary of what I personally thought of each pair. 

A suggestion was made that I blog about this myself. I certainly intended to but somehow it didn't really make it onto my To Do list. 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I had a clear-out of all the cycling kit that I don't wear regularly, for one reason or another. When it came to the bib shorts, I realised my experiences over the past few years have refined my preferences considerable, down to the point where I really only ever wear Gore branded bib shorts or bib longs.** So everything else went into the Outbound bag. And I decided it might be helpful to capture and preserve my "overviews" (not "reviews") in a more accessible place, i.e. here on the blog. 

So without further ado - I present a selection of bib shorts of various designs, highlighting where I think some manufactures have successfully figured out the whole Women's Bib Short "thing" and where others are just playing a Gimmick Game. 

Review: VULPINE Mid-Calf Merino Socks

I bought a pair of Vulpine's merino socks from Velovixen at the London Bike Show a few weeks ago.

Sure, I already own more than my fair share of merino socks -- by De Feet, Smartwool, dhb and Icebreaker. But knowing what I know about how Vulpine's merino clothing is just so much softer and silkier than those of other brands, I had to give these a try.

They are, in a word, wonderful. Taller than any other "mid-calf" socks (of merino or any other persuasion) so I have no issues with a potential gap forming between the socks and my knee warmers. The soles are slightly thicker than the rest of the sock, especially under the heels, which gives a nice cushion when walking. The narrow red and navy stripes are made of a finer, tighter knit and contribute to a bit of shaping and a sense of support around the calves and the arches.

I adore them and fully intend to get another pair, perhaps next time in the knee-high polka dot version!

* Any perceived asymmetry can be blamed on my feet and/or how I put the socks on, not on the socks themselves! I really should learn how to line up the stripes...

The Right Tool For The Job

Until these floods and mud go away, I've decided to swap which cycling boots I wear. 

Above on the left are the Northwave Fahrenheit GTX (Gore-Tex) boots I've been using this year. On the right are the Shimano MW81 boots I wore last winter. 

Both are fabulous boots -- warm and waterproof and both fit well.

So why the switch?

Sartorial Identity Crisis?

Sorry for the radio silence in the past few weeks - I've been working, cycling, bike fitting, new gear testing and continuing to investigate the world of custom bikes, all of which are grist to my mill and will feature here shortly.

Meanwhile, it occurred to me today that my jersey wardrobe has Jekyll & Hyde characteristics.

On the one hand, there are the classy merino jerseys by Vulpine, Ibex and Smartwool, which, to be honest are what I wear most often -

But then there are the 'novelty' jerseys, for which I have no credible excuse -

Any other ladies out there want to confess about their lycra?

Review: VULPINE WOMEN'S ALPINE merino cycling jersey

The big news in womens' cycling gear this week is the launch of Vulpine's long-awaited womens' range.

I hit Vulpine's website almost as soon as I heard the news and was gutted to find that the new cycling-specific jersey (the Alpine) had already sold out in my size and preferred colour (claret).

Fortunately Velo Vixen announced the next day that they'd just taken delivery of stock across the entire range. I quickly ordered the Alpine in claret.

It arrived this morning.

It's Not The Weather, It's Your Gear... Road Cycling Edition

I prepared this post yesterday. Then it snowed again last night. And there has been further fettling and test rides on the mixte - all of which warrant another post which will be up shortly. 

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Further to my January post on clothing and kit to keep you warm and dry for winter commuting, here is a photo of a my typical winter road cycling gear.

The key differences in what's important when commuting versus getting out on the road and putting some long miles in are (a) temperature and moisture management and (b) wind chill, as you're expending more effort (= more sweat!) at higher speed (= may feel colder, especially when you stop!)

So I don't usually wear my waterproof overtrousers out on the road. I may get a little damp in the rain, but most winter tights are water resistant enough and I'd rather layer up with breathable fabrics to keep warm, than "boil-in-a-bag" yet shivery inside waterproofs.

Also, on my road bike I wear cycling boots for clipless pedals. 

This photo was taken a few weeks ago. The temperature was around freezing (0-1C) and we had some light snow flurries. I cycled to Harpenden for my Pilates class and the monthly farmers market - a round trip of 13 miles which is mostly downhill outbound, mostly uphill homebound.

From head to foot, skin to outer, I wore: 

• Trek Windstopper headband  
• Smartwool merino beanie  
• Merino Buff  
• Endura crewneck longsleeve merino baselayer 
• dhb Ladies Vaeon Zero Padded Bib Tight  
• Smartwool longsleeve full-zip merino jersey   
• Gore Bike Wear Windstopper jacket  
• Gore Bike Wear Power SO Lady Gloves  
• Stretchy tube skirt (from Primark)    
• DeFeet Wooleater ankle socks  
• Shimano MW81 boots

CYCLING LOG: 11-17 March 2013

Sat, 16 Mar 2013
20.06 km in 01:18:21 hours at 15.36 km/h on Surly Pacer. To Harpenden and back in heavy rain - sleet at times - plus strong winds up to 20mph. Headwind going down -- with effort required to pedal downhill -- and something of a tailwind on the uphills -- and nerve-wracking crosswinds on the Woodside - Slip End - Peppercorn zigzag each way. end odo 2059.8 Tags: road
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 - 28.82 km [Cycling]
28.82 km in 01:41:26 hours at 17.05 km/h on Surly Pacer. To Harpenden and back; then to Dunstable Travel Hub. end odo 2039.7 Tags: road
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 - 7.30 km [Cycling]
7.30 km on Brompton S1L. home to Luton station, then City Thameslink station to Old Broad Street and then to Farringdon. Tags: commute

NOTES:

While significantly more miles than last week (in only 3 outings), this is a bit of a disappointment as my diary indicated I could get three round trips to Harpenden in this week, instead of just the usual one.

However, Saturday's ride was in some of the very toughest conditions I've ever experienced. So when I heard the wind lashing the rain against the windows again Sunday morning, well.... I wimped out.

A few notes about Saturday though -

Temperature 5C.  Winds up to 20mph from S/SW. Rain turning to sleet as I rode through Slip End, then rain again. Strong crosswinds on bridge over M1 and its approaches - a bit hair-raising, so I took care to keep well off the kerb!

Wet weather kit worked well, better than I was braced for, frankly.

• The Gore jacket in particular, I have to rate 10/10. I can't think of a single thing this jacket could have done better. I'd worn it in drizzle before and in light winds, but never heavy rain (and sleet) combined with strong winds. No water got in anywhere yet it was sufficiently breathable.  My jersey and base layer were only very slightly damp when I got to my destination but this was clearly from my perspiration as the inside of the jacket was bone dry.

• The Craft over-trousers have been brilliant while commuting but, again, hadn't been tested out on the road in this kind of weather. I'll give them 7/10. Weather-wise, the weak spot was the lack of windproofing - my shins got pretty cold. The fit is sufficiently tailored to be comfortable on a road bike, yet not too restrictive. As noted before, the fabric used on the seat is a bit of a problem with my Brooks Swallow:  it's slippery in dry condition but behaves like Velcro in the wet! The outer surface got quite waterlogged and heavy, especially on the fronts of the thighs, but inside things were almost completely dry. 

• My new Shimano MW81 boots:  9/10. There seemed to be a little dampness creeping in but I'm not sure of source.

• Gore Windstopper gloves - coped well first 5-6 miles even in driving frontal winds. Then from one moment to the next, went very damp.

• Smartwool beanie - I never expected or intended for this to keep my head dry, but it turned out to be warm enough, especially round the ears, which is my main aim.

• Merino Buff - as with beanie. Got so waterlogged that when I took it off in Harpenden, I couldn't bring myself to put it back on again for the return journey. But it did keep my neck warm and kept the wind from coming down the collar of my jacket. If I hadn't taken it off, I could have happily worn it much much longer.

The fact that I had to take all this kit off when I got to Harpenden (for physiotherapy) and thenput it all back on again to go home gave me a fantastic opportunity to check what was really wet -- and where. Usually, I get home, peel off wet stuff without inspecting, and if the outside is really wet, I have perhaps in the past assumed there was more dampness on the inside as well than in truth there may have been. Putting clothes back on that are dripping on the outside gives you a chance to find out if they're truly wet on the inside -- and if so, how wet and where. 

The only real discomfort I suffered due to the weather came from my eyes getting hit by sleet. My left eye in particular really ached for a while afterwards.  I recently purchased some clear safety goggles in preparation for exactly this situation - must remember to take them next time!

Velocouture Part 1 (2010), or Whatever Is There To Wear??

What to wear when cycling is the perennial question. For women, at least.  You see, there is always lycra, or indeed in my case merino, for those days when you want to ride efficiently and well, with very little time off the bike. "Fit for purpose" is my motto.

But then there are those rides when the point isn't so much riding the bike, but getting from point A to point B, often by way of interim points A2 and A3, meeting with friends for coffee at point A27. Being streamlined is not important - looking somewhat "normal" (as in, as if you didn't get there by bike!) is.

I started cycling for transport and for fun -- indeed, cycling as an adult, full stop -- in July 2009. As a beginner I fell in with a certain school of thought that said, if you're on a bike, then wear the right clothes for that activity. But by spring 2010, I began questioning that.

I intend to start posting more photos of myself wearing not-necessarily-cycling-clothes-that-nonetheless-work.  But in the meantime, I'd like to capture and collate here my thoughts and attempts at this back in 2010.

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From the diary:

I started out cycling with blinkers on, thinking that only clothes cut specifically for cycling would be comfortable when on the bike for any length of time. Yet I hate lycra. Yet lycra's pretty darn comfortable and fit for purpose. Then I discovered, hey, for a social outing like cycling over to Wimbledon (half hour each way) to meet up with friends for a coffee, a dress & leggings & boots weren't too bad! So I went a bit mad the other way, wearing everyday clothes. Until I ruined a few good things with snags and scrapes. Not to mention mud.

Too Cold To Cycle? It's Not The Weather, It's Your Gear

This is my fourth winter cycling. Until this year, I always wimped out and got the train when it was "too cold". I've made every excuse in the book at some point. The biggest – and only "real" (as opposed to "imaginary", as I'd gaze out the kitchen window each morning) – problem that I've had each winter has been sinus infections.

This year? It ought to be worse: I'm no longer in south London, on the flat, sheltered by buildings. I'm now in a rural village on top of a hill. There are no cycle paths. The roads are narrow. They don't get salted/gritted, no matter how bad things get. Motorists don't slow down one iota.

So what happens?

Oooooh, look it's snowing! How pretty!

...brrr, it's cold!

Wowwee, what a wind coming out of the east!

Oh my Gawd, freewheeling downhill is gonna HURT!

But then… somehow… before I reach the "No way is cycling an option in that, no sirree!" stage – I step back and ask –

Or is it?

After three years of being a city wimp, I am now a rural-warrior-in-the-making. But I'm hearing a number of my London friends (who I'd normally consider much more hardcore than myself) saying, as I used to, "it's just too cold to get on the bike". Well, unlike some of them, I don't have an indoor trainer to fall back on. (And if I did, it couldn't get me to the train station each morning.) So what to do? I thought about the clothing and accessories I have and decided to give it another go. Commuting in the snow has gone so well that I thought it might be worth sharing what I've been wearing to keep dry and warm and, yes, happy on my bike.