About bikes, cycling and cycle to work - Tredz Blog

Specialized Air Tool Mini - Small but perfectly formed

Bike pumps live a tough and sometimes short life when in my possession. I expect them to work, properly. Being an incredibly picky professional mechanic has given me very little patience with poorly designed tools. Pumps don’t have to do much, so it’s amazing how many do that single task badly.

I’ve lost count of how many I’ve tried out over the years, so my current pump was right to be nervous when I plucked it from the shelf, it needn’t have been. The Specialized ‘air tool mini’ has now been strapped to my bikes for about 4000 miles, through all weathers. I haven’t had to treat it with kid gloves, far from it, I’ve treated like all my tools, it does it's job or dies. I don’t expect to have to maintain my tools.

The air tolo mini, isn’t good because of its features, it’s good because it has so few, it pumps only on the downstroke, its not carbon and has a reliable pump head (invert the internals to change valve!). It is plenty small and strong enough. Its size does mean it can take a while to inflate a big tyre, but it’ll reach 100 psi with ease without needing arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It’s small, neat, dull and works, and keeps working. If you need a mini pump (if you haven't got one, you need one!) buy one! 

Posted by Chris

Cool kids helmets

Trying to convince your kid to wear a helmet? It's not easy. If they're anything like we were at that age it can seem to be a mission impossible to get them wearing a lid.

 They're usually bulky, ugly and taken off as soon as Mum ain't looking.

Which is why we're chuffed to see how cool the Bell Fraction is and how easy it is to sell to kids.

The younger sibling to the popular Bell Faction (which a couple of us wear), the clearest selling point is obvious. They're skate style lids, with the rounded top not only providing a superior level of all round protection, but also crucially being seen as the only helmet style that isn't uncool.

Your kids won't only wear these they'll want to wear them.

The Fractions' also benefit from superior paintjobs. Awesome graphics only add to the allure. So as far as we're concerned if you're struggling to convince you're kids to wear a helmet - get a Fraction.

And Bell, get that Japanese wave print on an adult lid ok!

Knog N.E.R.D.

They've been round for a little while now, but one of our guys has only just attached one to his bike, so after he'd been using it for a couple of weeks we asked him what he thought of his new Knog N.E.R.D 9.

Well, it's a wireless cycling computer. It does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin and doesn't lose any points in terms of functionality (all the usual suspects present in the nine functions). 

 What makes this really stand out is Knog's unique construction and finish. Medical grade silicon is used in build, which apart from making it look funky as hell, making it very light and giving good weatherproofing, makes it hands down the easiest cycle computer we've ever had to fit.

The silicon simply wraps onto your bike, much like Knog's very popular lights. Simple, genius and guaranteed to sell loads.

Montane Featherlite Smock

More often than not, it’s the seemingly dull, unassuming pieces of kit that become your favourites. Things that you don’t notice until you need them, and then they just work.

The Montane Featherlite Smock, is one such item.

Properly windproof, surprisingly water resistant (it takes a very heavy shower to really get through) and ridiculously small and light; it’s about as good as an emergency cycling jacket gets. But to call it ‘emergency’ clothing isn’t really fair, it’s just a damn good, extremely breathable jacket, which happens to pack down to the size of a tangerine.

I’ve had mine for a few years now and it’s been everywhere with me. Small enough to happily live in a jersey pocket or tiny saddle bag on my road bike, gets lost in my Camelbak on the mountain bike, and has spent days happily clipped to my climbing harness.

You wont realise how much you need one until you’ve got one, highly recommended.

Magic body armour!

We mentioned the Evo pads a while ago - but today (finally) one of us actually got round to buying a pair... So whats was the verdict?

I tried out a pair of SixSixOne Evo Knee pads today, and bought a pair immediately! They’re extremely comfy (20 mile ride comfy!), look the business and offer great protection.

What’s cool though is how they protect. In use they feel like thin-ish neoprene and don’t inspire a lot of confidence. It’s not neoprene though. It’s an ‘intelligent’ foam.

It’s not intelligent enough to prevent you crashing, but it offers resistance to impact when actually impacted. Whilst riding (not crashing) it’s nice and soft but when/if you crash it ‘stiffens’ to absorb the impact.

I took a lot of convincing so I put them on and gave them a knock with my knuckles, then a calculator, then a small spanner, then a bigger….well, you get the idea. I finished my experiment with a good ‘thwack’ with a hammer handle (I like my knees too much to use the other end) and what do you know, they work.

Magic, well maybe not, but as near as. There are cheaper knee pads out there, but I doubt there are any as comfy that offer this level of protection. Besides I can afford knee pads, I can’t afford new knees.

Worth every penny.

Camelbak envy

It’s no news that the 2009 range from Camelbak is now out there, and as per usual they are the best hydration backpacks around. However what isn’t obvious is exactly how good the re-designed M.U.L.E actually is. The standard M.U.L.E has always been a firm favourite (and is still available) as it’s just the right size, in terms of both fluid capacity and luggage space. This has made it a justifiable favourite with trail riders everywhere.

Topeak Hexus Tool (Very long term) Review

 

There is an item I take with me every time I get on a bike to go anywhere.

It’s become such a part of my riding that I don’t even give it a moments thought, until I need it, then I realise just how good it is. The Topeak hexus trail tool is about as good as it gets in a multi tool. It’s small, light and compact and more importantly has everything you need for 90% of trail/roadside repairs. The chain tool is one of the best I’ve used and that includes all the ones I used in 10 years in a professional workshop.

All the tools are superb ‘tool grade’ steel and none have bent or rounded in 5 years of heavy use; and I mean heavy; countless trips round trail centers, hundreds of road rides, wilderness epics, days at the pump track and jump spots, 4 Alps trips (Les Gets, Megavalanche etc.), several weeks touring Ireland and 3000 miles through the Rocky Mountains.

Through all this the Hexus has been the bulk of my tool kit. Admittedly I do take dedicated tyre levers and spoke wrenches (once a mechanic, always a mechanic) and it would have foolish not to have taken more to the Rockies but this tool is always there and has never failed me.

If I ever loose it I wouldn’t look anywhere other than Topeak for a replacement; I can’t recommend them enough.
Posted by Chris

Flat as a pancake

Nothing upsets a great ride quite as much or quite as frequently as punctures. They are the bane of every cyclist.

There has been something of a quiet revolution going on for some time now concerning the dark art of going tubeless on mountain bikes. The tyres and rims have been available for a while now but for me the solution is the Stans No Tubes system.

Seal Skinz Gloves; A Love Story.

I realised today that my beloved SealSkinz gloves (mountain bike waterproof) are well over a year old. Not exactly a red letter day I admit but I've realised that they are still in perfect condition (see pic) and it's certainly not through lack of use. 

I've commuted in them every day so far this winter, used them on almost every road ride over the Brecon Beacons, countless night-rides and soggy blasts around my local trail centers and the small matter of 3000 miles through the Rockies last year. Following the continental divide I never dropped below 5000ft. and topped out at 15000ft. riding through snow and storms in the process. On every frosty morning and chilly evening and even in my bivi bag at -9 these gloves became one of my favourite possesions and continue to be so.

Through all this my hands have never been cold or uncomfortable. I can't say that my hands have never got damp because 5 hours of riding in a downpour will get anything wet. But only through water running down my arms into the gloves, never through the gloves themselves. Besides, being warm and comfy is far more important than being bone dry. That said my hands remain dry on every ride to work. These gloves have already outlasted all my previous winter gloves and have yet to loose a stitch, they've a hell of a lot of life left in them yet. 

I think what I'm trying to say is that these are THE BEST winter gloves I've ever owned and can't recommend them (or anything from SealSkinz) enough. Treat your hands to some love.   

New Sealskinz stuff!

Sealskinz are a perennial favourite here in the office, so when we got the chance to pick up a broader range of their cycling accessories we jumped at the chance. It’s not hyperbole to say that the majority of our mountain biker staff members will be pulling on a pair of Sealskinz mid thermal socks this winter.
No doubt the reasonable pricing helps, but their toughness and suitability for the unique (fussy?) requirements of cycling is what does it for us.

From Kevlar gloves to Merino liners, below we pick out some of the highlights from the new Sealskinz range…