I picked up a Cyclic Fly6 backlight/camera combo back in November last year. Well, it was actually a birthday gift from my Wiggle wish-list. It has served me well over the past few months, and although it does have some limitations, is probably one of my favourite cycling rear lights (along with the Garmin Varia radar). I was excited when I heard that Cycliq were brining out a front light/camera unit, dubbed the Fly12. This has been on Kickstarter for a while now, and finally made its way to retailers in April 2016. I waited for Wiggle to stock these. The Fly12 retails for £249.99, and with Wiggle’s 12% platinum discount, I managed to buy one for £220.
Category Archives: Cycling gadgets
Basecamp bike bag review
I am a very keen cyclist, and often commute to work and go out on long weekend rides. I like to carry as little as possible on any of my rides. This is not always practicable on commutes to work, but not much of an issue as I carry a small rucksack. Most cyclists opt for a saddle bag. I am not too keen on this, as I use a fly6 with my Orbea, and a Garmin Varia on my Canyons, both of which are mounted on the seat post, leaving little room for a saddle bag. I have seen some cyclists using pannier bags, but as a ‘roadie’ do not want to add any unnecessary bulk.
Elite Race Workstand review
Like many other cyclists, I like to regularly clean and service my pride and joy, ensuring that everything is working optimally and my bike is looking the part. Until now, I have been using a basic bike stand to keep my bike upright whilst cleaning it. This is not particularly ideal, as my bike would not be steady, and cleaning around the wheels was particularly troublesome, and to some degree, frustrating. I then decided it was time to invest in a quality work-stand, as I am also planning to do as much of my bike maintenance as possible myself. I should mention that I did not want a work-stand that clamps onto the seat-post, as my Canyon bikes both have carbon seat-posts.
Castelli saddle bag review. What’s in my saddle bag?
As I embark on longer weekend rides, it is important to ensure that I keep some basic tools with me in the case of a mechanical/puncture. I have been risking my rides up until now, but finally got myself a worthy saddle bag. Many I have previously come across before seemed to be overly bulky, and I was looking for one which was discreet, compact, and looked good. It is no surprise that I like Castelli garments (and is my signature brand), so when I saw that there was a matching saddle bag available, my interest was piqued.
Becoming a Wahooligan: A review of the KickR smart trainer
The Wahoo KickR is an exceptional turbo trainer, and arguably one of the best available on the market today. But at a recommended retail price of £950, it is not cheap, and probably what puts a lot of potential buyers off from the initial upfront investment. This included me a few months ago when I was buying my first turbo trainer, and opted for the CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro. Now, less than 2 months later, I have jumped onto the KickR scene, reasons for which I will explain shortly. But before that, let’s take a quick look at the specs of the KickR and what you get in the box.
CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro turbo trainer review
Buying my first turbo trainer took a fair amount of effort and research. With so many options on the market, it was not an easy decision to make. After a fair amount of browsing and reading online reviews, I settled on the CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro. I was very tempted by, and almost took the plunge with the Wahoo KICKR, but being priced at £836 (Wiggle) vs £237 for the CycleOps Fluid Pro, I decided on the latter. I did need to invest in another rear wheel, cassette and speed sensor for the CycleOps set-up, but it still seemed to be the most cost-effective and practical option based on my present training needs. There are many benefits to owning an indoor trainer, and in this blog post I’ll be providing a mini-review of the CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro, as well as exploring some of my reasons for buying one and my set-up.
Cycliq Fly6 review
The Cycliq Fly6 is a very interesting bike light. I was first intrigued by this product as it not only features a powerful and unique rotating 30 lumen light, but also packs in a 720p camera. Not being keen to mounting a full sized camera to my helmet or bike, this really won me over and the Fly6 was soon on my wish list. Fortune would have it that this wish list was picked up by a family member who got me this great product for my birthday! Here are my thoughts.
Garmin Varia radar review
The Garmin Varia rearview radar is (in Garmin’s own words) the world’s “first cycling radar that warns of vehicles approaching from behind up to 140 metres”. Welcome to the 21st century of cycling gadgets! During this blog post, I will be (briefly) providing an overview of the main features of the Varia radar, my own reasons for purchase and what the benefits of such a light system are.
Garmin cadence sensor review
The Garmin bike cadence sensor is designed to wirelessly measure pedal strokes per minute (cadence). I was intrigued by this measurement as a way to better keep a constant cycling cadence throughout my bike rides. I do like to analyse as much data as possible after my rides, as a way to track my performance, and any potential areas for improvement. Unfortunately, power sensors are still very costly, but with the cadence sensor available for under £30, decided that it would be a great addition for some vital data analysis.
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Garmin Varia headlight review
Being out on my bike after dusk, I knew I needed to invest in a quality head light for my road bike. Enter, the Garmin Varia!
RUNNING, CYCLING AND TECH REVIEWS 