Tag Archives: gear

New Shoes Required

In the parlance of any decent influencer I started my barefoot journey just over a year ago now. While my Plantar Fasciitis (PF) hasn’t gone away completely it definitely has improved. In the last couple of months I’ve gone full barefoot with all my shoes now in a zero drop, minimalist style with a proper vivobarefoot hiking boot being the latest addition.

While my feet haven’t yet developed the typical full-on toe spread associated with barefoot shoes they have definitely changed shape and are now considerably wider.

Starting back to cycling at the beginning of September it soon became very clear that my snug, narrow cycling shoes were now in serious need of replacement. It also became clear that wide cycling shoes aren’t that common which surprised me. Sidi seem to be the main brand specialising in wide fitting cycling shoes but they’re a lot more expensive than I wanted to be spending!

My first port of call was Amazon for a cheap option.

*ARTVEP generic chinese brand of choice*

I quite liked these. They were comfortable and looked nice. However, the soft sole meant there was too much flex and I could feel the cleats through the sole. Not a problem for a beginner but anything over 40km and I could see these causing foot ache. The soles are set up for MTB or road cleats with permanently attached receivers for the MTB cleat screws. However, these are mobile when wearing road cleats meaning I could hear them rattling when peddling fast. Finally, I felt the quality of the upper was too cheap with a soft leather look PU material that would damage quite easily. I tried them for one ride but then sent them back. Amazon’s return policy being the main reason I was happy to give these a trial.

Option 2 was from Decathlon.

I liked these. The fit was pretty good and I liked the feel of the materials and the stiffness of the sole. The single boa fastener was easy to use and held the tension nicely but it was still a bit narrow in the toebox. For the cost I wanted something more comfortable.

The third and final pair I tried came to me even before I picked up the Decathlon shoes. I’d been trying to think of options and remembered that Paul had recently bought a pair of gravel/MTB shoes from Planet X. A quick browse of the site had two options. I was really drawn to the Carnac Prove but the tab at the front really put me off

*the black option had a white closure tab at the front* 🤢

Despite the price difference I decided the Carnac Baroudeur Carbon were a good punt.

I’ve been wearing these for a good few weeks now and have completed a number of 50K+ rides and I’m finding them very good. They’re not perfect and I don’t know how I’d get on with them on a long day but I’m happy with them. The Boa laces work well although they do seem to lose a tiny bit of tension after 40K. Not enough to cause issues but I haven’t been able to check if they do actually loosen as I’ve been wearing overshoes on each ride. I’m getting a couple of hot spots on both feet but I think that may be how I have the cleats set up rather than the shoes themselves combined with the long time I was off cycling. The sole is nice and stiff and they feel good so I think I’ve found the winners. If I ever get back to long distance Audax cycling then I might consider looking at Sidi again but for now these will do the job.

Happy Feet….Hopefully!

9 Replies

Following my completion of the Bluestack Way in September I was on the hunt for a new pair of shoes or low boots that would tick all the boxes of the ones I wore on the day but would give me the waterproofing that I so badly missed.

Altra Lone Peak trail running shoes are very popular with lots of long distance hikers. They’re one of the most popular on the Pacific Crest Trail and closer to home they feature on a few YouTube channels such as Haze Outdoors and Paul Messner.

Altra’s main USP is that they are a zero drop shoe. This essentially means that the front and back of your foot are at the same height, leaving your foot completely flat. Most regular shoes have a raised heal with 10-12mm being the average. Stilettos are at the extreme end but my experience with those is pretty limited!

The other design feature of Altra shoes is that they have an especially wide toe box allowing your toes to splay and adopt their natural shape. It is believed that a combination of zero drop and the natural toe box improve foot strength and stability.

When researching footwear for The Bluestack Way I was already decided on a non-waterproof trail shoe. The theory with this is that your feet may get wet but they will also dry out quickly. During my training this worked really well but turned out to be a complete disaster on the actual day when the shoes never got a chance to dry and ended up soaking wet on the mountainous section of the walk.

Some of this was down to the shoes I chose. I had been put off Altra at first by the zero drop. The adjustment period can be quite long as the knees, feet and lower legs need to adapt to the new walking position. Also a video by Haze Outdoors, while positive about the Lone Peak 7s, made me doubt their durability and longevity. At a €100-120 price point I was a bit concerned that I’d possibly wear out a pair during the 12 week training program and then need a second pair for the actual walk. This wasn’t really feasible. I also looked at Brooks Cascadia which were used with great success by Ben’s Hikes and Camps (formerly Londoner Outdoors) when he thru-hiked The South Down’s Way. I had some durability concerns with these also but was almost ready to push the buy button when I came across the Merrell Moab 2 shoes.

These seemed the perfect answer. While the heaviest shoe so far they were still considerably lighter than boots, were definitely the most rugged of the three and came highly recommended by a few reviews that used them on long distance thru-hikes. In addition I was able to try them on as they were stocked in my local Sports Direct. This wasn’t proving to be an easy option with the Brooks and once I’d tried the Moabs and found them very comfortable it was an easy decision to make. It was only on the day of the walk that I found their flaw, that they take much longer to dry out than other, lighter but less robust shoes.

The week following the walk I did a lot of research into a waterproof alternative that would cope with Irish terrain conditions better than a breathable shoe but still be light enough for long distance challenge hikes. Altras once again came to the fore as I’d been doing a lot of reading on the benefits of zero drop or barefoot shoes for Plantar Fasciitis which has come back to haunt me this year*. Again though, I wasn’t convinced by their durability and was pleased to find an alternative with a brand called Topo Athletic that were recommended by HikingGuy.com.

*it’s just occurred to me that my PF wasn’t an issue when I was cycling regularly and has flared up again this year at the same time I’ve stopped cycling!

He reviewed a similar breathable trail shoe but I found what I hoped would be a great Topo Athletic option for me in the Trailventure 2 WP low boot. Near zero drop (only 5mm), wide toe box, rugged vibram sole, higher than a shoe but lower than a boot, light and fully waterproof.

Despite being woefully inactive since completing The Bluestack Way I have managed to walk just over 30km in these boots so far. They’re very different to regular boots, much different to the Moabs and very comfortable. My feet and legs are slowly getting used to the different style of sole and I’m pretty confident that they will be the answer to my long distance hiking plans for 2024. My biggest issue is that I’m not wearing them often enough (ie I’ve become very lazy!) and also that I’m still wearing regular shoes in the rest of my life.

In order to rectify this latter point and egged on by my friend Mike on Facebook, I’ve decided to venture further into this brave new world by changing to minimalist shoes for work. As a tester I’ve decided to go with a low cost option with a Chinese brand called Hobibear. These are available on Amazon for £35-50 but Mike pointed me towards a seller on AliExpress with a 5-day delivery and a £20 cost.

These are basic shoes, they definitely won’t win any style awards*, but they are surprisingly comfortable. I’ve been wearing them around the house for a couple of days and so far they’re not causing any issues. The next step is to start wearing them in work for at least part of the day with regular shoes as back up and gradually extending the amount of wear time. I also need to get back into a regular walking habit in the boots but if all goes well I’ll then look at a more durable and better quality minimalist shoe for work and every day use.

*my wife has compared them to the plimsoles the kids were forced to wear in school when they first started!

Light Up My Life

2 Replies

As requested by Paul over on 36×25.blog here is a rundown of the lights I use to keep me safe and allow me to ride at night.

Daytime Riding

I know a lot of people who dismiss the usefulness of lights during the day but I’m very much a “be safe, be seen” type of person and ride virtually every time with a rear and front flashing light.

Up front I have a Lezyne Micro Drive 500 XL. This has nine different modes including flash, pulse and various levels of steady light. It has an integrated adjustable silicone strap that fits pretty much any handlebar size and a weatherproof full size USB plug (no lead required) for charging. The USB plug is protected by a removable, chunky rubber cover which is its only niggle. This cover is not attached to the light body and can fall off or get mislaid. Thankfully these are available to buy separately despite the light now being discontinued (other current models use the same charging system). Despite having mine about 5 years I still haven’t gotten around to creating a fixing system and yes, I have managed to lose a couple of them!

The photo above shows the light on the top of the bar but I prefer it under the bar and the adjustable strap allows for this very easily especially as the light can swivel on the strap. Keeping the light under the bar gives a cleaner looking cockpit and more space on the bars.

My rear light (Cateye Viz 300) resides on my seatpost as I use a bottle style tool kit in my second bottle holder and no rear saddle bag.

This light is pretty new and really good. I was lucky to avail of a deal with my club where they bought a batch of these and subsidised the cost to members. It only cost me €15 which is an absolute bargain.

I run it on flash mode (but not the most annoying pattern) and having seen it on other club members’ bikes it’s really noticeable.

spot the guy with the same light

Removing the light from the holder is a bit of a faff and rather than potentially breaking it I tend to remove the whole thing, strap and all for charging. This means I could potentially lose the strap but on the flipside I’m unlikely to lose the light while out.

Night Riding

First of all I use both the above lights, still in flashing mode. I don’t use the Lezyne light on full beam mode. I found it weak for night time MTBing and upgraded to a better light (below) but I haven’t tried it on the road. I think I’ll see what it’s like this week in case I ever need it as a backup. As a flashing light it’s an effective additional eye catcher for approaching traffic.

My main headlight is the Moon Meteor Storm Pro which was originally purchased for MTB riding off road on forest tracks and trails. The level 5 full beam is really good for this kind of use.

Using it on the road though, it’s not as good. L5 is way too bright for cars while L4 or 3 are less dazzling but don’t provide as much visibility. Changing through the levels requires cycling down and through the flashing modes which isn’t practical when riding fast. The light did come with a remote that I’ve never used (and had forgotten about until now!) that might make this a bit easier and I will investigate that this week also. The model I have (max 1700 lumen) is now discontinued but there’s a very similar new version available with a 2000 lumen boost.

The major downside of this light is its weight. Including the mount it weighs 260g. It comes with a helmet mount but I wouldn’t fancy that weight on my head!

This light though is rock solid. When properly tightened the mount will not move no matter how rough the road surface. This was especially good on fast forest tracks on the MTB. However, I managed to break the clip on the base of the light on an Audax ride when trying to adjust the angle while riding. I was concerned about blinding oncoming traffic so tried to twist it down by manipulating the light itself. Of course it moved, the mount didn’t and the plastic clip broke. As it is part of the light body it can’t be replaced. A bodge repair using electrical tape saved me that night and a slightly tidier wrap of tape now secures the light to the mount.

This year the club is repeating the light subsidy but this time it’s front lights – Cateye AMPP 500. At €15 again it’s too good to miss and even if it isn’t as good as the Moon light it will be a good replacement for the Lezyne. I’m hoping to get mine this week and I’m looking forward to testing it.

On my helmet I use two additional lights. My old rear light (Cateye Rapid Mini) is now on the back as a blinking high level visibility light.

On top I have a second Lezyne Micro Drive 500 XL. This is set on the lowest full beam level and I find it incredibly useful for reading my Garmin screen and checking gears, seeing my pedals for clipping in etc. On this mode it gives me just enough light and lasts forever. Also it’s not very heavy meaning it doesn’t annoy me at all. A heavy light could cause a sore neck or cause the helmet to tilt annoyingly to one side or down over my eyes.

Future Upgrades

This setup works well for me and I’ve used it successfully on Winter 200km Audax rides when shorter days mean that I have to start and finish in the dark. However, if I’m going to ride 400km and 600km this year I’ll need to upgrade my headlights for longer lasting performance.

The ultimate Audax setup would be a hub based dynamo but I don’t fancy spending that amount of money. This light could be a very good alternative – IXON IQ Premium from Busch + Müller. It runs on AA size batteries and two sets will provide 10 hrs lighting and if I run out of rechargeables then regular Duracell will work in a pinch. At €80 on most sites it’s a lot cheaper than a dynamo wheel!

not the sexiest of lights!

Be Seen!

It’s important not to forget the second part of that saying and make sure that as well as being able to see I can also be seen. On local roads round home I’m riding shorter loops and I’m happy wearing a reflective harness. This doesn’t interfere with my pockets and is enough that I can be seen by following or oncoming cars.

On Audax rides when I spend a lot longer riding in the dark and being a lot more tired I prefer something a lot more visible and have used a light reflective workman’s shirt over my gear. This is heavier, less fitted and restricts access to my rear pockets but is incredibly visible at night.

Header image by Reactual.com

in the bag

4 Replies

I’ve had a small day bag for a good few years now that accompanies me on most hikes. I bought it in Lidl of all places for not much money. I usually only need a small amount of stuff and it’s comfortable, reasonably well spec’d and simply does the job. It’s pretty worn now though and for the last few months I’ve been trying to find a replacement.

So far I’ve ordered three different bags that I’ve returned for various reasons. Mostly the fit and/or quality wasn’t what I expected. Today though I think the search is finally over!

A fellow Irishman has a YouTube channel called “Rambling On”. The video below is his review of a Decathlon 40L bag that looks fantastic. However, I was looking for 20/25L max. In the last couple of weeks I spotted a 20L version on the Decathlon website, delivered today and it’s pretty much perfect 👌

Header image from Primal Survivor

the postman cometh

3 Replies

Just over a month since Xmas and Santa came again yesterday.

Funkier Pontebba Winter Jacket

Ordered based on a recommendation from a fellow blogger. Reduced from $100 to $19 and $28 for delivery which I felt was still good value. Predicted delivery from US 21-45 days, arrived on 22nd day. Great first impressions and looking forward to testing it over the next couple of weeks.

https://funkierbike.com/product/winter-men-jackets-wj-1314-red/

Podsacs Waterproof Frame Bag

Medium size and bought for Audax spins and possibly bikepacking. Not on an offer (£34.99 from PlanetX) but good value and bought based on the saddle bag I bought in November.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CCPDWFB/podsacs-waterproof-frame-bag

Planet X Waterproof Crab Hand Winter Glove

I’ve looked at similar gloves over the last couple of years and at £9.99 these seemed to be great value. They’re no longer on the website so may have been a clearance price. I hopefully won’t need to wear them too often🤞

Photo by Khwanchai Phanthong from Pexels

planet x

8 Replies

Unsurprisingly my social media ads are mostly filled with cycling related products and websites. Over the last few months PlanetX has been showing up a lot and due to the nature of ads, even more regularly once I clicked on one of them!

👆 this is a screenshot and not a real ad 👆

Having perused a number of categories and products for a while I finally made a jump last week and ordered a few items.

Base Layer

I’ve become a baselayer convert over the last year or so but needed a slightly heavier option for colder winter days. PlanetX do a sleeveless, short and long sleeve version. I don’t like my arms too warm so I opted for the short sleeve.

I wore it on Wednesday for the first time and was very impressed. It’s a very close fit but not tight or restrictive. I didn’t feel clammy at all so felt that it wicked away sweat pretty effectively. I definitely think I’ll buy another to have a spare as I think it will be getting good use over the winter.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPX365PEFITSS/planet-x-pro-365x-short-sleeve-base-layer

Gloves

I have lots of pairs of gloves due to a constant search for the perfect pair. The 365 race gloves caught my eye as they’re described as:

Light, warm and snug fitting, with a nice tacky palm grip to boot

I don’t like bulky gloves so was interested in something that was both light and warm.

I also tried these for the first time on Wednesday. It was very cold so I layered them over a pair of Sealskinz merino liner gloves as I really didn’t want to have cold hands. This turned out to be a perfect combination. I had no issues with the cold and when I stopped for lunch at the 50K mark my hands were dry with no dampness in the gloves. The layering also gives the option to lose a layer of it gets too warm.

The only issue I had was when the rain turned heavy and prolonged. Eventually the rain soaked through both layers and I started to feel a bit of a chill. At this stage it would have been a good idea to have had my waterproof Sealskinz gloves. In fairness to the PlanetX gloves they’re not marketed as water resistant. As a bonus they look good with my Perfetto jacket.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/PX365RG/planet-x-365-race-gloves

Saddle Bag

I really dislike carrying stuff in my pockets so flying in the face of Rule #29 and 31 I’m a fan of saddle bags. My current dhb wedge bag is getting a bit worn after a couple of years of use. They’re discontinued now so I’ve been looking for an alternative.

Podsacs seem to make good bikepacking bags so I decided to test them out starting with a saddle bag.

I haven’t got organised yet to get this onto my bike but I’m impressed by the quality so far. It has a pretty heavy duty feel with good straps and a dry bag style closure. It’s also bigger than I expected. I hope to test it on the bike this week.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BAPODDCWSB/podsacs-daytripper-colour-waterproof-saddle-bag

Bar Ends

My bike came with basic plastic bar end plugs that I dislike. One of them also comes out far too easily so I want to replace them with metal screw-in ones. It may look like I buy everything black but I do like a little splash of colour and picked red ones to match my helmet and bike trims.

I’ve unsuccessfully tried to fit them once already but I’m not sure if they don’t fit or if I’m doing something wrong. Another go during the week but I might be sending them back.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BTNIEC02/nitto-ec-02-bar-ends

I’ve been a Wiggle fan for many years now but PlanetX are showing some competition so far. My only issue is that I hate paying a delivery charge and there’s no free delivery option. Returns also have to be sent via standard postage with no free returns option. The value of the items I’ve purchased outweighs this considerably but it still irritates me.

The links above are standard links and I have no affiliation with PlanetX and don’t receive anything for them so click away if you want to see more details on the website.

bye bye brooks

7 Replies

If there’s one brand synonymous with Audax and long distance endurance cycling then it’s Brooks England. They manufacture traditional bags and saddles with the majority of their original designs made from leather.

They’ve also moved into more modern materials.

Ever since I’ve come across Audax and started researching bikes and gear I’ve wanted to get a Brooks saddle. The traditional leather versions don’t react well to prolonged exposure to rain so not suitable for Irish weather. The Cambium range is made from rubber to give the same comfort benefits of the traditional models but more weatherproof.

There are a number of models in the Cambium range. They are pretty much the same design in various different widths for different riding styles. There are also “carved” versions with a central cut out to reduce pressure for anyone prone to numbness. The most popular options seem to be the C15 and slightly wider C17.

C17
L 283 x W 164 x H 52 mm
Weight: 446 g

I’d pretty much decided that the C15 would be the best option for me but there was a discussion on the Audax Ireland WhatsApp group and one of the guys had an almost unused C17 for sale for €50. As this is a massive saving I jumped at the chance to try out a Brooks without gambling too much money.

My first ride was a simple 40km and it was quickly apparent that this saddle required a very different position compared to the original one that came with the bike.

My main issues were that I was sitting much too far forward on the saddle, putting way too much weight on my hands and over stretching at the bottom of the pedal stroke. This was creating discomfort in my lower back as well as numbness in my hands. Advice from the group and tinkering over the next few rides improved all of this but on my last 75km ride I decided that unfortunately Brooks is not for me. I’m unable to get rid of the hand issues but I’m sure I could if I got my bike fit tweaked professionally but my major issue is that I can’t seem to prevent sliding forward. The saddle has a scoop shape that seems to disagree with my posture on the bike. The only way to prevent this is to tilt it up at the front which then creates numbness in a more sensitive area and something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to contend with.

Shortly after buying the saddle one of the other guys posted the GCN video below that discusses flat v curved saddles for different postures. This confirmed my feeling that the curved saddle won’t suit me.

If the current spell of wet and windy weather ever passes I’ll be switching back to the original saddle that came with the bike (Selle Royal Seta RS). Thankfully I took lots of photos and measurements before removing it. There was a lot of interest when the C17 came up for sale so I should have no problems selling it on for what I paid for it.

gear review: clug bike holder

2 Replies

From the manufacturer’s website:

The Eurobike award winning CLUG is the world’s smallest bike rack. Working seemlessly with your floor to store your bike, CLUG is used to store your bike either vertically or horizontally.

For the last few months I’ve been using a vinyl coated hook screwed into the wall to hold my front wheel and store my bike vertically like the first image in the graphic above. It wasn’t great though as the wheel had a tendency to tilt to one side making me nervous about it possibly falling over. In fact I haven’t used it at all since I got my new bike.

A while ago I saw an ad on Facebook for a better option. One of the comments slagged it off saying it was a rip off of the Hornit CLUG and it definitely looked like a solution for my situation. I bought it direct from the website for £14.99 but see it for sale now on Wiggle and other sites from £11.99.

CLUG comes in a range of different colours and 5 different sizes depending on the width of your tyres and therefore your bike type. It was a roadie for me and plain black on black.

Installation is pretty simple. The box has an integrated template to line up with your tyre and mark the wall. I was using a block wall so had to drill and use the provided rawl plugs.

The holder comes in two parts. The outside collar screws to the wall and the inner clip, that holds the wheel, clicks in to it.

Shane Millar has a YouTube video if you want to see one being installed.

Overall it is very simple, tidy and most importantly, very effective 👍

Value: 10/10 especially if bought at £11.99! It’s well made, well packaged and holds your expensive bike safely and securely.

Durability: 9/10 but only because I’ve only just started using it. Materials seem well made and robust. No cracking during installation and hard to see how it could break or wear out.

Effectiveness: 10/10 it simply does what it’s designed to do, holding the bike safely and securely.

Overall: 10/10 highly recommended.

Manufacturer’s Website: https://hornit.com/collections/clug

gear review: sportful reflex ii gillet

4 Replies

It’s unlikely that many cyclists will be missing a gillet from their cycling wardrobe. For me it’s an essential. It’s very rare that I leave the house without one of some form, either on me or in my pocket or saddle bag. It’s only on one of those very rare days that we’re guaranteed warm sunshine that I will venture out without one.

My main gillet is my Club one that I wear over either a jersey or my Perfetto from Autumn through to Spring. It’s usually too heavy for Summer use and as it’s not waterproof I also need something for the cooler days and/or when I can expect a heavy shower or two. That’s when the Reflex comes into play.

I bought my first one of these a good few years ago, not long after I started cycling regularly and when I realised that a full waterproof jacket wasn’t going to be practical on the warmer days. I’m one of those people that generate a lot of heat and I’m most comfortable when my arms are bare or just lightly covered.

This gillet is still in decent shape but the lack of visibility of the black colour concerns me on duller days and the reflective strips are getting worn looking having been stuffed and unstuffed countless times over the years. I’ve been very happy with it so when the time came to replace it Sportful was my first choice again.

The design had been updated slightly over the years and now has a much better reflective pattern. There are a number of colour choices with Sportful showing fluro yellow, white and black on their website and Wiggle giving a further two of fluro orange and blue. I went for the yellow this time as I wanted something to increase my visibility.

I’ve worn it quite a number of times now and find it really good at what I want it to do. I mainly use it as an additional windbreaker over my Club gillet and Perfetto on very cold Winter days or just over a jersey on fast descents on cooler days. It also gets good use when I get caught in heavier, more prolonged showers when a soaking is unavoidable and unwanted. It has a very handy integrated stuff sack that allows it to compress into a very neat package for a jersey pocket or saddle bag. I’ve also worn it out running on warmer but wet days and found it good for keeping me dry while preventing overheating.

Overall I’m still happy with the new version but I do miss one feature from the original. It had mesh panels down the sides that made it much more breathable. I’m sure removing them has made it more waterproof but they suited me.

I’ve seen some negative reviews on Wiggle that the zip is flimsy but so far I’ve had no issues. They may have upgraded it as it looks and feels sturdy to me.

Value: 9/10 simply because I’m tight fisted and always feel like I’m paying too much! It was €40 when I bought it which is pretty much the RRP.

Durability: 8/10 a decent zip and robust fabric. Negative reviews on Wiggle have me cautious for the longer term.

Effectiveness: 8/10 a great windbreaker, about as waterproof as a gillet can be but would have preferred to see better breathability via the older version mesh panels or a shoulder vent.

Overall: 9/10 highly recommended.

Manufacturer’s Website: https://www.sportful.com/ii/men/collections/protection/p/110163620P-002

bikepacking

6 Replies

Bikepacking has become my new obsession! I’ve been aware of it for a while and it’s always attracted me as it combines so many elements from activities that interest me. A combination of cycling, hiking, camping and backpacking. It appeals to the boyish attraction of adventure and unknown – possibly a mid life crisis at this stage though!

Over the last couple of years I’ve read various articles about bikepacking but this week I’ve fallen down the YouTube and Google rabbit holes and have spent hours watching videos and reading articles. I’ve become a theoretical expert on the best camping options, packing variations, kit options and bag suppliers. I even have a shopping list for kit that I don’t have yet, food options and a few ideas for places to go!

It must be the enforced lockdown bringing on the urge to travel and explore and it’s definitely the extra time that has given the opportunity to research but I’m determined to take at least one short trip before the end of the Summer.

Header image from ilovebicycling.com

niall harran

walk | hike | cycle | blog