ALL POSTS
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When it comes to cycling helmets, you often have to choose between aerodynamics or ventilation. Traditional aero cycling helmets achieve their low aerodynamic drag by removing or reducing the vents on a standard helmet. In this review we’ll be looking at a helmet that claims to offer both aerodynamics and ventilation, the POC Ventral SPIN aerodynamic helmet. Using computational fluid dynamics, the Ventral SPIN routes air through multiple large front vents and out vents in the back. As with other POC products, the Ventral SPIN has distinctive styling and color schemes that echo the brands minimalist design language. Safety features…
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Perhaps one of the most common issues for cyclists is saddle discomfort. Without a properly fitting saddle, pain and soreness can prevent you from putting out your full power not to mention comfort on longer rides. Also, as with many sports, cycling can often be male-dominated with more research and development toward bike saddles for men leaving women with fewer saddle options. Specialized is well known for their Body Geometry approach whether it’s cycling shoes, bicycle frames, or even accessories, so when they released their MIMIC line of women saddles we were excited to try it out. With MIMIC technology,…
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When you need to pack your bike for a ride away from home, it can be easy to forget some accessory that you need for the ride. Showing up to the start of your ride and realizing you’ve forgotten something as minor as socks or as important as your helmet or even shoes can ruin your day (ask us how we know!). The new Topeak PakGo GearPack is designed to address this by creating a foldable hard shell gearpack specifically for packing cycling gear. With an impressive 38L capacity, 3 compartments, and 6 side pockets, it’s easy to pack everything…
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The AIM sunglasses are the latest performance model from POC that combine oversized lens with sleek euro styling. Developed to have a wide field of view, the POC AIM sunglasses feature a semi frameless design. They are also offered with a wide range of interchangeable Clarity lens options, one of POC’s signature lens technologies. As the clever name implies, the lenses offer distortion free and vivid color rendering in a variety of filtering categories and tints to match any environment. POC also offers the sunglasses in a wide range of unique colors such as Kalkopyrit blue and Apophyllite green, making…
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Modern cycling helmets have evolved to not only better protect you during a crash but also after a crash. The most common example of this are crash sensors that can notify your emergency contacts when an impact is detected. However, this is more of an active safety feature that requires a cell phone signal and battery power to operate. POC has developed an alternative approach using an embedded NFC chip into the helmet itself with the new POC Ventral Air SPIN NFC helmet. This clever passive design is one of the first implementations for a road cycling helmet, and allows…
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Advancements in LED designs and battery capacity mean that modern bike lights are capable of high lumen output while still retaining small form factors.The new Magicshine Monteer 8000S bike light is an excellent example of this trend as it incorporates an updated battery and LED setup into the previous generation Monteer 6500 bike light to achieve an impressive 8000 lumen output. Now a 8000 lumen Magicshine sounds familiar, that’s because the Magicshine MJ-908 also carried that claim. However, while the MJ-908 had a theoretical 8000 lumen output (each of the 8 LEDs is capable of 1000 lumen output) the Monteer…
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Unless you’re a professional cyclist with a support car following you, it is important to carry a multitool. Having even simple tools such as an allen wrench can be the difference between being stranded on the side of the road and finishing your ride. In this review we’ll be looking at Topeak’s latest full featured multitools, the Topeak Mini PT30. With 30 functions, the Mini PT30 is a premium quality tool with a compact form factor (7.4 x 4 x 1.9 cm / 2.9” x 1.6” x 0.7”) that is easy to carry in a jersey pocket or saddlebag. The…
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As someone who gave up on protein supplements after trying the awful tasting Muscle Milk, Whey isolate and similar offerings, we were honestly surprised with the offerings from Drink Wholesome. Drink Wholesome is a new post-workout recovery drink company based out in New Hampshire with their products made locally in adjacent Massachusetts. As the company name implies, Drink Wholesome’s goal is to develop healthy protein powders with real ingredients. Unlike typical protein powders that seem to have more ingredients than letters in the english alphabet, Drink Wholesome protein powders have less than 10 real ingredients, none of which include artificial…
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Whether you’re hiking, traveling, or just running errands around town, it’s important to stay hydrated. Using reusable water bottles to stay hydrated is both environmentally friendly and reduces waste. Traditional steel water bottles are durable and offer insulated options, but can be heavy and difficult to pack. This has led to a rise in flexible water bottles with higher capacity yet are lightweight and packable. In this review, we’ll be looking at the new HydraPak Flux 1L flexible water bottle. The HydraPak Flux 1L offers an impressive 1L (32 fl oz) capacity with a rollup design. HydraPak has also incorporated…