Monday, October 31, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 25

Supplements, protein, creatine, whey, Discount-SupplementsThis one might seem slightly left of field, but I use Discount Supplements to order most of my energy drink, gels and energy food. They provide great service, free delivery and very competitive prices, and for today only they are offering an extra 12% off all orders. Simply add OCT12 as the code at checkout.


Hurry though - this offer ends at midnight tonight...


Wiggle are offering £10 off when you spend £75 - just quote UK10 at checkout to get the discount. 


Winter Clearance ClothingAnd finally, worth a mention is the continuing sale at PBK - now there are some items discounted by 70% or 80%. A lot of this is summer stuff, but if you're organised enough to want to buy well in advance for next season, then this could be the sale for you.



Of course, having said that, it was touching 17 degrees Celsius when I was out on the bike earlier today, so maybe I could get some more wear out of that summer kit this year!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

IT'S STILL A BUG'S LIFE...

Norwich City Council logoSo, last week I outlined how I wanted to change the world with BUGs, or if not the world the local community at least. It seemed outrageously ambitious, but within a week or two things have already moved on apace.


I had contacted the local council to see if I could lay my hands on a bunch of their city cycle route maps for our budding BUGs. Not only did the council actually send someone over in person to drop a stack off, on bike naturally, they have invited me to take part in a consultation on revised and new cycle routes in and around the city.


The council appear very serious in taking cycling forward in the city, and I have to say to be involved in the process, as a cyclist, it is very exciting indeed.


The consultation process is already in full swing, as part of the city's sustainable development plan, and the next step is to take part in a number of consultation rides along the proposed routes.


Can't wait!

Friday, October 21, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 24

Oh dear - where does the time go? Last time I looked it was Tuesday and now it's Friday evening... Still, at least it's the weekend!
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe 2011 Wheelset

Bargains are still coming at me thick and fast, so a quick update. Planet X are offering deals on Mavic Road wheelsets - Cosmic Elites are £279.99 down from £354.99 and the excellent Ksyrium Elites are £389.99 from £485.99. Ksyrium Equipes are £269.99 for black or £279.99 for white both down from £339.99. Why a tenner more for the white set I wonder? They do look rather nice mind...


Ribble cycles are running one of their many stock-take discounts - those boys really like to keep on top of their kit don't they? So, on top of their existing 20% off they are offering an additional 10% discount off all products (*not bikes or groupsets) - simply add SALE10 as the code at checkout.


Merlin Cycles are also offering 10% all their kit - this time the code is WINTER10 at checkout. Merlin's prices are always some of the keenest, to another 10% off their prices should make for some tempting purchases.


Tredz have got some good deals on their website at the moment - there are some pretty impressive discounts. There are savings of at least 30% on a lot of their kit...


Look 596 SRAM Red Mega DealFinally I will leave you with another Planet X special as they really know how to put an offer together. This time they would apparently have a job lot of LOOK 596 team replicas they need to dispose of, as they are offering this handsome machine not at it's RRP of £6,199 but for an mouth watering £3,799. That is a lot of bike for what is still a lot of money, but not nearly as much as it should be.


The catch, as of writing this blog they only had 6 available. So be quick.


If I had £3,799 I would be tempted. But I don't, so that's one offer I will leave for someone else to snap up...

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 23

The bargains are still coming thick and fast, which is just as well as I am struggling to keep my motivation going as the days get shorter, the temperatures cooler and the winds stronger.


I was out on the road yesterday morning after a weekend away and boy was it a struggle. Into a strong headwind for the better part of 30 miles, it was the first run along one of my usual winter routes since last year. I was even tempted to stop off and check for brake rub so leg-numbingly difficult was I finding it. I wish...


So, maybe a little retain therapy will ease the pain? Always Riding are offering 10% off for orders in excess of £100, not bad if you have a blue chip purchase planned. Simpy use OCTOBEROFFER at checkout before October 23. 


Handlebar Tape and Grips - Deda Handlebar TapeWiggle, bless 'em, are also offering an extra 10% off site prices - use code EXT10-SPECIALS at checkout. They also have massive discounts on a whole bunch of kit they want to clear, including bikes. The never ending sale continues...


If you fancy glamming your bike up for winter on a budget, new bar tape is an easy and effective way. PBK are offering 50% off Deda tape at the moment - use DEDA50 at checkout.


Altura Night Vision Waterproof Gloves - 2011     Bikes You Like are offering 50% off Altura Night Vision gloves, both yellow and black, bringing them down to £19.99.


Finally, Parkers International are offloading Michelin Pro Race 3 tyres for a oh-so-tempting £20.95 - that's a saving of 38% off the usual £33.99.


Grab 'em whilst you can...

Michelin Pro 3 Race Bike Tyre

Sunday, October 16, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 22

Would you believe it? I go away for a weekend and the cycling retail world goes bargain crazy!


Where to start? Well, in the words of Julie Andrews the beginning is a very good place usually.
Mavic Ksyrium Elite Wheels - Silver 2011

ChainReactionCycles are offering 25% off Mavic wheels - the pick of the bunch, in my eyes anyway, are the Ksyrium Elites in silver at a tyre popping £165 - that's £55 off the usual retail price. And a very nice wheel - too good for winter really. Note, this is not for a set - no, CRC aren't that crazy - this is per wheel i.e. front and back...


There's also 25% off a load of Mavic cyclo-cross wheels too, if that's your winter thing...


Moving on... Primera are offering 15% off anything and everything for one week only, excluding existing offers. Just use NL-OCT-15 as the code at checkout.


Those crazy guys over at Merlin cycles are offering VAT free bikes this weekend only - so be quick. Use the code NOVAT at checkout to get a 17% discount. Merlin obviously missed the memo putting VAT up to 20%, but hey let's not be too picky...


On top of this Merlin are also offering 10% off all Cateye computers and lights - it's the not-so-cryptic CATEYE10 as the checkout code this time.


Fancy spending £50 with Always Riding? If so, take a fiver off courtesy of the code SUB5LOYAL at checkout.
Night Vision Evo Waterproof Jacket

Tredz are offering 20% off Altura kit - especially useful for us cycle commuters. Ends Sunday night though, so again - be light on your feet for this one.


ProBikeKit are offering 15% off turbos - hate the things since using one for my broken hip rehab, but each to their own. After weeks of one-legged training sessions I vowed NEVER AGAIN!


And finally, cue drum-roll... PBK are also offering up to 60% - yes 60% people - off cycle clothing. Craft and Gore kit appear to have the best savings on offer, but there are lots of bargains hidden away on the site. 


I'll finish with a link to the Evans cycles competition to win a set of Exposure lights. How cool would that be? Top prize is a set of Exposure Six Pack with enough illumination to burn out your retina, plus 10 sets of the uber-cool Exposure Flash and Flare lights.


Good luck! But not too much...

Friday, October 14, 2011

A BUG'S LIFE

There are some exciting developments afoot at work as I attended the inaugral meeting of our new BUGs group earlier this week.

Nothing to do with the cult 1990s show of the same name, shown at teatime on BBC1 on Saturdays. Remember that? It starred, amongst other acting luminaries of the time, Craig McLachlan of Neighbours fame.

 
No, this is a BUG in the Bicycle User Group context and some innovative and potentially far-reaching ideas were discussed.

 
It will be exciting to be a part of the BUGs and I am intrigued to see where we take it and where it takes us.

Naturally we looked at implementing the usual BUGs activities including:
  • Produce a regular newsletter.
  • Set up a BUG website or intranet site.
  • Organise a Doctor Bike event.
  • Arrange regular lunchtime talks or presentations about cycling.
  • Run a cyclists’ information service supplying free maps, leaflets and other advice.
  • Organise an official ribbon cutting to mark the opening of new cycle facilities at our workplace. Invite the local media and win our organisation some valuable publicity.
  • Operate a ‘bike buddy’ scheme. Novice cyclists are paired with a more experienced rider who will cycle to work with them.
  • Produce a site map showing the location of cycle parking stands, showers, etc.
  • Organise a cyclists’ breakfast during Bike Week.
  • Provide volunteers who will help mend punctures and carry out emergency repairs for fellow members of staff.
  • Conduct a quarterly ‘cycle census’ to count the number of bikes on-site and record any changes and progress.
  • Get a local bike shop to set up a display of commuter bikes and equipment in the staff restaurant or a similar prominent place.
In addition to this we see our role as promoting the cause of the cyclist, and by cyclist I don't just mean the lycra-clad Sunday morning road-warriors (like me!), but also those who are new to cycling or only occassionally cycle but are looking to do more.
 
With this in mind I think it fair to assume we will, as a consequence, be campaigning for cyclists to be taken more seriously on the roads, to improve signage, to canvass local authorities for improved cycling facilities on the road and in the city and to ultimately fight for equality of rights with the motorists who use their cars to get to work.

Ambitious? Only time will tell...

 

Thursday, October 13, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 21

Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin.


Selle Italia Flite Gel Flow SaddleIf not, you might be interested to know that Rutland Cycles are offering 20% off selected saddles.


And there are some peachy saddles on offer too. I ride with a Selle Italia on my winter hack and Rutland are offering 20% off the excellent Flite Gel Flow taking it down to £87.99.


At the budget end the SL XC is down from £55 to £39.99 and at the top end of the market, Rutland are listing the SLR Kit Carbonio saddle for £131.99, a drop from £165.


WhiteThere are also some healthy discounts on Ritchey saddles too, with the well reviewed Pro Streem saddle down to £40.99 from £52.00 and the desirable WCS Streem reduced from £85 to £67.99.  Very tempting.


Brooks Swallow Titanium Saddle - 2011Finally, if you want to add a bit of traditional English class to your steed, you could do worse than cap a Brooks saddle on the top of it. Rutland have a flat 20% off their whole Brooks saddle range. The Brooks Standard is now only £59.99 and the top end Swallow Titanium £190, down from £240.


Not cheap by any means, but you will be buying a little piece of leather cycling history and a saddle to last.


Go on take the plunge, your bum will thank you!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 20

Evans Cycles are offering 15% off all mudguards at the moment. Simply pick the set you like and use the code SOWMUD (no, me neither) at checkout to get your discount applied. Evans aren't always the most competitive, but with 15% off this brings them to the table.


Crud Road Racer MK2 Mudguard SetWith wet weather returning with a vengeance this week - today I got a real soaking in both directions commuting to work - I cannot put of my mudguards purchase for much longer.


Actually, my riding buddies are sick of me not having mudguards on the Sunday run too, so this is one upgrade that is long overdue. They make me ride at the back when the weather's really bad. Hang on, thinking about it...


So, what else? Parker International are offering 10% off Campagnolo components and clothing. Again, pick what you want, add it to your basket and applythe code  44C4B577-0F6 at checkout. Nice of Parker's to use a straightforward easy to remember code this time - no chance of typing that one in wrong...


Pissei Cuore Italiano Roubaix Bib Tights Fancy adding some lurid colour to your winter wardrobe? Planet-X are offering Pissei Cuore Italiano Roubaix bib-tights for just £49.99. These remind me of the Mapei kit of the 80s, and if you fancy yourself as Marco Pantani then these could be for you. If hiding in the back of the bunch is more your thing however, then you might want to give these a miss!


FSA SL-240 Carbon Pro SeatpostFinally, Planet-X are also offering some eye-watering offers on seat posts right now. My favourite is the FSA SL-K carbon pin at a tempting £29.99, down from £75. Great stuff. 


Or maybe you'd like the FSA SL-240 carbon post for £19.99 - down from £70.

All in all, a great excuse to upgrade and not ride up grades...

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

PROVIZ IN ACTION

Following on from my post on the relaunch of the PROVIZ website, I see today that their marketing blitz continues on apace.




A Danny MacAskill inspired video is doing the rounds on YouTube and makes for an entertaining couple of minutes viewing.


The bike-tricks commute home is taken by Duncan Shaw of MacAskill's CLAN, and shows off the PROVIZ black waterproof jacket to the full.


Whilst in itself not a hi-viz jacket, a bit of battery power illuminates the jacket side panels blue so they glow in the dark. A cycle commuters delight.


Shaw is also wearing a PROVIZ lid which has LED lights fitted front and rear, so although not quite lit up like a Christmas tree, it's not too far off.


It really is very cool.

BARGAIN HUNT - 19

Charge Dish WheelsetIt's Timeout Tuesday at Cycle Surgery again today. This week they have 40% off a small selection of wheels.


Fulcrum Racing 7s are down to £111 which is a bargain for a solid winter training wheel. I have a pair of these, and although not the lightest by any means, they are robust enough to take whatever the lanes of North Norfolk can throw at them through the winter.


An alternative is a set of Charge Dish wheels, about which I confess to knowing very little, but reduced from £200 to at a penny under £120 they would appear to be another set worth investigating for winter. The reviews certainly suggest this is another solid wheelset.


There's little worse than suffering from cold extremities once the mercury dips. Riding a bike with cold hands or feet is not fun at all, so it is nice to see Rutland Cycles are offering 20% off winter gloves and overshoes.


Seal Skinz Windproof GlovesThere are some particularly good deals to be had on Seal Skinz kit which is guaranteed to keep you warm and dry regardless of how cold it gets this winter...

PROVIZ LAUNCH


PROVIZ Cycling was launched last year but it has just launched it's brand new website.


Hot ProductsNow you can buy their light-emitting cycling clothing and accessories directly through the website.


By-the-by, they have also launched a running range, combining their light-emitting technology with colourful designs to ensure that runners can now also be bright and seen as the winter nights draw in! My better half will be pleased, as will any cyclists looking to do some cross-training through the winter.


To celebrate the new website and their latest ranges, they are offering 15% off any PROVIZ products.  Simply browse the products you would like on the website and insert the code proviz100 into the relevant box on checkout. 


Some of their products are not yet in stock but they assure me they will be very shortly and the discount code will still be valid.

Monday, October 10, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 18

I've been looking for some winter SPD shoes for my cycle commute to work, a cool 30+ miles round trip.


Shimano AM51 All Mountain SPD ShoesI confess to using some (very) cheap shoes I bought from Lidl and they are fine for a short ride, but they weigh as much as moon boots and after a few miles turning the pedals is like a weights work-out in itself. Not much fun.

So I am looking for an upgrade... Planet-X might have the answer as they are offering some 
rather nice Shimano AM51s for £80, down from £120. They are an ankle boot style and look perfect for winter.


Or maybe I should opt for the cheaper AM31s for £58 down from £80. Same kind of styling, but a slightly heavier boot.
Vittoria Rubino Pro Road Tyre

Both are a very nice looking shoe and would be perfect to see me through the winter commute...


PBK are offering up to 40% off Vittoria tyres and tubes, although sadly the 40% discount seems to apply to the tubs variety rather than the clincher flavour I use. Still, there's 20% discount off most clinchers from the budget Zaffiros to the more princely Open Paves. 


Bicycle Lubrication - Finish Line Teflon Dry Lube - 120mlWinter of course is harsh on components and kit so it's even more important than ever to make sure everything is protected. PBK have a handy 30% of bike lubrication including the ever dependable Finish Line range.


Generous application should make sure everything runs smoothly regardless of how much Belgian toothpaste is on the road. 

Sunday, October 9, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 17

Evans Cycles are offering a mighty 50% off some of their end of season kit. They have split the offers into clothing and accessories  and there are some good deals to be had.


Charge Oven Glove - LeatherThere is an odd collection of stuff in there - real bargain bin stuff - but take a look. There might be something you want...


My favourite? The Charge Oven gloves for under a tenner. That's an impressive 70% off RRP...

Thursday, October 6, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 16

Wiggle have some additional discounts available online at the moment which could be useful for those with come cash burning a hole in their pockets.

Spend £100 and you will get £10 off by using EXTRA10-100 at the checkout. Not bad if you have a blue chip purchase to make.

If it's energy goodies you're after, there is an extra 10% off if you enter EXTRA10-NUTRI at the checkout.

On top of these codes Wiggle have also got some pretty impressive discounts on autumn and winter essentials so it's worth checking out before you buy elsewhere... My pick is 25% off the already good value dhb Aeron bibshorts, down to a wallet friendly £29.99.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

CYCLIST ENVY


Envy. Invidiousness.

That feeling of resentful emotion we experience when we lack what someone else has and we either desire it or wish that the other didn’t have it.

Portrait of a Woman
Suffering from Obsessive Envy
Jean Louis ThĂ©odore GĂ©ricault (1791–1824)
It’s a terrible thing, envy. But I wager it happens to all of us at some time in our lives, and I suspect cyclists might be more susceptible to it than the average Joe on the street.

You see, us cyclists live in a world where the latest bit of kit is going to make us go faster, where living a certain lifestyle will help us get the miles in and where having a particular physique is going to make getting up those climbs less gut wrenchingly difficult.

We read on the web and in the cycling press, day in and day out, reviews of the latest tech coming our way that we simply must have if we want to be taken seriously as a cyclist. Unless we have a bottomless wallet, unlikely in these times of austerity, just reading about it is tough enough. But when we meet our mates for a Sunday club run and that latest kit is hanging off their bikes, well, that’s when the little green monster is likely to rear it’s ugly head.

Whether it’s a new carbon monocoque frame, a power metre, a new Garmin GPS or the latest Rapha kit, sometimes it can be hard to swallow, especially when it’s happening week in week out.

Then there’s a guy on our Sunday run who works part-time and has a couple of days in the week to himself. He can ride his bike to his heart’s content without any time pressure. Sure, he has a young family and all the commitments that brings, but whilst the kids are out at school the road just yawns out ahead of him begging to be ridden. Just imagine the miles he’s been getting in over the last couple of weeks of this Indian summer…

And then there’s the plain physical envy. That guy we all know who eats what he wants but is naturally skinny, allowing him to dance up the hills leaving us huffing and puffing and cursing in his wake. Or even worse, the 'jelly belly' rider with legs like tree trunks, who claims to do no serious miles, yet come Sunday leaves us for dust in the sprint for the road sign finish.

Ah yes, envy comes to us all and is such a destructive force. Bertrand Russell said envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness. It is a universal and most unfortunate aspect of human nature because not only is the envious person rendered unhappy by his envy, but also wishes to inflict misfortune on others.

So what do we do when we, for whatever reason, find ourselves envious of our club mates? I find self-bolstering the best approach, appraising my better qualities and the positives that cycling brings to my life. This belief, this self-esteem can work wonders to the point where others’ kit, abilities and lifestyle no longer matter. I am just happy to be me, and I am sure a lot of other riders would like to be me too.

And if this doesn’t work? Well, there’s always schadenfreude, that malicious satisfaction we get from the misfortune of others, the misfortune which often befalls those touting their new extravagant purchases.

Just remember, don’t gloat. Not too much anyway…

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 15

Another Timeout Tuesday from Cycle Surgery, and this one ties in rather nicely with my post about new tyres yesterday.


Even with spanking new tyres we are all likely to p*ncture at some point, especially in the winter. Having a decent pump packed makes getting back on the road that little bit easier - just swap out the tube, pump and go.


So, it's apposite that Cycle Surgery should be offering 40% off selected pumps. This is for today only, so you'd better hot-click it over to their website pronto if you want to take advantage of this one.


Pick the pump you want and simply enter TT106 at the checkout.

Monday, October 3, 2011

BARGAIN HUNT - 14

Time for new tyres? Winter is approaching, no really it is. I know the temperatures have been reaching record highs this week, but mark my words - the crappy weather will be with us before the month is out.
Continental GP4000 Road Tyre

So, it might be time to invest in some new tyres. Getting a puncture is rough at the best of times, but getting one on a cold, wet, dark winter ride is really nasty...


ProBikeKit are offering up to 30% off Continental tyres right now and I think the pick of the bunch is the Conti GP4000 available in all colours for a touch under £30. Not cheap, but worth it if you're after an all-rounder for winter.


Topeak Aero Wedge Saddle Pack - MicroPBK are also offering big discounts on LOOK pedals, pretty much 25% across the LOOK board, plus up to 25% off saddle packs, another useful winter accessory.


Gotta keep those discounted Conti tubes somewhere...

Saturday, October 1, 2011

RAPHA AW11 KIT NOW AVAILABLE

Range Preview: Lookbook now onlineThe long awaited and much anticipated new Rapha Autumn/Winter 2011 range is now available. All us Rapha fans have been salivating at the prospect, teased have we been by the little snippets of information drip-fed by Rapha over the past few weeks.

Well, now the wait is over. Not only can we view the latest new stuff at the usual place, there is also an exclusive online showcase featuring photography and films shot by Ben Ingham in the French-Italian Alps.

How very, well, Rapha of them...

Actually, I am quite relieved that my winter wardrobe isn't sufficiently lacking for me to go out and purge the contents of my wallet at Rapha HQ. One of the reasons I love Rapha so much is the longevity of their products. The winter kit I have now is the same kit that has kept me warm and dry through the last several (harsh) winters, and the stuff still looks brand new.

And the best bit? If I fancy a new piece of Rapha kit, or a new colourway, I just sell the 'old' stuff on eBay to fund it. Everyone's a winner...