Bicycle multitools

Bike multitools for keen cyclists from ones with pliers on, to ones that replicate near an entire bike shop in a mini-case, to ones for hipster back pockets. As seen in The Sunday Times.

eBikes tested

If you've got access to The Sunday Times behind the paywall, go look at my feature on the new generation of electric bicycles there. If not, you can probably see the text clearly enough right here. This next generation are cheaper, give longer range and are lighter - and are now truly ideal for those who want to get out and ride, but for whatever reason don't want to either get a scooter or build up their leg power and stamina.

Mountain bikes, Mail On Sunday

A relatively recent spread of mountain bikes - one for all types of rider - in the Mail On Sunday's Live Night & Day magazine. Tested on Epping Forest's finest steep slopes and muddy puddles! (Ignore the fact that it's credited to my mate Chris Haslam - a subbing mistake. Also ignore the fact that some of the forks are the wrong way round - that's down to the photographer, not the tester ;-)

Commuting for dummies, Mail On Sunday

Excuse the sporadic posting here - far too busy doing other stuff elsewhere! Blogging, reviews and features for MSN, features for Stuff, Mail On Sunday and US websites, regular gadget coverage for Flipside, E&T and others as well as copywriting, of course. Anyway, here's a spread I did for The Mail On Sunday's Live Night & Day magazine on commuting kit, that didn't appear online.

Exposure lights review

Exposure LED bicycle lights - designed for serious road and off-road usage, these high-power lights dazzle with their compact, internal-battery, rugged design. Why are they a must buy? Read my review at Stuff.TV.

Electric bicycles review - The Sunday Times

Five electric bicycles tested in The Sunday Times' InGear Test Bench section. The juiced-up Brompton-a-like GoCycle, lightweight modded Cannondale Capo (by Cytronex), a marathon Giant Twist Freedom CS, a budget iZip and quick-off-them-mark Urban Mover. But I'd still say you get fitter and enjoy your ride more on a bicycle powered solely by two legs and some food.

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 gears review

By me over at The Guardian Bike Blog - Shimano's new fancy electronic gears get a mangling.

ShortList blokes bicycles round-up

A round up of eight great bicycles - one for every occasion/type of bloke out there - as seen in ShortList Magazine.
The line-up includes commuter/BMX oddball and aptly-named Cannondale Hooligan, singlespeed fashion weapon of choice the Charge Plug, the cheap and very useful commuter Boardman Hybrid Comp, the electric GoCycle, the flashier-than-a-Brompton-and-cheaper-too Mezzo D9, roadie uber-whippet the Giant TCR Advanced 3, the all-mountain, all-carbon, all-your-cash Whyte E-120 Superbike and the cheap-but-solid Raleigh Freeride AT20.

Mad Catz AirDrives FIT review

By me - Stuff.TV reviews MadCatz' headphones for cyclists. Can you hear traffic and music?

Dunwich Dynamo 2009: hell ride or hell of a ride?

The Dunwich Dynamo is one of London's annual cycling events. Starting from London Fields in Hackney, cyclists on a July evening each year head out through Waltham Forest, past Epping, into Essex and then Suffolk until they reach the coast. That's 116 miles of riding. Through the night.
It was originally ridden by some crazy courier types. But it's been semi-organised for years now. In 2009, I did it for the first time.
The Dynamo is not to be taken lightly (despite the people on clown bikes, penny farthings and in jeans rather than lycra). I found it tough - particularly just after the 3 am feed stop in a specially opened village hall. Riding through the darkest, coldest hours, I had every layer I'd brought on, and was still chilly. I thought I wouldn't make it.
And that, perversely, is the brilliance of the Dynamo. Just when you're at low ebb (well, in the case of most "normal" cyclists, for whom 116 miles is a long way), the horizon pinks up and slowly the sun appears.
It's a very emotional moment - the night is filled with chatting riders helping each other through the end of the toughest bit mentally. After the sun came up, despite it starting to drizzle, I knew I'd made it.
Because the Dynamo is tough at times, it feels like a real adventure. A feel reinforced by finally arriving at the sea. Cyclists asleep under overturned boats. Swimming in the freezing cold waters to wake up. A massive fry up on the beach. It's a brilliant way to top off the event.
Then it's coaches back to central London and the excruciating few miles from there on tired legs and soggy shorts home.
Will I be on the Dynamo next year? Hell, yes.