Posts Tagged biking gear
Keep Your Head Cool With Hats From Headsweats
You’ve probably seen Headsweats hats in action without knowing their name: they supply a lot of hats used by runners that are emblazoned with some sponsor’s logo. Headsweats is often in the background, content to let someone else snag the limelight. They’ll just deposit the order check instead.
You can get a Headsweats hat without signing up for a big event or even being a runner, however. They sell through their own site, at athletic stores, and at Amazon. So you can get the benefits of a reflective hat that lets the steam out and weighs next to nothing.
I’ve been trying out two of their caps as a regular traveler who doesn’t run. (And I wouldn’t wear one of these to bike because I don’t trust the drivers where I live—helmet on at all times.) The first, the Airlite, is a great all-around travel hat. It only weighs two ounces and is easy to pack. The “Eventure” woven fabric makes it far more breathable than most baseball-style caps, which is great because, well, your head sweats when it’s hot. The Coolmax fabric stays cool and there’s a sweatband where it touches your head.
The bonus is that it’s reflective to keep you safe. Even if you’re not a runner, your travels will often take you down dark streets and paths where it can’t hurt to be seen in the headlights. And if you are somewhere you feel safe biking without a helmet, this will give you extra visibility. And hey, you can just toss this in the washing machine if it needs a clean-up.
The Airlite comes in white with a variety of accents and lists for $20-$23. Buy direct or see if it’s in yet at Amazon.
The Protech hat goes beyond protecting your head and has a built-in flap to keep the sun off your neck. I bought my first hat that did this at least 15 years ago in Bali, so the idea isn’t new, but today’s wonder fabrics allow a hat like this to be lightweight, wicking, and quick-drying. All great assets for a traveler on the move.
Made of Coolmax fabric, it provides UV protection while wicking away moisture and it’s not much heavier than the Airlite. This one also has a Coolmax terrycloth sweatband and you can toss it in the washer or do a sink wash at your guesthouse and it will dry quickly.
I’ve used this hat a few times while kayaking (like in the photo here) and it has kept me from turning into a redneck. It’s also good for the golf course or any hiking trip where you won’t be in the shade all the time. One unique feature of this is that the underside of the brim is black, so it absorbs the light from the water instead of reflecting it back in your face.
With it being so lightweight though, it’s probably not great for windy conditions, like a powerboat moving at full throttle. Rely on sunscreen for that.
The Protech sun hat comes in two colors and lists for $26. Buy it from Headsweats or search prices online.
Related reviews: see our Headsweats Beanies review or more travel hats.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on March 22nd, 2012
Tricked-out Hydrapak Jolla for Long Bike Rides
Is your one-liter water bottle coming up short? Need to carry more than what will fit into the pocket on the back of your cycling jersey? Hydrapak has the solution.
I’ve never been sold on the need for hydration packs when hiking. It’s not like it’s hard to pull a water bottle (or two) out of a pocket when you take a break beside the trail and those pouches are no fun to clean. But when you’re on the back of a bicycle, maybe trying to avoid traffic or watch for potholes, it can make sense. This is especially true for long rides, times where even two bottle carriers mounted on the frame are not going to cut it.
This Jolla bag is the largest one from Hydrapak, a company that lets you put three liters of water inside your bag and still have plenty of room to spare. I’ve gone on a few overnight or multi-night rides where I was carrying everything I needed on my back and this Jolla one would be perfect for that. With 1,100 cubic inches of space (18 liters) it’s not going to cut it for days on end, but enough for a couple changes of clothes and some toiletries.
For this company it all starts with the hydration pack and this one solves a lot of problems people complain about with these things in general. The way it’s designed, you can fold the whole thing inside-out to clean it (picture a dry bag construction with a plastic zip-up mechanism for good measure). 
Plus there’s a clip-and-magnet system that allows you to mount the hose end anywhere on the strap and keep it in place. No need to tuck it into a strap or to clip it in an awkward place that doesn’t fit your body type and pack placement. (See a video on how it works here.) In my tests the high-flow drinking valve rarely leaked much, but there’s a twist control on it to shut it off completely if you want.
The pack itself is well-designed and comfortable, with ergonomic straps and ventilation foam in the right places to keep the sweat from building up on your back. I’ve been using this while baking in the hot Florida sun the past couple months and it has performed well in the heat. It’s got loads of pockets in multiple compartments, plus the obligatory MP3 set-up with a headphone port—though use that at your own risk in traffic. There are compression straps, plenty of places to hook things on, and straps for your waist and sternum if you want. There’s a handle on the top for picking it up, with I always appreciate. All made from rugged ripstop nylon.
The place where you stow all your gadgets inside is attached by a Velcro strap and is a removable pouch. That means you can leave your pack one place and take all the things that are really worth a lot with you.
This pack has a thin profile and with all the compression straps you can keep it more narrow than your body. So it shouldn’t create much drag if you’re biking through wine country or doing a daily commute.
This pack lists for $150, which isn’t exactly a screaming bargain, but you can probably find it discounted by following these direct links for Department of Goods, or Amazon. Or you can just get the Hydrapak hydration pouch from Amazon and stick it in your own streamlined backpack.
See other smaller pack sizes at Hydrapak.com.
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Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on November 16th, 2011
Women’s Bike Gear From Terry Bicycles
What happens when you win a gift certificate to a bike store for women, but you’re a man? I’m no crossdresser, so it made my wife very happy earlier this year when I came home from a travel gear conference bearing news that I had won a sizable gift certificate to Terry Bicycles.
If you’re a woman who cycles, follow that link to a wonderland of accessories and clothing made for bikers with boobs. Since I had no glands in this game, my recipient went nuts picking out whatever she needed and wanted.
She was thrilled with everything she got, though the biker flare skort she bought got backordered for months so the jury is still out. It’s a nice idea though for looking feminine while still having some extra padding, so hopefully it works.
The item that got the most praise was…a new seat! My wife’s bike is a Kona one that is sort of a hybrid, but really it’s a thin-tire city bike meant for hauling ass, with the side effect that the ass gets pretty sore on the narrow seat. So $35 spent on this Cite X Saddle pictured at the top made a huge difference in riding comfort. “It’s like night and day,” was the verdict. It’s wider and has more padding, which is a lot more sensible than the standard seat. As the description on their site says, it’s “guaranteed to hit and miss in all the right places.”
She also loved this YMX Sleeveless Jersey that retails for $54. It’s a 1/4-zip biking shirt that wicks sweat, is stretchy, and has back pockets for holding your phone or keys. It’s flattering and comes in a variety of bold patterns. If you think cycling clothing has to make you look like a Frenchified racer, check out their whole line of pretty cycling tops. The pair of regular biking shorts she got look like any other, but she appreciated how the elastic bands on the legs and the waist were much wider than those of another pair of bike shorts she had and they didn’t dig into the skin.
She also picked up a pair of $15 fingerless gloves as she has a problem with her hands getting tingly when she rides. The problem is still there, but it’s better. She also picked up a Timbuk2 Anna Tote. It’s not all that practical for biking, but it’s become her favorite gym bag.
Terry Bicycles also has workout clothing, yoga wear, accessories, and yes—bikes. Some very nice bikes that I won’t be affording anytime soon.
If you like the idea of a women-only outlet or you have trouble finding what you like at your local bike shop, check them out here: TerryBicycles.com.
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Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on November 9th, 2011
USB-charged Night Bike Flea Lights
Want to stay safe on your bike at night without churning through batteries? These Flea Lights from Blackburn Design can recharge by USB.
One of the key advantages of living in a warm place is that you can ride your bike pretty much all year. A few months back I moved to Tampa, FL and recently I joined up with City Bike Tampa for a night ride they do from restaurant to restaurant in and around downtown. It’s not too strenuous, so you can grab a beer where you stop, but you’ve gotta have lights on your bike. It’s the law in this state, but it’s also the smart thing to do.
So before the trip I looked at a lot of bike lights and in the end decided to spend more than I planned on the smallest ones—around $50 for this set of front and back lights. They’re pretty damned cool though, so I think it was a good choice. They’re little but very bright lights with 4 LED bulbs and several choices of brightness and flash patterns. It’s a one-button operation too: you turn it on and cycle through the various options one by one. The last one turns it off.
These bike lights attach with Velcro straps, which is a huge advantage in my eyes over the ones that are meant to screw onto handlebars or a seat stem. With these I can switch them over to my daughter’s bike if she’s riding over to a neighborhood friend’s house or I can take a light inside in my pocket if there’s some shady character milling around the bike rack where I’ve stopped. If I wanted, I could also hook the front headlight to a helmet instead of my handlebars. Versatile.
The real game-changer with these though is they don’t use external batteries. They have a rechargeable battery that’s pumped back up via USB. That can turn out to be a very eco-friendly move if you’re using a solar charger of some kind or a product I’m sorry hasn’t caught on more: the wind-powered HYMini. (You would think a wind-powered generator on your bike is kind of a no-brainer—it’s always going to be spinning if you’re moving.) Blackburn even sells one package that comes with its own solar power charger.
The USB connector actually separates from the lights and with the combo set, one connector is used for both lights. That makes these a lot thinner than they would be otherwise, but I do worry that I’m going to lose such a small little accessory that’s vital to the functioning. No worries about that with AA batteries.
These are rated to run for 3 hours steadily on, or 5 hours for the front and 12 hours for the back if on the flash mode. That’s not enough? What are you doing riding around more than three hours non-stop at night you weirdo?
These lights come in a variety of colors and are so small and lightweight that you could easily pack them for bike rentals on vacation. Most good bike shops have Blackburn Flea USB lights, or you can pick them up online. Try Altrec.com for a wide selection of colors or Amazon, where you can pay far less than I did in a retail store.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Kids and Family, Travel Light on October 12th, 2011
Osprey Verve 10 Hydration Pack
It’s been some time since I bought my ancient Platypus hydration pack. I never did love it, it had some major flaws that have no doubt have since been fixed. The biggest issues I had with my old pack were centered around the hydration unit itself — the water reservoir and how it worked. I could never quite find the valve, it was always flapping around loose. And it leaked like crazy, soaking the right side of my bike shorts right through on those long rides. Not a problem on hot days, but in typical Seattle weather, you don’t need an additional cooling system.
The Osprey Verve hydration pack fixes those two major issues and has a whole mess of nicely designed features to make hauling a bunch of water around with you on your active outdoor adventure easy and comfortable.
First, that issue with the valve. Osprey has a magnet on the valve so it clips to the buckle on the chest strap. The valve is where you expect it to be, it’s not swinging around. It’s bite activated and it has an open/shut mode — you turn the valve to drink from it — so it doesn’t leak. Complaints? Gone. The water resevoir has a wide screw top mouth so it’s easy to fill and a stiff back so it holds its shape; it doesn’t settle to the bottom of your pack the way some of those hydration bags do.
There are lots of nice details that I noticed right away. The zipper pulls have plastic loops on them that are shaped to fit your fingers, there’s no fussing with them. There’s a special clip for your bike helmet — though hey, most of the time, you’re wearing your helmet, right? There are straps you can use to cinch your coat on to the outside of the pack. I attached my rain shell when the sun came out and the weather dried up and my coat was secure and out of the way. There’s a mesh outside pocket, a zippered wallet sized pocket, and a main storage pocket with organizer sections.
My test run with this Verve pack was on a day hike on a mild day. I had a sweater, a rain coat, a pocket camera, my wallet and keys, a few small odds and ends. I was able to stuff my sweater in to the main compartment and, as I mentioned, tie my coat to the straps on the outside of the pack. Everything was secure, the zips stayed shut, the clasps held everything in place. For a minimalist day out, it was absolutely fine — I probably could have squeezed some snacks in there too.
But I couldn’t fit my SLR in the bag, not even when it was empty. I prefer to bring my camera with a telephoto lens when I go play outside, and there’s no way this bag would accomodate it. It’s not a flaw in the bag, so much as it is my own fault for insisting on dragging that much camera around with me. But consider this a heads up. If you’re like me and want your telephoto, this isn’t the bag for you.
Osprey makes a whole lot of packs, many of them include their very well designed hydration system. Day hikers and bikers will find lots to like about the Verve Hydration pack, or the companion Viper line that’s designed for the guys. You’ll just have to pack light. Not a bad restriction to have.
The Verve is available from Amazon for $84. Or follow these links to check prices at REI and eBags.
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Posted by Pam in Adventure Gear, General Gear on July 29th, 2011
