All this kit has been through some pretty extreme long term testing and it’s not let me down. On top of adventures overseas I ride everyday in Scotland whether on or off road and the weather is not always kind to say the least.
This light has proved to be my go to winter option. It’s simply awesome, I have used it most days this winter for night riding and off road forest trails commuting. Mounted to my helmet this means whichever of my bikes I choose to ride I always have a front and rear light for on road and off road riding. Easy.
Why so good? It is bright enough to use off road on its own, I’m not sure how long it lasts exactly because it has so many variable modes it’s hard to define, but it hasn’t run out on me, despite infrequent charging so assume it meets the claimed run times. The rear flash is so bright it means you can use it on gloomy day road rides too. It charges by USB that is accessed by unscrewing the rear end giving a totally waterproof seal. 5/5 stars and they’re on offer now ready for next winter!
Two words; battery life and reliability (OK that’s 3 but you get the idea). Review done, next.
OK there’s more to this GPS, but the battery life is pretty unrivalled. It’s bigger than some units but it’s size is all about the battery, it genuinely records for 24hours in all temperatures too. We used it for recording data on our Strava ride through the Altai mountains and with a power bank it lasted all three weeks without needing mains power.
It is perfect for on the fly unit for recording ride data, cadence, heart rate and for Strava etc. and using the phone app it uploads automatically with easy Bluetooth link up that also shares text messages, calls etc. this all means you’re not using your phone to record rides. A phone with minimal battery can be a serious issue if you need help, so I keep mine switched off and use this unit. It uses a barometer for super accurate altitude and the display is easily customised to show exactly what data you want. I also really like the temperature feature on it too, there’s something cool about seeing the temperature steadily drop as you climb ever higher on the more epic rides!
I don’t tend to use a GPS for navigating but this does link up to your phone and lets you follow directions on the screen, although I think I’d struggle to use it on its own for navigating off road. To be honest I normally know where I’m going and if I don’t I quite like getting lost and finding new places! For purely navigating maybe a Garmin is going to be better but that’s 3 times the price.
This is seriously bright at 300 lumens for a rear light; true fact – I once used it to successfully navigate on a pitch black cycle path, the advantage of this is that foxes, badgers and other wildlife can’t see the red light so it could be sold as a nature watching aid….. sorry got off topic….It’s a great addition to road bikes for the day light flash mode so you can be seen all winter either day or night.
Good side visibility and super easy USB recharging. It’s been tested in all weathers and I mean all weathers without any issue, only riding everyday and all winter in Scotland can I back this up! And remember you’ll see more badgers with this light. On offer here ready for next winter.
4. Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HV Pump
I’ve had a few conversations after getting a puncture when someone has said “don’t worry I’ll get my pump out, it’s awesome”, they then proceed to get a Lezyne Mini Track pump out. Snap, it’s what I carry on all my gravel and MTB rides. It gets tyres up to pressure super quick and is reliable and lasts for years. I only bought a new one because someone ‘accidentally’ borrowed my 5 year old one!
I have the one with the digital gauge on it and it’s in badass black ‘n’ gold, to be honest I don’t use the digital gauge but I know others like to know what exact pressure they’re at, so it’s a nice touch. I also have the adaptor head which doesn’t unscrew your valve’s core if it’s loose. I tend to cut valves out of old tubes for using tubeless this means the core doesn’t unscrew (and it’s cheaper!) and I can always use the classic Lezyne super secure screw-on attachment. The long hose means no strain is put on the valve so no bending or damage to valve and the mini track pump design means you use the most efficient pumping action. I also think they’re pretty cheap for what you get click here for one priced at £35.
5. Lezyne Pressure Drive Mini ABS Pump
A small reliable pump for bikepacking. Screw on hose for easy reliable attachment, watch for valve cores unscrewing if using tubeless, see comment above about how I avoid this. The first item on my bikepacking kit list. It’s a pump that’s small and reliable you can attach to the frame and forget.
