Cyclist
In The Drops: Garmin HRM-Fit, Petrichor winter bundle, Canyon-SRAM kit, Old Man Mountain fork mounts and reading
We all made it through January, well renowned for being the hardest month of the year (don’t check the data on that claim). It’s been chilly and stormy but if you started the year with the goal of going sober or vegan or restarting your fitness goals, you’ve made it through a full month, so congrats!
It’s been a big week at Cyclist – we said farewell to features writer Emma, who has moves off into the exciting world of being a freelancer. On the website, we’ve been looking at everything ketones as well as the future of indoor training (because what better time to think about the turbo than storm season?) We also took a look at 10 key weight and strength exercises to help boost your cycling performance.
With the start of the pro season just around the corner, we put together a guide to the Spring classics, and chatted to the absolute GOAT that is Annemiek van Vleuten.
Campagnolo launched its latest Bora wheels in a rare winter product release, along with Vittoria’s newest Corsa Pro Speeds, Hunt’s new Sub50 Limitless wheels and Colnago’s C68 Gravel bike. As for other products we’ve been loving recently, keep reading for some January favourites.
Garmin HRM-Fit
Anyone who wears a bra to do sports as well as a heart rate monitor (HRM) will know the lung crushing compression of wearing both at the same time. In a bid to make use of the fitted band that is already there, Garmin has released an HRM that fits directly to your sports bra, clipping onto the lower band of any medium-high support bra.
The HRM-Fit has a claimed battery life of up to one year and transmits real-time HR data to compatible devices or apps. While obviously great for cycling, it can also be used for other sports such as running, strength training or HIIT workouts. Garmin says it can also capture information on your running dynamic to help you improve your form.
- Buy now from Garmin (£139.99)
Petrichor Projects winter bundle
If you read our guide on the best women’s bib shorts, you’ll know we’re a big fan of Petrichor Projects – definitely check out our review on their pocket bib shorts. For winter 2023/24, Petrichor Projects released a new round of products, focussing on accessories to help keep riders toasty over the colder months.
First up is the PP003 beanie, made with Merino wool. The beanie is designed to sit under the helmet, with a slim profile and low seams, and features a ponytail opening at the back. In keeping with the Merino theme, there are some Merino socks that are available in grey or orange (we chose orange), which claim antibacterial properties and use a stretchy ribbed cuff.
Petrichor has also released a packable rucksack, available in coral or black, which packs away into a self-contained zippered pocket for easy on-the-go storage. The bag has a 7L capacity, weighs just 100g and is made from PFC-free DWR material.
- Buy the PP003 beanie (£40)
- Buy the PP004 socks (£23)
- Buy the PP001 packable bag (£50)
Canyon-SRAM kit
The Canyon-SRAM team’s kit has often been lauded as one of the best kits in the world of professional cycling, with its bold colours and jazzy designs, and this year is no different. The design is called ‘Harmonic Riff’ and Canyon says it ‘embodies the energy, power and harmony of the team’. It features similar colours to last year, though with less yellow and green, and is likely to light up the peloton again this year.
The jersey itself uses a close-fitting race cut, with aero sleeves, and is made from a breathable Microsystem Airplus material, which Canyon says has SPF 50+ UV protection. The bib shorts are made from Lycra Power material and use a viscoelastic Etxeondo antibacterial chamois.
- Buy the jersey from Canyon (£139.95)
- Buy the bibshorts from Canyon (£158.95)
Old Man Mountain fork mounts
With bikepacking as the discipline du jour, everyone wants in on the action. Sadly not everyone has a bike with the necessary eyelets for additional storage, especially on the fork – enter Old Man Mountain. The brand has come up with a novel way of adding fork storage to almost any bike, by using the front axle to secure the mount and straps to secure it to the fork.
The mounts do require a thru-axle, but are available for multiple types of axle, and its online ‘Fit Kit Finder’ is there to help you find the correct model for your bike. Old Man Mountain says the mounts work with any type of fork, from carbon to suspension, and can carry up to 22lb (around 10kg) in total.
The mounts are sold as a pair and weigh a claimed 73g per side.
- Buy now from Old Man Mountain (£65.99)
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What I’m into this week: reading
I’ve always been a massive bookworm ever since I was a child and, while the amount I read waxes and wanes every, so far 2024 has been the Year of the Book for me. I have got through a staggering 12 books already this year in a bid to spend less time watching disappointing shows on Netflix and can highly recommend it as a form of procrastination from household chores (it’s much harder to argue with ‘just let me finish this chapter!’ than ‘just one more YouTube video!’ in my opinion).
My favourites so far have included ‘Before the coffee gets cold’ by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, which tells the story of a coffee shop in Tokyo that is home to a time-travelling chair, and ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’, which I won’t patronise you with giving a description of. My absolute favourite however was ‘A Little Life’. I read this book years ago and it has recently divided the internet over its very intense content. It’s one of my all-time favourite books but I’ll leave you decide what that says about me.
The post In The Drops: Garmin HRM-Fit, Petrichor winter bundle, Canyon-SRAM kit, Old Man Mountain fork mounts and reading appeared first on Cyclist.
