At some point it’s likely that you’ll need a bike bag or box to transport your bike. When you first start looking for a bike bag or box for your road bike, there’s a number on the market and it can be hard to know where to start. There’s soft bike bags, thicker padded soft bike bags and hard cases/boxes, which come in an assortment of sizes.

If you’re looking for a budget bike bag then Wiggle’s dhb Elsted wheeled bike bag is a definite winner at £69.99. We ordered ours online from Wiggle at the last minute before travelling abroad for a training weekend and it arrived the next day.

The dhb Elsted bike bag is a large padded black bag with more than enough space for your road bike. It’s made from hard wearing padded polyster to help protect your bike, has wheel pockets inside the bag, side grab handles (which really come in handy when lifting into a vehicle etc) and wheels to move the bag around. The padded shoulder straps add another carrying option.

Whilst the extra padding of the dhb Elsted bag has protected our bike on car journeys, the bag is big enough to put a cardboard bike box inside it for extra protection for the longer journeys, especially when travelling by plane. (If you haven’t got a cardboard bike box to hand, you’re local bike shop will often have a stack of them that they’re about to throw out).

We dismantle most of the bike when transporting it in the bag but unlike some bike bags and cases we’ve found that we don’t need to remove the derailleur to fit the bike inside the bag – a big plus as we don’t like to tamper with our gear set-up.

This is a big bag and as a result it can be tricky to handle when pulling along to your destination. Having said that as long as it doesn’t tilt too far to one side or another it’s not too difficult to wheel it across the airport, and our bag is often packed full with additional bike kit.

The dhb Elsted bike bag is great value for the price and has a number of extra features including an integrated outer ID pocket where you can put your name and address details etc – very useful when trying to work out which is your bike bag on an airport conveyor belt, especially if full of other cyclist bike bags and cases.

We’ve now opted for a hard case, especially for the longer journeys and transport via plane as we like to have that extra protection for our carbin bikes and feel it’s worth the additional investment. In general, people tend to advise having a hard case or thicker padded bike bag for longer journeys. You might want to check out the dhb Elsted bike box if you’re looking for a hard case. We’ve seen it countless times being pulled around at airports and it looks very compact. If you have this bike box, we’d love to know what you think about it.

Features:

• Tough 600D PVC coated polyester
• Interior – tarpee, wipe clean inner skin (really easy to wipe this silver surface clean)
• Thick (10mm), “no crush” closed cell padding
• Stiff, reinforced, tough base
• Nylon zips
• Inner Wheel sleeve pockets
• Side grab handles
• Adjustable and padded carry straps
• Outer ID pocket (to out your address info etc when travelling on airplanes etc)
• Measures 134×90x21cm

RRP: £69.99

Stockists: Wiggle

Rating: 7/10

Pros: Great value budget bag with loads of space and good padding.

Cons: A large bag that can sometimes be tricky to manoeuvre.

The offical Sky Pro cycling kit from Adidas, as worn by Bradley Wiggins and his team in this year’s 2010 Tour de France, has to be one of the best looking kits out there this year. Wearing the short sleeve jersey in it’s distinctive sky blue, white and black colours with Sky logos, Adidas 3 stripes and Pinarello logo makes you feel like a pro.

The short sleeve Jersey is made from 100% polyester and has a full length zip, which does right up to the top of the smart sky blue collar. We’ve found the material is very effective at wicking away the sweat on hot summer training rides.

Check out the Team Sky website for news and info about the team.

RRP: £70.00

Stockists:

We bought our Short sleeve jersey from Evans Cycles.

Rating: 9/10

Pros: Great looking short sleeve jersey and not a bad price.

Cons: We’ve seen a few around when out on training rides.

One of 2010’s most desirable wetsuits has to be the elite 2XU Project X:1 wetsuit. 2XU’s top of the range wetsuit brings together all of 2XU’s proprietary wetsuit creations to date including Velocity Strakes, Rollbar and Lower Leg Propulsion Panels. The suit has an X-Flex Front Panel for unparalleled propulsion, CWEZ X catch panel for incredible distance per stroke and Titanium Alpha Coating to promote blood flow in the legs.

With an RRP of £649.99  this wetsuit is definately an investment for the more serious swimmer.

Read more about the Project X wetsuit as it’s put to the test at www.miketrees.com.

Let us know what you think? If you own a 2XU Project X:1 wetsuit, leave a comment below to let us know what you think of it… is it as quick as they’re all saying?

RRP: £649.99

A must have in every Tri kit bag is Bodyglide Anti-Chafe balm. Used by Triathletes the world over, Bodyglide’s non greasy protection helps prevent sores, chafed, chapped and cracked skin and can be used with footwear, swimwear, compression wear and wetsuits.

We use Bodyglide to prevent our wetsuit from causing friction burns around the neck. We also apply it to our forearms and shins just before a race to act as a lubricant, which makes it easier to pull off our wetsuit as we’re running into transition from the swim.

Bodyglide comes in an applicator container like a deodorant stick and is easy to apply without getting a mess on your hands – the last thing you want is greasy fingers when you’re about to put on your swimming goggles. The balm is hypoallergenic and non-petroleum based.

Bodyglide have a range of products including a Chamois glide for cyclists to help prevent saddles sores. Visit their website for the complete range.

RRP: £9.99 (36g)

Rating 10/10

Pros: We don’t know what we’d do without it.

Cons: More expensive than vaseline but the benefits are worth it.

The Zogg Pedator swimming goggles are a winner! Even though the Predators have been around for a while, we felt they still deserved a review on Tri Gear. From the moment you take them out of the packaging, you can tell that these are no normal goggles. We love the design with their bigger lenses – curved lens technology for 180 degrees peripheral vision.

After a few minor adjustments to the strap – extremely easy to do using the ‘quick fit’ silicon adjustment system – the googles are immediately snug on your face and a very comfortable fit. Unlike other goggles, the Zoggs Predator seal to your face without having to over-tighten the straps.

Our first swim with the new Predator goggles was an open water lake swim. The 180° peripheral vision made a impressive difference – we could actually see with all round vision instead of feeling ‘cacooned’ by smaller tight fitting lenses. And, in a busy open water swim, being able to see all around you is essential.

The lenses are clear, haven’t steamed up yet after many swims and there’s been no leakage whatsoever in either pool, lake or competitive swims. The Predators are extremely popular swimming goggles and are without a doubt one of the best goggles we’ve tested.

We have the sporty silver/blue pair but the Predator also come in a range of colours including Aqua/Blue, Silver/Clear, Turquoise/Clear, Gold/Black and Black.

Features:

• Curved Lens Technology 180° peripheral vision
• Silicone seal for ultimate comfort and fit
• Bio-tech™ frame – great fit and styling
• Fogbuster™ impregnated anti-fog lenses

RRP: £15.99

Zoggs have launched a new addition to their Predator range, called the Predator Flex. Check out this review on Tri 247. Now a Predator convert, we’re going to try out the Predator Flex goggles next.

Rating: 10/10 – Recommended

Pros: Great fit, very comfortable and quick & easy to adjust the straps.

Cons: We wish the Predators came with a protective case for carrying in our kit bag.

GO Electrolyte powder fuel from Science in Sport (SIS) is a great energy drink for during or after exercise. GO is a Carbohydrate Energy Fuel with Electrolytes for sports performance in the heat. It provides fast rehydration & sustained energy, and if you mix it with the right amount of water to powder, it can be as light on your stomach as water.

Energy drinks, gels and bars are a very personal preference, what works for one doesn’t always for another. However, we’ve used GO for the last 5 years and have found it very easy to stomach during intense training and racing. We’ve also definately noticed a difference in our performance levels if we’ve forgotten to bring it out with us on a training session, especially on the bike.

Science in Sport say that the balanced electrolytes in GO provide the salts required to keep you hydrated and protected against cramp.

GO is available is available in Lemon & Lime (our personal favourite), Blackcurrant, Watermelon and Tropical Fruit Flavours. A 40g sachet makes 500ml. GO is also available in 500g and 1.6kg packs. We’ve found the 1.6kg pack (pictured in this article) to be the most economical if you use the GO Energy fuel on a regular basis.

RRP: £20.00

Stockists: If you shop around online we’ve found there’s some good deals, especially on the 1.6kg packs and multipack deals. Check out retailers such as Tesco’s and www.monstersupplements.com.

Rating: 8/10

Pros: Definately seems to do what they say it does.

Cons: Can be very sticky and sickly if you mix too much powder to water.

At the lake this morning, I decided to try out a 2XU Velocity V:1 wetsuit as my old E:1 Elite wetsuit is starting to look a little tired after 3 or 4 seasons of use.

Whilst the award-winning 2XU V:1 wetsuit has been around for a few years, it’s not as expensive as the new 2XU Project X suit and is crammed full of features. It’s a good looking suit too, with its distinctive high velocity strakes, which look like something off a computer chip, running up the torso and strategically placed on the chest.

Pulling on the suit for the first time, I noticed how the neoprene was more flexible and seemed to stretch much easier than any of my previous wetsuits, especially around the shoulders, which are made of 1.5mm 40 cell rubber. And, once on the medium sized suit (I’m 5ft 9 and 72kg), fitted perfectly.

As soon as I got into the lake the suit let in no more than a fine film of water. With the first few strokes my shoulders found a freer range of movement that I’d not experienced before with my other wetsuits – my other older Orca and 2XU suits are all stiffer around the shoulders and never gave me the flexibility I wanted.

With increased movement in the shoulders, I felt more agile in the water and I immediately noticed that my ‘catch’ was more powerful, engaging the water in a strong and purposeful way. I’d heard about the forearm ‘paddles’ on the V1 suit and sure enough the ‘CWEZ: Concave Water Entrapment Zone catch panel strips’ definately increased the feel of the water. After spending many a winter training session using Speedo power paddles, I could feel the extra purchase on the water from these panel strips.

At first, the suit didn’t feel quite a bouyant as my previous suits but as I got used to the hydrodynamics of the V1 suit, I started to slice more efficiently through the water with improved body rotation (helped perhaps by the rollbar region in the suit).I found that I couldn’t leave my legs to trail behind me quite as much as my other suits and needed to have a more powerful kick. But, as soon as I stopped being lazy with my kick, I felt an increased surge in the water – the V1 has Propulsion panels on the shins, which apparently enable a more stablised power from the kick – and, to be honest, I could really feel the benefit of these panels.

Once I’d warmed-up and got into my rhythm I started to settle into the suit and enjoyed what almost felt like a paddle strength session, pulling hard on the water with each stroke, with a more balanced and efficient body roll through the water.

With a price tag of £440 rrp, I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed, or even understoond the benefits of this suit as a beginner but now that I’m a stronger swimmer and have a better understanding of swim technique, the 2XU V:1 Velocity suit is without a doubt a worthwhile investment to consider.

Whilst I didn’t record my times, I definately felt quicker and tired less at pace. Having said that my lats killed aftewards – always a good sign of a strong session.

Features:

• Velocity Strakes
• CWEZ: Concave Water Entrapment Zone catch panel strips
• Propulsion Panels on the shins
• Rollbar
• Floating Zip panel
• Transition panels

RRP: £440

Rating: 8/10

Pros: A very flexible wetsuit crammed full with technology, designed to make you swim faster.

Cons: A touch on the expensive side and beginner swimmers may not fully feel the benefits of the suit.

When first shopping around for a saddle, I didn’t know where to start. So I asked fellow road cyclists and Triathletes and the most popular performance saddle by far was the Arione Wing Flex saddle by Fizik. Its extended saddle length (an extra 30 cm) offers a greater variety of riding positions.

I find that the extra length of the saddle makes it extremely versatile. It allows me to shift ride positions for different types of riding; on the nose of the saddle if I need to put more power through the pedal when I’m time trialing or sitting further back when digging in for climbs.

The Wing Flex sides at the back of the saddle allow for free thigh movement and increased pedalling power plus give you more clearance for leg stretching, which I personally find to be one the main benefits of this saddle, especially over longer rides.

Fizik make different versions of the Arione Wing Flex saddle for Road and Triathlon. I bought the Arione Tri2 Wing Flex, which comes with black microtex covering and additional nose padding for extra comfort. The rail material is Kium and the weight is 239 gr.

Many will tell you that the Wing Flex takes a little bit of getting used to but once you do, it’s one of the most comfortable all round performance saddles to ride on.

It’s funny but since I’ve owned my Arione Tri 2 Wing Flex saddle, I now see them everywhere.

RRP: £94.99

Rating: 9/10

Pros: Extremely versatile for different types of riding and comfortable.

Cons: Can take a little bit of getting used to at first.

When I first bought a full carbon frame bike, I realised that my trusted set of Allen keys were not going to be the most accurate way of tightening up the bolts on my bike. I was advised to buy a Torque wrench so that I could accruately set the tension I required e.g. my seat post has a maximium torque of 6.2 Nm (note: always check the maximum torque for the bike part before fastening – this tends to be indicated on the relevant bike part).

I shopped around and found that prices for Torque wrenches varied dramatically. The more research I did, the more I found that there were a number of different Torque wrenches on the market. There are basically three types of torque wrenches, the beam type, the click type and the dial type. According to Park Tools (see article about Torque specifications and concepts), the click type and dial type wrenches have more moving parts than the beam, and are susceptible to wear and will require re-calibration.

In the end, I decided to buy the BBB TorqueFix adjustable torque tool mainly because it was reasonably priced and I didn’t want to invest more than £100 on a top end torque wrench. It does the job I need it to but I’ve since read a number of forums with conflicting views, check out this forum on www.slowtwitch.com.

The BBB TorqueFix wrench comes in a hard and durable compact plastic case and has six different Allen key sizes and a T25 torx. You turn the bottom grip to adjust the Newton Meter to the torques you need and a red bar moves up and down the scale to indicate the amount of Torque.

The one problem I find with the BBB TorqueFix is that it only goes up in 2 Nm increments, from 2Nm – 24 Nm, so you have to guess more or less if you need to have ‘point something’ of an Nm e.g. 6.2 Nm – and to be honest at that point it’s a bit of a guessing game for me. Once you’ve tightened the bolt to the pressure you’ve set on the Torque wrench, it clicks to let you know that you’ve reached the set torque.

Spec:

- Adjustable torque tool.

- Range 2 – 24 Nm, adjustable by twisting the grip.

- Built-in click mechanism to indicate when torque setting is reached.

- Sockets included: allen keys 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10mm and T25 torque.

RRP: £64.95

Rating: 7/10

Pro’s: It’s reasonably priced, easy to use and compact.

Con’s: Difficult to calibrate to the exact Nm you want.

Let us know… What’s your experience with the BBB Torquefix torque wrench?

Having riden the standard aluminium Vision Trimax bars supplied with my Specialized Transition Expert Time Trial bike, I found the lack of adjustment and extension shape became wearing on longer 20 mile plus rides. (On a plus point they provided a low and Aero dynamic position well suited for shorter distance time trials – 25 and less). I was in the market for a new pair of carbon bars that offered more adjustability than my exisiting set-up (you could only adjust pad width and height on the Vision Trimax bars).

After looking around at aero bars the Bontrager Race XXX Lite Carbon Aerobars stood out as they offered adjustability at a competitive price along with the knowledge that they’d been wind tunnel tested by the Discovery Cycling Team. They’re also standard fit on the high end Trek Equinox TTX 9.9 SSL time trial bike.

Out of the box

The bars arrived in its own wooden presentation box which reflects the quality of this product.

Fitting

Fitting is relatively straight forward provided you have new cables, although internal cable routing can be a little fiddly.

My existing Vision Aero brake levers required an adapter to fit the internal diameter of the new bars. I bought these from FSA.

Set-Up and Adjustability

The ’ski bend’ extensions are adustable for length and can also be ‘rotated’ to adjust hand position. Also elbow pads can be adjusted to reach a comfortable position side to side or back and forth.

I had no problems in finding a really comfortable, neutral position with these bars. After one 25 mile ride I adjusted the length of the ski-bends – although I found that these cannot be trimmed down any shorter due to internal gear lever stops.

Riding Impressions

These bars instantly felt more comfortable than my previous Vision Trimax bars. I would say that they’re better for longer distance time trial or Ironman events. The elbow pads and neutral position of the ’ski-bend’ sit naturally, allowing me to concentrate more on the ride than trying to find an optimum ride position on the bars.

Some may find the bar-end shifters slightly high for reach but unfortunately these cannot be trimmed. But better to be too long than too short.

The fully carbon delta wing profile bars are slightly stiffer than the previous aliminium bars and also manage to shave approx 300g off the weight of the bike.

The Facts:

• Weight: 630g
• Clamp size 31.8
• Bar width 42cm
• Colours: Carbon or Team White
• Compatible with Bontrager Aero Brake Levers
• Extension adjustment: 23.5mm-31.5mm
• Pad Height: 60mm

PRICE: £349.99 RRP.

Rating: 9/10

Pros: Comfort and value for money.

Cons: There are lighter bars available (at a cost).

Let us know… What’s your experience with Bontragar Race XXX Lite Carbon Aerobars?