Sunday, 28 June 2015

Review: B'Twin 300 Waterproof Cycling Jacket

My cycling partner had found a great little waterproof cycling jacket at what is now becoming one of my favorite stores Decathlon UK

We have been looking for a lighter waterproof jacket that could be packed small to take with us when the weather was questionable but the most important thing is that it has to be of course yellow. When we was looking there seemed to only be Red & Blue available.

We had to wait a few weeks I even emailed Decathlon UK & B’Twin to see when the yellow edition would be back in stock. I didn’t get the answers I wanted so I thought I would just keep monitoring the website as best I could and maybe we’d get lucky.

We got lucky !

I bring to you the B’Twin 300 Waterproof Cycling Jacket in Yellow


B'Twin 300 Waterproof Cycling Jacket
  • WATERPROOFING - Waterproof main fabric, sealed upper seams
  • BREATHABILITY - Vents under the arms to reduce perspiration while cycling
  • LOW WEIGHT / LIGHTWEIGHT - Single lightweight waterproof layer
  • VISIBILITY – Reflective strips
This jacket is a good middle ground of cycling jackets for me personally. Nothing too heavy, too light just right & packable.




Reflective strips


Zip waterproof pockets
As you can see it can be packed pretty small, easily get into a saddle bag or Mini O Bag

B'Twin 300 Waterproof Cycling Jacket & Overtrousers
I have worn it once in a light shower while commuting to work and I have to say I was pretty impressed by it. I wasn't even sweaty underneath it but then again I was only cycling for a short time.

This is a great addition to my cycling kit and will put my mind at ease with the Dunwich Dynamo XXIII that's coming up in a week.

For £7.99 you can’t really go wrong either. (The other colours are £11.99 at the time of posting but still a good price)

B'Twin 300 Waterproof Cycling Jacket- Red
B'Twin 300 Waterproof Cycling Jacket- Blue

My Review: B'Twin 300 Waterproof Cycling Overtrousers

till the next ride, bee safe.....

Friday, 26 June 2015

When good tires go bad

This week B's rear has been feeling very wobbly. I thought damn rear wheel is buckled or something so I checked it. Found the marathon plus tire I had on had lumps in.



It's a common problem with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres I've later found out but it's the first time this has happened to me so badly.

My local bike shop Londonfields Cycles tried reseating the tire but it was too far gone to be saved. It was pronounced dead at the scene. So they replaced it there and then under warranty no charge even though they didn't fit it but I bought it from them a few months ago.


Now that's what I call customer service. Keeping it local with independent bicycle shops is the way to go. Londonfields Cycles.

till the next ride, Bee safe

Thursday, 18 June 2015

LBC Ride: Retreat from Oxford

It's been awhile since the legend and I have done some decent mileage. Well it felt that way and with the Dunwich Dynamo XXIII coming up in a couple of weeks we needed to do something abit longer for training. So last weekend we when on a 60 mile ride.

Me and my cycling partner in crime OrangeBrompton where travelling up from Paddington Station to Oxford with David & Anne for the London Brompton Club Ride: Retreat from Oxford.

I was pleasantly surprised that I got to Paddington Station pretty early for once, so early that the train wasn’t even on the departure boards yet.

Paddington Station
Even had time for a sandwich and hot chocolate.

Checking the departure boards
Once the boards showed my train and platform I could see MrOrange, David & Anne making their way towards the same platform. We said our hellos and made sure we secured our B’s & Anne’s big bike close to each other.

Bobo, OrangeBrompton & The Legend
Just after we arrived at Oxford station I noticed there was a proper stream train just pulling out. Proper steam and everything woohoooo

Passing steam train @ Oxford Station

Proper steam
We arrived in a drizzling Oxford. After we finally gathered everyone together we kept looking outside to see what exactly the weather was up to. It looked like it was going to be drizzling for the most part of the day so everyone started suiting up in their waterproof jackets.

On this ride there would be about 15 (or so) of us on this ride with a few new faces as well as a few I haven't seen in awhile. This was mainly Rob & Dina’s ride as they live up in Oxford and had done the route a few times.

Getting ready for the off
We kept looking outside a few times as the rain looked like it was going to die off and then it would come down harder again but not actually stop.


As we cycled though the centre of Oxford a Brompton Peloton always draws onlookers.


We even stopped off in the market where Brompton Bike Hire had a stand and of course had to get a couple of photos of us all getting ready for our 60 mile ride to Richmond. After a few shots we had to get moving as we had alot of miles to cover.


I have to say that Oxford is a great place to cycle & lots of old buildings & history to see. Maybe one day the legend and I will stay for abit longer and take a little tour of the city itself.


Getting out of the city wasn’t to hard and the drizzle was fairly constant the whole time. Not heavy enough for full on waterproofs but enough to keep you wet.
Daniel had adopted for the shower cycling jacket & plastic poncho which is good but then again makes a great wind sail.



As we started to ascent a big hill we where constantly passed my old vintage cars that looked to be on some kind of treasure hunt.


Ahead of us in the distance was Britwell Hill. Yup it was a long big hill. I had to stop and walk a couple of times but I was glad it was at the start of the ride instead of near the end. Plus at the top was our lunch stop the Fox & Hound Pub so even more reason to make it to the top.


You see that behind us, we cycled/walked up that thing. It was tough but good to get to the top as we knew our lunch stop was The Fox & Hound pub.


Damn good sight to see when on a ride.




As we browsed the menus I noticed that the beer glasses had Bee’s on them. If I could have I would have taken one to add to my Bee collection at home.


Everyone is wondering what to have as the descriptions all sounds so yummy.




After a well earned pub lunch we returned to the road. The drizzle had basically stopped now so we could strip off a little more and start getting some serious miles behind us.


Looked like we where coming though a little parade/fete here. Was pretty busy with cars and people but we got though pretty quickly.




As always Samantha is snapping away with a huge smile on her face.


Always smiling on a LBC ride


We even did abit of off roading but not for too long, BBB didn’t like this bit too much but I promised him when we got back to the HiVE I would give him a good cleaning.



Alittle muddy
Back on proper roads we ate up the miles. I could tell we was getting near to London as I started to see London Bus stops appearing, always a good sign we was heading in the right direction.


Our last stop before the final push to Richmond, mainly for the coffee junkies.

Coffee Break

The final push and we had made it back to Richmond Station, our finish line.


I didn’t get a chance to take any photos of the group near the station as I wanted to catch the next overground train back to the HiVE. Me and my partner in crime jumped on our train home and commented on how good the ride was.

With myself I still felt I had a good amount of miles left in my legs which is a good thing as in July the legend and I have the Dunwich Dynamo XXIII. A 120 mile over night ride from Hackney Londonfields to Dunwich coast.

As always our ride data, as they say if it's not online, it didn't happen ;)

till the next ride, bee safe.....