Pick ’n’ Mix
Navigate life by bicycle
1 ASHMEI DOMESTIQUE GIN WITH STEEL BIDON
£45, ashmei.com On Stage 13 of the 1950 Tour de France, Algerian rider Abdel-Kader Zaaf was looking good for the podium when he decided to stop for a drink. Moments later he was seen weaving about the road before falling asleep under a tree, reawakening only to ride off in the opposite direction. Whether his drink was spiked or he knowingly ordered a midday tipple nobody knows, but the point remains: it’s unlikely this rather fine gin from Ashmei and Puddingstone Distillery will help you win the Tour, but it will make damn fine cocktails.
2 MUC OFF GREASE GUN KIT
£24.99, muc-off.com They say bicycles can’t stand on their own because they’re two tyred, but that the only thing holding them back when you’re pedalling is friction. We’ve had little success smearing ourselves in Muc-off’s Bio Grease to make us more aero, but we can attest to the Gun Kit making easy, messfree work of greasing everything from pedals to hubs.
3 ABUS AVENTOR HELMET
£129.99, zyrofisher.co.uk Abus may be better known for protecting our bikes from light-fingered yobbos, but it’s also in the business of protecting the heads of pro riders. Its Aventor helmet will be doing exactly that for Movistar in 2018 and boasts specially tailored vents to promote airflow, and at a claimed 240g it’s comfortably at the lighter end of the cranial-covering spectrum.
4 BLACKBURN 2’FER XL LIGHT
£39.99, zyrofisher.co.uk A lot of problems could have been avoided in the Wild West if only cowboy architects had made their towns big enough for everyone. So too could many bike light-related issues, if only there was a light that could be mounted either front or rear. But wait one hot steppin’ minute… that’s exactly what the Blackburn 2’Fer is, a 200-lumen front or 40-lumen rear light that spells the end of the dreaded ‘not charged the right light’ scenario. Provided you always keep this one charged, of course.
5 TOPEAK NINJA CO2+
£39.99, extrauk.co.uk The Ninja adds a new dimension to the humble bottle cage by incorporating storage for a pair of CO2 canisters, inflator head and two tyre levers. Which is great for fixing flats, and even better for turning uninspiring energy drinks into sparkling fizzy-pops on the fly, bootleg Soda Stream style.