They may sound like a type of pasta and look like a contact lens case but this dinky little kit is actually a set of magnetic bicycle lights.
Detachable lights are a good option if you have to park your bike in public and you don't want your lights to be nicked but sometimes the attaching and detaching can be faff. Especially on a cold wet evening when you just want to get on your bike and go home This is one of the Lucetta lights big plus points - they are magnetic so all you have to do is tap them on the frame of your bike and they stick and automatically light up. If you want to change the function from flashing to constant you just tap the light against the frame again.
And when you take them off the bike they snap together and you can easily pop them in your bag, safe in the knowledge that they will stay together and they won't switch themselves on in your bag and run the batteries down.
They are also very useful lights if, like me, you have a basket on the front of your bike which obstructs lights on the handlebars. These lights can be places down on the fork or wherever it is that means your light is visible. Similarly if you have a rack on the back or child seat that obstructs the seat post (the usual place for a rear light) these lights are the perfect problem solver.
Very clever little lights indeed! Lucetta lights, £24.99 (pair), available in red, white and black at Cyclechic.co.uk
This is the first post in our New Product Review Section. Our business is about finding products that enhance your cycling experience by doing the following 3 things:
1. Helping you cycle safely
2. Helping you reduce the faff factor of cycling
3. Helping you cycle in style
So we will be testing all products and letting you know how they measure up and how they meet our strict criteria, here at Cyclechic.co.uk.
1. How does it help you Cycle safely? The most obvious safety feature is the reflective piping sown into the front of the bag. Most reflective fabric comes in grey but Michaux have gone the extra mile to find reflective piping in tan brown to match the leather exactly (when not reflecting). Nice touch. Having a reflective element on your back as you cycle is a great visibility aid as it will shine out to cars behind when the beam of their headlights catches it. A more general safety bonus of a rucksack is that it frees up you arms and shoulders so you can cycle in a comfortable position -ill fitting shoulder bags can be dangerous if they slip and slide and get in the way as your ride.
Great for night cycling
2. How does it help you reduce the faff factor? A rucksack can be a great faff reducer especially for those who don't use a rear rack and panniers. It may be that you don't like the look of a rack on your racer or that you have child-seat obstructing your rack, either way a rucksack means you can just hop and your bike, carrying your stuff with ease.
A rucksack is also good if you do a combination of cycling and walking in your day to day life. Rucksacks are more comfortable for walking, spreading the weight evenly across your back and shoulders than bags with handles or one strap. The straps of the Michaux rucksack are wide so sit comfortably on your shoulders and you can tighten them without taking the rucksack off, by just pulling the strap down.
Great for walking
Another feature I LOVE is the secret pocket (facing your back) that you can zip open and slide things in and out whilst the bag is still on your back. So you don't have to swing the bag off when ever you want to get your phone or wallet out.
And last but not least you don't need to worry when cycling in the rain as the Michaux Lightening is waterproof. It doesn't look it - its not shiny or waxed but it has been treated and although it will get wet on the outside, the water will not seep through. It also has a roll down top to ensure no drips of rain will reach the contents of your bag (a big bonus when commuting with a laptop/ipad)
3. How will it help me Cycle in Style? I don't need to rant and rave to much on this, the bag speaks for itself. It's beautiful. It has been expertly made and the attention to detail is second to none. The colour options are graceful an tasteful and the leather features give it a stamp of quality and a classic feel. The Claret seems to work like a dream with my entire Autumn/Winter wardrobe! This bag has bags of style.
Verdict
This rucksack exceeded my expectations. It's not cheap but that's because it is not cheaply made and the look and feel when you use it, sets it apart from cheaper versions you may find on the high street. Having never been a big fan of the designer handbag, this rucksack is my urban substitute, Beautiful, classic and less than half the price of a Mulberry handbag, I know which one I would choose.
Following on from Jude's blog post about the wonderful Brompton folding bikes I have found myself surrounded by all things folding this past week.
The first folding product that caught my eye is the rather clever Carrera Foldable helmet. Now, it doesn't so much fold as sort of scrunch together. This was actually a relief for me as I cant be arsed with complex folding mechanisms. I like foldable products to be easy and practical so if the folding process is tricky and takes more than a few seconds, my interest wanes.
The Carrera foldable helmet is a simple design. It consists of strips of helmet that are linked by evenly spaces straps so you can pull it apart to wear and push it together to store away in your bag - its a concertina effect of sorts (the concertina being invented by my Great, Great Grandad, Sir Charles Wheatstone... just thought I'd throw that one in there).
Anyway back to the helmet... The fact that this helmet is both lightweight and scrunch-downable is a big bonus for those of us who get fed up carrying helmets around when off the bike. Do you ever leave your bike at the station and commute the rest of the way by tube and struggle with laptop and helmet? Or stop at the shops and have to carry your helmet around while picking up various bits and bobs and find you soon run out of space and hands? Okay, so you will still have to carry the Carrera but it can be stuffed easily in a bag or you can put the belt over it and attach it to a strap on your bag.
Its not just the helmets fold-ability that is a plus point, it's also very comfy to wear. Its unique concertina design ensures it clings to your head comfortably and is so lightweight you hardly notice its there. It would be a good option for those who get neck ache from cycling with a heavier helmet. It also has a very user-friendly elastic strap at the back that attaches to the helmet with velcro so can be adjusted to make sure the helmet fits you just right.
So impressed by the Carrera helmets we have ordered stock and have them up on cyclechic.co.uk. We have currently got the Gloss white and Gloss Black helmets both at £59.99. They do a really nice array of colours so watch this space and will have some of the brighter colours soon. Email us if there is a specific colour that you want to get hold of. Take a look at the Carrera website so see the range. And have a look at this video for more more product details.
So what else in my life is folding I hear you ask... Well, I have recently had the pleasure of testing out a Bordo Folding lock from stalwarts on the industry Abus and I have been very much impressed with it. It passes the easy to fold test, only taking a few seconds and it's Gold standard so super secure. The folding mechanism makes it easy to store when you are cycling and the lock comes with a pouch that you can Velcro to your frame or you can simply pop it in your basket as it's a much less awkward shape than a large D lock. The added plus of the shape is that you have more flexibility when trying to get it around things so the whole process of locking your bike is easier.
And finally a completely non cycling related item but I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you... its a rather stunning foldable 1930's Walnut dressing table. I spotted it yesterday during one of my regular auction room snoops but alas have no space for it at home (despite it being foldable).
Its a gem though and goes on sale at Chiswick Auction rooms today (Tues 13th Aug) so if you have a penchant for art deco and all things folding get down there or I believe you can bid online.
Perhaps one day I will be looking at myself in the mirror of my very own foldable art-deco dressing table but for my now I am happy enough cycling along in my foldable helmet and keeping my bike safe and happy with my foldable lock.
