FGF 551 – The Wedding Bells and Sunshine Edition

Fresh Goods

by 9

Oh god, it’s half term, we are out of practice going anywhere, the kids seem to be taking up a lot more space in the suitcase and car (their clothes in the suitcase, their actual bodies in the car). And of course we’re not off anywhere abroad with reliable weather, so there’s no hand luggage only shorts/T-shirt/swim stuff light packing. Nope, there’s shorts, wetsuits, full body waterproofs, a windbreak, a ground sheet, a spare set of everything for if/when everything gets wet, blankets, sunscreen, woolly hats, sun hats…maybe we should just stay at home?

Benno Bike Boost E CX

A bit of a change to our normal programming, but all bikes are great, and ones that let you leave the car at home are even better. This utility bike comes with a Bosch CX motor and Shimano Deore brakes, so it’s dabbling in the mountain bike world. It even has some large off-road-ish tyres that are reminiscent of Maxxis Hookworms, but we won’t be hitting the skatepark ramps on this beast. Hopefully though it’ll tackle school runs, big supermarket shops, and maybe a hill top picnic or two. We’ve currently got it set up in a fairly basic pannier style, but as accessories get delivered we’re hoping to add a couple of different child seats and maybe a front rack too. Weight limits are impressive (with its 130lb capacity you’ll get up to about a 13 year old kid on the back rack alone, or a whole pile of shopping and a smaller kid), and it fits riders from 5’1” to 6’3. We’re interested to see how practical utility biking can be in our very hilly and semi rural area.

POC Women’s Signal All-Weather Jacket

How much?! There, we beat you all to it. The POC Signal All-Weather jacket is fully waterproof, very breathable with good ventilation on the back and underarms, and easily packable into the rear cargo pocket. Once packed, you can strap it to your bike for easy access. Optimized for longer rides, the jacket features a RECCO® Reflector and an NFC Medical ID chip for extra security on any scale of adventure.

POC Essential MTB Women’s Shorts

Available in a bright light blue or black, the Essential MTB shorts from POC are a lightweight, durable and stretchy fabric with two zipped pockets at the front, a smaller card/key sized zip pocket at the back, and a Velcro waist adjustment.

POC Light Merino Women’s Tee

Made from 52% Merino wool, 48% Tencel® Lyocell, this simple but great fitting tee has seam-free  armpits, subtle branding and suits most situations whether you wear it as a sweat wicking layer or as your breathable summer jersey.

Alpkit Presta 25 Daypack

This 25litre pack is a lightweight, slim design aimed for people who want to move fast over hills, be that by bike or foot. First impressions of the updated design are that the main pouch zip is a much better length (the old pack used to open so far down that you risked everything falling out) and the front outer pocket is a much better size too. Available in blue or red.

Evans Cycles Birthday Things

  • Price: 100 years of existence
  • From: Evans

Evans Cycles is apparently 100 years old – although clearly it’s changed somewhat since the first Evans bike shop traded in London in 1921. To mark the occasion we’ve been sent biscuits (now eaten), a mahoosive bell (awaiting a suitable bike), and a puncture repair kit (stashed in the garage waiting for an old school inner tube based incident). Happy Birthday, Evans, we are 80 years younger than you!

ION Scrub Amp Shoes

Ion scrub amp
  • Ion scrub amp
  • Ion scrub amp
  • Price: Varies (approx £130 from ION).
  • From: ION

These flat pedal shoes come in four different colours and sizes 4-12. Designed to be good on and off the bike, the tread patterns are different for each purpose. Ion have what they call ‘Pin Tonic sole concept 2.0’ with toe and heel tread great for walking, whilst the midsole has a negative profile, great for grip. With added toe and ankle protection they are also designed to be comfy to wear.

Wishing you all a very happy sunny bank holiday, especially our Zoe, who is walking up the aisle this weekend after a year of planning and re-planning her wedding to keep up with all the restrictions. We hope it’s a lovely day, and that the new Mr and Mrs O’Neill get to enjoy it after all the effort they’ve put in. Guests: you’ve been practising social distancing for a year now, we advise you to put that to good use keeping a safe distance from Mark on the dancefloor. His bigger moves are legendary.

Here’s some internet weirdness to see you into the weekend. You’ll likely spot Pit Viper, the brand behind this, in some of our Red Bull Formation coverage, since the brand is Utah based. Their website is worth a look too…think Ling’s Cars meets Wish.

Of course, being love themed, this tune comes from the icon that is Prince. Spread love, and all that. Have a great bank holiday!

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Author Profile Picture
Amanda Wishart

Art Director

Amanda is our resident pedaller, who loves the climbs as much as the descents. No genre of biking is turned down, though she is happiest when at the top of a mountain with a wild descent ahead of her. If you ever want a chat about concussion recovery, dealing with a Womb of Doom or how best to fuel an endurance XC race, she's the one to email.

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