You can wear whatever you want when you ride a bicycle. You can kit yourself out in Lycra. You can wear your “normal” clothes. You can even pedal about in your birthday suit so long as you’re joined by others...
I’ve been writing product reviews on Discerning Cyclist since 2012. So, I feel like I know a thing or two about how to carefully articulate a product’s strengths and weaknesses. I certainly know that a product review should be poised,...
Traditionally, if you were to list clothing items that aren’t ideal for cycling, jeans would probably be near the top of the list. Stiff, thick, unbreathable denim. Yummy. Even if you succeed in pedalling without causing a rupture in an...
Rapha is one of those brands that, every now and then, creates a product so damn beautiful that you can’t help but admit that you actually fancy it and would consider settling down with it to raise a family. Or...
Over the past few weeks, many of Britain’s streets have reached a standstill as long queues for petrol stations spill out into the roads that feed them. This is of course due to a fuel shortage that didn’t – initially...
If you enjoy adventuring into the wilderness and living that #outdoorsisfree life then you’ll have seen the plus bikes and fat bikes rolling around your local outdoor spaces. Unlike the conventional cross country bike that’s been around since the 90’s,...
Imagine: Your pre-work morning routine is going swimmingly. You hopped out of bed to your first alarm, and you’re enthused and fired up from your morning coffee. You’re dolled up in your favourite workwear – keys, phone, and cash are...
I live in Southern Spain. That means that we can enjoy 300 days of sunshine per year. It also means that for three months in the summer, it’s absolutely roasting – which is great if you want to lie on...
If you’ve seen a bike that had such big tyres that you had to give it a double-take, the chances are that you saw a fat bike (AKA a “fat tire bike”). And although fat tyre bikes have been around...
Cycling to work is a positive lifestyle change which can yield of litany of benefits – not only for your physical and mental health, but for the environment, too. It’s also fun – who would rather be caught in a...
By running Discerning Cyclist, I regularly get offered the chance to review cycling gear. At first it was a real novelty to get “free stuff” in exchange for an honest written review about it. But after nearly nine (!) years...
Slowly but surely the number of people – both men and women – riding bikes to get around is increasing. Hurrah. But did you know that cycling was actually one of the most popular methods of transport around the turn...
Typically, when I commute, I need to carry my laptop with me. That means I normally need a decent sized backpack (which at the moment is Chrome’s Mazer Vigil Pack). But sometimes, particularly on an exploratory weekend ride, I don’t...
I’ve made no secret that I’m a big fan of Resolute Bay over the years. They even ranked among my top 5 urban cycling brands despite still being a largely one-man operation (kudos, Chris Taylor). And that’s because they make...
When asked to think of what “a cyclist” looks like, many people will conjure up an image of a MAMIL (middle-aged man in Lycra). At Discerning Cyclist, though, we’re on a mission to prove that you can cycle in style...
There’s something quintessentially British about riding a bicycle. That idea may not be something that is perpetuated by the media, but many people in Britain enjoyed rediscovering their bikes during the lockdown. For many of these new cyclists, it wasn’t...
I’d like to tell you that if you want to get the best bike for cycling to work, you should get the [INSERT PERFECT BICYCLE HERE]. Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all answer to this question. Skip Ahead:...
People are changing the way they move in cities. There’s just not enough space for everyone to drive a car and public transport is often expensive and inconvenient. This has led to a resurgence in the numbers of people commuting...
Pants. If you’re commuting by bike, they’re probably the most important clothing consideration you make. Wear a pair of heavy jeans and chances are your journey will be a hotter and more “chafey” than it needs to be. That’s why...
Like almost everything we do in life, cycling – to a certain extent – contains an element of risk. Even if you choose to sit “safely” on the sofa and avoid all danger, you’re actually taking the biggest risk. After...
Pah. Cyclists, eh? Those road tax-dodging Lycra louts. Can’t they afford to buy a car and just sit in traffic like everyone else? Cycling has an image problem in the UK. Even in London – where there has been a...
Giant is one of the “giants” of the bicycle manufacturing industry, having been creating premium bikes at competitive prices since 1981. The brand has been instrumental in pushing the world of bicycles forward, and it came up with two major...
Have you even been browsing the web when you just stumble across something where you go: “I need you in my life”. It happens to me more than I care to admit. Normally it’s some fancy gadget. But on this...
Back in 2012, a colleague and I started discussing why people who cycle to work need to have one outfit for cycling and another for when they arrive at work. “Aren’t there comfortable and smart clothes that we can cycle...
2020 will not be a year remembered favourably by many. But one positive thing to come of the COVID-19 disarray has been the “Bike Boom”. In London, there was an estimated 90% increase in bicycle traffic in June 2020, while...
Every now and then, when I make a post about backpacks, I get a comment something along the lines of “urgh, backpack! Ride with a pannier bag!” However, the trouble I found with most pannier bags is that while they’re...
Riding a bike is an art form that requires equal amounts of power and strength as it does elegance and style. Although there are some cycling uniforms and active wear out there that aren’t the most flattering, on the whole...
1. 🧥Rapha Lightweight Commuter Jacket
Stylish, waterproof and easy to throw in a bag.
2. 📍Sherlock Anti-Theft GPS Bike Tracker
Get alerted if your bike moves without you.
3. 👖DUER All-Weather Denim
Waterproof cycling jeans - need I say more?
4. 🪖LIVALL BH60SE Smart Bike Helmet
A helmet with lights that plays music.
5. 🥾Chrome Storm 415 Workboot
Waterproof shoes. No more soggy feet.
