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...
For many cyclists, electric bikes have been the perfect invention: they require less pedal power yet still improve your fitness, are an environmentally friendly alternative to cars or motor vehicles, and generally look pretty slick, too. Which is always important....
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...
You’ll know full well that the health benefits to cycling are as plentiful as they are varied: for starters, it burns calories, which will help if you’re trying to lose weight, it can lower your risk of cancer, and can...
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...
Whether you’re a cycling fanatic or novice, music or comedy lover, or just want a much-needed sense of normality about life again after COVID-19 has deprived us all of it for more than a year by now, a wonderfully unique...
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...
If you take your bike out for a spin and end up venturing into the unknown, embrace it. Not only because you might find your new favourite cycling route, but because as long as you’ve got signal on your smart...
Last month Apple revealed their latest product last week: the AirTags. Basically, they’re designed to be used for things like helping find your keys, but many have been wandering if they can be used as a tracker. So, can you...
During the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I dusted off my bike and running shoes and lost a good amount of weight, which you can read about here. Of course, when I was cycling...
Complete our short cycling survey below and you could win a £100 Rapha voucher (or currency alternative if outside of the UK). The winner will be notified by email on 1st July 2021. This survey and competition is now closed....
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...
In a way, perhaps they’re the Apple of cycling. Formed in 2004 after founder Simon Mottram spotted a gap in the market for stylish cycling attire, Rapha are renowned for making beautiful, cutting-edge, high-quality gear. But many remain deterred by...
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:...
If the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 left us all mentally, emotionally drained, it felt almost impossible to find any silver lining in these dark clouds. But there was at least one positive from a cycling perspective: it...
When you’re “surfing” the web, sometimes you come across something simply beautiful. And that’s what happened to me last week when I discovered Adidas’ reinvention of the classic Samba shoe, reimagined for urban cyclists: the Adidas Velosamba. Behold: At the...
History recounts numerous colossal errors by individuals: Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in winter, the Captain of the Titanic’s hubris and David Beckham’s 2003 haircut. While not of quite the same magnitude as these men, I must add my name to...
When cycling, if you prefer the old-fashioned method of arm-waving to indicator rather than buying state-of-the-art LEDs, that’s fine. But just remember: keeping it simple with bike turning signals is best. Sure, there are lots of more complex cyclist signals,...
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...
I have a confession to make: when I was invited to review Osloh’s Women’s Porteur Jean my heart sank a little. Firstly, because my usual narrative style of writing is difficult to achieve against the backdrop of an eleven-month lockdown in Leicester (I have no...
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...
Out with the old, in with new – calendar year, that is. The worst of the nightmare that was 2020 is behind us, and it’s time to usher in 2021 with a revitalised, positive attitude. What that in mind, why...
Whether you’re in a new country or state or just want to know a little bit more about what your cycling rights are in your area, we’ve compiled a summary of where you can and can’t ride your bike in...
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...
One of the best things about my summer job a couple of years ago was the 40-mile cycle back home on a Friday. It was a beautiful way to switch off from the rigours of rather mundane work week and...
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...
