Sportful winter cycling gear review

Sportful is an Italian make, and I have been purchasing their items ever since I found them to be the most comfortable and best value for money.

Exposure Lights Strada review

I recently purchased the 2010 Exposure Lights Strada.

I was originally going to wait for the 2011 mk2 model version of this light, but the light was not going to be available until November.

Being commuting daily (and nightly!) I needed a light sooner.

I managed to get hold of the mk1 Strada for £180, which was a fair price.

The light arrived with all the accessories, including the remote switch, same as the mk2 model.

The only difference is that for 2011, Exposure have included their USB-compatible mains charger, which can be purchased separately anyway.

The mk1 model emits 480 lumens at full beam, compared to the 600 lumens of the mk2.

They both have similar road-oriented optics, which spread the light horizontally over the whole lane rather than in a torch-like spot.

And that's where I can recommend this light over any of the competition at this price point.

Clank from freehub?

Incidentally, this happened to me too recently.

Was the clanking accompanied by a slight skipping? As if the chain and cassette weren't mating properly?

That's what I thought initially, and blamed it on the KMC quick link I had installed on my Shimano 105 chain.

Eventually I discovered if was gunk in the freehub socket.

Vittoria Open Pave Evo CG review

I recently fitted a set of Vittoria Open Pave' Evo CG to my race bike.

I previously had a set of Continental GP4000S which I was pleased with in terms of reliability and handling, but never found particularly comfortable on British chipseal roads.

I was looking for a more compliant ride, with the same road holding characteristics in the wet, and the Vittoria's tyre description seemed to be what I was looking for.

I have now done about 300 miles on them, in wet and dry weather, and I can confirm that they are *exactly* what I was looking for.