Frost + Sekers Brompton Quicklock Mount

I heard of Frost + Sekers some time ago and really liked their 'Otis' saddlebag when I spied it on another bicycle. Seeing some photos of a Brompton using their special mount to carry this saddlebag I posted a comment on their Instagram feed saying to consider me if they were ever interested in me doing a review. They kindly said that this would be fine and sent me one of their 'Quicklock' mounts specific to a Brompton. It is worth pointing out they were keen for me to carry out an honest review and provide feedback on whether the instructions were easy to follow, what fitting of the mount was like and what I thought of it overall.

The mount is packed in a fairly small box that has a few details of what the mount looks like and how it works.

Inside you get:

• The mount handle 
• Rail to go on the Brompton Pentaclip - also where the handle goes into with saddlebag attached
• New Pentaclip bolt and plates to fix the rail in place

Also included is an A4 sheet of instructions that are very easy to follow. If you get truly stuck there is even a QR code which takes you to a YouTube video telling you how to fit it. Most probably wouldn't need this but it is worthwhile having a look.

Pentaclip with the Frost +Sekers plates and screw

The Quicklock rails can be moved forwards and backwards horizontally and allow you to position saddlebags of different size or have the bag positioned to your taste.

Once in place the the handle simply clicks in and out. It is very easy to do and takes no effort at all. It is something that you can do very easily with one hand and there are no latches to push in or lift up. Very clever.

Another use I found for it is that the handle makes wheeling the Brompton along on its eazy wheels quite easy. I found this when an over zealous member of TLF staff insisted I fold my Brompton at London Bridge!

I must confess that the ease in which you can click in and out made me wonder if it would do the same on its own when riding. I cycled with a fully packed Carradice Super C Audax saddlebag over the many cobbled sections of east London as well as an off-road section when cycling to and from Box Hill and all was secure. It's a brilliant deign. I also think that the materials chosen - especially the wooden handle complement my Brooks saddle, your saddlebag and the Brompton itself.

Any of my Carradice sadldlebags work with the handle. It is just a case of threading though the leather straps onto the Frost + Sekers handle rather than the mounts/rail on your saddle.

If anything as far as the Brompton is concerned it allows the saddlebag to sit in a much better position. I didn't need to use the strap fastening the saddlebag to the seat post but this is easy to attached if desired.

So why buy it? For me there are times when I use my Brompton for all sorts of adventures. This can involve leaving my bike chained up on a luggage rack on a train with me sitting some way off. With this mount I can very quickly and easily detach the bag and take it with me. At the other end there is is no fiddling around with straps etc.., I can just clip in an go. This alone makes it worthwhile having.

Good Points

• Lightweight - you really won't notice it is there
• Easy to fit with good instructions
• Quality - this is a buy once product and build to last
• The clip in, clip out is done with almost no effort whatsoever
• Once clipped in it is very secure
• It is fully adjustable 
• Very convenient and quick to use

Not so good

Not a great deal that I can see apart from the price.

The mount will set you back £80 on its own. For me I would't buy the mount on its own (unless I wanted to use it on more than one bicycle). The way I would go would be to buy the 15 litre capacity Otis saddlebag and Quicklock mount together for £176. (I haven't used the Otis bag and only seen it on a bike however I am going to check them out in the black version)!

Many thanks to Frost + Sekers for making this happen. Thinking about the Dunwich Dynamo in July and the coach trip back to London, I think that having this system on my Brompton will work really well. I will be able to put everything in the saddlebag and be in a position to quickly take it with me.

https://frostandsekers.com

Proviz Nightrider LED Cycling Jacket

Over the years I have reviewed several jackets by 'Proviz.' I have to say that I have universally liked them all. The 360 jackets with the entire jacket being reflective is something that has to been seen to be believed.

When the nice people at Proviz asked if there was anything I wanted to review, I jumped at the chance and was sent one of their  'Nightrider LED Cycling jackets. Sadly, I had to send the large sized jacket back and that an XL was sent out in its place. The jacket is a much closer cut than my much older Nightrider one so keep this in mind if you think about getting one.

The XL arrived and trying on it felt a much better fit. It is a much closer fit which in my opinion is a good thing as I am not a fan or jackets that have lots of extra room, seeming to act like a sail in the wind when cycling.

Finding it difficult to photograph myself in the jacket, I managed to persuade my good friend Dr John to be my muse for last night when a few of us cycled from the London Eye to Canary Wharf and back to see the 'Winter Lights Festival' before it ended today.

Plenty of reflective strips

There are several features to this jacket but of course I need to start with the LED. The LEDs are built into the arms and back. The back has five red LEDs and each of the arms have three white LEDs. They are powered by a small, matchbox sized battery pack which weighs 45g. There are three modes constantly on, rapid flash and flashing pulse. Battery is connected by a small port connected to a ribbon cable that is sown into the jacket. The battery has its own pocket and once in can be turned on, off or to run through the various options. It is a practical design that just works. Incidentally, I didn't really notice the battery pack at all when it was in place.

The selling point is the LEDs

Very small you would notice this battery pack is there

A neat little storage pocket for the battery pack

The on/off switch can be accessed by pressing on this part of the jacket

The LEDs are themselves embedded in some of the excellent Proviz reflective strips that are in abundance all over the jacket. Just these reflective strips alone are very good when cycling at night, but the addition of the LEDs - which really can be seen from some distance away - makes things even better.

Great visibility

One thing to mention. While cycling along for for over 2 hours last night, Dr John said that he didn't notice the lights on the arms and they were in no way distracting. I have to report that this was my experience too but following Dr John and taking photos I was certainly aware of them and could see them from quite a few angles as well as some distance too.

I have a 360 and 360+ jacket as well as a 360 gillet. They are truly excellent for night riding and still offer some reflective benefits even in daylight. The retina burning yellow of this jacket in daylight makes this an excellent for being seen. For those who like to run lights during the day, you can quite happily have the LEDs on whenever you choose.

In the past I have owned jackets with no pockets which I found inconvenient at times when wanting to stow away an Oystercard for example. This jacket has three front pockets (two on the side and one on the chest) and a large rear pocket. These are incredibly useful but none look to be fully waterproof.

Chest pocket

One of the two side pockets

Rear pocket

The jacket is lined with a soft cotton mesh that in addition to aiding air flow makes the jacket very comfortable to wear. I wore the jacket for a fairly brisk 40 mile cycle and this lining together with the 25cm underarm zips and shoulder/back vent I didn't feel that I was sweating greatly or boiling in the bag as some jackets make you feel.

Soft mesh lining

Zipped side vents on both sides

There are of course some other little finishing touches that some jackets just miss for some reason. The full length zip is waterproof and its own zip garage at the neck to avoid irrigation and chaffing. The zips all have short lanyards with plastic ends attached to make things easier to grab hold of with wet, cold hands or when wearing gloves. The collar is lined with micro-fleece making things more comfy and warm in colder weather.

Comfy lined collar

The jacket retails on the Proviz website for £124.99 and at the moment is a web exclusive. You are getting quite a lot of jacket for that but Proviz are extremely good at periodically offering some discount codes so if you keep your eyes peeled you might be able to get it for less than that.

I liked this jacket and I like Proviz as a company. They are always innovating and bringing lots of products that cyclists, runners and walkers that bit more visible. The only thing I think they could improve would be to have an orange version of it! Many thanks to Anthony the co-founder of Proviz for sending this out to review. A link to the Proviz website can be found below.

Additional info. One of my readers pointed out that the review was missing information about whether the jacket could be washed. Many thanks to 'Bean.' The jacket can be machine washed at 30 degrees.

Link to PROVIZ

The best low light cycling jacket just got better

Regular reader will know that I like my nocturnal rides and for me having a good jacket that keeps the rain out, provides a little warmth and allows other road users to see you is a must. I have been a huge fan of 'Proviz' ever since I bought their 'Nightrider' jacket - in orange of course. Their 'Reflect 360' was a game changer was and is a totally brilliant jacket but Proviz being the company they are not to stand too still, have recently brought out their Reflect 360+

Initial impressions would make you think that there isn't a huge difference between the jackets but believe me there are. First up is the cut. The Reflect 360+ has a closer fitting cut, nothing too drastic but definitely a more tailored fit. For me at least this is a good thing. My other Proviz jackets were mediums but this one is a large, so keep that in mind if you are getting one yourself.

The tail at the back is deliberately longer as are the arms resulting in really good fit when in the riding position.

One thing that hasn't changed is the quite astonishing reflective qualities of the jacket. The material uses millions of tiny glass beads that turns the jacket almost white. This has to be seen to be believed and on my recent Oxford to London ride I must have appeared as a spectral apparition to cars and pedestrians.

One thing you need to get used to when wearing this jacket is the stares from people who can't quite understand whether you are wearing some sort of battery powered jacket. Another phenomena, is that if you stop at traffic lights etc.., you might get a few enquires as to where you got your jacket.

If the original Reflect 360 jacket had a weak point it was that it wasn't the most breathable of jackets. I have to say that with a good merino base layer I was totally fine, even cycling at speed over many miles. For some it was however an issue. The Reflect 360+ has a meshed outer layer, as seem by the little dots all across the surface material. This new outer layer is a great deal more breathable. On the Oxford ride I didn't feel hot and there was no dampness on the back of the jacket.

I have been using this on daily nocturnal training rides and I have to report it definitely is more breathable than the original.

The 360+ has a generous rear zipped pocket and two chest pockets. If you are using this jacket in warmer seasons, you can actually use these pockets as extra vents.

The zips are good quality and the neck zip is parked and goes up a good way to keep you warm.

The quality extends to the cuffs. They are strong and allow the cuff to be adjusted to your personal comfort settings.

The 30cm zipped underarm vents allow extra airflow if you need it.

The waist is fully adjustable via an elastic cord and two fasteners. The lining is the soft mesh type that further helps with breathability.

The Reflect 360+ really is a brilliant jacket and is one that zips over a number of key essentials:

• Waterproof
• Reflective so you can be seen
• Breathable
• Good fit
• Pockets
• Longer tail
• Longer arms
• Adjustable waist
• Adjustable cuffs

The Reflect 360+ retails at £109.99 and Proviz often have offers to reduce this price. I believe there is currently a 10% discount.

Proviz sent me this jacket for review purposes but I have to say I think it is worth every penny. I have seen lots of other jackets out there that have a quite pathetic amount of reflective material, or are like wearing a sail as the cut is rubbish. In addition to this I have bought jackets in the past that are not that good at keeping you dry and / or bake you as you cycle along. The Reflect 360 (which I still own by the way) is still an excellent jacket but Proviz have managed to take a near perfect jacket and make it even better with the Reflect 360+  It might just be the Holy Grail of cycling jackets?

Many thanks for Proviz for letting me review this jacket. I have posted a link to the Proviz website should you want to check it out for yourself.

Link to the Proviz Website

Finally a new pair of SPD shoes!

My current SPD shoes as regular readers will know have truly given up the ghost. They have served me well but all seems to have stretched to a point the straps have to be pulled pretty tight to keep the shoe from moving around. I had bought a pair of Shimano M089's but one of the straps broke so I returned them for a refund. Finally I bought a pair of 'B'twin 500 Mountain Bike Shoes' annd not only did I save some money they are more comfortable.

The 'B'twin 500 Mountain Bike Shoes' are a pretty standard pair of mountain bike SPD shoes that allow the user to walk quite happily and are compatible with SPD type cleats.

I used to have a pair of DHB which although not expensive were really comfortable and these remind me of them.

Three strap closure are positioned better than my old Specialized shoes and offer a very good and secure fit.

The heel is high and the cut out makes things comfortable on the ankle. Being padded only adds to this.

The insole is padded and provides a good about of support. The arch of the foot is well supported and the lightly padded tongue keeps the foot firmly in place.

The sole has a very good grip and there is even a place at the toe for additional studs to be fitted if they are perhaps being used for mountain bike rides. In terms of rigidity the nylon sole is quite stiff and provides a firm platform for pedalling.

If you have a look at the photo below of my old shoes you can see that the straps come down a long way. The upper is designed in the different way to that of the 'B'twin 500 Mountain Bike Shoes' but they have become unusable. I do not have a particular narrow foot and as I have suggested I can only put forward the notion that over the time I have have them, all has stretched?

Okay, how much? Well the Shimano M089's were £65. These were £44.99 and as I wrote, I was happy to save some money. Like lots of products from B'Twin they come with a two year guarantee, so I will be keeping the receipt just in case. I have very happy with these so far and pretty sure that they will serve me well for some time to come. I have posted a link directly to this product on the Decathlon website should you be interested in them.

Link to Decathlon Website

B'TWIN 700 Ultralight Windproof Cycling Jacket In Orange!!!

Some of you might remember that I posted a review of the Pearl Izumi Pro Barrier Lite CLICK HERE a couple of years ago. This jacket was okay but despite the fact it was incredibly lightweight, I have to report that for me that was its only redeeming feature.

As you know from some of my recent posts the lovely people at Decathlon UK have sent me some items to review. One of these is their 'B'TWIN 700 Ultralight Windproof Cycling Jacket.'

The B'TWIN 700 Ultralight Windproof Cycling Jacket weighs in at 91g but I have to say I didn't really detect that it was a little heavier that my Pearl Izumi. The B'TWIN 700 also has the added bonus of being able to pack itself into a small pocket on the bottom right of the jacket. Packed away it fits easily into the palm of your hand, could be stowed in a rear pocket or in a saddle bag.

The actual jacket is a good close fit and again beats the Pearl Izumi which flapped around a little bit like a kite.

The fabric which is apparently biosphere (whatver that is) in addition to being lightweight is windproof and I have to report that having used this at 03:58 a.m. outside Gatwick airport it certainly provided the warmth I needed at that ungodly hour.

This is where a jacket like this excels. On night rides (and I do lots) you will have read about me being frozen after a halfway stop. This jacket will be brilliant for this purpose but also for times when the weather turns colder. Being so light and compact means that I would always carry it and not have to worry about it talking up space for weighing too much.

The sleeves and part of the hem are elasticated and allow a good comfy fit without being overly tight.

The zip looks like it can stand the test of time and it is nice to see that there is a park for it at the neck.

This jacket isn't waterproof but it does allow protection from light drizzle. Think of it more as an extra layer though.

Again Decathlon offer a two year guarantee on this and it costs £19.99. Bearing in mind the Pearl Izumi was more than double this price, it is again another bargain from Decathlon. The sell this jacket in a few colours white, blue and red and Decathlon will not be getting this one back now that I have reviewed it.

I have provided a link directly to this item on the Decathlon website and again many thanks to Decathlon UK for allowing me to review this. My only regret is that this had of been around when I bought the Pearl Izumi!

Item on Decathlon Website