The 2XU Cruise Jacket (M21884a) is designed with high strength elastane for flexibility while also providing long lasting shape.

From a fit perspective, typically when I have purchased other jackets they have had problems with length through the waist and arms (too short). The 2XU Cruise Jacket had none of these issues as it had sleeves that were just the right length for my longer than standard arms.

The sides and rear of the jacket were just the right length to keep my 6’2 height warm without riding up my body.  The sleeves feature elastane providing a grip to keep them from also riding up the arms.

The Cruise Jacket also has a slim, race cut fit which didn’t have any access material to flap around which I liked. The jacket also comes with side pockets and thumb holes.

The second jacket we will look at is the 2XU X:C1 Cycle Jacket (MC1728a). While we don’t experience the sub zero temperatures of Europe, at some stage a jersey and arm warmers won’t be enough through winter.

The 2XU Cycle Jacket with its Swiss membrane technology is designed to simply respond to temperature change. The technology of this jacket traps heat for greater warmth while remaining light for enhanced moisture control.

Amazing engineering was put into the 2XU Cycle Jacket design process. The jacket provides angled pockets for easy access, 360 degree reflectivity for those dark mornings, concealed chest pocket, eyewear docks and a comfortable tailored fit.

The 2XU Cycle Jacket is one of the best purchases I have made though the wallet took a hit so visit your local 2XU Performance Centre and see if they will cut you a deal. You won’t regret the investment.

Footnote: 602nds purchased both of the above products and is in no way affiliated with 2XU.

As a keen road cyclist I recognised that riding on the road, through no fault of my own may not be the safest activity. Even when I did everything right and kept to myself, idiot drivers would yell abuse and attempt to drive you off the road. So I looked for an alternate – Mountain bike riding.

After hacking through and around the single tracks out at Lysterfield, I took more than my fair share of bumbs, scrapes and falls. At least though, my injuries were caused by only myself. With myself being the limiting factor, I needed some skills if I wanted to get more out of it and enjoy it more.

I quick Google search for mountain bike courses easily found MTBSkills.com.au as the top entry. MTBSkills hold courses throughout the year at three locations: Forrest, You Yangs and Lysterfield. Living in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, I choose the Lysterfield skills clinic from 9.30am – 3pm at a cost of AU$155.

MTBSkills is run by Norm and Jessica Douglas . This husband and wife team have been playing with bikes most of their lives. They live and breath Mountain Biking and can be found most weekends competing in Endurance races ranging from short 6 hour races up to and including 24 hour solo races. With a team of  hand picked instructors, these guys really know their stuff.

After registering, I received an email that contained an information questionnaire, a course outline and what I would need for the day such as a suitable bike, approved helmet, sunscreen, water etc. Having booked the course for the middle of the Melbourne summer I was hoping for at least a half reasonable day that turned out to be a hot mid 30C day. Lots of water for hydration was the call of the day.

I arrived at the Lysterfield car park about half and hour before, set-up my bike and proceeded to the nominated meeting point at the Trailmix cafe. After everybody arrived there was a group of about twenty participant with a mixture of young and old, male and female. After a formal group introduction there was an inspection of our bikes and helmet making sure we knew the basics such as correct tire pressure were.

We were split into four groups based on our pre-determined skill level. I was placed into a group with four other guys to be instructed by Adam Kelsall. We headed off with Adam over the Lysterfield Lake dam wall and pulled over for some further introductions and a chance to get to know our fellow participants.

When headed out to the Blair Witch track stopping for Adam to discuss skills such as positioning of body weight, the importance of momentum, looking forward through corners, modulation of brakes, handling obstacles and many others. Each instruction was followed by a demonstration and number of practical runs both individually and as a group. Our instructor Adam was happy to answer and provided instruction to some of my personal riding challenges such as how to climb tight switchbacks more effectively.

After a grueling day, we arrived back at the Trailmix cafe for a well earned refreshment and de-brief. The following day MTBSkills forwarded an email with a revision sheet outlining what was learned and some other valuable tips.

The MTBSkills team for the day: Jess, Norm, Liz and Adam have to be commended for providing a valuable resource even for those who thought they knew everything. The course was refreshing and entertaining without any pressure to be perfect. The methods of teaching could not have been any better as all the participant got what they needed out of the day.

It is recommended that you attended other MTBSkills courses at different locations to become familiar with the different terrain that they offer. The basic skills learned can be put into practice in your own time at your own pace anywhere. A discount is provided for those who have participated in previous courses.

For more information check out the MTBSkills.com.au website and be sure to follow Jess Douglas as she leads the way as the 2009 female Australian 24 hour solo mountain bike champion.

As with all things Oakley, the Hand Ratchet reaks of quality and functionality with excellent padding and protection including the Kevlar reinforced knuckles. Two velco straps, across the back of the hand and at the wrist keep the Hand Ratchet secure onto your hand.

Bar grip is provided with sticky dots on the finger tips and the moisture absorbing Clarino palm material. A terry nose wipe is provided on the thumb for additional comfort. The mesh material on the back of the hand and lightweight fabric along the fingers enables adequate air flow even on the warmest of days.

Available in a range of colours and sizes, I was able to get my hands into the Blue Line colour that provide a somewhat retro Oakley look that makes them very individual.

I wore these on the mountain bike on a stinking hot mid-35 degree (celcius) day. The Hand Ratchet proved to be comfortable and provided me a secure grip onto the bars without any numb spots. After the hot and sweaty ride, the gloves washed well in a gentle machine wash and air dried to come up as new.

With a RRP of AU$79.95 the Oakley Hand Ratchet are not the cheapest glove available but sure are the most comfortable and coolest looking out there.

It is all good and well to have the sexist looking shoe on the trail but it’s going to get abused, dirty and perhaps, downright trashed. For this reason I am able to review the Shimano SH-M182 having been able to well and truely test them to their full potential.

The Simano SH-M182 is aimed at serious MTB enthusiasts with the efficiency, fit, stability and durability necessary for high-level off-road performance. The super tough SH-M182  show up to the trail ready to kick some serious butt.

The rigid carbon fiber-reinforced, nylon-polyurethane outer soles create highly-efficient power transfer, effectively using every ounce of the pedaling energy you send them. Removable composite toe spikes are provided to increase traction in mud or sand.

The SH-M182 is constructed from a polyurethane coasted synthetic leather with breathable mesh inserts for ventilation makes for a comfortable shoe on long rides . The synthetic leather upper material is extremely durable and can be hosed down after being caked in mud.

Off-set straps prevent pressure points, and a micro-adjust buckle allows for subtle adjustments, giving you a custom fit. This conbination of straps enables quick and easy adjustment whilst being on the bike.

The sole features the typical double slots designed for a range of MTB style cleats including Shimano SPD and the Crank Brothers Eggbeater range (if using the Crank Brothers pedals and cleats I do recommend installing the optional Crank Brothers protectors to protect the carbon insert of the sole).

The Shimano SH-M182 mountain bike shoes sells for a RRP AU$279

The Garmin Edge 705 is available in a number of different packages. The packaged reviewed here includes the heart rate sensor and cadence sensor. In my opinion if you’re buying the 705 as the ultimate tool, go for the package that opens up its full potential. The only thing that need to be sorted out with the purchase is what maps to get, the 705 does not come packed with maps.

At first glance the 705 looks huge, only because we’ve been used to the tiny traditional bike computers that display a couple of lines of information. Once installed onto your bikes stem or handlebars and fire it up, you will realise for the first time that you have been missing out in the past.

The 705 is waterproof with solid rubberised buttons on either side of the unit and a joystick and button combination on the front underneath a large colour screen. The rear of the unit has the integrated mounting bracket and the mini USB charging/data connection port.

Setting up the 705 is a cinch. The amount of information you wish to display on a ride is fully customisable, and you have two full screen of user information to customise. On the first screen I displayed eight functions: elapsed time, speed, distance, cadence, heart rate, time of day and calories burned. On the second screen, I have opted for a more basic display showing: speed, time elapsed, time of day and distance – similar data shown by a traditional computer, but on a much large, easy to read display.

The menu button on the lower left side reveals all the settings, navigation entry and stores data. You can easily access saved ride history and pre-determined training ride courses that can monitor your current progress vs a previous – you become your own training partner.

The mode button on the lower left side changes screens by alternating: map, elevation, and the user customised data display. The map and elevation screens can be zoomed in and out with the zoom buttons on the upper right side. The map screen can be customised with user required information. I have displayed: speed and elapsed time so I don’t have to toggle between map and information screens when I just need the map display. Customising the map screen does make the viewable map area smaller, so you would want minimal user information displayed.

Multiple profiles are available for users and bikes. I have a mounting bracket installed on my road and mountain bike and easily switch between the two by selecting the appropriate profile. Nothing else needs to be connected. For the road bike, the cadence sensor monitor cadence and speed. On the mountain bike, I figure that cadence if not required and leave the speed to be monitored by the GPS.

Upon turning on the device it searches for satellites like all GPS devices do. After a few seconds it finds your location and you are ready to roll by pressing the start button. The 705 accurately tracks you route in real-time pausing the elapsed time when you come to a stop. Upon reaching your destination end the ride by pressing the stop button. Before beginning a new ride you have to remember to reset the display. After downloading your information to a computer the unit is automatically reset for the next ride.

The heart rate sensor wraps around the chest in the same way other HRM transmitters do and accurately records your heart rate. Advanced HRM functionality such as training zones can be applied if required. I do question the 705′s accuracy when converting HRM information to calories burned. Compared with other HRMs the Garmin seemed to be rather high.

Battery life is stated as approximately 12 hours which I have never found not enough. I can only see that you will need to supply a charging solution if riding very long rides such as endures or similar. The rear mounted USB port provides standard charging from a wall mounted power source or from a computer. The same USB port downloads data to your computer.

There are a range of software applications for your computer including the downloadable Garmin Training Center and Garmin’s web-based Garmin Connect.

In summary, the Garmin Edge 705 is a very special device. It displays everything you need, provides accurate guidance and records all your data for analysis – it really does it all.

Get the Garmin Edge 705 – you will never look back.

In the event that a rider goes down and become unconscious (not to mention even worse scenarios) and cannot be identified, there is quite often no way to contact loved ones and family.

RoadID has the perfect solution – Wrist ID Sport. With the Wrist ID Sport the rider carries an easily idenifiable wrist strap that contains relevant contact and/or medical information.

The RoadID wristband is constructed from a durable nylon band that is secured to your wrist by velco, similar to that of a velco watch band. Attached to the wrist band is an attractive laser engraved satin stainless steel plate with your emergency contact information. It comes standard with two 3M reflective stripes to enhance your visibility when training in low light conditions. The Wrist ID Sport is available in six colours – black, blue, red, yellow, pink and purple.

Ordering your RoadID could not be more simple. From the RoadID website select the product you want to order and build your RoadID. After selecting your colour and size you personalise the text that will be engraved onto the stainless steel plate. The WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interactive web interface allow you to see exactly what your Wrist ID will look like. The Wrist ID Sport plate allows for 6 lines of 24 characters.

Based in the USA, RoadID ships internationally having recieved mine in Australia just days after ordering.

At US$19.99 the RoadID Wrist ID Sport looks great, feels comfortable and just may well save your life.

For more information about the RoadID range visit the RoadID website.

The Camelbak Lobo is a perfect hydration pack for the mountain biker with its large 3.0 litre water resovoir and enough storage room for valuables, spares and snacks.

When riding the single tracks there is very little time to reach to the bidon cage to grab a bottle let alone take a sip while riding single handed. Having the bite-valve and feed hose over your shoulder, a refreshment is only a small movement away. Filling the bladder is easy and simple by accessing the fill cap without having to open the entire pack.

The harness is light and comfortable with additional straps around the waist and across the sternum to secure it to your body without moving around.

Of the Camelbak range there are models above and below the Lobo that will provide you more or less storage and water capacity depending on your own requirements and application. Overall, the Lobo is perfect if you’re out for a few hours to half a day.

The video above (presented by ebags) is a walkthrough of Camelbak testing facility showing why they have continued to be the industry leader in travel hydration.

For more information and the Lobo and others within the range visit the Camelbak website.