Today my Ortleib bags arrived, including the 7-litre handlebar bag which didn’t come with the clear plastic cover that the 5-litre version did, which I figured was important for displaying maps or guide books. Don’t know why, but this caused a disproportionate amount of overthinking, so I decided to order the smaller one as well and see which was best, although Barry - or was it Maciej from Cotswold Outdoors - had said that larger was more important than any clear cover and you could always improvise some kind of clear front cover. These bags are dope, really do look indestructible and importantly, waterproof. They cost a bomb, but worth it. I got the whole set in yellow, which looked great on my black bike. I realised I needed to get the mounting set for the handlebar bag, and there were a couple of versions to choose from, one with a mounting lock and one without. They were on sale at Condor Cycles so decided to shoot over there, find out which was better and pick one up.
Of course, it isn’t possible to go to a brand-new cycle shop with so much kit and not buy more stuff. I normally buy online at Wiggle but seeing mountains of merchandise in front of your eyes is a temptation too far.
First thing I wanted was a cycle cap, the small peaked hat that fits under your helmet. I asked the sales guy why people wear caps, to which he replied that they act as a sun shield , although he agreed that most people buy them for the same reason as I as doing, which was to appear more professional and generally lit. Have to admit, I had been a bit resistant to them because they presumably prevent ventilation from the holes in the helmet during hot weather and I was expecting a lot of that. However, I later realised that they were a fantastic way to keep the combined mixture of sweat and sun cream from dripping down your face as you cycle, and for that reason alone, I would heartily recommend. And they do look good; a damn site better than looking at the ugly old lump of moulded polystyrene foam at the front of the helmet; I plumped for a black and white geometric kind of design.
But hey, if a cycle cap, why not a new helmet. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I had bought a new one but certain it was beyond any time span that could be considered safe. I remember being told once that the key difference between a cheap and expensive helmet was the number of ventilation holes (hence, why buy a cap?) but now that I look, the overall shape certainly plays a major factor. In the end, I plumped for a £70 Specialized model that had this yellow lining which I found out was a new (for me, at any rate) safety feature called Multi-directional Impact Protection System or MIPS for short. Basically, it means the inside shell of the helmet can rotate to absorb the kind of impact that can really mess with your brain when you crash. Who knew? There was also a sticker with the letters around the back with the letters ANGi, which I later found out was some kind of sensor you could buy that sends an alert to someone when you have a crash. Not for me, apart from the additional cost, I can just see me dropping my helmet, forgetting to switch off an alert and loved ones the other side of the planet getting all hyped up about a non-existent accident.
One thing that I have started to enjoy is telling sales guys (I have yet to come across a female sales assistant) that I will be cycling to Istanbul. I have decided not to tell my friends until it comes up in conversation. I like the idea of slipping away, no social media, no fuss. This will be a big adventure and it will be my big adventure. But sales assistants are different and I confess that I am really getting to like the look of respect that my upcoming quest generates. This particular sales guy was keen on audaxes, which are long distance endurance events. He had cycled from Belgium to Greece in a ridiculously short amount to time, explaining that he didn’t really sleep very much and he didn’t need a tent as he just used to pass out near a roadside for a couple of hours before he got back on it. Each to his own.
So, I left Condor Cycles feeling very satisfied with my little haul, which also the lockable version of the mounting set for my handlebar bag. IMHO, don’t bother with the lockable model – at least if you live in London. If someone wants to pinch your handlebar bag, I can’t see the lock on the mount doing anything to really stop them. The regular unlockable version is fine.
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