You can read our Quad Lock Deluxe Mounting Kit for iPhone 4/4s review here. We liked a number of things about the original Quad Lock:
• It was a clever system that mounted well
• The solid case could remain on the iPhone to protect it when not mounted
• It was Australian designed and funded via kickstarter

What I found missing from the original Quad Lock was a way to protect your phone from the elements. I’m the type of cyclist who uses a waterproof protective pouch for my smart phone when riding, even on bone-dry days, so this was a big no-no for me. Not long after publishing, however, a waterproof poncho was created which solved this concern.

Fast Forward – Quad Lock meets the iPhone5
Fast forward and the iPhone5 is everywhere – Australians love their Apple devices. It meant the Quad Lock needed an update and the Aussie designers went one step further than just resizing. The excellent mounting mechanism remains the same, as you would expect, but the case has been updated.

While the new case doesn’t appear to be different, rather than being a single piece of solid polycarbonate, the new case features a solid polycarbonate backing but the sides are soft. I ask the Quad Lock’s designer (and company director) Chris Peters about this.

“The iPhone 5 Quad Lock case has been re-designed from the ground up. We wanted to offer better protection, all while maintaining the strength, thin profile and pocketability that our customers love from out iPhone 4/4S case. To do so we decided to go with a composite, overmolded case design. Overmolding is a manufacturing process which allows a part to be created from two different materials. It’s a more expensive process as it requires double the amount of tooling and production processes, but you end up with a premium product that you can fine tune the desired mechanical properties of to suit the application.

Going with overmolding allowed us to have a very strong core made from engineering grade polycarbonate with a durable impact protective TPU outer skin. Unlike silicon, TPU does not attract dust or become sticky, so it maintains its smooth clean finish and is easy to slide in and out of your pocket. The TPU also makes it much easier to install and remove the phone from the case while still gripping the phone securely.”

The iPhone 4/4S Quad Lock case was certainly harder to get the phone in and out; the new case in comparison makes this a breeze and suits me as I generally prefer no case for general use. Even with the case on, the buttons are easy to access and the microphone and speaker is free as well as the front and rear camera.

 
Does your iPhone like water?
The good news with the Bike Mount Kit for the iPhone5 Quad Lock is that it comes with the poncho; the “weather resistant cover”. You still get a good view of the smart phone screen with it on, and can use the touch screen.

Taking a critical look at the poncho, while it fitted well and covered the top and sides, there are two parts that can potentially let water through – the Quad Lock case has a hole for the rear camera and inside the twist and mount mechanism there are some holes which could eventually let water through.

Chris Peters comments “It is designed to protect your iPhone from rain, dust, dirt, mud and sweat, however it its not fully water proof so is not suitable for fully submerging the phone in water.”

That said, in wet weather riding on a road bike or mountain bike with spray from the tires, is there a danger of water getting in?

“When using the Quad Lock in the most common installations”, says Chris, “the phone’s protected from tyre spray by the stem, and when mounted on the handle bars it’s far enough away from the line of the spray for it not to be a concern. We’ve tested it riding in heavy rain, through river crossings and through muddy MTB trails and it has protected the iPhone in all situations.”

Commonsense should prevail to keep your iPhone safe; the case and poncho isn’t designed for underwater cycling trips, though will protect your phone if you get stuck in the rain. In the case of a tropical thunder storm, if you insist on venturing out on the bike, I suggest using a completely waterproof pouch for the phone until the sun comes out.

And now for some fiddly bits
While the Quad Lock mount and case are well designed and well made, you may run into a few fiddly issues. On my road bike, the stem was the best place to mount the Quad Lock, though on my oversized stem the two supplied o-rings wouldn’t fit. The kit does come with cable-ties, which work well but take away the flexibility of easily removing the mount, for example if you ride more than one bike. On a standard sized stem however this shouldn’t be an issue.

Another issue relating to the “fit” of the Quad Lock on my road bike was that I have an uncut steerer, not so long that it looks “wrong”, but enough that the Quad Lock case touches the steerer when mounted. In my case this is not a problem, since the stem is long enough, but it’s worth considering if you don’t want to take a hacksaw to your overlong steerer.

On the plus side, one of the benefits the mount provides is the ability to mount on your handlebars or stem, and you can mount your iPhone vertically or horizontally to better suit your personal preferences.

It is worth noting that I don’t own an iPhone 5 and I was sent a “dummy” iPhone 5 for testing. As such I wasn’t able to operate the iPhone during this review, but I can’t see any difference between this iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4/4S kit we tested before, in terms of phone operatability.

 
A goody for fans of the Quad Lock
The company behind the Quad Lock, Annex Products, have listened to their community and released a “goody”. The standard Quad Lock mounting mechanism is black with a dominant blue ‘collar’, but realising that some people like to “pimp-their-ride”, they have made 3D printed collars available in 6 different colours. While the 3D printing isn’t as smooth as the original injection moulded collar, it is a nice touch.

The Quad Lock Bike Mount Kit for iPhone 5, with the case, mount and poncho retails for USD $69.95 and includes free shipping to Australia. You can see the details and order online: www.quadlockcase.com

‘Puncture proof’ or ‘airless tyres’ seem to be one of those inventions that emerge from hibernation periodically to be hailed as one of those eureka moments: “At last, we have perfected it”. These ‘innovations’ seem to disappear shortly after and recede back into hibernation yet again.  The reality is that the idea is sound and, for certain cycling groups, particularly commuters, should be a seriously viable option.  But mention them to many cyclists and you are greeted with a roll of the eyes, a groan of despair or tales of what a disaster they were when they last came to prominence.

When the ‘safety bicycle’ was invented by JK Starley back in 1885, the solid wheels meant that acceptance of the new machine was not as it could have been.  John Boyd Dunlop then revolutionised the wheel through the invention of the pneumatic tyre.  Whilst Robert Thomson preceded Dunlop by 40 years with his ‘vulcanised pneumatic tyre’, cost was a major impediment, and Dunlop succeeded where Thomson wasn’t able to, and therefore enjoyed the accolades.  Since then, aside from ongoing continuous improvement, the pneumatic tyre remains essentially the same as it has always been: practical, cheap, brilliantly simple, but yet still prone to punctures from the many roadside hazards.

The Tannus range
Tannus claim to have solved the problems keeping solid tyres off the market for over a hundred years. They sell a range of tyres in different sizes, hardnesses and colours. The tyres I was supplied with were the Tannus ‘Musai’, and I tried the H1 (hard @ 133psi) and S1 (soft @ 101psi) models, both in the 700 x 23c configuration (though they’re also now available in a 28C size).  The other tyres in Tannus’s range are the ‘Thoroki’, available in 26” x 1.75”, 26″ x 1 3/8”  and 700 x 32c,  and the ‘Nymph’ in 20” x 1 1/8”, 20″ x 1.25” or 16” x 1.25”. There’s something in there for all of the family. The Tannus range is produced by Midas Tires in Korea who are holders of 3 patents related to the airless tyres.  The entire range of sizes is available in a hard or soft option, as well as 13 very vivid colours with such inspiring names as Volcano, Melon or Pink Lady to name but a few.

The test bike I used for this review was a 2011 Kona Honky Inc, a double disc drop bar road bike with a steel frame.  This doubled as a part time commuter, and a recreational road bike the rest of the time.

The first thing that you notice with these tyres is that the packaging is big. I have become so used to folding tyres that to see a box that big was a surprise. Supplied with each tyre is a fitting tool, two sets of clips and some instructions.  Here is one of the first snags that make these tyres a bit more awkward that what I’m generally used to. In order to fit the tyres correctly, you need to know the internal width of the rim so that the correct clips can be supplied.  This is not a step that can be treated with an Aussie “ah, she’ll be right mate, that’s close enough”; this is the only mechanism that secures the tyre firmly on the rim, so it needs to be done properly. Each of the retainer clip sizes are a different colour which aids in ensuring that the correct units are fitted.

Once you are certain about the internal rim width, the old tyre can be removed and then you follow the supplied instructions, or view one of many instructional videos found on the web.  The steps for installing the tyres are clear, quite well written, and, most importantly, accurate.

Fitting the tyres
Fitting the tyres was, in my experience, a considerable task.  Inserting the coloured retainers into the tyre and getting the tyre on the rim was, if anything, a bit fiddly, but presented no major issues. After that, however, it got more than a bit difficult as the tyre was not yet properly seated on the rim. Luckily, I have a fairly solid build and my local gym instructor has been working on developing my upper body strength, because it required all of that to get all of those clips to seat into the bead seat hook.  The first tyre took around 35 minutes to install but, with some technique improvements, the second tyre went on a bit quicker, but not much.

Those who are inexperienced at tyre changing or are of slight build may want to get some assistance in fitting these tyres. Some of the retailers that sell these tyres have been fitting them for customers and, if this is available , my advice is to accept the offer or even actively seek it. Once fitted, the tyres sat well on the rims and rotated well with no apparent ‘out of round’ issues. The missing valve stem was a curiosity, we get so used to something being there.

The weight of the tyres was within 5 grams of the quoted weight from the Tannus website, being 375g each.  The clips added another 11g per wheel when assembled. When you consider that a similar tubed setup on a road bike comes to ~ 700g (that’s tyres & tubes at ~500g and a mini pump or CO2 system,  plus repair kit at ~200g), the overall weight penalty is an un-noticeable 50 – 120g.  As such, weight cannot be realistically used as a reason not to give  the Tannus tyres a go.

First ride
Two things become quickly apparent when riding with these tyres. The first is that when standing to accelerate, either from lights or spinning along, the bike responds instantly. The second is how the tyres respond to everything else, particularly road indentations and surfaces.

My first ride was my regular commute route that I cover on Friday mornings.  It typically covers 50 – 55km and involves only 200m of elevation gain, but those hills are between 4 – 6% gradient. Aside from the different response to the small road undulations and typical suburban bitumen repairs, it felt like I was riding tired, or my ‘tank’ was running a bit low.  My usual commute speed of 27 – 28km/hr average was down to about 25. I didn’t think much about it and surmised that it had just been a long week. Subsequent rides proved however that these tyres are in fact slower, and whilst some of this may be due to the softer front tyre that I was running, it was more likely due to the material compound used by Midas. This was confirmed in feedback from the company where they suggested that their tyres are only “1 -2 km/hr slower” than a pneumatic tyre, but they point out that their tyre is primarily aimed at commuting where speed is not such an issue, the slowing effect is less noticeable, and the benefit of not getting punctures offsets this minor speed impost.

In addition to commuting, I was also determined to see what this tyre was like on a typical recreational ride which included some climbing and descending on a typical suburban short hill of ~ 4km at an average of 5.5%. Starting with the climb, the speed penalty was even more apparent; my average speed was over 3km/hr slower and I was having to work considerably harder. The tyres however did their job and, other than being slower, worked quite well. Then came the downhill.

I approached the descent with some trepidation as I prefer my body to remain unscathed and unmarked after a ride, so I took it much easier than normal. Braking for the first sharp corner went well, with the grip level quite high, and this filled me with some confidence. There was no squirm, no tracking to one side or following ruts.  The grip around the next corner was somewhat different though; this was a tight bend signposted at 25 km/hr (recommended), which I was taking at 40 km/hr (though I normal ride it at 45 – 50km/hr on the same bike). While there was reasonable grip, it felt as though the tyre was understeering or walking across the road. I don’t know if this was related to the tyre ‘inflation’, the material grip properties, or how this solid tyre responds to the road surface and load application. Needless to say, in order to feel comfortable I had to approach the remaining corners about 30 – 40% slower than I normally would. At this reduced pace, the grip levels were fine, with no more noticeable understeering effect.

On subsequent rides I started to get used to their road response and the lines and speeds with which I needed to tackle corners safely. I did not get an opportunity to rides these tyres in wet conditions, so can offer no comment on their wet grip capabilities.

One thing I did though, after my initial two rides, was to closely inspect the tyres. I did this for a couple of reasons: one was to ensure that the tyres were still properly secured, and the other was to check on their general condition after being used. I noticed that several of the retainers weren’t seated fully under the bead hook on one side, despite post fitment inspection seemingly showing that they were installed correctly.  A few minutes with the supplied tool, and all was good again.

Inflated claims?
To give  a better idea of these tyres compared to standard pneumatic tyres, I compared the Musais to a pair of Rubino 23c tyres that I had sitting around.  The widths of the two tyres were very similar (< 3% difference) at just under 23mm, but the height above the bead seat was a different story.  The Rubino was 19.5mm above the rim wall, while the Musais were only 14.2mm – a 35% difference!  The Musais showed a noticeably ‘squarer’ profile that results in a larger/wider contact patch on the road which was likely a significant contributor towards the higher observed rolling resistance. This profile may also be behind the cornering effect noted earlier. After 265 kms of use, there was some sign of wear on the tyres, with the rear tyre obviously showing slightly more. Feedback from the distributor indicated that they believe the tyres to have a useable lifespan of up to 10,000km, and I think this is realistic, given their solid construction. 

One situation I encountered during the test was a broken rear spoke (the wheel had done over 6,500 km) and I had to deal with the problem of removing the tyre. There are, apparently, two ways of doing this, but sadly both methods mean that the tyre is probably not going to be useable again.  I tried to prise the tyre from the rim using the supplied tool, as per the instructions (both written and in the youtube clips), but to no avail. I therefore had to resort to the ‘cut’ method.  Either way, the retaining clips tended to rip through the lower rib of the tyre, meaning that they are no longer effective in securing the tyre to the rim. That said, I can vouch unequivocally for the strength of those 30 odd retaining clips on the rim; the Tannus tyres will not come off easily.

Summary
At $77 each plus shipping, they are not a cheap alternative to the wide range of pneumatic tyres that are available, but when you consider that they can last the same distance as two sets, in terms of cost they are close. Whether they are a suitable replacement is up to the individual to evaluate. When you factor in the guarantee of no punctures, they start to stack up; how much is the reliability of your commuter worth? The altered road response that you get with these tyres does take some getting used to though; after a few rides, however, the memory banks have adjusted accordingly.

The ability to choose from multiple common tyre sizes and a couple of ‘base pressures’, along with the myriad of effervescent colours (13 in all) to really coordinate, means that there is generally a tyre to suit most applications and bikes that are ridden, particularly as commuters.

My preference would be the softer tyre configuration (S1), as this has a better ‘response’ to the road imperfections, and more closely mimics the pneumatic tyre feel that I’m accustomed to. I also feel that the Tannus tyres are better suited for use in a purely commuter based role rather than general open road/recreational riding. At the current level of development, the Tannus tyres are not capable enough for recreational riding/training.  That’s not to say that they wouldn’t be ideal candidates for those that opt to tour on some inhospitable roads in remote areas, since the benefit of not having to worry about punctures would be significant. However, there are many well proven touring tyres that have established reputations, so this may be a hard obstacle to overcome.

The increased resilience of the Tannus tyres over the traditional pneumatic tyre also means that these tyres are realistically better suited to the more robust style wheelsets where there are greater spoke counts and sturdier rims, rather than the typical lightweight minimally spoked road wheel that tends to be found on many road bikes.

We have become so used to how well the pneumatic tyre performs its task that we have come to accept the punctures are a necessary by-product or acceptable trade off. It is certainly easy to dismiss new versions of old ideas, though I am glad to have had the chance to try these first before making my judgement.

Find more about the Tannus tyre range, as well as get access to the comprehensive supporting documentation, online at www.tannus.com

Some Australian bike shops now stocking the Tannus and to find out where to get hold of this, visit www.tannus.com.au

Let me start this story from the beginning rather than the (almost) end. I have been bike commuting for many years now and I have always used flat touring pedals with toe clips. Flat pedals by themselves just didn’t allow me to ride confidently enough and I understood the value of keeping my feet on the pedals, so toe clips seemed an obvious solution.

So why didn’t I just use clipless pedals? That’s easy: clip stacks. I heard about them on discussion forums, I heard about them from injured colleagues, and I saw them happen at traffic lights. No thank you, not for me. I could get in and out of my toe clips easily (I didn’t tighten the straps) and, even better, I didn’t have to wear “tap shoes” like my friends did.

“But you don’t have to wear tap shoes, there are ones like sneakers that you can wear all day”, they said. “There are double sided pedals to make it easier to clip in”, they said. “There are pedals with platforms around them for more control when not clipped in”, they said. All true, but not for me, thank you very much. My loose strap toe clips work well enough.

And then I started racing and I raced in clipless pedals, SPD-SLs to be exact. Oh yes, they’re so much better; so very, very much better. I tried commuting in my new clipless pedals and I hated it. Actually, the riding part was great, but the constant in and out was horrible. More than that, it’s dangerous when you have to start up a hill at a set of lights with traffic behind you and you struggle to clip in, or when you have to do an emergency stop and all of your attention is in not hitting something and not what your feet are doing. Yeah, clipless are great, but…clipstacks.

The Click’R Pedals

Shimano’s clipless pedals have been evolving for as long as they’ve been making them and you can see the result of this in the Click’R pedals: they are double sided, they have a wide platform, and they have a pop-up cage. All of these features, and combinations of them, can be seen in other pedals in the SPD range. What is not seen in other SPD pedals is what’s felt, or not felt, in the Click’R pedals, and that’s the 60% less torque required to clip in and out.

Shimano have redesigned the pedal’s retention plate and have used a lighter spring. The new retention plate has a release angle of only 8 degrees, compared to the ~13 degrees of SPDs, which means you’re out of the pedals much quicker when you want to be. This is not to say that these pedals don’t hold your feet on properly, they perform that job perfectly, rather they release when you want them to and also when you need them. I’ll talk about the performance of the pedals a little later because I have to introduce the other part of the system, and that’s the shoes. I will end this section, however, by saying that the Click’R pedals are not an incremental improvement with a new name. With the Click’R pedals, Shimano may have finally made the ideal commuting pedal.

The Click’R Shoes

Like the pedals, the range of shoes that complement the Click’R pedals have features that have been seen before, but not all in one place. This range of shoes is designed to take full advantage of the Click’R pedal design and while you can use your normal SPD shoes with the Click’R pedals, there are many reasons why an upgrade would be worthwhile.

The shoes will take standard SPD cleats as well as SPD multi-directional release cleats and they’ll work with normal SPD pedals. They feature a long and deep cleat well which serves to protect the cleat and guide it into the pedal retention mechanism – more on this later. The shoes are sized well in accordance with the Shimano sizing guide (which makes it easier get the right fit) and they have a generous amount of room in the toe. The shoes are designed for walking in as much as riding in and while they have enough stiffness to transfer power to the pedal, they also have enough give to move around in them all day without changing your gait.

Regardless of any technical features the shoes may have, the best thing about them is the style. These shoes really look good. I’m not one to buy things just for the look of them, provided they’re functional, but it’s nice to have both. All of the shoes in the range look great, but the ones I had (SH-CT40) are perfect sports/casual shoes, suitable for the less formal workplace. I have had many compliments from other cyclists who have seen me riding in them and, when I commute between work campuses, I don’t need to change shoes at the other end.

How They Perform

This is the important part of the review, the stuff you don’t get in sales information or technical data. It doesn’t matter what numbers are quoted about the shoes, if they don’t work they’re useless. The Click’R pedals and shoes work.

The first thing you’ll notice about the shoes (aside from looking good) is that they’re really comfortable to wear and walk in. The first time I used them was to ride out to a road race where I was working as a traffic controller. A twenty kilometer ride there followed by 6 hours of standing in the sun, then 20kms back home, and my feet didn’t hate me. It was just like wearing very broken-in sneakers – I don’t think I’ve ever had shoes that felt that good on the first wearing. They haven’t gotten worse since then either, and I’ve been wearing them on every commute since I got them.

Clipping into the pedals with the Click’R shoes is disturbingly easy, perhaps even a little too easy. The way I clip in to the SPD-SL pedals on my racing bikes is to line the cleat up with the mechanism and push down with the ball of my foot. As expected, this works with the Click’R pedals as well, but it’s not the only way to clip in. It’s a little hard to describe, but basically you can wiggle the cleat into the mechanism from a variety of directions. You put your feet on the pedals, wiggle, hear a scrape of metal on metal and you’re clipped in. I often have to lift my foot up a little just to make sure I’m attached. The best analogy I can think of for this is magnets. Obviously, there are no magnets used here, but that’s what it’s like to clip in with this system. The pedal mechanism attracts the cleat like a magnet attracting a nail – bring the two parts close together and “zap”, they’re attached.

I think this has to do with a combination of the redesigned retention plate, the pop-up cage and the cleat well on the shoes. With these shoes and pedals you don’t need to be clipped in to use the pedals confidently. The pop-up mechanism in the pedals is smaller than the cleat well in the shoes and putting your foot on the pedal, without clipping in, will put the mechanism inside that well. This stops your shoes from sliding around all over the pedal, and puts the cleat so close to the mechanism that clipping in is near automatic.

While clipping in (and out) is very easy, your shoes are still held very firmly to the pedals. I used the multi-directional release cleats and these, coupled with the 8 degree release angle, meant that any foot motion in the plane of the pedal rotation was held, but any motion outside of that resulted in a release. This means that pushing down, pulling up, shoe scrapers, knee thrusters, moon walks or any of the other well known pedaling techniques are confidently held, even when you’re applying serious force. I’m a big guy and I can generate a fair bit of pedaling force, but I have never un-clipped when putting the power on.

Clipping out can be achieved with a traditional heel kick-out or, with the multi-directional release cleats, a number of other angled foot movements. It was a bit of a revelation for me to find out how much I roll my left foot when I’m pedaling. I never unintentionally un-clipped on the right, but I did on the left, until I turned up the tension a little. When I did unintentionally un-clip, my foot didn’t go flying off of the pedal. I would feel my foot un-clip and, without missing a beat, I could wiggle it back into clipped position. That cleat well works a treat, and the wide platform doesn’t hurt either.

At the beginning of this review I talked about clip stacks. I firmly believe that Click’R is the solution. As mentioned, any movement outside of the plane of the pedal (plus 8 degrees) means a release, especially with the multi-directional release cleats. I don’t see how anyone can stay attached to these pedals when they don’t want to be. The natural and unconscious motion of the feet and legs in an emergency situation will release you. They even work in those situations where you have to pull out both feet at the same time because you don’t know which way your bike is going to lean. In those situations you aren’t thinking of how to move your feet, you just move them; with Click’R pedals you will be un-clipped.

I’m completely taken with these pedals and I don’t want to commute in anything else. I even put them on my racing bike when I was trying to get some more training miles on it to and from work, and they felt every bit as good as my racing pedals . You get all of the benefit of clipless pedals without any of the risk, without any of the downsides. Well, almost no downsides.

The Down Side

The shoes aren’t waterproof. That’s it. I can’t find anything else wrong with these pedals or shoes except that. In the hot weather, such as Sydney’s summer, the shoes have enough ventilation on top of the toes to keep your feet relatively cool. On rainy days this ventilation lets the water in. The solution is to either wear booties on wet days, much like every other shoe out there, or learn to enjoy wet feet. That’s all I’ve got. Over a thousand kilometers,  hours of standing and walking, extremes of temperatures, multiple bikes and all I can come up with on the down side is the shoes get wet when it rains.

The Click’R pedal and shoe system look set to become the standard for urban cycling and commuting. They are the ideal commuting setup. Use your SPD-SLs for racing, your SPDs for mountain biking and your Click’Rs for commuting (and the sooner they get widely used, the sooner we can start calling them “clickers” the same way that SPDs are called “spuds”) .

Click’R pedals (the PD-T400′s were reviewed) are available in black or white from Shimano stockists worldwide and they retail for around $50. Click’R shoes (the SH-CT40′s were reviewed) are available in a range of smart styles from wherever you buy the pedals. They retail for around $100. Online info about the Click’R is a bit scarce though you can find your nearest dealer on www.shimano.com.au

Before I begin the review, let me set some context for this bike. Start by imagining the most basic idea of a bike, now put that basic bike in an environment where bikes are considered an essential part of the transport infrastructure, where there are more bikes than cars and where bikes are considered just a faster way of getting around than walking. Further, imagine that the bike’s “natural” predators have be tamed by legislation and common sense. What do you get? You get the Orange Plus Innergy XT – it’s a bike that has evolved, and it’s evolved in one of the most bike friendly countries in the world, the Netherlands. A review such as this would be considered crazy over there, why would someone get so excited about a bike? But here in Australia, this bike is a breath of fresh air and it’s definitely exciting enough to review in depth.

The first thing you will notice about the bike is its style. From front to back it’s a well integrated and thoughtfully designed machine. A quick visual tour around the bike will reveal the name Gazelle stamped on almost everything. This is not a hodge-podge of components thrown on a generic frame with a sticker on it, this is a bike where every part of it has been designed to mesh with every other part. Not only is it a synthesised bike, it’s a synthesised electric bike; the front wheel hub motor, battery and controller are as well integrated as all of the other components; the bike was built to be an electric bike.

After you’ve noticed the whole package, your eyes drill down to the details. Swept back handlebars, big comfortable seat, flat pedals, rear rack, built in lock, full chain guard, integrated lighting, mud guards – it even has a skirt guard! Basically, this is a bike designed to be ridden, and ridden without thinking too much about it. You jump on it wearing whatever you have on and you ride it.

All of the styling and careful design of a bike amounts to nothing if the bike doesn’t ride well. I rode this bike to and from work every day and I rode it on the weekends. Each time I rode it I was wearing whatever I had on, usually jeans, a shirt and sneakers. Essentially I used it the way it was meant to be used, and I did this for over a month, riding with the motor off about half of the time, to get the fullest picture of the way the Innergy performs.

When I set off from my house to work, the road is downhill and it’s very easy to pick up speed on any bike. Without turning the pedals over, I will hit 40 kph before I have to make a left into a slight uphill before heading downhill again to reach speeds around 50kph. After that there’s a sharp stop, several traffic lights, a main road and rolling hills. I present all of this detail to demonstrate the types of terrain I tested this bike on, that is, pretty much all of the common terrains in Australia’s major cities. Weekend rides were around Sydney Olympic Park, which is about as flat an area as you get in Sydney.

It took me about a week of riding to get used to this bike, not because it’s a bad bike to ride, rather because it is so very different to ride compared to a drop bar or a flat bar bike. Once my brain adapted to the differences, I was moving the bike around with as much verve as my regular rides.

The most startling thing about the way this bike rides is how well it handles. I was riding the large version of the bike, which puts me a fair way above the ground. Despite this, the weight of the hubs, the long wheel base and the big tyres meant that this bike handled better than my regular commuter. The centre of gravity of this bike is very low and this means you can take corners at speeds you wouldn’t think about taking them on a racing bike, especially when you’re sitting almost upright. The bike sticks to the ground and responds smoothly. The Innergy is also stable and manoeuvrable at low speeds, so it’s perfect for riding along crowded shared paths. The only time it wasn’t stable was when it was stationary, or very near to it; I couldn’t track stand this bike at all, despite trying the whole time I had it (but that’s just me playing silly buggers).

The suspension seat post and front fork suspension absorb all of the minor bumps in the road and even out parking lot speed humps. The hand grips are comfortable and support the heel of your hand to keep that comfort long term. The internal gears in the Shimano Nexus 7 speed rear hub are changed via the right grip with a twist shift; you can see which gear you’re in through a small window in the shifter. The left grip has a similar form factor to the right, but instead of changing the gear, a twist of the left grip rings the bell. Of all of the cool integrated features of this bike, this one made me smile the most. The roller brake in the back and the v-brake in the front give confident and well modulated stopping power.

Engaging the motor on the bike requires a simple button press on the control panel, accessed with your left thumb. The electrical system goes through a number of quick self-checks before the motor smoothly and definitely kicks in. As per Australian law, this bike is a pedal assist set up, so the motor will only work while you’re pedalling the bike. The Innergy has both torque and cadence sensors, so you don’t need to pedal too hard or fast to get the motor to help you along. The pedal assist cuts out after you’re travelling about 25 kph, so it gets you going, but it’s not a motorbike.

The motor works in three modes: eco, normal and boost. I tended to use only normal and boost; normal for flat riding and boost for the hills. If my journey to work is mostly downhill, it stands to reason that the journey home is uphill, and I found myself using boost quite a lot coming home. According to the specs, the battery will give you about 30 kms worth of constant use in normal mode, but I found I got about 50 km worth of use out of the battery using a mixture of normal and boost. This was because of the 25 kph cut-out; I used the motor to get me started on the flats and then kept the speed in the low 30s where the motor doesn’t operate. The battery recharges in about 3 hours and it doesn’t have memory effects, so I could just plug it in at the end of each journey and have it ready for the next.

One of the counter intuitive things about the Innergy is that you don’t really notice your speed. I spend a lot of time on the bike and I’m pretty attuned to how fast I’m travelling when my legs are turning at a particular rate and I’m in a particular gear. On the Innergy, with the motor on, I’d be turning my legs over at a rate that would have me riding at about 10-15 kph, but a glance at the speed on the control panel would show I was travelling closer to 30!

The motor, in boost mode, really makes a difference on the hills. When I found myself struggling up a slope, a quick press of the button on the control panel and the boost mode kicks in with more power. Having that extra power really flattens the ground out and gave me a good 5 kph over the speeds I take these hills at on my normal commuting bike, and the best bit is that I didn’t have to kill myself to do it – I just pedalled the best I could and the motor did the rest.

The best evidence I can give for the quality of the motor is running it along the street I live in; it’s over a kilometre long, has an average gradient of 12% with a “wonderful” 21% section. Running the motor in boost mode got me home easily up sections around 10 and 12%, but continuing up the street to the 21% section…well, it was slow, but I was able to do it without killing myself, as I normally have to do on my other bikes. Yes, it did require significant effort from both me and the motor, but not nearly as much as it should have. It took me around 6 months to get enough fitness to do that climb on my regular bike, a moderately fit person riding the Innergy could do it first go.

About the only thing I have against the pedal assist system is that the mode switch for the motor is located just below the on off switch for the system, and you only need to touch it to turn it off. There were several times where I felt the wonderful helping hand disappear exactly when I needed it most, much like the hot water all of a sudden being turned off during a shower. If only they made you hold the power button down for a few seconds to turn it off, this would all be avoided -take note Gazelle designers.

Without the motor operating, the Innergy rides very comfortably on the flats, a lot better than I expected. The gear range has enough to get you to some good speeds, but the relaxed nature of bike means you’re not going to be standing and sprinting to get there. Cruising along in the mid 20s is an easily achievable scenario without needing to put too much effort into it or use the motor.

Where I found myself really struggling without the motor was when it came to the hills. Even on the lowest gear it’s hard work. If I were buying this bike to ride in my area, I would be getting a bigger cog on the rear hub, something which is trivial to change but which would make a good bit of difference. Of course, that would knock some off your higher end, but it’s not often you’ll be riding in the highest gear, so a bigger rear cog would give you a much more usable range in Sydney.

A lot of thinking has gone into this bike so that the rider doesn’t have to think about it. Ride with whatever shoes you’ve got on? Check, you can even ride barefoot (don’t ask, it’s a long story). Ride without changing clothes? Check, you don’t even need to roll your pant legs up. Bike lock? Built in. Pump? There’s one that fits into the standard rear rack.

And now we come to the point where I have a bit of a problem with the Innergy; it’s only a minor one that requires some thinking around, but it is a concern. Because of the electric motor and the internal rear hub, taking the wheels off the bike to fix a flat is not something that can be done quickly or easily. What this means is that you will either have to learn how to repair a flat without removing the wheels, learn how to remove and reattach the wheels (it takes a little learning) or you will have to work out some way to transport the bike home. Fortunately, Gazelle have thought about this: firstly, the tyres used, Schwalbe Marathons, are the most puncture resistant tyres available; secondly, in the unlikely event you do need to transport the bike, there is a towbar mounted carrier available that will hold the Innergy for a car ride.

There are simply too many features on this bike to cover in an article like this. You can read more about the Orange Plus Innergy XT on the Gazelle website. What’s not mentioned on the web site, but is worth mentioning, is the dealer servicing of the bike and, importantly, the motor. When you take the bike back to the dealer, they can plug the pedal assist system into their computer and get a complete history of how the motor has been used, how the battery has been performing and can diagnose any problems the system has been having. They can work out how the bike is being used and adjust the power profile to better match the terrain you’re covering. This is exactly what they do when I take my car in for a service and it shows just how far from a “normal” bike the Innergy is.

If you’re ready to take bicycle transport seriously, and if you demand utility, efficiency and style, the Orange Plus Innergy XT is highly recommended. It’s not a cheaply hacked together bike shaped object, it’s a well constructed and thought out vehicle; the Orange Plus Innergy XT is a genuine car replacement option. It’s available in a variety of sizes and in men’s and women’s models. At $3000, it’s well priced to recoup its purchase price in insurance, registration, parking and fuel costs within months.

There are Gazelle Innergy dealers across Australia, specialised bicycle shops who sell and service these eBikes. Gazelle bicycles are imported into Australia by Gazelle Australia.

Title photo by Stuart Low.

In releasing their first action cam, Sony build on their strong background and their ability to innovate. Shortly after their new Action Cam was launched in Australia, I was able to secure a unit for reviewing on Bicycles Network Australia. As you read this review, you shouldn’t be surprised that GoPro are referred to frequently. They essentially created the market of relatively affordable cameras that are compact, simple to use and extremely durable – they’re the benchmark. With that in mind, let’s have a good look at this new contender.

The Sony Action Cam as a Bike Camera
BNA is a bike site, so we are looking at this camera specifically for cycling. To me, cycling means both on road and off-road, vibrations and bumps, camera mounted on the head, the forks, the stem and the handlebars – everywhere you are most likely to use and mount the camera. It comes with a durable waterproof case, so I was encouraged to get it wet as well. Slow moving footage and fluid video? No way! -  fast moving footage with bumps and shakes; I wanted to put the camera to the test.

The Action Cam Close Up
The Sony Action Cam, without the case, is light and compact. Unfortunately, the camera doesn’t stand up on its base; when it’s on your desk, it lies on its side. Since the lens can’t be rotated like a Contour camera, it means that the Sony camera is really only practical for filming while mounted or in the waterproof case.

Lying on its side, the base of the camera is accessible and has a door which conceals a USB port, microphone port, HDMI jack, an ‘expansion connector’ and a light to show charging. I only used the USB port which let me charge the camera and mount the camera onto my computer to transfer files, though there was no simultaneous charging and mounting.

The battery and memory card are accessed from the rear of the unit and are quite straight forward. Out of the box, the camera comes with two batteries, a 4GB SD Memory card, desktop charger and universal mount adapter. The camera I reviewed (the HDR-AS15K) had an microSD 8GB memory card which extended my recording time, at the highest resolution, from 30 minutes to just over 60 minutes.

Camera Navigation and Control
The Action Cam presents the budding film maker with three buttons: next and prev are on the side, situated close to an LED screen; and the record button is on the rear. The tactile feedback of the buttons and knowing that a button has been pressed is reassuring. The three buttons offer a slight edge in navigation over two button cameras, but still require a bit of learning to navigate into menus, change settings and navigate back. The LED on screen info was quite intuitive for the main settings and functions.

The manual for the camera comes as a large sheet of paper with a schematic diagram of the menu and function structure. Truth be told, it’s pretty scary. While you can still try to learn intuitively, to get the most out of the camera and all of its settings, it is worth reviewing.

Waterproof Case and Mounting
Sports action cameras owe a lot of their appeal to their durable waterproof cases. On a bike you can’t always guarantee dry weather, so waterproofing makes sense and further, it protects the camera from dust and knocks. The Sony waterproof case feels tough and durable. It has a rather clever latch for the front door (and lens cover) that opens and closes easily and provides a good seal. The front cover isn’t hinged, rather it’s connected to the main housing with a thin plastic strip which I found detached itself at times. It was a shock the first time it happened as I am particularly careful in protecting the lenses from scratches and dust. When the camera is inside the waterproof case, you are limited to only the record button to control the camera, so you have to remove it if you want to change settings ,or use a smart phone to connect wirelessly.

The waterproof case accommodates a screw in clip that can be clipped onto adhesive mounts. For biking, I completely avoid this type of mount and relied instead on the Sony handlebar mount which can be purchased separately. This mount comes with different sized rubber inserts to accommodate different handlebar diameters and screws tightly with an allen key. The camera can then be attached and screwed on with the integrated ‘screw wheel’ which is reliable and tight.

Once in place, the Sony handlebar mount can be tilted or, by loosening the screw wheel, the camera can be reversed and easily tightened by hand. The handlebar mount has the camera on top of the handlebars, which this is fine for commuting or road cycling, but on the mountain bike I like to keep the top of the handlebars free of any electronic equipment that can be damaged if I take a tumble. As such I mounted the handlebar mount (and therefore the camera) up-side-down, though the allen key screw is tougher to reach from underneath between the gear and brake cables. If there is a tumble, however, the camera is better protected, plus it’s ‘out of the way’ for normal riding.

It is worth noting that the Bike handlebar mount works exceptionally well, it is sturdy and doesn’t seem to suffer from flex and vibration that other brand mounts tend to exhibit. It would be possible to use this as a generic mount for any camera’s that have camera screw on the base, though worth testing to ensure it fastens securely.

An alternative mount is the head mount accessory which is purchased separately. For this mount the waterproof case is not used, which makes it a conveniently light camera, lighter than many other action cameras. It doesn’t, however, work with a normal bike helmet, so on the bike the head mount is only practical with a full face helmet or a skater type helmet.

Because the waterproof camera case accepts a camera screw for mounting, it opens up creative possibilities for DIY mounts and 3rd party mounts to get different angles. That said, the camera prefers to film upright as the lens can’t be rotated, although most video editing software can rotate the footage to compensate. While the shape of Sony Action Cam means that it mounts well with the handlebar and head mount, it isn’t well suited to a chest mount.

Wifi Connection
Connecting wirelessly to a camera via a smart phone is a must these days, and the Sony Action Cam can be used with Sony’s PlayMemories app, which is available for iPhone, iPad and Android. The setup, however, is difficult and after following the instructions that were provided to my by Sony, I headed online and with the help of Google found instructions that guided me through the Wifi setup.

The app is wonderful when it works. I set it up on my iPhone and after pairing my phone and the camera, and connecting to the wireless network of the Sony camera, I could see live video from the viewfinder. The interface allows you to switch between video and photo mode and record directly. Setting the shot via the smart phone is incredibly handy as is the ability to start and stop recording.

From within the app the field of vision can be changed between 120° and 170°, the resolution/frame rate changed, and steady shot video stabilisation toggled on or off. Because the smart phone interface is so much bigger it would be a real advantage to able to adjust all of the camera settings from the app. In using the app, however, I had frequent problems; often the camera wouldn’t appear or would drop out so I couldn’t connect. Even with my phone next to the camera there were frequent connection stability problems to the point of having a serious lag when pressing record; at times the camera never got the message.

When I asked Sony about this they informed me that the PlayMemories App has been updated and this has been resolved. By this time, however, I no longer had the camera to be able to test and confirm.

Sound, Camera and Action
Many of the camera tests comparing the Sony Action Cam with other brands, such as the GoPro Hero and Contour, compare stationary or slow, hand held footage. Cycling is tougher on the cameras; not only is there faster movement, there are also bumps and vibration that make it challenging for any camera to record clean footage. For testing, I was joined by John Hawkins to mountain bike on sandy and rocky Sydney trails. We choose a bright sunny day to test the Sony. Filming at 1920×1080 resolution, the quality of the footage was influenced by the amount of sudden movements, speed and detail of the surroundings. The higher the speed, the more bumps and movement, and the more detailed the surroundings, the less detailed the footage was. All action cameras in this market segment have the same limitations.

Watch the Sony Action Cam Cross Country MTB video in full resolution

The Sony Action Cam, with Sony’s “Steady Shot” technology, has noticeably improved stability, creating a much smoother video. In comparing this directly with the GoPro Hero2, the Sony footage also showed more detail. While both cameras operated well with sun and shadow contrasts, the Sony footage was noticeably paler in colour than the Hero2.

In the moving footage, the Sony was more detailed and had a higher contrast, while the freeze framed footage was softer and more attractive on the GoPro. The Sony didn’t deal with direct sunlight as well as the GoPro, being more susceptible to lens flare and less accurate light balance.

Watch the Sony Action Cam and GoPro Hero2 comparison in full resolution

The ability to change the field of vision to from 120° to 170° is nice and when mounted on the handlebars, I preferred the wider angle. The Sony footage has less fish eye lens distortion compared with the GoPro Hero2 (though the Hero3 probably reduces this).

During filming, the GoPro Hero2 camera heated up and the inside of the casing started to fog relatively quickly while the Sony resisted this, even though the Action Cam recorded for longer during our testing. The GoPro importer suggest that their recently released GoPro Hero3 (Silver) would provide a better comparison, however they were not available for testing.

The Sony was a little “louder” during our filming; though it fits snugly in the waterproof case, it seems seems to have some room to play, so some padding inside the case would probably eliminate movement and noise.

The handlebar mount from Sony was the best branded handlebar mount I have tested. It was constructed to be solid and stable and reduces micro-vibration that could cause rolling shutter. The chest mounted position for action cams is quite popular as it eliminates the vibration of the bike and movement of the head to provide relatively consistent footage. The shape of the Sony, however, rules out this option, but the camera screw mount makes it more easily adaptable.

Recording Modes and Runtime
Filming at the highest resolution (HQ 1920×1080 at 30fps) gave about 65 minutes recording time which filled the 8GB SD card and also coincided with the battery run time. For 1280×720 at 30fps (STD, standard resolution), I got 140 minutes recording time (6.8 GB) before the battery was empty. The Super Slow (SSLOW) mode records at 1280×720 with 120fps and recorded for about 43 minutes, which gives a playback time at 30fps of about 170 minutes of slow motion footage (albeit with no audio in slow recording modes).

The SLOW mode records at 1280×720 (60fps) and the VGA mode an old fashioned 640×480. This will obviously deliver a much longer runtime (pending battery charge) however, if recording time was an issue, it would be easier to use a second battery and a larger memory card. The battery recharges in about four hours.

It’s a Wrap
Practice makes perfect and it’s a matter of taking the time and testing to see which recording modes and settings work best for your purposes. As its first Action Cam, Sony has done its homework and holds its ground. You will be able to generate quality footage and, while the Sony is not miles ahead of the competition, it doesn’t lag behind.

The general operation of the Sony is good and, if the WiFi issues are resolved as reported in the latest PhotoMemories App update, it then really comes down to personal preference in choosing a sports action camera for biking. With the inbuilt WiFi, the Sony Action Cam beats the GoPro Hero2 on hands down price; the Hero2 requires the additional WifiBack pack (~ $99). On price and specifications the Sony Action Cam competes with the GoPro Hero 3 Silver Edition.

The Sony Action Cam is available in most electronics stores and retails for $369. Make sure you’re getting the HDR-AS15K version with WiFi, as there is also a version without WiFi (HDR-AS10) and version without the accessories (HDR-AS15). The Sony camera is being promoted with the Weekend Lives On (WLO) campaign which is a community website where you can upload your awesome footage and photos.

More details and specs for the Sony Action Cam.

The Ferei BL200 is one of the most recent entrants into this race and, at a recommended retail price of $229, is outstanding value for money. At a claimed 1600 lumens, it generates enough output to paralyse possums and fry feral rabbits around my local trails. While there is a defined hotspot, there is enough beam spread to be comfortable on all but the tightest of twisty trails.

The light head comprises two Cree XM-L T6 LEDs in a robust weather-resistant aluminium housing with one of the most nicely engineered tool-free handlebar mounts I’ve seen. Moulded rubber inserts are included in three different thicknesses to provide a snug fit across a wide variety of bars. The thinnest was a perfect fit for my Easton 31.8 mm mountain bike riser bars. So far there has been no slippage at all, despite using them on some sketchy, rough trails.

The included sealed battery is a compact 7.2V 4400mAh Li-Ion unit, and is supplied in a colour to match the anodised head unit. It comes with a rubber pad moulded in to the body to prevent frame scuffing, though, for riding in the dirt, I recommend applying some clear tape or Frameskin material to your frame first.

Besides the nominal 1600 lumen high beam, it has a tunable low-beam mode and a choice of three flashing modes. High beam is the default, a second click of the button drops the beam to low, and a third turns it off. Flash mode is engaged by starting with the unit turned off and holding down the power switch for a couple of seconds. A small LED flashes to indicate battery charge level and the high beam run time easily surpasses the claimed hour-and-thirty minutes.

As a commuter, it was reassuring to have flashing lights this powerful. I was concerned about not having the ability to aim the BL200′s at inattentive drivers, like you can do with helmet mounted lights, but so far my experience has, overwhelmingly, been that drivers not only notice you, but are more courteous than if you were driving a car.

In flash mode, my previous experience with a high-end Cateye “look at me” type flasher, was that drivers would either not register your presence or, more usually, seem to take the view that “it’s only a bike” and pull out in front of you anyway. With this amount of photonic grunt, drivers both notice you earlier and treat you with respect. The BL200s give you real “presence” on the road, even if you use them during the day.

One potential consequence of so much light output is blinding other cyclists; I’ve had to be careful to avoid using high beam when crossing the Sydney Harbour cycleway after dark, despite having the BL200s head unit pointed a couple of degrees below horizontal. Flash mode seems to be acceptable to oncoming cyclists with no complaints against them vocalised to date, unlike my usual Ay-Up V4s which used to regularly get grumpy comments from the commuter brigade.

The BL200s functionality would be improved for trail use by separating the on/off switch from the mode switch. While most experienced mountain bike riders would be likely to have a separate helmet light when out on the trails, it would be better not to have to pass through “off” before getting high beam again. I also found myself getting confused on a couple of occasions, inadvertently entering low beam adjustment mode when I really wanted flash mode. With time and practice this would be less of an issue.

This brings me to the subject of beam spread. One of the issues I experienced on the fast, tight, descending switchbacks at the Mont 24 this year was the serious tunnel vision effect from my Ay-Ups. Due to the narrow beam, the bar light would point off into space instead of down the trail, and I’d have to use the helmet unit to fill in the gap in front of my front tyre, instead of looking further around the corner. This meant slowly “tippy-toeing” around the corners with the Ay-Ups, riding the brakes hard instead of flowing, all contributing to mental fatigue and really not enjoying the sections of track that had me hooting and whooping at race speed during the day.

For mountain biking, the BL200s are a vast improvement over the Ay-Ups, and if the beam had a little less hotspot and only a little bit more beam spread without the sharp cutoff at the edge, they would have gone from being very good to just about perfect. For road commuting, the Ferei BL200s are exceptional.

I’ll be shopping for new lights very soon and these are definitely on the short list. As a mountain biker, teaming these lights on the bar with a B5 680 lumen light on your helmet will give you a sub-$400 setup that’s competitive with products twice the price.

Pros:
Beam throw is outstanding
Solid, stable tool free mount
Light and small setup
“Dude, get off my road!” flash mode, even in the day
Outstanding value for money for recreational mountain bikers and commuters

Cons:
Would have preferred a wider beam spread for off-road race use

The Ferei BL200s are available in black, red, blue, and gold/yellow from Ferei Australia for $229.

I’m never going to win any sort of award for (good) style, but I do need to look presentable for work, and when I venture between work sites I prefer to ride. For me this means putting my carefully rolled work shirt, pants and shoes into my panniers and riding in my lycra (for long distances, anyway). I get where I need to go, lock my bike up, freshen up and change – but then I’ve got to carry my panniers around with me for the rest of the day. My touring panniers, while great for touring, basically look like Santa sacks and they’re certainly not something that are easy to carry. I was desperate for something that looked good on and off the bike.

Timbuk2 seem to specialise in solving these sorts of problems. The Goody Box and Shift Pannier Messenger bags that we recently reviewed are great examples of this, but for me the Tandem Panniers fit the bill. As the photos show, the Timbuk2 Tandem Panniers are conjoined bags and require a rear rack to carry them. You can tell they were made by people who understand cycling, and it’s in the little details that this is shown. Firstly, the bags are stitched to the joining piece at an angle, which means that they’re tilted back slightly when they sit on the rack. This gives you clearance for your feet so you don’t get “heel strike” against the panniers while riding. The bags also have a small rear reflective strip on each side, which are quite inconspicuous until light is shone on them, but these strips are also “loops” that allow you to mount small rear lights on each pannier. You probably won’t need these, however, since the bags sit with a low profile on the racks, which both lowers the centre of gravity and allows your seatpost mounted lights to be seen quite clearly. Little touches, but they make things so much more convenient.

When you get to the end of your trip you pull the panniers off the bike and “clink”, the two halves join together with a magnet and you have a single two sided bag. The joining piece tucks neatly and invisibly between them and you can carry the bag either by the handles or by attaching a shoulder strap. The magnet holds it all together quite well and it takes a bit of intervention to get them apart to reattach them to the bike. It’s not a hassle though, far from it, since it means that your panniers now look something like a Gladstone bag. There have been many times when I’ve walked into an office and been asked if I had caught the train in that day, basically because they couldn’t see anything “cycling” about me (though they all know I cycle). I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but it does make me look a little more professional (though I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, either).

I guess by now you want the tech specs, but they’re best viewed on Timbuk2′s website. On it you’ll also find the dimensions for the laptops that the panniers can carry as well. According to the sales literature, the tandem panniers can carry up to a 15″ laptop, though I didn’t try this out. Inside each bag is the main compartment, which takes up most of the space, and a pocket at the rear of each bag, which I believe is where they suggest you carry your laptop. There is no extra padding in this section, so you would probably want to encase your laptop in a protective sleeve before putting it in.

The material the panniers are made from is waterproof, but the panniers themselves are noted to be weather resistant. The contents of the bags are protected by the main flap on each one, but water could get in if the rain was coming at the wrong angle. The internal compartment can be drawn smaller at the top, but this won’t cover all weather contingencies. Given that, I have ridden with these panniers in the rain and didn’t have any problems with water getting in. I have a couple of plastic bags in there just in case, however. I won’t be riding with these through rivers, so I don’t even think about it if it rains – they haven’t let me down yet.

Despite using these every day for the past 6 months (with every intention of using them for all of my commutes until they wear out), there is a catch. Actually, the lack of a catch, or I should say too much catch – let me explain. The panniers did not have any mounting instructions with them when they arrived, nor did their web site that I could see. You wouldn’t think that mounting panniers would be a problem (I’ve been using other panniers for years), but I was a bit confused. There are velcro straps on top of the joining strip – are you meant to attach these to the rack or is there a clip somewhere that I can’t see? I searched YouTube and found a Timbuk2 video of how to mount these panniers and it’s done using hooks.

The panniers have, on the back of each bag, an elastic strap with a thin metal hook on the end. According to the video, you put the bags over the rack (that was always obvious) and you attach the hooks to the chain stays on each side of your bike. If you just raised one eyebrow and made a strange noise, then you’ll understand my similar reaction when I saw that. I thought, however, that these guys obviously know what they’re doing and so I went ahead and mounted it exactly like they suggested. Going downhill out of my front door was fine, but on turning left and heading uphill I quickly found the panniers had shifted back and the hook on one side had come off and lodged itself in my spokes. I’m glad this happened as I was starting to accelerate after a hard turn since the sudden stopping of the back wheel almost caused me to crash. I thought I had done something wrong when I mounted the panniers, but having a look around on the Timbuk2 site I found that many other users had a similar experience. Either the hooks went into the wheels or the panniers simply slid off the back of the rack and onto the road.

The solution to this was simple – remove the hooks and use the velcro straps to hold the panniers to the rack. Apparently these straps are meant to hold items on the top of the rack, which is a great idea, but they now also stop the panniers falling off. Fortunately, I had the ability to do that on my rack, but I have seen racks where you can’t do that and I don’t know how you would mount them in that case. I asked Timbuk2 about this and they acknowledged a problem and have re-designed the mounting. I haven’t seen the modified design, but I was impressed that (a) a company would keep negative consumer feedback on their site and (b) they respond positively to that feedback. So not only do they make good looking bags, they try to make the bags suit the consumer. Timbuk2 also offer a “lifetime guarantee” on the materials and workmanship, use ethically treated labour and have a bag recycling program which will get you 20% off of your next Timbuk2 bag.

After using these daily for six months, they still look great and they’re holding up very well despite being put on and taken off at least twice a day (usually more). If you have to carry a bit of kit around with you while you’re off the bike and you want to do it with a bit of a casually professional look, then this bag is for you. If this isn’t your thing, then Timbuk2 probably have a bag that will suit you and solve your carrying problems. I’ve been impressed by both the bag and the company and I’ll be looking at their range when I’m next in need of a good cycling specific bag (though I think that may be some time off, since it will take a while to wear this one out).

The Tandem Panniers retail for around US$129. Timbuk2 bags are available through your local bike shop, or give the importer, Phoenix Leisure Group, a call on (02) 9552 6900 or send them an email: info@plg.com.au

When you take the Blinder 4V out of its packaging it looks and feels like a well thought-out, well-designed little unit. Built from polycarbonate and aluminium, the Blinder 4V feels solid.  A lot of small lights feel too light or “plasticy” and the tabs or clips are prone to breaking.  The Blinder has an integrated rubber strap and steel clip that looks like it’ll grab onto nearly anything. Knog says that it suits 22-32mm diameter tubing and I found that the rounder the tube, the better the fit. For undersized or oversized tubes, or odd-shaped tubing, it is more difficult to get a fit, though the rubber strap still allows for more flexibility that many generic lights.  Knog are doing their bit for the environmental as well using fully recyclable packaging and enviro-friendly printing inks.

The Blinder 4V is, like many of Knog’s lights, a one-button affair; long-press on, short-press to cycle modes, long-press off again.  This button is at the back of the unit, towards the top and you have to stretch the strap a little to move the unit clear of the seat post to operate it. This means that turning it on or off, or changing the flashing sequence is a task best performed when you have stopped and not while riding.

We reviewed KNOG Blinder lights earlier this year which had the same USB charging function as the 4V. Once it’s off the bike, the USB plug flips out from behind the clip area.  Given the bulk of the light, it won’t fit all USB ports.  Low fixed ports could prove troublesome, as you have to turn the light upside down to insert it.  Using a short USB extender cable would solve any problems, but you may not always have one on hand.

There is an LED next to the switch to indicate charging, full, or low battery.  It is very small, so it’s probably worth checking every few trips to make sure it’s not in need of a charge.

The Blinder on the Road
For my first ride I mounted the blinder on a 27.2mm seat post and rode home at dusk.  It was obvious that this was a brighter, more visible rear light than my usual Superflash knock-off light. If you glance behind you can see the Blinder 4V lighting up your bike’s back wheel, parked cars and the road around you. This is a BRIGHT light.

My usual dusk/dark commute rear facing lighting consists of the Superflash knock-off light on the seat post, a single-LED blinky on the seat stay and a helmet-mounted LED blinky. When it’s very dark I run a 4-LED flashing light on my backpack, too.  I’ve had comments from other cycle commuters about the level of lighting being very effective.  Never have I felt under-lit.

On my first ride with the Blinder 4V I had a driver stop and say “Wow, that’s an effective light!” Knog note that the light has an inbuilt 15-degree mount angle which means that the light unit is angled to point directly behind rather than down towards the road (at the same angle as the seat tube).  In practice the angle of change is minimal, though it is a nice thought.  The light mounts such that it’s not pointing in driver’s eyes, however.  This is a light that could easily distract other road users if it was poorly mounted.

The light has 5 modes: solid, fast flash, organic flash 1 (‘heartbeat’), organic flash 2 and eco-flash.  I used it on fast flash and organic flash 1. The run time on for the eco-flash mode is claimed to be 50 hours, which is plausible given that it only fires two LEDs at a time.

The rubber strap seems a little counter-intuitive to install at first, being a ‘hook through and fold back around’ arrangement, but it felt solid.  Even so, I can’t help but think there was a small risk of catching baggy shorts on the clip and becoming unbuckled, though this didn’t happen during the time I was testing.  Should it undo on the run, there’s no safety net.  Given the length of the strap, the seat post or seat tube are the only options for mounting this light.  A low mounted saddle bag or short rise post may mean that this light won’t find a suitable mounting location on your bike, so ensure you have space first.

The Blinder 4V is small, light, and unobtrusive enough to be left in place all the time, though it also can be quickly removed, which is recommended if you leave your bike locked up in a public space. The waterproofing is rated at IP66 (dust sealed, strong jets of water with limited ingress), so it should stand up to being doused with water from your back wheel or a rain shower.

Consider buying the Blinder 4V if:

• You want compact brightness
• You want to swap lights between bikes often without removing mounts
• You want a less generic, better looking light

The KNOG Blinder 4V retails for $49.95 RRP and is available from KNOG online as well as in the many bicycle shops that carry this brand.

The Bike2Power LightCharge USB charger is designed to work with a dynohub putting out 6 to 12V AC and supplies a regulated 5V DC up to 250mA through a standard USB connector. The LightCharge consists of the unit itself with integrated cable and a bunch of cable ties for attaching it to the frame.

The unit is remarkably compact compared to similar devices I’ve seen and used; not much bigger in diameter than a 50 cent piece. It has two push buttons to toggle between using the unit to charge via the USB port or to direct all the power to standard dynamo lights – in effect switching the charging facility on or off. The buttons are weatherproofed by a soft plastic cover. LEDs indicate which switch position has been selected.

The USB port is the standard size and has a cover to keep out dirt and water when it is not in use. When a USB plug is inserted it is a snug fit, but one should position the unit carefully to minimise the chance of water getting in or the plug shaking loose.  Placing the port horizontally would possibly be the best option.

The back of the unit has a plastic mounting block that is concave to fit on to most standard diameter tubes or handlebars. There are slots in the block for cable ties to secure it to the frame. As an example, I mounted the LightCharge on the underside of  the handlebars,  underneath the Garmin mount.

A three core cable comes out of the unit which is  long enough to run all the way down the forks to the dynohub. Two of these wires connect to the dynohub. If you have a Shimano dynohub the bare wires attach straight into the Shimano connector. If you have a Schmidt dynohub (as I do) you need to terminate the wires with spade connectors (not supplied). The third wire is terminated with a crimp joiner. The idea is to crimp the open end onto the wire leading to your headlight.

My setup is a bit different to the usual. First of all I don’t like having two sets of wires running down the fork. So instead I have a kind of extension cord running from the dynohub to the top of the forks that terminates with spade connectors the same as on the dynohub. Also, I like to run my lights all the time and the dynohub can run my lights and charge my Garmin at the same time. So instead of connecting the third wire to my headlights, I wired the headlights in parallel with the LightCharge. If I want to disconnect the LightCharge so it does not draw power, I use its switch as an on/off switch. If I want to run the LightCharge with full power, I can simply switch off the headlights.

For my first ride I just threw the unit into my handlebar bag and grabbed a retracting USB cable with a mini-B end to connect the LightCharge to my Garmin Edge 705. I set out along the Main Yarra Trail and Diamond Creek Trail towards Diamond Creek. These trails are largely unsealed and a bit bumpy so a good test for the mechanical connections. The LightCharge worked as advertised; the LED indicated correctly the switch setting and kept the Garmin charged while I also had the lights running.

I once calculated that the Garmin draws about 0.3W or one tenth of the dynohub output which is why I can run  the lights and keep the Garmin charged at the same time. Other devices may draw more power so this might not work for them. Also, keeping the Garmin topped up is one thing but recharging it is another thing altogether. I did a rough test where I allowed the Garmin to discharge about one third (the only gauge of this is a picture on the screen so it’s hard to be precise). With the LightCharge connected and headlights off I rode around and after about 2.5 hours gentle riding the Garmin was almost fully charged. This should give you the idea that fast recharging from a dynohub is not to be expected. One thing I did not test was recharging from completely flat. From experience, this is not usually very successful and the Garmin certainly wont operate until some minimum charge level is reached. In those situations you are better off recharging it with a PowerMonkey or equivalent.

A slight digression here for Garmin owners. The Garmin is quite picky about the type of USB cable you use. Basically, depending on how the pins are set up, it will decide if it is connected to a charger or connected to a computer. If it thinks it’s connected to a computer, even if only charging, it wont record your ride or show your data. Alas, my retracting cable was not set up properly and partway through the ride the Garmin switched into “computer” mode. Luckily I had also brought a proper Garmin cable just in case. I preferred the compactness of the retracting cable but I really wanted to record the ride and see the data. A quick cable change and all was well.

The LightCharge is compact and lightweight. The standard USB port makes it more versatile than units that use proprietary connectors, and it’s switchable so you can be sure your lights work when you need them or you can charge with full power if you want. Just be careful how you mount the unit to keep the USB port protected from the elements when it is in use.

The LightCharge Hub Dynamo USB charger is available for purchase online from Bike2Power for $67.95 (USD)

The Quad Lock Deluxe Kit is an iPhone mounting system for bikes that includes a bike mount plus two wall mounts. We reported on the Quad Lock when it was part of the Kickstarter crowd funding portal and in January this project attracted double the funding required to make it a reality. Now we get to test the real product. In this article I’m concentrating on the bike mount, although the Quad Lock system provides versatility for mounting (with the other mounts using the same case) to flat surfaces such as walls or the car dashboard.

The Quad Lock Case
The supplied case was an excellent fit for both the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4. It will not fall off accidentally. In fact, the first few times you try it, you’ll find the Quad Lock case exhibits a strong desire to remain attached to your phone. I see this as a great endorsement for the quality of manufacture and expect that this will translate into excellent durability of the system.

The case also has a low profile and is therefore fairly well suited to permanent use. The hard plastic will protect the glass back and, unlike silicone covers, it allows you to slide your phone in and out of pockets easily. I mention this because one advantage of silicone/rubber based cases is their shock absorption properties. The solid Quad Lock case won’t provide that kind of protection, so it needs a trustworthy fit and a firm locking system.

The Mounting System
The Quad Lock bike mount can be attached to the stem by the supplied rubber O-rings (as shown above). On my bike I found this to be just slightly too loose for my preference and utilised zip-ties instead. Once firmly tightened, the whole system provided a very solid connection between phone and bike.

Attaching and removing the case from the mount could not be simpler or quicker. Push down, twist and it is locked in. The spring loaded locking mechanism seems impossible to open by accident. The supplied wall mount works just as quickly and easily, however it forgoes the spring loaded lock and the phone can be removed simply by twisting. I personally haven’t found a great use for the wall mounts, but I can’t imagine another method that would be simpler to use.

Other Thoughts
If you’re using your iPhone on a bike, you need to decide if the benefits are worth the risk of damage. In the event of a crash I can see my expensive iPhone being scratched, at best, or at worst destroyed. With the Quad Lock, the screen is not protected from the asphalt or the rain, which was a concern at times. There are other products on the market which provide a full plastic case, however the trade-off is usually a less secure and less elegant look.

Our concerns may soon be answered however, with the future release of the “Quad Lock Poncho” which is intended to provide both damage and rain protection. It should be worth a look.

The Verdict
This is not the cheapest bike mount you can buy, however to date I haven’t found one cheaper that matches the elegance and efficiency of the Quad Lock, at least not one that secures my phone so reassuringly. The Quad Lock cover is compact enough that you can leave it on your phone permanently. If you’re happy with having your phone a little exposed while riding, the system will do exactly what it’s supposed to do, quickly and quietly.

You can get the Quad Lock online for US$69.95 which includes free shipping to Australia.