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endura urban luminite 3 in 1 jacket ii

endura urban luminite three-in-one jacket

cycling in winter is all about decisions, augmented by a smidgeon of forward planning. neither of those are aspects of velocipedinal life with which i find myself comfortable, but, in order to minimise discomfort and, occasionally, the first strains of hypothermia, it has been necessary to become familiar with at least a few aspects of the art. thus, when choosing the apparel du jour for the sunday ride, i have often found myself hedging my bets. only yesterday morning, having chosen jersey and bibs, i provided myself with three jacket options, while a fourth resided at the back of my mind.

on new year's eve, xc weather forecast no rain whatsoever across the whole day, yet it was already raining prior to the grand départ, and continued to do so until shortly before reaching the safety of a double-egg roll and soya latte. thankfully, delayed starts during the festive holiday allowed the luxury of appraising the situation and being thus prepared. sunday morning rides, however, commence a tad earlier, making it necessary to complete my choices by the previous evening.

and it's not only garmentage that is subject to choice. on returning from saturday's ride, i cleaned the chain and wiped down the frame on the ritchey, ready for sunday morning, one which dawned cold, calm and decidedly frosty, possibly not ideal for narrow(ish) 28mm tyres. so i switched to the 'cross bike, a velocipede currently wearing a pair of pirelli's finest 37mm winter tyres; presumably ideal for the conditions underfoot. which thermal jacket to wear was gauged in the process of removing the crux from the bike shed.

the benevolent parts of the above processes, are the options to change my mind. as i have repeated to the point of cliché, all we're doing is riding round in circles before heading home for a shower and some lunch. changing one's mind may prove a bit less convenient if commuting to work, where there's more likely to be a specific schedule to be observed. if i've opted for the 'wrong' jacket on any given sunday morning, it would scarcely be too much of a travesty to nip home and change to another. given the nature of our circular perambulations, i could easily meet up with my cohorts en-route.

if i had need of arriving at the office at a designated time, adding to my travelling time might be a touch less pragmatic.

in that case, it's not too hard to see that something more versatile in the jacket department would be of great advantage, given that the mode of dress 'neath the weatherproofing might not be subject to change on a whim. which is why, had tolkien's lord of the rings been alternatively titled, lord of the jackets, endura's urban luminite three-in-one jacket would probably be the jacket to rule them all.

the luminite part of the name is garnered from the large reflective panels on front and back which endeavour to dazzle motorists whenever their headlights catch them in their beams. the urban part is the bit where mere escapees from the peloton turn green with envy. the jacket's outer shell is fully waterproof and breathable, fashioned as it is from exoshell20, with fully-taped internal seams. it features a decent sized hood that can be fitted over a winter cap, but under a helmet. there are two enormous inner pockets, easily capable of carrying spare gloves, a mini-pump and even one or two inner tubes should that prove necessary. or, given its commuter designation, you could probably pop in a couple of falafel and spinach wraps for lunch.

there are also two zipped handwarmer pockets on the front, a concealed chest pocket in which to carry a phone, wallet, keys or coffee shop loyalty card. there is also a zipped ventilation flap under each arm in case your efforts outstrip the jacket's breathability. the full-length front zip is protected by double storm flaps, while the hood can be tightened by two cords at collar height. if that were all that was on offer, you would be within your rights to query why i would dare consider this to be the ruler of all jackets.

the crowning glory, however, is the augmentation of such weatherproofing, with a removable primaloft gilet inside the jacket. unlike many others, the gilet does not zip into the outer shell; there are three endura urban luminite three-in-one jacket loops sewn into the gilet to correspond with a fastener at each side and one at the collar. the gilet also features two zipped front pockets of its very own. i cannot deny that during my december perambulations, i did not once remove the gilet, on the basis that the temperatures were scarcely above four degrees at any given time. however, i did frequently opt not to fasten the gilet into the jacket, allowing me to keep it on while in the process of supping froth. the odd part, and a point on which i have frequently castigated endura, is that they have taken the time and trouble to sew in three loops to marry both parts of the jacket, yet failed to offer collar loops on either, to allow jacket or gilet to be hung on a coat peg at home or in the office.

on a commuter jacket, this is a tad disappointing.

however, in use, the luminite jacket is absolutely superb. until new year's day, there were lashings of precipitation, more than enough to satisfy the intrepid reviewer, though probably not for those for whom commuting was still necessitous. in order to replicate some sort of a commute, i spent a week riding from home to debbie's each and every day, a round trip of approximately 33km. not only did i remain completely dry on each occasion, i was commendably warm, thanks to the superb, internal gilet. if the journey proved too cosy, it was no trouble to leave the gilet unzipped and open the under-arm vents.

i am generally not much in favour of hooded jackets, particularly those on which the hood forms a non-removable part. this is principally on the basis that, when looking rearwards, it's not uncommon for the hood to endura urban luminite three-in-one jacket remain where it is, obscuring a decent rear-view. however, in the interest of providing a comprehensive review, i spent several wind-strafed and wet kilometres with the hood up. the protection it afforded was little short of superb, and though i struggled to find the adjustment-cords while riding to pull it closer to my face, a bit of pre-ride preparation and familiarisation would soon sort that out.

i'm not in the habit of riding in the dark, simply because i don't have to, nor do i want to. however, the large reflective panels are likely to provide additional safety along with the requisite front and rear bicycle lights. if cycle-commuting is part and parcel of the daily grind, endura's urban luminite jacket ought to be top of your 'wish list'. rarely has a predominantly functional cycling garment proved quite so impressive. but then, based in scotland, endura have over 25 years of experience with serious amounts of rainfall, experience they're putting to good use on our behalf.

endura's urban luminite three-in-one jacket ii is available in sizes ranging from small to xxxl (medium size reviewed). it can be purchased in black/grey or hi-viz yellow/grey at a recommended retail cost of £159.99, a price that will repay itself in a matter of weeks.

endura urban luminite three-in-one jacket ii

monday 4 january 2021

in with the new

i doubt that it will come as much of a surprise to learn that i own a record player. i forget the make, but it's similar to those little dansette players of yesteryear, with a hinged lid closed by two latches and carried with a handle. it'll happily handle both 33 and 45rpm vinyl, but anything as far back as 78rpm shellac has no chance. however, the record player in question holds reserved status; the majority of vinyl to be played upon its turntable can be categorised as 1950s/1960s be-bop or swing jazz. the only exception being the final buddy rich recording on double vinyl. that is, however, surely an appropriate exception?

but, in contrast to me apparently desperately holding on to jazz music's past, at infrequent points of each month, my local newsagent presents me with a copy of downbeat (she refers to it as deadbeat) an american publication principally concerned with jazz in its many, modern forms. and in the pre-christmas issue, downbeat listed '25 to watch', individuals that they regarded as the flag bearers of jazz into the next decade.

one of those listed was an english drummer by the name of yussef dayes, a musician of caribbean descent, and a man of whom i had heard no prior mention. this engendered a number of searches on youtube to elicit in which style the chap made music. as it transpires, and this is purely my own point of view, the videos seemed far closer to hip-hop or drum and bass, than anything art blakey, max roach or buddy rich would have played. indeed, excluding the drumming, the accompanying guitar or keyboard playing displayed little in the way of direct lineage from charlie parker, john coltrane or even miles davis at his most obscure.

in other words, "it's jazz, jim, but not as we know it."

in the grand scheme of things, this is probably of little note to those other than yours truly. i am old enough to recall when r'n'b music meant the rollings stones, the who, or rory gallagher. nowadays it's a genre of music that seems to have been cornered by studio interpretations of pop, soul, funk, disco, hip-hop, and electronic music. the rhythm is arguably still present, but the blues aspect seems to have become lost in the mix.

but more pressing matters are at hand, with an album review to be written by the end of this month, music to which i have had the luxury of listening since the start of december. it too, purports to be in the jazz idiom, reinforced by the knowledge that it is performed by a piano, bass and drums trio. the pianist in question, who, until the review has been successfully completed, shall remain nameless, has won rave reviews and awards for both his previous recordings and live performances, garnering approbation as the future of jazz. it is comparable to wout van aert being tipped as the next eddy merckx.

however, my love of jazz revolves predominantly around the aforementioned swing, be-bop, post-bop and even the occasional foray into fusion. unfortunately, the music with which i have been presented for review, appears not to fit easily into any of those categories, and i am finding it an uphill struggle to pen words that might adequately convey just what sort of music the eager purchaser might expect. pigeonholing, despite being an oversubscribed human convenience, is something that even an inexperienced music reviewer such as myself, frequently finds it necessary to resort by way of adequate perspective.

so what, i hear you ask, has this got to do with cycling, or has the new year brought a redirecting of thewashingmachinepost's raison d'être?

thankfully, for both of us, that is not the case. i have scribbled the foregoing in order to frame similar misgivings over what is purported, even by britain's only weekly cycling magazine, to be at least one of the futures of contemporary cycling. by now, you will have hopefully realised that i refer to zwift and similar online cycling apps. this is hardly revelatory information, for i fear i have bored you all witless by continual pokes and prods in that direction, none of which have had any adverse bearing upon eric min's bank balance, or those of his co-conspirators.

however, even though it has been the saviour for many a cyclist in the months succeeding lockdown in countries all across the world, i still maintain that, once again "it's cycling, jim, but not as we know it". cycling is, at its most rudimentary, a highly practical and economic form of transport. its subjugation as a sport with a higher profile than its transportational prowess, probably says more about the way the world works nowadays, than it does about the bicycle itself. looked at in such a light, it can easily be seen that tethering the back wheel to a stationary object, is not one likely to be mistaken for a means of transport.

but, in tandem (pun intended) with its transportational propensities, is the realisation that the bicycle also provides for more sedate and less competitive leisure pursuits, such as meandering along jack thurston's 'lost lanes', or exploring the furthest reaches of the planet. rain, snow, hail and wind might not be the easiest of bedfellows, but they are elements that remind us that we're alive, engendering a greater level of human fortitude than does attempting to keep pace with an apparently speedier pixelated avatar in a centrally heated room.

however, given that, even should i pen a less than praiseworthy review of the aforementioned pianist and his trio by month's end, he is unlikely to subsequently and seriously reconsider his future as a jazz musician. and no matter how often, loudly and forcefully i moan that zwifting simply isn't cycling, i well know that i'm the one who will have to get used to changes of which i may disapprove. however, since nobody said i have to like or learn to play hip-hop, i can still love cycling the way it suits me, while having bumper stickers printed, simply stating that 'zwift isn't compulsory'.

sunday 3 january 2021

easy peasy, lemon squeezy

the might dave t is not a man to suffer fools gladly. whenever anyone has arrived to join the sunday morning bike ride, aboard a particularly ostentatious velocipede, he has been keen to point out that, no matter its constitution, at sometime during proceedings, they're going to have to start pedalling. the best part is, we all know he's right.

2020 has not been the finest year for external recruitment to the velo club, a statement that implies things may have been different in previous years. sadly, that has rarely been the case. the last new acolyte was number one son, a man for whom cycling has become a distant memory following his first case of fatherhood as lockdown took hold. yet it seems that, following a spontaneous burst of interest in shinty several years past, the call to arms was over subscribed, enough, i believe, to form two teams who could play against each other whenever the mood took them.

and the islay and jura dolphins junior swimming club features a substantial list of achievements each year, and still has a few kids left over for good measure. meanwhile, the same boring old farts assemble outside debbie's each and every sunday morning ready to do battle with the elements. and, as will probably come as no surprise to anyone, none of us are getting any younger. in point of fact, not only has the past year offered not a single recruit, despite the much-vaunted exponential interest in cycling under lockdown, but witnessed a distinct downturn in numbers.

the early weeks of lockdown advised exercising no more than five kilometres from home, a directive easy to undermine on an island such as this. even sat in the warmth of debbie's café, as the crow flies, i am still within five kilometres. more pragmatically, and not to put too fine a point on proceedings, there's islay and then there's not islay. if i rode to saligo bay, some 21 kilometres from home, i'd have met approximately no-one en-route. and had there been anyone to meet, it's more than likely they'd have been inside a car. therefore, along with many other island dwellers, we interpreted the rules to mean that we simply shouldn't leave the island. i might add that our interpretation bore no argument from anyone, including the local constabulary.

but for reasons of public relations, we initially took to cycling alone, along the same route, but some ten to fifteen minutes apart. unfortunately, some of our number elected to refrain from cycling altogether. and one or two have not yet returned.

but, all being considered, 2020 may have been the year that finally undermined the 'sturmey archer' slogan from yesteryear. to wit: 'the gears that make cycling easy'. i'm sure the mighty dave t would argue the point that it would take more than just gears to make cycling easy. it's manifestly obvious that the good folks at sturmey archer spent remarkably little time in the hebrides, or they may have included more than a derisory three gears to combat galeforce headwinds. of course, sturmey archer is no longer a british-based or british-owned company, and i have little idea of how many modern-day bicycles are outfitted with a sturmey hub gear, but there's no denying that there's a new kid in town to make cycling easy.

electricity.

so, as we welcome a new year that will hopefully wipe out the horror story that was 2020 (though with brexit and new covid-19 restrictions, it's not looking too good at the moment), i'd love to say that the velo club is one that doesn't judge, but i think i'd probably be fibbing if i did. however, any judging would likely be kept to ourselves, only discussed when the judgee was absent. so perhaps 2021 will be the year in which we see new electric recruits to the velo club (and others like us). after all, the average distance of the sunday ride is around 65km, including the homeward part, and most fully-charged e-bikes ought to handle that with aplomb.

if anything positive happens (pun intended), i'll let you know.

saturday 2 january 2021

the efficiency quotient

apple computer's late boss, steve jobs, liked to compare the efficiency of the computer with that of a human on a bicycle. he gained this knowledge from reading a study on the efficiency of locomotion for many different species on or above planet earth. this study returned the result that the condor (the bird, not the london bicycle shop) used the least amount of energy to travel one kilometre. the survey demonstrated that humans, under their own steam, were remarkably inefficient, not exactly a result that showed them in a particularly glowing light.

however, in order to redeem themselves and to provide fortitude for mr jobs, in 1973 scientific american opted to gauge the efficiency of a human on a bicycle, the results for which made even the condor look somewhat tardy. when walking, an unaided human being apparently consumes about 0.75 calories per gram per kilometre. place that human on a bicycle, however, and that number drops substantially to roughly 0.15 calories per gram per kilometre, making him/her, more efficient than a horse, leaping salmon, or a jet aircraft.

i can scarcely equate this information with the fact that i have manifestly failed to point this out to anyone within earshot, thus cementing my popularity amongst friends, family and innocent bystanders. in fact, that very article from scientific american offered the succinct quote that we would all do well to memorise: "If one were to give a short prescription for dealing rationally with the world's problems of development, transportation, health and the efficient use of resources, one could do worse than the simple formula: Cycle and recycle."

so why, then, are so many research dollars and wind-tunnel pennies spent on trying to make the bicycle even more efficient? i currently have, under review, a pair of pirelli 700x37 winter commuting tyres, with a combined all-up rotating weight, of nigh-on 1.6kg. if i compare that with the more average 450g of a pair of 28mm road tyres, that's undoubtedly a substantial difference, one that i can confirm, relates to slower speed. however, given that these are expressly intended for the commuting cyclist, all-out speed could hardly be considered their principal objective.

yet, even with the knowledge that the bicycle is a particularly efficient means of transport, and, in the hands of someone like wout van aert, a highly efficient competitive device, drill further down, and the efficiencies just get better and better. once again, i fear i have been remiss in pointing this out to the great unwashed, but the bicycle chain is reckoned to display efficiency ratings as high as 98.6%. and in the land of diminishing returns, even purchasing one of those high cost, low friction super-dooper chains, is unlikely to make greater inroads into that number.

yet, in the competitive realm, many a long hour is spent researching ways in which arguably the most efficient vehicle on the planet can be made even more efficient. i don't think, therefore, that it is too inordinate to phrase the question 'why?'

i ask this question as the spectre of biopace once again rears its non-spherical head. for those unaquainted with the term, in the early 1990s, shimano produced mountain bike chainsets featuring ovalised chainrings under the brand name of biopace. when some cyclists complained of knee-pain, biopace 2 was born, slightly less ovalised (or more round) than their predecessor. eventually, shimano allegedly admitted that there had been no discernible advantage to be gained from biopace and reverted once again, to round chainrings

supposedly, ovalising the chainrings removes the dead spot that exists on round rings when the cranks are at top dead centre or bottom dead centre. however, there are still riders and component providers who maintain that oval can offer advantages; it's simply a case of orienting things in the right way. so says absolutblack's leading scientist, dr. borat fonda. as neither scientist nor engineer, i am in no position to dispute his findings. i fell for the biopace system hook, line and sinker, as did many other mountain bikers, for it arrived at the point when mountain biking had acquired a reputation for pushing the envelope in all manner of directions, especially if available in purple anodising.

according to dr fonda, biopace completely missed the timing of the major axis, which, sadly, doesn't mean that much to me, or many others, i'll warrant. so, in an effort to rectify the situation and pass on discovered efficiencies to those who are looking for every last one, absolutblack have spent time and money, measuring the forces and torque existing at the pedals, in order to produce what they regard as the most efficient (an increase of up to 9% has been stated), non-round chainring that money (£105) can buy. then you'll want to soak your efficient chain in their graphenwax hot melt chain wax.

i'm sure, however, that at least a few of you will want to echo my earlier question. why? for assuming dr fonda to be correct, if the majority of velocipedinal practitioners adopt the way of the oval, will we not simply return to square one, albeit 9% faster and possibly £210 poorer? that would buy two entire efficient bicycles for world bicycle relief

absolutblack.cc

thursday 31 december 2020

repetition, repetition, repetition

the decision to refrain from the festive 500 has offered a view of the christmas holiday that i've not witnessed for a decade, a view that i had forgotten even existed. instead of having my alarm set for 07:50 each and every morning, i have stayed in bed, pretty much fast asleep until well past 9am. so doing is not entirely without its repercussions, however, though those have far more to do with feelings of guilt than any practical shortcomings.

this has allowed for not only a more relaxed consumption of the daily bowl of porridge and peaches, but some lazy time to read another chapter of my christmas present detailing the careers of the swing-era drummers from the forties. i have always fancied being one of those individuals sat at the kitchen breakfast table, with toast and marmalade on the plate and a cup of coffee to the side, while i peruse the morning newspaper. the fly in the ointment here, is the knowledge that, should the newspapers actually arrive, they're not in the newsagents until after 10am.

but for now, gene krupa, dave tough and ray mckinley will do just fine.

however, i would also dearly like to be one of those individuals without a daily plan. once the mythical newspaper has been read, coffee and toast consumed, dishes washed and put away, my ambition would be simply to allow the day to unfold in a natural fashion, with no extraneous commitments, and no agenda to follow. though i can't answer for the rest of you, it seems the life of a cyclist does not follow such an unconditioned path.

during my summer holidays last november, i had promised mrs washingmachinepost that, not only would the macbook air remain firmly closed throughout, but the bike would never see the light of day until the week's holiday was over. our vacation would usually take place at center parcs where neither of the above would give cause for concern, but life's a bit different at the moment, and the summer holiday took place at home, where refraining from computer and bicycle took on a rather artificial nature.

no such restrictions were placed upon the current break; well aware that cycling activities would fall far short of the usual 500 kilometres, a daily bike ride had the full support of her indoors. which is just as well, because, like many of you, i find it very hard indeed not to go cycling at least once a day. thankfully, i currently have a waterproof jacket under review as well as a pair of winter commuting tyres, both of which need regular attention. if any criticism of the daily parcours heads in my direction, i simply cite it as work, and my conscience is clear.

however, on tuesday, as i purchased my daily newspaper, i queried the fellow who served me as to how his own velocipedinal activities were proceeding. just prior to lockdown, he had purchased a mountain bike, with the intention of riding more regularly for both fitness and family time with wife and daughter. they live in close proximity to the 'three distilleries path', which joins port ellen village to laphroaig, lagavulin and ardbeg distilleries, and has proved remarkably popular with both visitors and residents alike.

assuming the schools return in orderly fashion next week, his daughter will attend nursery in the mornings, leaving him with a revelatory hour or two of perambulatory time, though he was quick to point out that the distances involved were hardly onerous. but, of course, that is to miss the point slightly, for riding a bicycle over any sort of distance is to be actively encouraged. it matters not one whit how far you travel or how fast you go, it's the ride itself that matters. cycling is an activity that has beneficial addictive properties; the more you ride, the more and farther you want to ride.

so, rather than my coming across as an arrogant, dyed-in-the-wool cyclist, poo-pooing his efforts as derisory, i made sure to be encouraging and to point out that simply riding his bike is not a means to an end, but an end in itself. as more and more take to the saddle, either as commuters in the age of covid-19, or as a means of improving fitness and health, those of us well practised in the art are surely honour bound to be as encouraging and helpful as we can be. everyone has to start somewhere, and even if you, like me, got there by your own efforts, that's not to say that encouragement from others will not be a source of inspiration to others.

a happy new year is pretty much in our hands; we already have the joy of our own bicycles, our own enthusiasm for the sport, or simply for the bicycle as a pragmatic solution to many questions. so let's spread that as far as it'll go.

wednesday 30 december 2020

the light of the charge brigade

several months ago, i wrote an article for islay's local newspaper concerning the practicalities of owning an electric vehicle on the islands of islay and jura. there are a similar proportion of hybrid vehicles on the isles as exists on the mainland, but so far, few have adopted an all-electric lifestyle. with mileage ranges hovering around the 125 mark for many current models of electric car, though hardly a distance barrier to ownership here, the necessity of travelling to glasgow and its surrounds for servicing has proved a bit of an obstacle. under normal conditions, 125 miles is pretty much the distance between here and there, but it leaves little room for manoeuvre, particularly if you fancy using the heating and windscreen wipers en-route.

however, a further restriction on this particular route is the notorious 'rest and be thankful', a stretch of road that continually suffers from landslides, often closing the road for several weeks at a time. should the latter be the case, there exists the possibility of a 60 mile detour, a distance outwith the capabilities of many current models of electric car and almost every electric van. there are a number of models appearing on the market which claim almost double the distance on one charge, but how many have made note of the advertised mpg of a petrol or diesel car, against that actually achieved, and been sorely disappointed?

in addition to the above almost insurmountable difficulties (bruichladdich distillery have their electric cars transported for mainland servicing), there are very few charging points available on the island. there is a single point at port ellen ferry terminal, and a couple more in bowmore village. a few charging points were to be installed on jura in recent months, but i cannot confirm that those are in place. and then, of course, there's the ubiquitous e-bike, a considerably more economic mode of transport with far less energy demands that the motor car.

however, during my only e-bike review, of specialized's turbo vado, i reckoned that, with judicious use of the pedal assist, it would have been possible to achieve 75 kilometres between charges, as long as that constituted an out-and-back journey. given the profile of the majority on the island who ride e-bikes, that strikes me as perfectly acceptable, particularly when you consider that, even if the battery runs out of power, the bicycle can still be cycled those last few kilometres, unlike its motor vehicle compatriot. if we assume that at least some of those e-bikes will be used for commuting purposes, it's not too iniquitous to re-charge the battery when in the office or, if you're feeling wealthy, to keep a spare battery at work for the return trip.

but it seems that owners of e-bikes may have begun to look farther afield than their immediate locale, for welsh bike shop 'beics betws' has inaugurated a scheme to allow the charging of batteries en-route and is keen to have others join the electric throng, hopefully creating a bike charging network across the uk. while i think this a particularly laudable aim, i also find it just a tad confusing.

a quick check of my turbo vado review reveals that five hours was the time taken to provide a full charge, which, for many, is pretty much a day's cycling. though i am cynical perhaps just a mite too often, i really can't see too many e-cyclists setting out on an extended trip that will involved every second day as pedestrians. further research uncovers that the average time to recharge an e-bike battery varies between 3.5 hours and six hours, rather calling into question the whole point of a national e-bike charging network.

it's quite possible that my inherent cynicism has blinded me to a glaringly obvious and salient point of e-bike charging, but try as i might, i cannot think what it could be. obviously, there's no harm in fostering this wider availability of electrons, and if there are any bike shop owners reading who scoff at my suspicions and would eagerly sign up to the cause, you should e-mail info@bikewales.co.uk. owners of beic betws, louise jowett and graham tayler are campaigning to have government and local councils to offer grants to organisations willing to install external e-bike charging facilities. no doubt, in the fullness of time, i will once again have to eat humble pie.

bike wales

tuesday 29 december 2020