Fresh Goods Sunday - Silca Borsa Americano

I normally use a small Scott zip pouch when I go and about on the bike to carry my phone (small one), key and cash. I was after something bigger to carry a little more equipment such as a Co2 and second spare road tube if out on the road bike. I have some Silca tools and quality is just unreal so I bought this pouch quite a few months ago to give it a try. Again the quality is good but I have heard the zip is not waterproof and can let water in but I don't tend to ride in the pouring rain, if I do get caught out I also carry a pertex to put on so covers this in my back pocket. I can understand why riders have faulted this part of the design because the main material is recycled inner tubes / rubber which is waterproof. It is ample big enough for what I want to carry and slides in my jersey back pockets with ease. There are side pockets of different sizes on the inside side panels as well as the main central section. The rrp is too high in my eyes but I cannot complain for what I paid. It will be used on more rides coming over the autumn / winter.

RRP £45.00 and I paid £27.49

Manufacturers Blurb -
We partnered with Colorado-based Ecologic Designs to create this simple yet stylish limited-edition storage solution for your every day riding essentials.  Constructed of upcycled bicycle inner-tubes and upcycled wetsuit neoprene, the Borsa Americano is designed by SILCA and sewn by EcoLogic featuring four internal pockets of various sizes to give you plenty of storage options. The main compartment is designed exactly to the dimensions of an iPhone 7+ with case, resulting in minimal bulk or excess material. For the rest of the bag, it's really up to you what you want to carry. This bag is less structured than other SILCA bags, allowing the user to pack it however they like for minimal bulk and size.  The large inner side pocket is perfect for storing cash or credit cards, while other pockets can hold everything from your house key to patch kit.
Made in the USA

Nylon coloured interior liners

Upcycled bicycle inner tubes and wetsuit neoprene

Nylon teeth and Zinc zipper

Weather resistant exterior

Dimensions: 17.5cm L x 9cm W x 2cm T empty (Dimensions will change when packed)

Weight: 160 grams

NECCL RD2 Hedley West Farm - Muckle CC - Photos

Yesterday was RD2 of the NECCL Saturday series just over the hill at Stanley @ Heldey West Farm. The course was riding completely different this year as there was no mud and hard ground under the tyre apart from a couple of short soft sections. The water splash was back in but not as deep but probably just as cold. The sun was shinning and it was lovely and sheltered in the wooded sections. There was plenty of different types of terrain to challenge all the riders. If you head over to the NECCL Facebook page MBE has uploaded five galleries of photos. Below are a just a few.
Enjoy and see you all at Meadowfield Sports Centre next Saturday.

Day trip to Whitby

Last Saturday we had a family day trip out down to Whitby. It was long over due but its been a while since all four of us had A nothing on or B not working. It was cold and windy to start with but warmed up a little mid afternoon. Below are a couple  of overcast & cloudy snaps, enjoy and hopefully more soon -

Very windy but sunny local spin along the line to Bishop n back

Firstly apologies for the lack of blogs last week but it was my first week back to work after being off for nearly three weeks. None of my works had been done so was working nearly 11-12 hours most days to try and catch up. This meant no time for any biking etc. The weather has picked up this week with more sun shine and higher temperatures but very windy nearly every day. Today was no different with temperatures reaching 18 degrees but a very strong wind. I decided o have a steady short spin down to Bishop n back as I did not have that much spare time on my hands. The lines were quiet busy and they were bone dry and dusty. I had a massive head wind out and a massive tail wind back. Below are a couple of snaps, enjoy and hopefully more soon.
PS NECCL RD2 this Saturday at Hedley west Farm, just the other side of Stanley. NE16 5EQ. It was a cracking event last year hosted by Muckle CC.

Fresh Goods Sunday - Hope Technology Stainless Steel Bottle Opener

When I first seen this bottle opener I thought what a thing of beauty this is. I have a Hope disc keyring which I bought many years ago from Bike Treks in Ambleside and thought this would go nicely with it. The laser cutting is just unreal, in fact it looks too good to use really which is a shame as it pulls bottle tops off with ease.
RRP £5 and worth every penny.
Manufacturers blurb - Laser cut stainless steel bottle opener

Fresh Goods Sunday - Victorinox Swiss Card Lite

I have had a swiss card in my wallet for many years now, it comes in very handy and use it all the time. There are two models, this one and the classic swiss card. I prefer this model as it has more features that i use on a regular basis. They are good value for money if you shop around. I must admit they dont last forever and need to replace it every couple of years or so. The tools etc last forever and Ihave loads of spares, it is the plastic card holder that splits and falls apart.

RRP £33 and I paid £16.79

Manufacturers blurb - You'll be amazed at how many tools we've packed into the SwissCard. And you'll be surprised at how often you need one of those tools tucked away inside. And with its clever, award-winning design and incredible functionality, you'll enjoy each time you need to take it out. Featuring a bright LED, the SwissCard is always ready to shed some light on your everyday (and night) adventures.

Item number	0.7322.T2
Height	4.5 mm
Length	82 mm
Weight	26 g

Dimensions

Net weight	26 g