It’s January. In South Australia, that means sweltering heat, a dry, crisp countryside; and the Tour Down Under. Which, of course, takes place in the dry, crisp countryside in sweltering heat.
The place is abuzz with men and women clip-clopping around in their cleated shoes, and outfits that would make a jockey do a double take. Each day, amateur riders will head out on their bike to take in some of the action from the sideline. No doubt, they’ll rack up some kilometres too.
In the spirit of January and the Tour Down Under we have put together a small list of products that we think are must-haves if you’re going for a ride this Tour Down Under.
1. Black Diamond ReVolt Headlamp
It’s the 3rd Stage. You’ve spent the day in the Adelaide Hills. You’ve ended up in Campbelltown. You’re immersed in the atmosphere – it’s electric. So many smiling Lycra-clad cyclings. You look at your watch, it’s 10 pm. It’s time to go home. Better throw your lights on.
The Black Diamond ReVolt is an ideal helmet light, with its wide range of lighting options including strobing and red light. And with IPX4 water resistance, it’ll handle a splash of the wet stuff. Who am I kidding though rain in January?
2. Camelbak Podium Chill Bottle
Sweltering heat + physical activity = hydrate the heck out of yourself or suffer! And there’s nothing like a gulp of cold water to recharge the body.
The Camelbak Podium Chill Bottle doesn’t only tick the ‘water’ box, it ticks the cold’ box too. You see, it has a double wall which is stuffed with closed cell foam to keep the H20 the temperature it needs to be. Nifty, eh? No need for iceboxes!
3. Leatherman Wingman
Not all of us ride bikes where if something breaks the whole thing turns into dust. Some bikes, when they become a bit ill, can handle a bit of MacGyver magic to bring them back to life.
Add a Leatherman Wingman to your bicycle toolkit and there is barely anything you won’t be able to do if something breaks on the side of the road. It has pliers, it has screwdrivers, it has a knife, and importantly, it’ll crack open your beer at the end of that long ride.
4. Clif Bar Energy Bar
If hydration is #1, well food is a close #2. If you’re smashing out the ks trying to keep up with the Tour Down Under guys, you’ll need to keep the fuel tank full.
A Crunchy Peanut Butter Clif Bar, at just 68g, contains 250 calories. That’s 3.67 calories per gram.
Throw a few Clif Bars into the back pocket of your cycling jersey and you’ll be set for the day. I recommend the Coconut Chocolate!
What do you carry in the back pocket of your jersey on summer rides?
Hiker, bushwalker, tramper and founder of Ottie Merino (ottie.com.au). Let’s just say Paul likes to get around by foot. When he’s not, it’s usually by bike. He’s usually found knocking out another section of the Heysen Trail, or hut bagging his way around the South Island of New Zealand.