Spokesman Clothing Leeds

ARE YOU JOINING THE CYCLING WORLD? HERE ARE THE TOP 5 PIECES OF KIT THAT EVERY BEGINNER WILL NEED: The benefits of cycling are never-ending, from the cycle commute to work, to the adventure trail trekking weekends. The freedom it gives you and the release of happy endorphins are endless, but there is nothing worse than feeling ill-equipped. Whether you are new to the world of cycling or still figuring out exactly what your cycling kit essentials should be, we aim to share informative advice to get you out on the road. THE HELMET It seems like stating the obvious, but a helmet is first and foremost the most important piece of kit that you need. It can often be rather confusing when choosing the right one. Most brands now offer three somewhat distinct types of road helmets: fully vented traditional, aerodynamic, and the newer semi aero design. Helmets are commonly constructed from expanded polystyrene foam, which is protected with a thin layer of polycarbonate to h...

No ride is complete without the cafe stop, and the Yorkshire Dales are blessed with the finest hosts and cake-makers in the land. Jonathan Brownlee is reported to have said the  Wharfe View  at Burnsall was a cornerstone of his training programme, and Tom Pidcock mentioned the  Cavendish  at Bolton Abbey when interviewed as part of ITV’s  Tour De France  coverage. So what makes a great cycling cafe? A hungry set of Alba Rosa riders recently set out the criteria for success that amounted to value for money, on-site bike locks, food, speedy s ervice and location. They’re a demanding bunch. Zarina’s Tearoom Café  in Kettlewell is 55km from Leeds and a good stopover before either heading home or pushing upwards into the more adventurous territory of Park Rash, Fleet Moss or Kidstones. The owner of the café, Zarina Belk, explained to  Spokesman  how cycling was an important part of her business. ‘70% of it (the business) is dependent...

A Leeds cycling fan has done the extraordinary by riding up Norwood Edge a total of 53 times in a single day, conquering in the process the vertical elevation of Mount Everest. The two-wheeled slog, which took 17 hours to complete, amounted to over 8,900 metres of climbing, and a few pedal strokes over the official height of the world’s highest mountain.  Richard Banks, 32, from Leeds, achieved the epic effort on the 1.9 kilometre hill north of Otley, West Yorkshire, which features in Simon Warren’s definitive book  100 Greatest Cycling Climbs . Banks, a charity architect, operated without supplementary oxygen instead stuffed his  Spokesman  jersey pockets with protein goodies to set up the successful assault. But where does an idea for such a back-breaking workout come from? As Banks explains he first heard of climbing Everest on a bike (aka Everesting) from the popular blog by hill climbing specialist, Tejvan Pettinger. Once on the radar, Banks got in to sh...

Are you sitting comfortably? A question that makes every cyclist cross their fingers as they set out in a new pair of shorts. While the pad may not be the flashiest or most interesting part of a garment, it is what makes the difference between a good, bad or great cycling short . One ride in a bad pair of shorts and you’ll be grimacing for hours, desperate for an ice pack. We know that at the heart of a great pair of shorts is the perfect pad, and so with that in mind, we teamed up with the company that invented the anatomically shaped pad – CyTech. BEHIND CYTECH Founded in 2000 in San Vendemiano, Italy, Stefano Coccia and Marino De Marchi set about to revolutionise the protection pad sector with their brand Elastic Interface®. Now market leaders in their field, Elastic Interface® pads can be found in nearly all major European cycling brands and it’s no surprise why. The amount of scientific research and hi-tech development behind these pads is staggering, with the company ...

I suspect I find you in a difficult situation, where the nights are drawing to a close just too soon, the weather is way too cold and the pleasure of riding your road bike has become, well, less pleasurable. However, despair not, I’m here to tell you about a form of cycling that will save your fitness over these harsh winter months. I think you know what I’m talking about, and no I’m not asking you to trade in your fashionable lycra* and high tech carbon roadie for soft suspension and baggie shorts. I am however going to persuade you why you need to consider it and have a go at ‘the dark side’ of cycling this winter . *Disclaimer: You will remain fashionable in the Spokesman Cross Jersey, no baggies required. So here are the four big reasons why you need to hang up your slicks and head out on that trail this winter. IT’S A WHOLE BODY EXPERIENCE It’s the truth, when you go out on the trails for the first time you’ll wake up the next day with jelly arms. Those long road m...