quinta-feira, 20 de fevereiro de 2014

Which Diet is Best for New Runners?

f you want to get fit and lose weight, it's important to make some changes to your diet. And while deep down you may know that to lose weight you must eat less and move more, it's hard to resist the lure of diets that promise instant, permanent results with little work or restraint.
The truth is that diets are a lot like training plans. There's no one diet that's best for everyone. Only one healthy eating strategy is best for a particular person at a particular time. Each diet has its benefits and drawbacks for new runners.
The most important factor in any diet is how well it helps you meet your goals and fits your needs, and helps you maintain the healthy eating habits for life.
Here is what you need to know about some of the more popular diets on the market now.

LOW-CARB DIETS

A number of popular diets fall under the umbrella of carbohydrate-restricted diets. The Zone Diet, Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, the South Beach Diet, and probably the most famous, the Atkins Diet, advocate low-carb eating with generous portions of protein and fat.
Any low-carbohydrate diet—technically—is defined as an eating plan consisting of less than 20 percent of a day's calories from carbohydrate, or approximately 20 to 60 grams per day. Each has a slightly different twist.
Atkins calls for perhaps the most drastic reduction—less than 40 grams of carbs per day at first. This forces the body to burn stored body fat and burn an energy source known as ketones. Another popular plan, The Zone Diet, restricts carbs to 40 percent of daily calories and calls for the balance to be split equally between protein and fat.
The upside: Proponents claim that weight loss will naturally follow restriction of sugars and carbohydrates. And indeed, you'll see fast results. Carbs cause your body to retain water. So when you slash carbs, you retain less water, and the water in your system is flushed out. (Plan for lots of extra pit stops.) And you'll see numbers you like on the bathroom scale. Also, because many of these diets allow you unlimited fats and protein, you can indulge in carb-free foods you might have previously written off as off-limits, such as eggs and bacon. And because fat and protein are digested more slowly in the body, you'll feel fuller for longer and avoid feelings of deprivation that can lead to a binge down the road.
Are these diets right for new runners?Short-term, these diets appear to be safe, but there are lingering concerns about long-term safety. Research has yet to determine the impact of such diets on the development of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease, not to mention nutrient deficiencies. Because you eliminate many food groups when you go low carb, you can develop certain vitamin deficiencies. And you might be wondering what happens when you start adding carbs back into the diet. Alas, some of the weight you lost is sure to return, and you're bound to experience the frustration of "yo-yo dieting." (Learn the truth about how yo-yo dieting affects your body.)
Carbohydrate is the nutrient that your body can most efficiently convert into the energy you need to run strong, without causing you any GI distress. It's generally recommended that runners get 50 to 70 percent of their daily calories from carbs. The body digests fats and protein more slowly. So you won't feel as energized on the run, and to avoid GI distress, you may have to be more careful about what you eat before you run.

quinta-feira, 19 de dezembro de 2013

quarta-feira, 18 de dezembro de 2013

Código das Estradas a entrar em vigor a 1 de Janeiro de 2014

Novas regras do Código da Estrada para os ciclistas

António Martins Neves
O Código da Estrada que vai entrar em vigor a 01 de janeiro estabelece muito mais regras para os ciclistas, se bem que no sentido de facilitar o uso da bicicleta na via pública.
Destacam-se as possibilidades dos velocípedes poderem circular a par, dois a dois, desde que a visibilidade o permita e não ocorra numa via com tráfego intenso, quando antes tinham que o fazer, obrigatoriamente, em fila indiana.
Outra mudança favorável aos utilizadores da bicicleta é poderem circular afastados da berma, de modo a evitar situações de perigo causadas por viaturas estacionadas ou peões em circulação.
Também a obrigatoriedade das restantes viaturas terem que guardar uma distância lateral mínima de 1,5 metros quando ultrapassam uma bicicleta vem proporcionar maior garantia de segurança aos ciclistas, que passam a ter estatuto idêntico aos outros condutores nas rotundas, onde deixam de ter que dar prioridade aos veiculos automóveis.
São as seguintes as regras para quem circula de bicicleta na via pública estabelecidas no novo Código da Estrada:
- Ciclistas passam a ser considerados “utilizadores vulneráveis” da via pública, tal como os peões. («artigo 1.º)
- As bicicletas, tal como os outros veículos, só podem circular nos passeios ou nas bermas, desde que para aceder a prédios. Os velocípedes, poderão, no entanto, usar as bermas das estradas desde que não coloquem em perigo ou perturbem os peões que nelas circulem. Nos passeios, a única exceção são as crianças até aos 10 anos, igualmente desde que não coloquem em risco a segurança dos peões. (artigo 17.º)
- Os outros condutores devem ceder passagem aos ciclistas que atravessem as faixas de rodagem nas passagens a eles destinadas, embora com a obrigação de se certificarem que o podem fazer sem o risco de causar acidentes com os veículos em circulação. (artigo 32.º)
- Nas ultrapassagens de velocípedes os condutores de outras viaturas deverão guardar uma distância lateral mínima de 1,5 metros e abrandar a velocidade. (artigo 38.º)
- Nas ciclovias e outras pistas destinadas a ciclistas, é proibida a circulação de bicicletas que tenham mais do que duas rodas sem ser em linha ou que levem reboque, a não ser que a largura máxima não ultrapasse um metro. (artigo 78.º)
- As bicicletas podem circular paralelamente numa via, duas a duas, desde que haja boa visibilidade e o tráfego não seja intenso. Os condutores devem manter os velocípedes no lado direito da via mas a uma distância da berma que garanta segurança e evite acidentes. (artigo 90.º)
- Nas rotundas, os condutores de velocípedes podem circular na faixa da direita desde que facilitem a saída dos restantes veículos. («artigo 14.º-A)
- Os condutores de velocípedes devem fazer-se acompanhar de documento legal de identificação pessoal. (artigo 85.º)
- Os velocípedes podem atrelar um reboque com um eixo destinado ao transporte de carga, para levar passageiros, desde que devidamente homologado, ou estar equipados com cadeiras preparadas e homologadas para transportar crianças. (artigo 113.º)
- Os condutores de velocípedes não podem conduzir com as mãos fora do guiador, exceptuando as situações em que têm que assinalar mudança de direção, deslocar-se com os pés fora dos pedais ou apoios, fazerem-se rebocar, levantar a roda da frente ou de trás no arranque ou em circulação (artigo 90.º)
- Os velocípedes só podem transportar o condutor, excepto se a bicicleta tiver mais pares de pedais que permitam aos outros passageiros pedalar em simultâneo. No caso de estarem concebidos e disporem de assentos que permitam o transporte de mais um ou dois passageiros. Se se tratar de crianças com menos de sete anos transportadas em dispositivos adequados. (artigo 90.º)
- O transporte de carga nos velocípedes só pode ser feito em reboque ou caixa de carga (artigo 92.º)
- Sempre que seja obrigatório o uso de dispositivos de iluminação, os velocípedes terão que o fazer usando equipamento que seja fixado em regulamento. (artigo 93.º)
- Em caso de avaria nas luzes, os velocípedes devem ser conduzidos à mão. (artigo 94.º)
- As multas previstas no novo Código da Estrada são reduzidas para metade nos seus limites mínimo e máximo quando aplicáveis aos condutores de velocípedes, salvo quando se trate de coimas especificamente fixadas para estes condutores. (artigo 96.º)
- Velocípede é o veículo com duas ou mais rodas acionado pelo esforço do próprio condutor por meio de pedais ou dispositivos análogos. (artigo 112.º)
- No novo Código, os velocípedes com motor, as trotinetas com motor, bem como os dispositivos de circulação com motor elétrico, autoequilibrados e automotores ou outros meios de circulação análogos com motor são equiparados a velocípedes. (artigo 112.º)

Este texto com o essencial do Novo Código da Estrada foi produzido pelo Pedais.pt e integrará a edição da revista Freebike que chegará nesta semana aos pontos de distribuição. A versão completa do documento pode ser consultada aqui.
Para descarregar o resumo do texto em cima para impressão clique em PDF
Pedais.pt

quinta-feira, 12 de dezembro de 2013

7 Reasons Working Too Much Is Bad For Your Health

A recent study found that people who work at least 11 hours a day have a higher risk of depression than those who work a standard 7 or 8 hour day.

The weekend does however offer a reprieve from the stresses of all those long days, but you do need to make the most of it.

According to the research published in the journal PLoS ONE and the Huffington Post these are the top seven reasons you want want to cut back on those long hours:

Depression: Working overtime is linked with depression. Speculations are that long work hours leaves less time to care for yourself and your family. You also have less time for exercise and to eat healthy foods.

Sitting: If your job requires you to sit for long hours, that is not good too good for your health either. Long periods of sitting is linked to diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart attack and even death.

Sleep: The Study found that 20 percent of people who worked more than 50 hours of work per week were getting fewer than 6 hours of sleep per night on workdays, and 36 percent said that they only got a good night's sleep a few nights a week or less.

Cardiovascular Problems: A 2010 study found that working 10 or more hours a day resulted in a 60 percent jump in the risk of cardiovascular issues.

Stress: The Mayo Clinic reported that a quarter of people identify work as the primary stressor in their life. Workload, daily commutes, co-workers and those with endless daily tasks can add up to a serious stress problem.

Eye Strain: Sixty-four to ninety percent of computer users report experiencing some kind of vision problem, whether it's eye strain, headaches, dry eyes or blurred vision. Staring at a computer screen all day is the most common cause of eye strain.

Brain: All that overtime you may be working can have a possible negative effect on cognitive performance that can be associated with a risk of mental decline or even dementia.
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So, next weekend, take time out to unplug and recharge. Turn off the TV, your laptop and only use your phone to make calls. If you have to go on the computer use the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away from the screen for at least 20 seconds.

Take time out to enjoy the things you miss out on during the week. It could just be some sunshine or playing with your children.

Also try incorporating some healthy foods like fish, lean meat and lots of fruits and vegetables into your meals and try to get in some physical activity.

quarta-feira, 11 de dezembro de 2013

10 Interesting Facts About Dreams

Last night I was watching the movie Inception. Most of you must have seen it and know that it is about dreams. In this movie a team of young people dream at will and share the same dream with each other at the same time ——-interesting isn’t it.

During the Roman Era dreams were thought to be messages from the gods and even submitted to the Roman Senate for analysis and dream interpretation. Dream interpreters used to accompany military leaders into battles and campaigns!

Here is a list of interesting facts about dreams.

10. We Forget 90 % of Our Dreams:

We forget most of of our dreams after we wake up and those dreams which we remember can be with missing content. We forget half our dream within 5 minutes of waking and 90% of the content is gone within 10 minutes.

9. Everybody Dreams:

Nobody is exempted from dreaming no exceptions, if you think you don’t dream then its a case of poor memory and you entirely forget your dreams.

8. Blind People Dream Too:

Those people who become blind after birth can see images in their dreams. Those people who are blind by birth do not see any images, however they dream equally vivid involving their other senses of sound, smell, touch and emotion.

7. Animals Also Dream:

Research has been done on animals’ sleep using electroencephalography to study electrical brain activity and it has shown similar waves as in human sleep during dreams. If you observe a sleeping dog it moves its paws and makes other similar movements and produces sounds as if dreaming.

6. Colored Dreams Are Not For Everybody:

Research done from 1915 to 50′s showed that 12% of sighted people dream exclusively in black and white while remaining number dream in full color. Recent Research has shown that today only 4.4% of the dreams of under-25 year-olds are in black and white this changing trend has been attributed to the switch from black-and-white film and TV to color media.

5. Dreams Have Symbolic Interpretation:

Dreams are usually symbolic and whatever subjects, objects or events you see in your dream cannot be interpreted according to there literal meanings instead dreams can only be interpreted in a deeply symbolic language.

4. Emotions During Dreams:

One can experience a variety of emotions during a dream including happiness, joy, excitement, anger, fear etc. But the most common emotion experienced in dreams is anxiety and negative emotions are more common than positive ones.

3. Number And Duration Of Dreams In A Night’s Sleep:

On the average a human being can dream from one to hours in total during a night’s sleep and sees four to seven dreams during this period.

2. Paralysis During Dream:

The body is paralyzed during REM sleep by a mechanism in the brain to prevent the movements which occur in the dream from causing the physical body to move.

(Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a normal stage of sleep characterized by rapid movements of the eyes and constitutes 20-25% of total sleep, which is about 90-120 minutes of a night’s sleep.)

1. Incorporation Of External Stimuli:

Our mind interprets the external stimuli that bombard our senses when we are asleep and make them a part of our dreams. This means that sometimes in our dreams we hear a sound from reality and make it a part of our dream.

5 Things to Do to Exercise Your Brain

Exercise isn't just good for your body, it's also good -- and necessary -- for your brain. Just as your body requires exercise to stay in shape and maintain proper health, your brain also requires exercise to keep fit. 

Keeping your brain stimulated and active with physical and mental exercise can provide a host of benefits and possibly help prevent age-related cognitive decline, according to the Franklin Institute.

Physical Exercise
Regular physical activity is an important part of any healthy lifestyle. But what you may not have realized is that physical activity also provides a number of cognitive benefits. According to a study published in the October 2011 issue of the journal "Physiology and Behavior," chronic and acute exercise helps cognitive functioning and improves memory by increasing the flow of BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein that acts on the neurons of your central and peripheral nervous systems.

Opposite-Hand Tasks
Using your nondominant hand to perform various tasks is a beneficial way to exercise your brain. According to a study published in the June 1999 issue of the journal "Brain Research," writing with your nondominant hand stimulates the somatosensory cortex, the part of your brain responsible for somatic sensation, responding to visual stimuli and movement planning. Other tasks that can produce the same effect include switching the hand you normally use to operate your computer mouse or brushing your teeth with your nondominant hand.

Visualization
Active visualization -- also known as mental imagery -- exercises can stimulate your brain and enhance creativity. According to psychologist Shelley Carson in her book "Your Creative Brain," mental imagery activates the perceptual parts of your brain typically involved in processing sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. You can use a guided visualization audio program or simply relax, close your eyes and picture yourself in a peaceful, serene setting, imagining as vividly as possible all the sensory stimuli you encounter.

Brain Teasers and Mental Puzzles
Doing brain teasers and puzzles and engaging in mentally stimulating games may help exercise your brain and prevent cognitive decline. A study published in the March-April 2001 issue of the "American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias" found that a simple cognitive activity such as bingo helped improve short-term memory, concentration, word retrieval and word recognition in older adult study participants with Alzheimer's disease. Crossword puzzles, word searches and Sudoku are other examples of games that can help exercise your brain and improve cognitive function.

Learn Something New
Learning a new activity or skill can help maintain and improve the functioning of less frequently used areas of the brain and encourage brain growth, according to Drs. William Rodman Shankle and Daniel Amen in their book "Preventing Alzheimer's." Learn a new language, sport or hobby or take a class. 
Stimulating your brain with a new activity regularly can help keep you mentally fit and restore cognitive vitality.

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terça-feira, 10 de dezembro de 2013

segunda-feira, 9 de dezembro de 2013

See That Tiny Entrance? A Guy Just Went Down There… And You Gotta See What He Found.

Reddit user remizik  recently went on an adventure that completely caught me off track.  He decided to go inside Antelope Lower Canyon, which is located in Page, Arizona. He had been to Page from France once before, but he was unable to go inside. So now, returning in 2013, he was determined to do it.
What he discovered is beautiful, natural beauty as it was intended.
This is the entrance. It’s obviously not for the claustrophobic.
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As soon as you enter, you’re immediately blown away by the beauty.
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The colors are gorgeous.
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Absolutely gorgeous.
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It was 9am and the sun was rising. That’s where this natural light is coming from.
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The sun beaming inside is a sight you never forget.
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An incredible sand cascade.
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I MUST see this for myself. It’s amazing
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“remizik” gave some advice to anyone who wants to check it out for themselves:
“This place is so peaceful.Note that it is the “LOWER” canyon. The upper is also very beautiful, but it was CROWDED with people. I enjoyed the lower a lot more. Advice for photographers: bring an tripod, chose your lens before going in, and stick with it. It’s very dusty in the canyon. Shoot raw if you can. If you can’t, go for the “cloudy” white balance, you’ll get nice colors!”
- See more at: http://truthseekerdaily.com/2013/12/t/#sthash.4DSCdPuS.dpuf

sexta-feira, 6 de dezembro de 2013

TICO TICO em japonês


Top 10 Worst Female Health Habits

Wearing heels

More and more of us are opting to wear heels on a daily basis, and this could be bad news for our health. High heels affect our posture, put pressure on joints, and can lead to a range of conditions including arthritis, hammer toes, back pain and tendon injuries – and that’s before you take into account any heel-related accidents! To minimize damage, limit your heels to 1.5 inches for daily wear, and wear insoles to help reduce the pressure on joints.

Carrying a heavy handbag

With the rising number of gadgets and accessories the majority of women haul around, many of us are carrying around several pounds of weight on our shoulders every day. As a result, lots of us are also putting our long term health at risk. While you may not feel the effects right now, lugging around a heavy handbag can lead to serious back problems and neck pain as well as poor posture. Don’t wait until the damage is done – do your health a favour and try clearing out all non-essential items and switching to a smaller bag.

Sleeping in makeup

Most of us have succumbed to the temptation to sleep in our post-party makeup at some point. However, leaving makeup on overnight – along with the dirt and oil that naturally accumulates on skin throughout the day –is a quick route to clogged pores, congested skin and spots. Sleeping with mascara and eye makeup on can also affect your health by causing eye irritation, bloodshot eyes or even infection.

Matching men drink for drink

From networking drinks to first dates and social events, there are many instances when women may feel compelled to keep up with the drinking habits of the opposite sex. However, women not only tend to weigh less than men but they have less body water to dilute the alcohol, which means they tend to get more drunk more quickly. To minimize the risks of alcohol on your health, try to keep within the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption and alternate alcohol with soft drinks.

Wearing the wrong bra size

It is thought that more than 70 per cent of women are wearing the wrong bra size. However, wearing a badly fitted bra can not only affect the look of your clothes, but research suggests it can cause a range of health problems including back, neck and breast pain, breathing difficulties, poor posture, skin irritation, circulation problems and even irritable bowel syndrome. Rather than guessing your size, make sure you get measured to ensure you are getting the support you need.

Worrying and harboring regrets

Stress is damaging to both our physical and mental health, and women are twice as likely as men to suffer from stress-related disorders, as well as having higher rates of depression and anxiety. While it is thought there may be biological reasons for this, worrying about the future and dwelling on regrets can also add to our problems, with research suggesting that women are more than twice as likely as men to harbor regrets over lost loves and broken relationships.

Obsessing over appearance

While both genders suffer from body insecurity, many women tend to overly obsess over their idea of the “perfect” body. Research findings published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that 16 per cent of the normal or underweight women studied believed themselves to be overweight, while a study commissioned by Dove found that 90 per of women wanted to change at least one aspect of their appearance. Body insecurity not only affects our mental health, but it can also lead to physical damage caused by extreme diets, yo-yo dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery.

Emotional eating

While comfort eating affects both genders, research has suggested that men are more likely to reinforce positive emotions with food, while women comfort eat when they’re sad. Women are also more likely to satisfy their cravings with sweet, high calorie foods. Rather than letting your waistline suffer next time you’re feeling blue, try distracting yourself from cravings by doing something you enjoy, or boost your endorphins and health with an uplifting workout.

Not getting enough sleep

Not only can lack of sleep make us look and feel at our worst, but insufficient shut-eye can also lead to increased accidents, calorie consumption and heart disease risk. Unluckily for women, statistics suggest that sleep problems affect more women than men, while a study by the University of Michigan found that women are more than twice as likely to give up sleep to care for others. Unfortunately, sleep has been found to affect women’s blood pressure and mood more than men’s, making it imperative that you do your best to get a good night’s sleep.

Putting themselves last

Not only are women more likely to compromise their sleeping habits to care for children and others, they are also prone to putting their own wants and needs at the bottom of a hectic to-do list of chores and obligations. To avoid running yourself into the ground, learn to sometimes say no to those requests and commitments that are less than essential, and make sure you set aside some “me” time each week to do something enjoyable just for you.

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quinta-feira, 5 de dezembro de 2013

5 Ways To Learn To Love Yourself

Do something kind

Although it might seem like a slightly selfish motive, being kind and doing something for someone less fortunate than yourself can help you learn to love yourself. There are lots of different ways to do something kind, but one of the best, long-term ways you can do something for someone else is by volunteering. If you fancy giving this a go, pick a volunteer opportunity that suits you and your skill set. For example, you could help out at a local swimming club, befriend an elderly person or use your marketing experience to promote a local charity. 

If you feel like you don’t have enough time to volunteer, think again. Researchers from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, Harvard Business School and the Yale School of Management found that people who volunteered actually felt like they had more time. So, get searching for that perfect opportunity and once you’ve found it you’ll soon start to feel better about yourself.

Become your hero for the day 

If you have something important coming up that you don’t feel confident about, such as an interview or a speech you have to deliver, you might find that pretending to be your hero for the day can give you that hit of confidence you need to pull it off.

If you want to try this out for yourself choose someone that you can identify with, but who is also well known for his or her confidence. Then begin to act like them. Although you don’t have to speak in their accent or use any of their quirky mannerisms, envisioning your hero can have a surprisingly positive impact upon your own body language and tone of voice. Fingers crossed this activity will help you successfully achieve what you set out to do and this success will then help you feel good about yourself.

Retrain your thoughts

How many times in a day do you think negatively about yourself? Now ask yourself how many times you compliment yourself during the day. We bet you have far more negative thoughts about yourself than you do positive. Although many of us are guilty of doing this, it is unacceptable and it needs to change.

A great way to alter your behaviour and learn to love yourself is to retrain the way you think. You can do this by following up every negative thought you have about yourself with a positive. For example, if you tell yourself that you are ugly, old or overweight, follow this bad thought up with something positive, like: ‘I have great skin, hair and a good smile’. Increasing the number of positive thoughts you have about yourself during the day will hopefully help you to enjoy being you and will help to boost your self-esteem.

Admit your flaws and take action


We all have flaws and that’s fine. It is just something that we have to accept. Yet some people’s flaws can interfere with their life and become an obstacle that stands between them and their happiness. If you have a flaw that is becoming a problem it is time to admit that you need to change.

You might have a foul temper, have an issue with food, be cripplingly jealous or be going through a wild phase that has become out of control. Whatever your flaw, remember that you will be unable to love yourself until you address these issues and you will feel a million times better about yourself if you seek some help.

Relationship analysis


There are some people in this life that are just no good for us. If you have friends, boyfriends, girlfriends or colleagues who undermine you, belittle you or are just plain mean, you need to have a think about addressing the issue and confronting them about their behaviour.

This can be extremely daunting, especially if they bully you. Remember though that no one has the right to put you down and the only way people will stop acting in this way is if they know you won’t accept it. Be brave, plan what you are going to say so that you can communicate clearly and then sit down and talk through your issue face to face. If the problem continues it might be time to consider cutting them out of your life altogether. Life is too short to waste on people that don’t make you feel good and hanging around with negative people will make it hard for you to love yourself.

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quarta-feira, 4 de dezembro de 2013

Luxury Christmas Presents For Big Kid Cyclists

We’re now into December, so we think it’s safe to start uttering the word ‘Christmas’ a little louder. We’ve covered kids bikes for beneath the tree – but what about the hard working adults?
Here’s our round-up of the top Christmas gifts for big kids – these are the big hitting, well considered items that will only be delivered to those who have been very, very good this year..
If you’re the cyclist, this is the page to ‘#accidently-on-purpose’ leave open on your desktop - if you’re looking for gift – here’s a run down of some of the most coveted items on the market:

Go Pro Hero3 Black Edition Bundle -  £322.47 - save 25%


This bundle is perfect for an adventurous cyclist, who wants to capture every moment of every expeditions by bike. The Hero3 Black is smaller and lighter than previous editions, with a 12 megapixel camera which provides great quality moving images at a rate of 30 photographs per second. Built in Wi-Fi and remote means users can connect the camera to a smartphone or computer and share awesome clips without hassle. The bundle is currently on offer, with 25% off, and includes a chest strap  mount and Velcro head strap for easy recording at every angle.

Garmin Virb Elite Camera Action Bundle – £379


The Garmin VIRB is the new kid on the block in terms of sports action recording. This camera has built in Wi-Fi for connecting to a smartphone, but also incorporates other traditional Garmin features, with a high sensitivity GPS for recording elevation, distance, speed and heart rate whilst taking photos and video. This means not only can your happy rider share videos from their adventures, they can also display the speed they were travelling at, or how hard they were working. Of course, all this comes in a durable shell with waterproof exterior – because Garmin know big kids can be just as heavy handed as little ones (or more so).  The camera includes a choice of 16, 12 or 8 megapixels and a wide angle lens.

Garmin Edge 810 Ultimate Performance GPS – £440.99 – save 14%


The Edge 810 is a high performance GPS which records speed, distance, calorie burn, cadence, and displays maps, whilst also connecting to a compatible smartphone so riders can share their exploits on social media. Activities are instantly uploaded to Garmin Connect, taking messy wires out of the equation, and athlete profiles mean that different types of riding are recorded on separate accounts. Additional extras include a sunlight readable screen means that once summer does arrive, your loved one won’t be squinting, and hourly weather reports can be sent out to the Edge so coming rain showers won’t be unexpected.
Plus – we’re currently offering a free silicone case with every 810, 800 or 510 – this offer will continue whilst stocks last, so get in quick!

Garmin Edge Touring – £179.99 – save 10%


The Garmin Edge Touring works like a GPS in the car, only with maps and other features specifically designed to help cyclists find your way on a bike instead. Cycling specific maps are already preloaded on to the unit, so it’s ready to use immediately. However, it’s also possible to find and download rides other people have completed and loaded on the Garmin Connect and Garmin Adventures websites, providing some competition between friends. There are a selection of modes for road cycling and mountain biking, and the Edge Touring will calculate the most appropriate route to match the type of cycling and the bike.

Exposure Axis Single XML Front Light  - £152.96 – save 10%


The Axis XML gives the maximum light in the smallest and most compact possible package, delivering 550 lumens for 2 hours. That’s enough light to know your rider will be seen and safe, and just about enough for some excursions on unlit roads. A wireless unit is user friendly, and USB charging means this light can be plugged in whilst at work between commutes, to be sure of a well-lit ride home. The Axis incorporates Exposure’s Smart Port Technology Plus (SPT+) – this clever patented technology enables the user to connect additional rear lights, back-up power supplies, remote switches and even gives them the opportunity to charge other USB devices from the light – limiting the chance of ever running out of power on the rear, for example. On top of that, Intelligent Thermal Management (ITM) means the LEDs operate at the optimum output, saving battery so the beam is brighter for longer.

Exposure TraceR Rear Light - £44.96 – save 9%


The exposure TraceR is mega compact with a strong output which gives 75 lumens of bright light and operates on 3 different modes. The shape of this rear blinker means that it provides great visibility from the side, increasing safety and confidence with it. No batteries are needed, as this one has a USB charging port, and unlike most rear lights, a Fuel Gauge displays remaining battery life so your rider will know when to recharge.


The super present…


Garmin Vect0r Pedal Power Meter - £1349.99, or £55.77 a month


Power meters have been a big focus in cycling this year, and they’re the perfect tool for a cyclist looking to take their training and racing to the next level. The Garmin Vector pedals measure power through the pedal, meaning they can be swapped between bikes easily, and provide a reading of left/right balance and cadence in a lightweight package. A powermeter is a major purchase – we discussed then benefits in our user test here – and we do have a range of alternative forms including crank and hub base meters here.

That’s not all


These are just a few of the items cyclists will be lusting over this December and adding to their Christmas lists. We’ve got tons more ideas for every price point, from stocking fillers under £25 to the really big purchases – check out our Christmas gift ideas page here.
Of course, you want to make sure your gift is ready and wrapped on Christmas day, so we’ve made it as easy as possible for you to get your item in time.
We can take online orders up until 22nd December and still deliver in time for the big day, and you can click and collect at some stores up to the 24th December.  However- delivery dates vary by item and store – so make sure you take a look at our last order dates here

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