Back in February I got the flu (a genuine case of influenza, not a common cold) and it took me off my bike for three weeks. When I finally got back to riding I was a bit slower than normal, but I worked my way back up to normal speed and distance rather quickly. On Thursday, March 28, I went out for a Metric Century ride on a beautiful day—light winds, full sun, a foot of snow on the ground and temps slightly above freezing. The ride was enjoyable and I felt great when I got home. However, about four hours later I was at my office when my chest started hurting. Actually, the word “hurting” doesn’t even begin to describe the pain—it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. Since I have asthma I assumed it was just an asthma attack (something I’ve not had in 12 years) and waited till the next morning to see a doctor. After a very thorough examination the doctor agreed that it was asthma and not a heart attack, so he gave me a prescription for prednisone and sent me home. Unfortunately, the prednisone did not relive my symptoms and, to make a long story short, I am still not sure what is wrong with my lungs.

For the first five weeks I couldn’t ride my bike or lift weights at all—now I am slowly getting back to riding. I’ve gone through numerous medical tests and so far the only thing we’ve found out is that my heart is in incredibly great shape (thanks to nuclear stress test and echocardiogram). Years of cycling have paid off—my morning resting pulse rate is 50 to 52 BPM, and my morning blood pressure is averaging 104/62 (not bad for a man my age). Today I saw a pulmonologist (lung specialist) and have a few more tests scheduled. At the moment, the working theory is that back in March I contracted a serious viral lung infection and though the infection is now gone my lungs are just taking a very long time to heal.

Last week was the first time I tried to ride since this whole mess began. My first ride out on a road bike turned into a cyclocross event since the heavy rains we had in April washed out one of the roads I use. I was glad I had a lightweight bike since I had to climb down about three feet into the chasm left by the rain and then walk through a bit of mud and sand before I could climb back up to a path and carry my bike to a nearby road.

Road washed out due to heavy rains—time for cyclocross!

By the way, the road that was washed out by the rain is the same one that was blocked a few months ago when beavers cut down several trees. After I carried my bike across the chasm an older couple carried their bikes across and rode with me for a mile or so. Thought these people were at least 15 or 20 years older than me, I won’t call them elderly—in my opinion you don’t become elderly until you stop riding your bike.

An older couple decided to join me for a little while

At the moment my lung capacity is very limited, so if you want to know what I feel like while riding just try this: put on a pair of nose plugs so you will be forced to breathe through your mouth, then close your lips around a straw and try to breathe through it. Yeah, it sucks. However, this past Saturday I rode through a small college campus in Wisconsin and passed a lot of the students who were riding their bikes.

Hopefully next week I will be back to writing product reviews!

Dual Power Eyewear Dual SL2 Sunglasses

The simplest way to explain the Dual SL2 Sunglasses is to tell you that they are a great pair of sunglasses with a pair of reading glasses built-in. The reading glasses portion is available in three powers (+1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 spot diopters). These sunglasses are incredibly lightweight (only 20 grams) and the shatterproof lenses are made of scratch-resistant polycarbonate. The glasses provide 100% UVA, UVB, and UVC protection. The rubber nose pieces on these glasses are perfect for cyclists—I’ve not had them slip a bit even on off-road trails. The lenses are available in two colors (smoke and brown). In addition to the SL2 Dual Eyewear offers several other models of sunglasses and every pair comes with a nice storage bag/cleaning cloth. They also sell lenses in three other colors: clear for night rides, and both amber and rose lenses for cloudy days.

My distance vision is a perfect 20/20, but I do need a bit of help reading fine print (8 point type or smaller), and especially in low light conditions. I can read a text-message on my iPhone without glasses, but I have trouble reading the very small type found in the maps application. The Dual SL2 Sunglasses look like regular sunglasses, but they have a barely noticeable magnification area built into the lower part of the lenses. What this means is that now you can read even the smallest print on your GPS, bike computer or cell phone without having to switch glasses!

The Dual SL2 Sunglasses retail for $50 online and I would highly recommend that you buy at least two pair. Once you have tried these on your bike you are going to want another pair for your car. After my first bike ride with these glasses I ordered another pair the same day.

The highest bit of praise for these sunglasses came from a U.S. Marine (my youngest son). I had these glasses sitting on my desk when my son came in and picked them up. He doesn’t need the magnification area on the lenses, but when he tried them on he said, “These look and fit better than my Oakleys.” If you know anything about Marines, you know how much they love their expensive Oakley sunglasses!

Dual Power Eyewear is based on Boulder, Colorado. They offer a generous 30-day 100% satisfaction guarantee, but I doubt if you will ever need it—once you try these out you are going to love them!

Penguin Brands Sport-Wash

It doesn’t take a long bike ride to leave your clothes smelling like a locker room. The moisture wicking fabrics used in cycling clothing does a great job at moving moisture away from the body, but they can’t move odor-causing bacteria out with it. The bacteria left on your clothing reproduces incredibly fast and the odor it creates is not easily removed by normal laundry detergents. If you really want to keep your cycling clothing from stinking you need to wash it in Sports-Wash by Penguin Brands, Inc.

Sports-Wash is an unscented, biodegradable laundry detergent that reduces odors and prevents color fading. It is also residue-free and non-allergenic. In addition, it restores the factory-applied Durable Water Repellent (DRW) finish to clothing.

Sports-Wash is also notable for what it does not contain. It contains no bleach, fabric softeners, or scent. I have noticed a slight smell as the clothing is being washed, but it rinses right out and leaves no residue.

Penguin Brands, Inc. claims that Sports-Wash will remove blood and grass stains. Fortunately, I have not had the opportunity to test this claim, so I will have to take their word for it.

My dear wife is kind enough to hand-wash all of my cycling clothing (yes, I am a lucky man). She uses one capful of Sports-Wash per sink full of dirty clothing. Sports-Wash retails for $18 for a 42-ounce bottle. I buy Sports-Wash at a local Dick’s Sporting Goods store, but it is also available on Amazon.com. Sports-Wash is more expensive than normal laundry detergent, but your expensive cycling clothing will last a lot longer if you wash it in a quality product like this.

2nd Surge Ultra Energy Gel

I always carry a few packages of 2nd Surge with me on longer rides. The truth is that I was hooked with the first package I tried! The chocolate gel is very smooth and has a rich chocolate flavor. Most (but not all) of the other chocolate gels I’ve tried over the years tasted like artificial chocolate, but 2nd Surge is the real deal. Each package of 2nd Surge has 90 calories and includes 18g of carbohydrate, 3g of protein and 100mg of caffeine.

2nd Surge is an all-natural energy gel. I hate giving a long list of ingredients in a product review, but the ingredient list in 2nd Surge is rather impressive. The ingredients include: Agave Syrup, Brown Rice Syrup, Evaporated Cane Sugar, Water, Whey Protein Isolate, Glycerin, Pea Protein Isolate, Cocoa, Natural Flavors, Green Tea Extract, d-alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Salt, Grape, Pomegranate, Mangosteen, Goji Berry, Blueberry, Chokeberry, Cranberry, Apple and Bilberry Extracts.

At the moment this product is only available in two flavors: Chocolate and Double Expresso. I love the chocolate gel and the local bike shop always keeps it in stock for me. For the record, I did not try the Double Expresso, mainly because I have never been a fan of any food product that has the word expresso (or espresso) in the title. I hope PacificHealth Laboratories adds a few new flavors before long.

A box of eight packages of 2nd Surge retails for $16 and is available on the PacificHealth Laboratories Website. On the other hand, you could just have your local bike shop order it for you—you will pay the same price but will save the cost of shipping. In addition, your local bike shop might be willing to keep this product in stock for you as well!

Topeak MTX TrunkBag EX (note the 3M reflective stripe)

The Topeak MTX TrunkBag EX is a lightweight and spacious bag designed for mountain bikes. This bag is made with flexible 600 denier fabric and has rigid molded panels so it will keep its shape. The main interior compartment has an adjustable divider (you can remove the divider entirely if needed). There are also two mesh side compartments that close with zippers. While this bag has a Dupont Teflon coating for water resistance, you can also buy an optional rain cover. The rain cover comes in either white or yellow—I bought the yellow one because it makes it a lot easier for motorists to see you in the rain.

Topeak MTX TrunkBag EX with Bungee Cords

The Topeak MTX TrunkBag EX weighs a bit over 1.5 pounds and measures 13.8″ long x 8.3″ wide x 7.5″ tall. This bag has a storage capacity of 480 cubic inches (8 L). There are adjustable bungee cords on the top of the bag so you can carry over-sized items, but I usually use it to carry a light rain jacket. This bag also has 3M reflective strips on the left and right sides—when car headlights shine on these strips it reflects the light back and makes you nearly impossible to miss. The back of the bag has a clip so yo can attach a taillight, like the Topeak RedLite II.

Topeak MTX TrunkBag EX on the QuickTrack Rail

This bag slips on your bike with the Topeak QuickTrack system, a lightweight rail that attaches to your seat post. The QuickTrack rail accepts several different sizes of Topeak bags and baskets. The TrunkBag comes with a built-in carrying handle and a detachable shoulder strap (in case you need to do some shopping along the way).

I own five different Topeak bags (two for road bikes and three for mountain bikes). A couple of my Topeak bags are over ten years old and they still look like new. I bought the Topeak MTX TrunkBag EX about 18 months ago and one of the things I’ve noticed is how the Topeak bags have evolved during the past decade. The newer bags are more streamlined (aerodynamic) and lightweight than the older bags.

As with any bag or pannier you put on your bike, you need to try to spread the weight out, i.e., don’t put everything in the TrunkBag. Last year I put the TrunkBag on a mountain bike and went out into the woods to collect acorns (I enjoy feeding the squirrels in my backyard). Acorns weigh more than you might think and when the TrunkBag was full I could really feel it as I was going uphill.

The Topeak MTX TrunkBag EX retails for $70 and should be available from just about any bike shop. I always encourage people to buy from the local bike shop whenever possible, but if you are a bargain hunter you can buy this bag from Amazon.com for only $42.

Alex, the Nite Ize SaddleLight LED Bike Bag Winner

To keep you from having to read through all the comments left for this contest, I’ll just reprint what Alex wrote: “I commute to work and have a seat post rack to haul everything I use on a daily basis in a set of pannier bags including my repair kit. Lately, I’ve been trailing my 14 month old on the weekend with my wife while she trains with friends for some upcoming centuries. I strip my bike down to the basics so I can try to keep up with everyone while trailing an extra human, so the rack (with my light on it) and panniers go away. I could use a saddle bag for my repair kit…the trailer is stuffed with diapers and Cheerios, both of which, according to my son, seem to be more important to him than a spare tube.”

I think Alex is the first contest winner we’ve had who did not have a cycling or fitness blog, so I wrote to him to get a little background information for this article. He is a former Naval officer (Hooyah) and when he lived in San Diego he used to ride his bike part of the way to work (it’s easy to be an “all seasons cyclist” when you live in an area with only one season). Now that he lives in the Washington, DC area he has turned his 35 minute metro ride into a 40 minute bike ride instead (9 mile each way).

Alex tries to support his wife’s cycling endeavors—she started riding to support autism awareness. His wife is a speech pathologist and her partner is an occupational therapist—they like to use their cycling passion to raise money and awareness for various conditions they work with in their patients. This year they are doing the Bike MS: Ride the Riverside, hosted by the National MS Society (click on the link to make a donation to her team).

Normally the contest winners on this site get the product I reviewed (dust and all). However, after I announced the contest the kind folks at Nite Ize, Inc. volunteered to send the winner a brand-new Nite Ize SaddleLight LED Bike Bag (thanks Julie!).

Nite Ize SaddleLight LED Saddle Bag

The Nite Ize SaddleLight LED Bike Bag is made from a water-resistant fabric—this fabric is also UV resistant so it will not suffer damage due to exposure to the sun. This bag only comes in one size—I would call it a medium-sized bag (I own several saddle bags and this bag is neither the largest or smallest). The bag measures 3.6″ H x 3.3″ W x 7.4″ D (91mm x 83mm x 188mm), and weighs just 3.3 ounces (94 grams). This bag is big enough to hold a spare inner tube, patch kit and a couple of CO2 cartridges. There is also a small interior mesh pocket which serves as a great place to keep your cash. If you ever have to dig into this bag in a low-light situation you are going to appreciate the bag’s bright white interior—it makes it so much easier to find things!

Bright Red LED Taillight

Sewn into the back of this bag is a bright red LED taillight that runs on a pair of 2016 3V lithium batteries (one pair included with purchase). This light has both a “constant on” and a flashing mode. You should be able to get about 20 hours of use in the “constant on” mode and a few hours more in the flashing mode. Please be aware that cold weather has a negative impact on battery life.

Reflective Trim On The Nite Ize SaddleLight Bag

The sides of this bag are outlined with a thick strip of passive reflective trim. Since I spend a lot of time riding at night or in low-light situations I always appreciate reflective elements being incorporated into my cycling gear. Light bulbs burn out, batteries die and mounting brackets break—but reflective piping will always be there! This bag attaches under your saddle rails with a hook and loop strap and to your seat post with a re-useable Gear Tie Rubber Twist Tie.

The Nite Ize SaddleLight LED Bike Bag retails for around $33 and is available from the Nite Ize Website. When you consider that you are really getting two products (a saddle bag and a taillight) the price seems very reasonable.

If you would like a chance to win a brand-new Nite Ize SaddleLight LED Bike Bag then leave a comment below telling me why you need this bag. The contest ends at midnight (CST) on Friday, April 19, 2013. After the contest closes I will read through the comments and choose a winner based solely on my incredibly subjective mood at the time—however, humor in your entry is highly encouraged (just keep it clean). If you don’t need this bag yourself you are free to comment on other entries. So I can remain impartial until the contest is over I will not be responding the comments. This contest is for U.S. residents only and only one entry per household allowed. I will send this product to the winner via U.S. Mail at my expense. Good luck!

Biofreeze Pain Relieving Gel

Biofreeze is a topical analgesic I use to help me deal with muscle aches and occasional problems like Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis. A lot of people use Biofreeze for arthritis, but since I don’t have arthritis I really can’t tell you how well it works for that.

You have probably heard of cryotherapy before (the application of cold to temporarily relieve pain). Biofreeze is applied directly to the skin and works in a similar fashion to an ice pack, except that with an ice pack your movements are severely restricted. The active ingredient in Biofreeze is menthol (which is also responsible for its pleasant smell).

You can buy Biofreeze in different forms (gel, spray, wipes) and sizes. I purchased the gel in a 32-ounce bottle with a built-in pump. A few years ago I bought an ultrasound unit to help me deal with plantar fasciitis. The physical therapist who taught me how to use the machine suggested I apply Biofreeze just before I had ultrasound therapy. This combination really seemed to work well for me. If you read the reviews for this product that people leave on Amazon.com it seems like everyone is extremely happy with this product (it has a five-star rating which is something you don’t see very often in Amazon’s product reviews).

Biofreeze is available without a prescription, but you will probably have to visit a chiropractor or physical therapist to buy it locally since it is usually not available at pharmacies or regular retail outlets. However, Amazon.com has it in a variety of sizes. Here are the best prices I’ve found: A 4-ounce tube retails for $20, but they have it for $8, while a 32-ounce bottle retails for $90, but they have it for just $41. It is also available in individual packages—a box of 36 5-gram travel packs retails for $25, but they it for about half that price.

White Lightning Clean Ride

At this time of year many folks will be getting back on their bikes for the first time in months. First, welcome back—we’ve missed you out on the road all winter. Second, you probably need to lube your bike chain before you hit the road again. There are a lot of great chain lubricants on the market and today I’d like to tell you about the two I use.

Several years ago a local bike shop recommended White Lightning Clean Ride Self-Cleaning Bicycle Lubricant to me and this amazing product keeps my chains looking brand new even after 2,000 miles of use. White Lightning Clean Ride is a liquid wax that goes on wet and dries rather quickly. This lube is “self-cleaning” which means that once the chain dries the wax lube “sheds” off your chain as it gets dirty.

Before applying Clean Ride for the first time you need to start with a very clean chain since the wax will not mix well with the oil that might already be on your chain. I have found that White Lightning Clean Streak Degreaser works extremely well for this purpose. Once your chain is clean, just pour Clean Ride on the chain as you turn it, let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe off the excess. I use a small air compressor to blow the dirt off of my chain after every ride and I re-apply the Clean Ride about every 100 miles. If you don’t have an air compressor just use a small cotton cloth (an old T-shirt) to wipe off the dirt after each ride. You will find that dirt, sand and road grime does not stick to your chain once you start using Clean Ride. This means you are not going to have globs of oil flying off of your chain if you get caught out in the rain. Clean Ride retails for around $10.00 for a 4 ounce bottle. I think I have seen White Lightning Clean Ride at every bike shop I’ve ever been in, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding it.

Boeshield T-9

While White Lightning Clean Ride is fantastic for most purposes, I prefer to use Boeshield T-9 on my winter bikes and the ones I use for riding in the rain. The first time I saw a can of Boeshield T-9 in a bike shop I was a bit surprised because I already had several cans of it in my garage but had never even thought of using it on my bikes. I live between Chicago and Milwaukee and all of my woodworking tools are stored in an unheated garage, so to keep them from rusting I spray them with Boeshield T-9. I also use it on my snow-blower. My favorite use for it had always been on my table saw—not only did it keep the table from rusting, but it provided an extremely slick surface for the wood to slide over.

Boeshield T-9 was developed by The Boeing Company (the folks who make those pretty planes). This product has a solvent and paraffin wax base and uses neither Silicone or Teflon. The solvent penetrates deep through other lubricants, but I would recommend you clean the surface first before you use Boeshield T-9 if for no other reason than it looks better that way. Boeshield T-9 dries quickly, but it is best to let it dry for a couple of hours before wiping off the excess. This will leave you with an incredible barrier against rain, mud, snow, ice, salt and road grime. The bike I reserve for riding in the rain is coated with this stuff! My winter bike is fed a steady diet of ice and road salt, but it still looks great because of the protection Boeshield T-9 provides. Boeshield T-9 is suitable for use on derailleurs, brake cables, pivot points and the chain.

Boeshield T-9 is available in different sizes, from one ounce bottles up to gallon containers, and in aerosol cans. Regardless of what form you buy it in, Boeshield T-9 has exactly the same formula. The 12-ounce aerosol can retails for $18.

Wife, Mother, Awesome Girl

Laura said she needed this bag because some of her friends have convinced her to go a Summer Solstice Ride which will be about 150 miles in a single day. She thought this bag would make her a “much more ‘hip’ and ‘with-it’ addition to the group by storing her snacks appropriately—instead of wearing a uber-dorky backpack of snacks and gear.” Laura used to ride a bike from Target, which means it probably weighed more than my Jeep Grand Cherokee. She has been “married forever” and has three kids, three dogs, and three bikes and is hoping to work her way up to five bikes (I hate to tell her this, but that won’t be enough). Among the groups who have helped shape Laura into a great cyclist are  The Philly Bike Club, Sturdy Girl Cycling, and the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia/Women Bike PHL Initative.

While Laura was the winner I felt that Aaron (Chatter Gets Fit) was also deserving, but I only had one Serfas Speed Stem Bag to give away! Aaron was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes back in 2009 and is planning on riding in the Tour de Cure: Atlanta real soon. Since I couldn’t give Aaron a bag I decided to make another donation to his American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure effort. If you click on this link you can help him as well! My father has diabetes and the complications from the disease are enormous—one of the reasons I took up cycling was because I thought it would help keep me from getting this disease.