Bike stuff: Grips, saddle, pedals

A week or so ago I promised to tell you about some of my favourite bike gear. What better place to start than the stuff that makes things more comfortable. The contact points are where your body meet the bike and they're the first place to start if you find yourself walking like a veteran cowboy after a ride. Think hands/butt/feet and I will tell you about grips/saddles and pedals.

Favourite grips: Ergon GP1 BioKork
I love the shape of these grips, made with 40% cork from sustainable sources in Portugal. The rest of the grips claim to have eco-cred and you can read more about it here. What I like about them is the comfort they give whilst riding; the platform is shaped to support your palm and you can adjust the angle to suit your hands. I've got these on my mountain bike. Other models come with bar extensions which can be useful for longer distance riding where you need to move your hands around more.

Favourite saddle: Specialized Jett 143mm
Finding a saddle is a supremely personal thing. Everyone has different preferences and what is comfortable for me might be horrid for you and vice versa. So I can only go by what I know works for me, and that's the Specialized Jett. The aim of the game is to reduce pressure on sensitive parts of the anatomy and this saddle is shaped with a cut-out and comes with three different widths. I find these saddles so comfortable that I've got two - one for my mountain bike and one for my track bike. If it works, stick with it. Oh, and one last word about saddles - the plushest and softest won't necessarily be the most comfortable. It's all about supporting the sit bones.

Favourite pedals: Shimano DX
These are the best flat pedals I've ever come across. Not only are they cool brushed aluminium but they've got a good sized surface area and just enough in the way of spindles to keep your feet in place. Technically, they're a BMX pedal but I use them on my commuter bike. I've had them for years and they're the bomb.

{This is not a sponsored post! This is stuff I use and love myself.}