Hype This – Bike life essentials
Unfortunately, life can’t always revolve around riding your bike. So, we’ve gathered six useful products that aren’t necessarily related to bikes but still appeal to every biker. With these, you’ll be well-equipped to deal with events that happen beyond the confines of your saddle.
CamelBak ChillBak
If you don’t just want to eat dehydrated pasta and drink powdered milk at the weekend, then the CamelBak ChillBak is what you need. It lets you keep your food chilled, so you won’t have to worry about spoiled meat or warm beer at the post-ride BBQ. With a volume of 30 litres, there is plenty of room for a six-pack of your favourite IPA and things to grill, staying cold for up to 72 hours, according to CamelBak. On top of that, the ChillBak comes with a 6-litre bladder… This isn’t just enough to keep everyone properly hydrated, but, if need be, to also wash your dishes when the party’s over. All you’ve got to do now is decide who in your group will be the mobile refrigerator.
Price: € 279.95
Weight: 2,030 g
More information: camelbak.com
SILCA HX-One Home Essential Kit
If you’ve got a thing for beautiful, high-quality tools, you’ve come to the right place. The SILCA HX-One Home Essential Kit looks just as good on the living room table next to your bonsai tree as it does in a neatly ordered bike cave. The CNC-machined wooden case houses eight Allen keys from 2–10 mm (incl. 2.5 mm) with a red polymer coating for a secure and comfortable grip. In addition, there is an extra bit holder that fits on the 6 mm Allen key, allowing you to plug in one of the six Torx or four Phillips/Slotted bits, making it even more versatile. But let’s face it, the SILCA HX-One Home Essential Kit is almost too nice to actually work with. Maybe you should just keep it as a centrepiece on your coffee table.
Price: € 159.95
More information: silca.cc
Bialetti Macinacaffe
Cycling and coffee go together like pizza and mozzarella. And the experts from Bialetti in Italy are among the pioneers of coffee preparation. The Macinacaffe is a high-quality manual coffee grinder for the coffee beans of your choice. Thanks to the black finish, it isn’t susceptible to fingerprints, and it features an infinitely adjustable ceramic burr. The markings in the collection chamber indicate how much coffee you need to grind, ranging from two to six cups. Since the grinder works without electricity, you can easily take it with you on a camping trip and never have to use stale, pre-ground coffee powder for your favourite drink ever again – fresh coffee on the go!
Price: € 29.90
More information: bialetti.com
Leica Q2 Reporter
The Q2 Reporter is a particularly rugged model from Leica’s compact camera range, making it ideal for cyclists who want to take snaps of all their tours. It comes in a beautiful, hard-wearing dark green finish with woven Kevlar fibres instead of the iconic leather trim that Leica are known for. Typically used in bulletproof vests, the material should do a good job of protecting the Leica Q2 Reporter, taking all the abuse you can throw at it. Regarding the internals, it relies on the same technology as the standard Q2: full-frame sensor, 28 mm fixed focal length and an aperture of F 1.7. In macro mode, you can get as close as 17 cm and it’s water-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about mud splatters as you catch every detail of the rear wheel.
Price: € 5,690
More information: leica-camera.com
emu Snooze deck chair
The design of the Emu Snooze deck chair is so simple and minimalistic that you won’t have high expectations. However, you won’t have a bad awakening if you plonk yourself into it either, in which case you’re more likely to fall into a deep slumber – perfect after a long day on the trails! Despite the simplicity of the chair, it gives you two different positions via the armrests: a reading and a reclining position. With a maximum carrying capacity of 200 kg, you can also let your dog, child and partner sit on your lap before the Emu gives in. The deck chair is available in 10 different colour combinations for the steel tubing and fabric cover. If you want to put your feet up, Emu also make a matching footrest.
Price: € 258
Weight: 7,900 g
More information: emu.it
YETI Trailhead Dog Bed
If you’re going to make yourself comfortable in the Emu deck chair on a bike trip, your trail dog will also need a comfortable spot to rest its paws. YETI have developed the Trailhead Dog Bed for situations just like this. Thanks to the 2-in-1 option, it’s perfect for on the go: the inner cushion, a.k.a. Travel Pad, can be easily removed and, thanks to the rubberised underside, you can place it anywhere when travelling. The large outer shell or Home Base can stay at home. The Home Base measures 100 x 74 cm and the inner Travel Pad is 82 x 56 cm… So, if you’ve got a Great Dane, this isn’t the dog bed for you. But if your dog fits, you and your trail buddy can have equal rights, at home and on the go.
Price: € 340
More information: yeti.com
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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Manufacturer
