So far I have only ridden the Swift with my Ibex knickers that have a chamois, but based on my initial impressions I look forward to this saddle when things warm up a bit and I get back to my normal shorts. A pressure washer can safely be used to wash the frame, wheels, chainrings and saddle of a bike; the areas to avoid are directing the pressure washer stream into the hubs, bottom bracket, jockey wheels or pedal bearings. Winter, summer, off-road, on-road, gravel, mud, rain, and heat… all these things can affect the best choice of bicycle chain lube for your type of riding, in addition of course to your budget. New leather is tough because of the numerous treatments of the tanning process, as well as the moulding process done at our factory. Featuring a unique laser-etched design across the saddle’s entire surface, hand-skived lower flaps, and classic Brooks England comfort, commemorate this important milestone with our L’Eroica-edition Swift saddle, and enjoy your rides in a style inspired by the Golden Age of cycling.

The comfort of the Swift comes from its shape, and its suspended leather design, which offers a surprising amount of suspension. The one thing that the stats do not clearly indicate is the flatness of the rear portion, or more exactly the way the flatness drops off outside of the four central rivets. A new saddle should be treated at least once to help to assist the ‘breaking-in’ process and protect the saddle against the elements. You can adapt the recipe by adding in other dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and spices to make these even more varied and flavoursome. Since reading about the intricate, careful and unique process, which creates every Brooks saddle by hand in the Birmingham factory, I really began to see the beauty of them.Finally, keep in mind that, in occasional cases, your package may be delayed by customs and subsequent charges may apply. We are able to ship smaller goods (no bikes, frames, rims, wheels) to Europe/North America/Australasia; please ask us about carriage costs.

One of the most interesting and historical additions to his dream custom road build bike, was his Brooks England saddle. The Swift proudly sports a metal nameplate at the rear, and in addition two embossed graphic details on the sides featuring the saddle name and incorporating an icon of a Swift in flight. October to February is obviously a period of wet winter riding, and I have been testing the following list of brake pads on road, gravel and mountain bikes—to create the ultimate test for any disc brake set-up. It's perfect for racing or fast touring in the forward position, as well as city cycling and bikepacking. There is however one set of cable disc brakes that shines above the rest: the TRP Spyre SLC Disc Brake.The ability to ride for long periods without fear, or large amounts of chamois cream, is just too important to me. It features delicately hand skived lower sides, where a thin stripe of the leather top surface is cut back, thus exposing the lighter coloured suede beneath which makes for an attractive visual accent and greater comfort when pedalling.

The market for disc brake pads for gravel bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes is saturated; there are hundreds of different brands producing disc brake pads claiming to last longer and perform better than the competition. In this instance however the leather is carefully skived along the sides to reveal a lighter pre-aged leather, for pleasant visual accenting and greater flexibility and comfort for your thighs.The Victorinox Bike Tool is effectively a mini socket set: the magnetic 5mm hex key detaches from the tool holder and then you fit any bit piece to it: the range includes 2-6mm hex keys, a T25 Torx key, and flat and cross-head screwdriver bits. While I have only logged 50 miles or so on the Swift I can say that I love all three equally but different. You will be covered for the first 10 days of ownership against theft and accidental damage, so you can purchase with confidence. Just before the world went into Lockdown in March 2020, I squeezed in a last minute trip to Portugal's Algarve—to explore some of the amazing and unique gravel riding on offer there.