Hop in the Saddle Guidebook

www.hopinthesaddle.com
Beer? Bikes? When two great things come together, we’re left only to wonder why it hadn’t already happened.  Released this month the new guidebook Hops in the Saddle marries the best of Portland, OR: its expansive craft beer scene and its copious bike-friendly city streets. Written by Portland locals Elle Thalheimer, Lucy Burningham, and Laura Cary, each bike route has been carefully crafted to show the best of the city’s five neighborhoods, complete with detailed maps and cue sheets, catering to riders of all levels. The book also provides great “Bike Nerd Extended Routes”, and details on the city’s best breweries, bottle shops, and beer-, bike-, and budget-friendly bars and restaurants, written with both in-the-know authority and a sly sense of humor.  Oh, and buying this book also means you’ll have to visit Portland—which is something we heartily endorse.

Product Type
Bike Accessories, Food and Drink
Good For
, ,
Tested In
Portland (naturally)

Nutcase Multisport Helmet

www.nutcasehelmets.com
Inject a bit of joy into your daily ride by ditching the boring helmet of yore and wear burst of mad color and design from Portland, OR-based Nutcase.  The structure of the helmet itself is fairly straightforward: an injection-molded ABS shell with a poly inner foam for high-impact protection, paired with three sets of differently sized internal pads to help achieve the perfect fit.  Up top you find two front intake valves, with seven top-mounted and two rear-mounted exhaust vents, an adjustable spin dial for the perfect fit, and a great, anti-pinching cloth-lined magnetic chin strap that clasps together like magic—all of it CPSC-certified for safe bike riding. But Nutcase’s dedication to design—bright, brilliant patterns and colors (as well as more subdued varieties)—really set these helmets apart, from watermelon to polka-dot to paisley. The helmets do run hot compared to the more race-friendly models on the market. A midday urban ride in Portland and Washington, DC, left more than one tester warmer than a traditionally vented helmet, though they were great on 40-degree autumn mornings..  But these aren’t made for century rides in the heat of summer; they’re to let you express your inner child while on your daily commute. And naturally they make a bunch of equally fantastic (and equally safe) children’s helmets for $60.

Product Type
Bike Helmets
Good For
, ,
Tested In
City riding in Portland, OR; daily commuting in Washington, DC; mountain biking in Bend, Or

Apres Velo T-Shirts

apresvelo.com
If you worship in the cathedral of outdoors from atop your bike, here’s a line of t-shirts that evoke the spirit of your adoration.We love just about every one of their long- and short-sleeved shirts, made from machine-washable cotton elastine that’s soft to the touch.  But our go-to fashionista tester was instantly drawn to the True Religion T, with its sly “10 Commandment of Spin” badge on the side, contrast colored stitching, and fine printing on the front, rear, and sleeve. But we also confess we’re still struggling with the seventh commandment: “Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s bike.”

Product Type
Bike Accessories, Shirts
Good For
, , ,
Tested In
As many places as we can wear it without up to the point when people think it's the only shirt we own.

Camelbak M.U.L.E. NV Hydration Pack

www.camelbak.com, 1.9 pounds
The trouble with traditional water bottle holders on the bike frame is that, unless you have the hands of David Copperfield, there’s always that split second when one hand—and all of your attention—is diverted from the road to the bottle. Wearing a hydration backpack lets you drink while you ride without ever taking your hands off the handlebars or losing your focus on the path ahead. We didn’t’ think the original  M.U.L.E. pack could be improved, but the new NV back panel provides independent articulating pods that move with you as you pedal. The result? A fully vented back panel that keeps the load off your back, in any position we could come up with.  The pack is designed for long (three-plus hours) rides. Inside, the bladder carries 100 ounces of your preferred beverage, with 560 cubic inches of storage space for a light jacket, wallet, energy bars, and keys. A removable hip belt provides stability, and the one-inch webbing is so light, you won’t notice it’s there. We love the media pocket with wire channels, as well as the stretch front pocket that easily fits a helmet or puffy. We found that the pack fit torso lengths from about 15 to 17 inches, so if you’re long from the hips to shoulders, this isn’t the right pack for you.

Tested In:

Good For: Biking, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Hiking

Product Type
Bike Accessories, Hydration Packs
Good For
, , ,
Tested In
Oregon Cycle Classic, Mckenzie River Trail, OR

Factory Visit: Nutcase Helmets

The colorful wall of helmets at Nutcase HQ.

If you hear the story of how Portland, OR-based Nutcase Helmets got started, you’ll understand how they so effortlessly captured the whimsical part of the market for adult multisport helmets.  Back in the fall of 2000, Nutcase creator and founder Michael Morrow was looking for a graphic way to show his support for the Oregon State Beavers at the “Civil War” football game against U of O. His solution? Four-inch metal screws super-glued to the top of an old orange-and-black Oregon State helmet; he then impaled yellow rubber duckies on the screws to demonstrate the fate awaiting the Oregon Ducks.

The response to the helmet was instantaneous—as was Morrow’s light bulb moment:  adult helmets are boring, and not indicative of the fun everyone has while biking, skiing, and skating.  What started out as a garage operation with Morrow and his kind-hearted wife has now blossomed into company with 12 employees, with orders flooding in from all over globe and annual deliveries in the hundreds of thousands.

The decal-applied helmet designs come in all variety of color and style, from watermelons to polka dots to graphics that support your favorite team or city. The chinstrap boasts a one-handed magnetic buckle that works like magic and a simple dial to adjust the helmet’s fit.  All helmets comply with U.S. CPSC Safety Standards for riders ages five and older. The line includes street sport helmets as well as models for cycle/skate, snow sports, motor sports, and water sports.

We also love the whimsical collection of bells.

And we really like that their spacious HQ is above Portland’s amazing Ford Food and Drink, which makes a breakfast buttermilk biscuit with mozzarella, pesto, and organic relish that has no business tasting as good as it does. Craft beer goes for $4 a pint—which was almost enough to convince us to have one with our biscuit.

Fun fact: In Portlandia, the mayor of Portland (played by Kyle MacLachlan) wears the first official Nutcase helmet.

We’re testing one of their helmets right now and will report back soon.

Product Type
Bike Helmets
Good For
, ,
Tested In
So far? Mountain biking in Bend and urban pedaling in Portland.
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