The DealCatcher paid a visit to the French sport manufacturers and retailers Decathlon. He came home with so many goodies that he had no choice but to dedicate an entire DealCatcher article to his haul.
Decathlon's in-house brand, BTwin, is renowned for its value. We love the stuff here at road.cc. We've seen countless pieces of BTwin gear come through our doors to be reviewed, and they've almost all left with incredibly positive scores.
Amongst today's haul there are a couple of 9/10 scorers, as well as a couple of non-BTwin items too.
Those items are Turbo Trainers which are seeing something of an end-of-season sale right now - which we think is strange considering the fact that winter feels like it's only just gearing up for some serious weather.
Whether the weather turns or not, it's always good to have an alternative option to heading out for a ride.
If you're after your first turbo trainer look no further than this bargain of a full set-up exclusive to Decathlon.
The Tacx T2600 is a flywheel turbo trainer and comes £90 of free bonus bits, including a front wheel block for added security while you're bashing out those virtual miles, a foldable training mat to avoid any sweat puddles or bike marks on your floor, and an Etape du Tour training DVD to give you a bit of inspiration while you're training.
All of this, and you get free delivery.
The ELITE Qubo is a magnetic resistance turbo trainer - which, unlike the flywheel trainer above, means it uses magnets to provide resistance to your wheel as you pedal away. This allows the unit to offer three distinct training modes; constant power, 8 resistance levels and pre set ride programs.
The console also tracks your heart rate, cadence speed, time and distance travelled.
If you're after a little bit more inspiration when it comes to buying a new turbo trainer check out our turbo trainer buyer's guide. It's got everything you need to know about turbos, as well as some advice on which ones to buy to suit your needs.
We hope the weather's going to start getting better soon, but we're all very aware that you predicting anything metrologically in the UK is very difficult. So, why not hedge your bets, and try a half way house between bib tights and bib shorts.
These Aerofit 700 3/4 Bib Shorts feature a pad with a gel insert, aerodynamic design, andd flat seams. They're perfect for chilly spring rides.
We've reviewed BTwin 700 cycling shorts before - not of the Aerofit or 3/4 length variety - but 700 shorts nonetheless. The bonus that the Aerofit's have is that they've been developed with the professional FDJ cycling team.
We would struggle to recommend this product and the next one more. As far as casual, urban cycle wear goes, it doesn't get much better than the BTwin 500 Padded Urban Cycling Jacket.
Our man Dave Atkinson reviewed the men's version which you can see below last year, and had a lot of positive things to say about it.
So much so, he gave it a 9/10.
There's not much more that we can say here that we haven't already said above.
Dave called it a bargain at full price. We're not sure what that makes it now...
It's going to rain a whole lot more over the coming weeks. We live in Britain, there aren't many things you can safely expect, but rain is one.
So, if you're not prepared, there's no excuse, especially with deals like this one (and the next one) flying about.
This jacket does what you'd expect a waterproof jacket to do. It'll protect you from rain, it's got a low back to protect you from tyre spray, it's lightweight and soft which'll make it far more comfortable than most waterproofs.
Unlike the jacket above, this one's focus is visibility and safety. A slightly more basic jacket, for a significantly reduced price, the 300 waterproof jacket features reflective zips and a fluorescent colour option for added visibility.
If you're unsure about the best option for you, check out our buyer's guide to waterproof cycling jackets.
The BTwin 500 Long Sleeve jersey is perfect for rides of about 2 hours in cool weather. It acts as a great 2nd layer thanks to its brushed fleece inner layer.
The high neck, breathable outer fabric, and full zip make it really adaptable in changeable weather conditions.
If you need a little more guidance, check out our long sleeve jersey buyer's guide below:
If you're looking for an extra bit of warmth ahead of what looks like even more arctic weather, look no further than the BTwin Aerofit Base Layer.
When we had it in for review our man Stuart Kerton called it a "comfortable, well-fitting, base layer at its best in sub-zero conditions."
You can read more about it by following the link below:
Finally, avoid frostbite with these outrageously cheap winter gloves.
Seriously, don't go out in the cold without some finger protection. You'll regret it.
If you're reluctant to splash out on an expensive pair of heavy duty cycling gloves because you don't see yourself spending too much time outside in temperatures close to 0, then take a look at these.
For under £4 you'll struggle to find a better pair.
We know BTwin do a good job at making gloves that hold up to the cold at a slightly higher price range. Fingers crossed the quality trickles down, eh?
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6 comments
the reversible padded jacket is a great bit of kit and at 20 quid it's a gift. i bought one at the weekend and used it in the wet conditions today. It was highly water resistant, warm and a great fit. highly recommended
Do like Decathlon, great commuting gear.
Might want to check your maths though. 50% of £34.99 isn't £19.99
The base layers are cracking. I've got a couple and they are as good as ones 3 times the price. same is true for their sleeveless summer ones.
I've worn a lot of Decathlon/BTwin gear over the years and have always found it excellent value for money.
It lasts well, washes well, keeps it's shape, is hard wearing, effective and performs well.
Nearly all my commuter and cocking-about gear is Decathlon.
That base layer is pretty pretty good.
The 3/4s are decent, but be wary of the stitching; it can be uncomfortable behind the knee