Huel Flavour Boosts Review

I recently ordered Huel's Offerings, the Granola and Bars, in my first order. Weeks later I ordered the Powder (Gluten Free, so my mom could try some). I got two of the 10 Pack Flavour Boost Taster Packs. Some flavours I liked, some I didn't, lets break it down.

I didn't enjoy the texture of the bars. I loved the Granola in my Porridge. I'm currently loving the Powder.

A Post-Taste Packs World

After you finish the ten Taster Packs, you are left with the choice:

• To continue with the raw Huel taste. The taste is not bad, it just takes a few days to adjust to it.
• Or order the 150g Flavour Boost Packs.

Firstly, the process to use the Flavour Boost Packs sounds annoying, as you now need to involve a spoon into the drink making process. The Taster Packs are sachets. The 150g packets, reduce the waste and packaging. Which is one of Huel's ideologies, in essence to reduce their carbon footprint. Even the delivery boxes are marked as carbon neutral.

What'll suck balls for me will be the Shipping Prices of these packs to get them to the Irish Republic. Huel offer free UK Mainland Delivery, and even sweet, sweet, beautiful Parcel Motel can't help out this ginger.

This isn't a paid post (as you'll see), but if you want to use my referral link for your next order, it'll get us both €10 Off Huel with Luke GJ Potter Huel.MentionMe.com. It'll help my shipping costs.

My Box, two of the 10 pack tasters and some extra Pooper Scoopers.

The Flavours Boost Packs

The flavours on offer are; Cacao, Caramel, Chocolate, Toffee, Pineapple & Coconut, Banana, Mocha, Strawberry, Rhubarb & Custard and Matcha Tea.

I'll rank them as I like them, the order that I would prefer to purchase a standalone Flavour Boost Pack. Most of the packs are £7.50, except the Matcha Tea which is £11.50, there is also a £4 Mince Pie flavour, that I didn't try, I'm not a Mince Pie eater. A Mince Pie stole my girlfriend when I was 15, we've been mortal enemies ever since.

1. Toffee

Hot dam, this baby was the second flavour boost that I tried. It was the business. The bee's knees. It was a nice smooth toffee, the likes you'd get in a Diam bar ...pack from IKEA.

It was a Friday morning, I'm not the type of delinquent who puts up FriYAY posts on Social Media, but this little number put a pep in my step. I was a little less snarky to my co-workers for five or ten minutes. I corrected this, by being extra sarcastic for the rest of the day.

2. Mocha

It was a Saturday morning, I had made my fortnightly pilgrimage across the country, from Dublin to Galway, the evening before to seen my dogs ...and also the family.

I've never had a Mocha coffee in my life. I'm a tough man from the West of Ireland. People like me don't need chocolate sauce in our coffees... because we only got coffee shops five years ago, and no one went into them.

This Mocha flavour was smooth, super smooth. It was everything I dreamed it would be. If I was a cockney from London, I'd have uttered a swift "Naughty" after every mouthful of this flavour.

Huel have a recipe recommendation to drop an espresso shot into the drink with some Ice. If this Mocha flavour was any indication to go by, I'll try that recipe sometime.

3. Cacao

"Ugh, ugh, piss, fucking Chocolate, get it a way from me" were my mother's words before going to mass on Sunday. She could try Huel as it has a Gluten free option, which I availed of. She uttered these anti-Chocolate words, where she was inseparable from a Dairy Milk bar fifteen years prior.

This Cacao flavouring was really nice, it was like a low percent Dark Chocolate.

I'd give this flavour another go in future.

4. Chocolate

Chocolate was nice. It was very, very similar to the Cacao flavour. As Cacao is higher on this list, I'd rather buy that flavour boost pack over Chocolate.

It was a Monday when I tried this flavour. I'm not one of those retards who put up FriYAY and anti-Monday Social Media Posts. I get on with it, so a hit of Chocolate on a Monday morning, had no more or less significance on my life than the tin of Fanta that my co-worker cracked open at 10:01am. I just realised that that sentence didn't make any sence, but it's been typed and it can stay there now.

5. Strawberry

Strawberry is a solid offering, everyone has a strawberry flavouring. It was the nicest smelling offering. I passed the sachet around the office for people to smell. One team member was a little interested in Huel for it's vitamin contents.

Not too many were interested in the environmental ideals of Huel. Then again they think that plastics go in the compost bin. Most of my co-workers put FriYAY stickers on their Insta Stories, yet don't make use of the weekend to go on new adventures.

6. Pineapple & Coconut

This was a very sweet flavour. Pineapple has gotten a bad rep in recent weeks. The meme about Pineapple not being a pizza topping divided the world into two camps, Normal people and Hawaiian Savages.

I've never had time, personally, for Coconuts or their bullshit. One nibble of a Bounty bar and you can consider your day ruined.

I'd probably not buy this flavour, as there's nicer ones available.

7. Caramel

This was the first flavour that I tried. I didn't like it. It was a smokey Caramel. It was not like the caramel you'd find in a Cadbury's bar, or a Millionaire's Shortcake (vegans are going to disavow me now that I have admitted to eating these products).

It was bitter, like a bottle of Caramel sauce from Starbucks.

I think that me not liking it was in part down to the fact that it was my first Huel drink. I think that all the new mouth stimuli clouded my judgement. I got two flavour boost packs, to ensure that I could try flavours more than once. I'll try the Caramel again. I'm hoping for better.

8. Rhubarb & Custard

I left this one until last in my flavour pack. I've never like Rhubarb. I sniffed it and was brought back to my mother's kitchen when she was making Trifle. Piss off Rhubarb, you are not a desert, you are a punishment.

Custard is alright, I suppose. But it hangs around in some questionable company.

This flavour wasn't too strong, but it was not as nice as the other's above it.

9. Banana

Anything banana flavoured is minging. Full. Stop. This was no exception. I would tell Banana flavour to "fuck off back to where it came from", but it would probably respond "Do you know da wey?"

10. Matcha

When making this list, I put my number one choice at the top of the list, then I started from the bottom, number 10 was easy, Matcha.

Who likes this garbage? I've not done any research on Matcha Tea, but fuck me that shit was vile. It's the most expensive one, as it contains real Matcha Tea. I'd unMatcha with this flavour on Tinder.

I hope y'all got some value, or entertainment from this post, if you're making another Huel order, please consider using my referral link to get us both £10 (it's the Queen's Money :D but still), it'll cover my shipping costs for my next Huel order.

€10 Off Huel with Luke GJ Potter Huel.MentionMe.com.

I saved the Rhubarb and Custard until last, as it brought back Childhood Trauma.

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Spiuk Altube RC Review: Ruined by lack of Boa IP1 Dials

How badly can you fuck up your top tier product?

Spiuk had me excited at the prospect of decently priced and coloured shoes. But they treat their shoes like Apple treats Smartphones. They think that making yearly updates with minor changes will generate sales. This is not the case with something as sensitive as Cycling Shoes.

You don't just buy a shoe for a year or two. As with a new purchase of shoes comes the Cleat Fitting. If you're as paranoid about bike fit as I am. Several injuries will do that you a person.

My old Spiuk ZS22 (three velcro straps, ~650g) were looking tatty after three and a half years. So I had some requirements for new shoes, in order:

1. White Colour, as plain as possible.
2. Adjustable, the new IP1 Boa System Dials ideally.
3. Replaceable Heel Pad.

I was looking at Fizik shoes range:

• R5B - Ruined by red writing.
• R4B - Too expensive not to have the replaceable heel pad.
• R3B - Ruined by that disgusting Black Strap.
• R1B - €370, although they are beautiful, like sexy submarines.

I happened across the Spiuk Altube range on Bike24. They, for €170, fulfilled the top two requirements, or so I thought. Why would a company release a 2017 product with old Boa L6 Dials?

At the time of writing Spiuk's website doesn't mention the series of dials. I did research on the Planet X shoes, which Spiuk make. They, like Spiuk's Z15 and Z16 range use the ATOP dials, which do not have good reviews. So it seems that Spiuk have only made incremental updates to their Z16RC shoes with the Altube RC.

Now that I just got them, I noticed that they have the older L6 Series of dials. I was hoping for the IP1 Series, as they have the reverse rotation to loosen. The L6, don't have this feature and an over tightening means that you must start again. Not a problem when you're at home and have plenty of time to make the club spin. When you're on the bike and you need to loosen the shoes, this is where the IP1 Series of Boa dials shine.

Spiuk, how could you fuck up your top tier product?

I'll contact Bike24 about exchanging them for the Fizik R4B. I'll take a bet that I'm a size 42 in the Fiziks. I guess there isn't a perfect shoe at a decent price.

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Vegan Cuts SnackBox - October 2016 Review

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Giant PX-2 Wheelset Weight, Width and Depth

When I got my Giant TCX SLR 1 for CycloCross this winter, it had some stock wheels on it. The nebulous Giant PX-2 Wheelset. I searched all over the internet to find more details on the rims. Alas my Googling was in vain. Then it came time to switch off my CX tyres and tame my bike's wild side. I first converted the bike to tubeless and now back to tube tyres, but this time it'll have 28mm slicks on it. I decided that I would note down the key features of the wheels for all to reference from here on out.

Spoiler Alert: They're heavier than lead. 2016 is going to be the year of the high quality CX Disc Brake Wheel. Hopefully there'll be a CX equivalent of the Campagnolo Zonda (or whatever Fulcrum sticker it has on it, it's the same wheel). At the time of writing, the front runner is the Zipp Course 30, they weigh 1,500g, but at €860, Zipp can fuck off.

Here's the skinny on these chunky rims:

• Weight: 2,562 grams. Front: 1179, Rear 1383. This includes the discs on the, but not the cassette.
• Internal Width: 20mm. This is compatible with Stan's No Tubes CX Conversion Kit.
• Depth: 25mm.
• Axel Standard: Front is 15mmx100mm Thru Axel, Rear is 9mmx135mm QR.
• Tubeless Compatible: Yes. I used Stan's Yellow Tape and Sealant with Maxxis Mud Wrestler TR tyres.

See down below for the images of the wheelset with the weighing scale and the measuring tape.

Weight - 2,562g

Front - 1,179g

Rear - 1383g

Internal Width - 20mm

Depth - 25mm

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Stages Power Meter Long Term Review

Introduction

I like cycling and I like technology. I was very apprehensive about spending €650 for a few extra lines on my Strava rides. After using the Stages Shimano 105 crank arm for almost ten months, I am really happy with my purchase.

Marrying yourself to a Power Meter

Power meters are expensive, so most people will only buy one. There are lots of considerations to take into account.

• Would you be upgrading your bike in the future?
• Do you ride lots of different bikes?
• Do you plan to rent a bike, if you go on a cycling holiday?
• Do you use your bike on a Turbo Trainer?
• Does your bike support this power meter?

Power meters come in many formats and as such they have their own pros and cons.

Wheel Hub Based

Pros: Can fit on almost every bike. Whole output of power. Speed and Cadence reading too.

Cons: Which wheelset do you put your power meter on?

Pedal Based

Pros: Can fit on almost every bike. Whole output of power (if dual sided). Left/right readings (if dual sided).

Cons: Axel servicing and Platform life. One of the first contact points in a crash.

Crank Arm Based

Pros: Cheapest. Low maintenance.

Cons: Single sided power readings. Fixed to one type of crankset and crank arm length.

Crankset Based

Pros: Whole output of power. Left/right readings. Low maintenance.

Cons: Fixed to one type of crankset.

Other options, that were available in mid-2014

I was considering getting a Power2Max or a PowerTap. Both offering the whole output of my power, compared to Stages' well documented doubling the left only reading. Power2Max offered estimated left/right readings.

Power2Max

Deciding on a Power2Max model was pretty confusing, and there was some hidden costs that it could entail. Could I just replace my spider with their spider? Did I need to buy Rotor cranks and new chainrings? Would these cranks fit my bottom bracket? If I bought a new bike in the future would my Power2Max fit onto it.

PowerTap Hub

The PowerTap has its downsides too. It goes on a wheel. Would I buy a deep section wheel that I couldn't ride in windy conditions. Would I buy a heavy aluminium rim that I would be hold me back when I need aero advantages? Could I use it on the Turbo Trainer and on the Road with a quick change?

Stages

The Stages solution is not bound by most of these limitations. Only the bike upgrade might be a problem. For Instance, if the bike comes with a Campagnolo, SRAM, FSA or Rotor crankset.

Model

I went with the Stages Shimano 105 5700 crank arm version, it was the cheapest option available to me. All I needed to know was the length of the crank arm, which is on the inside of the existing crank arms on Shimano cranks.

Ordering Experience

I ordered from powermeter24.de, there was some delays on Stages end. They probably use a lean approach to manufacturing. Waiting for a certain volume to be ordered and the making them. PowerMeter24 were €50 cheaper than the Stages site. The package came in great condition.

Installation - Fitting it to HollowTech II crankset.

My bike has the Shimano Sora group set. The crank arms are HollowTech II. So the power meter fitted on without problems. I used a Shimano crank tool and torque wrench to attach it to my bike. Gave the crank a few rotations to wake it up. I turned on the "Power Sensor" on my Garmin Edge 810 and typed in the ANT+ id of the power meter. Then took it out for a spin. I was getting power and cadence reading from the device, as expected.

I really recommend putting some LockTight on the bolts before you attach them, so they don't become stuck. I recently removed and reattached my Stages, during cleaning after a particularly mucky and salty ride. I attached it too tightly, without adding LockTight and the plastic bit where the Shimano crank tool goes into is stuck to the crank now.

Training experience

You may pick up some Chris Froome-esque habits when training with a power meter.

I didn't do an FTP test for a long time after installing the power meter. The Strava challenge of Rapha Rising was taking place. I displayed my Watts Per Kilo field on my Garmin and paced at 2.8 watts/kilo during the climbing part of the challenge. After a few weeks my Strava Power Curve became accurate. This curve has a "Show Estimated FTP" option and I first noticed that my FTP was 196 watts. I set my training zones based off this reading. Later I found a climb that was just over 20 mins long. I would ride up the hill using the power meter to pace my effort, using the "Average Power - Lap" field on my Garmin Edge 810. This Uphill Time Trialing combined with my other intervals showed that my FTP was increasing. Seeing the increases in my FTP was the most exciting bit about the tests. The secondary objective of the tests was to move up the Strava Leader boards.

General Experience

The battery lasted almost six months. My Garmin was displaying "Power Mater battery low" messages, which was cool. I ride it in the Irish weather, so it gets adequate rain and puddle testing. I haven't experienced the Battery dying during, or after, wet rides. I keep my bike very clean, so the power meter is still in great condition. Only the outside of the crank arm is a bit worn from wearing Winter Overshoes. Updating the firmware is really easy. Spin crank to wake it up. Turn on the Bluetooth on your phone and open the Stages app. Connect to the power meter and update the firmware.

If I was buying a Power Meter again, in 2015...

Would I go for Stages again? No, I would go for a pedal based Power Meter, such as the Garmin Vector S, or the PowerTap P1 Pedals. The Crank arm based Stages would be second.

If I was in the market for a pedal based power meter, I would first examine the servicing of these pedals. To keep them running smooth. The benefit of a Crank Arm based solution is that it is basically maintenance free.

Conclusion

I recommend the Stages Power Meter as a solution to getting power in your life, if you want a crank arm based power meter. But another type of power meter may suit your needs better, so get the one that meets your requirements better. You are spending you money, so don't hamper yourself because you deserve the best.

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