Safety first

One of the things that bugs me about cycling is cars. I know, that's hardly original... Anyway, after a close shave with a Royal Mail van a few weeks ago and a complaint that didn't get anywhere because I didn't have the driver's numberplate etched on my memory, the new gadget in town is... the Muvi super-small mini DV video camera!

It really is cute. Check it out on Amazon.

Well, it was on offer, so what's a girl to do!?

I can report that it's a great little camera. With an 8 GB memory card upgrade it managed to record a 3 hr ride on Sunday. The only thing I have to complain about is a user-error involving the angle that I had it on the helmet, resulting in a whole ride's worth of footage of my front wheel, and - very occassionally - the back wheel of the person in front of me. So, my setting-it-up skills need some work. I guess that's a drawback: because it's hard to tell what it's recording when you switch it on. But that aside, it's really great. Once I get some footage that is worth sharing, I will upload it for all to see. In the meantime, I'll continue to work on my helmet attachment abilities.

Pimp your bike

Fancy funking up your steed? Well one not-too-expensive way to pimp your bike is to change the gear cable outers, from the dour and ordinary to the bright and funky. Go for some understated pinkness, or maybe you want vampish red cables? Jagwire sell cables sets in a range of colours, containing everything you need for under £30. Not bad at all. You can usuall pick them up on eBay too. It's probably time you replaced your cables anyway, so go on... treat yourself.

Oh, how girlie!

Matching brollies, a cool basket to carry your pooch around in, a floral saddle cover? Yes, it is possible to accessorise your lovely bike without glowing in the dark, so great news for girly girlies wanting something super cute for those trips into town. Basil is a company in the Netherland, and we all know that the Dutch know a thing or two about bikes. Well, one of the advantages of living in a country where cycling is as normal as eating or going to work is clearly that companies make bike bits for "normal" people, rather than assuming performance gear is the name of the game. Yes, I know that sometimes a huge, waterproof, reflective pannier is necessary, but I think if cycling is to become more mainstream in the UK people need to see that cycling isn't just for nerds and eco-warriors; normal girls can bike too, and look funky while they're at it!

The range covers all bases, with 35l panniers, to jaunty shopping bags, wire and wicker baskets, and even a funky umbrella! Shame they don't do matching rain hats... but we're not complaining because they really do have most other bases covered.

Check out the range here and buy some of there stuff from Chain Reaction Cycles or Bonthrone Bikes

Company: www.basil.nl
Product type: Baskets, bags, panniers, accessories
Funk-ometer: 10/10 (florals, brights, patterns)
Green-ometer: Not sure...
Practical-ometer: 10/10
Price: varies
Overall: 10 *****