Within the last couple of years, British Cycling reported that their membership had surpassed 125,000 for the first time in the organisation’s history and that the London Olympics in 2012 was the significant driver in this. Since then, the number of events up and down the UK is at numbers in excess of 4,000 and these can range from one day sportives like The Arrow in Lincolnshire to nine day challenges like the Deloitte Ride Across Britain.
For any rider who is taking part in an event that incorporates a one-night stay or more will need to charge their mobile phone and Garmin devices. As such, a power source is required. So, what’s the solution?
Available Power on the Move
With the increasing need for power when you are on the move, to aid the charging of mobile devices, one of the many powerbanks from the likes of USBMakers.com is the obvious answer – although don’t forget to charge the powerbank in the first place or all of your forms of communication will be well and truly flat! You won’t be able to map out where you are going, register how far you’ve been, or get those all-important statistics onto Strava to try and beat your virtual cycling buddies.
There are various options when selecting a powerbank. They come in all shapes and sizes as well as mAh (milli Ampere hour), which is the measure of a battery’s energy storage capacity. To give you an idea of how long one of these can last: if your device has a 1500 mAh capacity then the Florence Power Bank (from USB Makers) should charge it up to around 13 times fully.
It’s All About the Kit
When you see all of the gear and clothing that is now available for the budding Chris Boardman, Sir Bradley Wiggins or Geraint Thomas’ of this world, it is also important for many cyclists to have all of their accessories co-ordinate or at least the power of branding seems to go a long way. So, for all of the cycling manufacturers out there such as Cannondale, Bianchi and Specialized and creators of Fat Lad at the Back, Castelli, Rapha and more, imagine how having branded powerbanks could enhance your brand and image.
Having a mobile power source is vital for those who’re competitive sports individuals, but they also benefit most people. They’re ideal in an emergency. When your car breaks down and you have no charge on your mobile phone, or if you’re on a day trip and your Sat Nav has sapped all the energy out of your mobile device. Everything we do is connected and requires technology, but this also means that power is necessary. So, if you haven’t got yourself a back-up power source yet, you’re missing out.
