Ground Effect are well-known for making versatile cycling clothing, and for the past year I’ve found their Solaris sunshirt a go-to for gravel rides, mountain bike rides, hikes, dog walks and gardening. The Stingray is visually a more dedicated riding shirt, without being a skintight World Tour team item.
Made from the fast drying HyperActive material, the jersey has a semi-fitted cut, with a tall collar to bolster the benefits of the UPF50 protection the material provides. With three pockets including a zippered pocket and a ¾ zip – the Stingray should suit bikepackers, commuters, adventurers, mountain bikers and just general bike riders alike.
I found the material as expected – comfortable against the skin and hard wearing. While I mostly used the jersey through August and September, I can appreciate that the zip will be a bonus in the stick months – where the Solaris can get a bit steamy. I can see myself adding sunsleeves to this jersey for long days out through spring and summer for ultimate versatility. The pockets are secure yet easy to get into even when wearing gloves. As a semi-fitted jersey they aren’t the best for fully overloading as you’ll find that compromises the fit and comfort.
A jersey like the Stingray should be a staple for many riders. Quick drying, fitted enough for riding and casual enough for a sit down lunch or post ride beer at the front bar.
When is a bike light more than just a light? See.Sense have developed a range of lights that don’t just respond to your riding and environment to maximise battery life and visibility – but they can also help you create a better and safer riding network in your region.
The Icon 3 has a low profile mount for your seat post, a nice feature to help it fit smaller frames and mountain bikes with dropper posts. The light has a vertical orientation, and pumps out a whopping 350 lumens! Thanks to the design of the light and LED placement, See.Sense claim 270 degrees of visibility for the light. As a smart light, the Icon 3 adapts the amount of light to your surroundings, and with its motion sensor it can send a message and location to a chosen mobile number as a crash alert, and even give you a theft notification. For those who are civic minded, you can also use the See.Sense app to report incidents on your ride, or issues with roads, shared paths and bikeways.
A closer look
As a light, the Icon 3 is bright! Using the dynamic function the light will be brighter when it need to be, and less bright at other times to conserve battery life. There are 5 little lights across the top of the light to show approximate battery life, and See.Sense have built in functionality of an hour of low output run time to get you home when the battery is getting low.
One of the standout features of the Icon 3 is its ability to collect real-time ride data. The light can record information on road surface conditions and even areas of high-traffic stress – plus plenty of other insights. This data can be synced to a custom dashboard that See.Sense are building for Bicycle Queensland, providing insights into where cyclists face the most hazards or issues when riding – a powerful tool to support BQ’s advocacy work. This is all possible thanks to accelerometers in the light, and some very snazzy coding in the lights that are made in the UK.
Of course, any reporting occurs through the partner app, where you can see a tally of your kilometres ridden, and report any incidents that may have occurred on the ride, including exactly where they were. You don’t have to do any of this if you just prefer the idea of having a light that adapts to your riding and environment.
In use
I am often a set and forget user for things like lights, and I certainly felt assured I would be seen when using the See.Sense Icon 3. It is bright, with a secure fit on my bike. I did find the Bluetooth connection with my phone would not always connect when I turned the light on, so not all my rides were recorded. This is less of an issue for me, but in terms of making a consistent data set for a dashboard, I would have to ensure it was paired for each ride. I also found the battery life wasn’t quite as long as I would like, but far longer than a radar rear light.
The Icon 3 is a high quality light that is very visible and bright. As a premium light any bike rider should be happy that their light will not only optimise output for the user, but it can also be used as an advocacy tool to develop
BQ members can save 30% off the price of See.Sense lights, and they are a very high quality product. If you’d like to be supporting BQ’s advocacy via ride reporting, they are a great light option to look at – just check the pairing before you set off.
I am now a long-sleeved jersey convert! I normally wear short-sleeved lycra jerseys with arm sleeves for warmth and/or sun protection, so I can remove the sleeves if required, but I love the comfort of this jersey from Ground Effect – with no worries about arm sleeves that fall down or don’t provide full coverage. I have worn the Ground Effect Tip Top on a mix of short and long, all-day rides and am impressed with the fit, quality and features. The HyperActive material has UPF50 protection and dries fast – while the ¾ zip will be welcome as the humidity climbs.
I struggle to find jerseys that fit me well, and the size 10 is just about right for me. The sleeves provide full-length coverage, right down to just past my gloves, making sure I don’t finish a ride with sunburnt wrists. The collar also provides great sun protection. The sizing allows for layering to combat the chill factor from early morning rides – a base layer underneath doesn’t impact fit and a popped a vest over the top on cool mornings.
The quality and features are great, with rear pockets that are easy to access and are sized large enough to fit a bunch gels and nutrition, spare light, phone and sunglasses while zipped middle pocket safely stores keys and valuables. The reflective decal on the pocket is also a plus for safety while riding in dark and low light conditions. Even after a couple months of use and wear – it looks new and is wearing well. I’ve found my new favourite riding top!
BQ Members can score a free set of merino socks with their Ground Effect order – just login to the Portal to find out how via the Member Rewards section.
Tern Bicycles have become synonymous with small-wheeled cargo e-bikes the world over. While their range also includes folding bikes without pedal-assist, you are more likely to have seen riders aboard a Tern cargo e-bike. Whether they are doing a grocery run, the daycare drop off or taking a bikeway to work, the Tern e-cargo bike range has rapidly increased in popularity. Within Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, that growth is easily linked to the Lug+Carrie stores, who sell the Tern bikes but also have e-bike subscription packages. A subscription removes the cost hurdle for e-mobility, while also taking care of things like servicing and accessory swaps. Bicycle Queensland members can even save 50% on their first 2 months of an e-bike subscription, as one of many BQ Member discounts.
Last year Tern stepped out of their bread and butter small-wheeled e-bike range and released an adventure e-bike. The Tern Orox arrived as the bike that is ready to accompany you through the apocalypse. It has 29” wheels, a huge 210kg cargo capacity, dual battery capability, wired front and rear lights, mudgoards, wide-range 1×12 gearing and enough mounts for just about every accessory you could imagine.
Supported by the Bosch Performance CX Smart System, the Orox has 85Nm of torque and a peak power of 600W, while still meeting the normalised power of 250W maximum to be EN15194 compliant. There has also been a recent firmware update to boost torque to 100Nm and peak power to 750W. While these changes are likely targeted at e-mountain bikes, the higher torque and peak power will be well-received by any e-cargo riders. The bike retails for $9995, no small change but well within reason for a full-service e-bike to use for recreation and utility.
First look at the Tern Orox
I first took a look at the Orox in late 2024, while dropping into the Lug+Carrie store to have the BQ Office Tern Quick Haul appointed with a few new accessories. A quick spin around the streets showed how different it was to much of the current Tern range – as it handled more like a 29” wheeled-mountain bike. And that shouldn’t be a surprise. It has been marketed as an off-road adventure bike, and it is.
The Tern Orox comes equipped with a 100kg rated rack, long wheel base and design features to suit loaded riding off road or on. This bike can quickly navigate from being your daily driver to activating family adventures. There’s no need for the whole family to be on an e-bike when one rider can pilot the Orox. Whether you have a couple of kids on seats, or you carry the picnic equipment and everything else, the Orox can be loaded up like a modern day station wagon.
There is no denying it is a big bike, and with two batteries fitted (800Wh and 725Wh) and massive Tern panniers when I collected this bike for a few days of testing, the weight clocked over 35kg. Given the length of the bike, it’s not something you’re about to put in the back of your car. But you’re better to think about the Orox as a car-replacement.
I was going to be using the bike while at the Y2W event, a 3-day rail trail adventure that Bicycle Queensland was running along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. The huge battery capacity meant I probably wouldn’t need to think about charging the bike over 3 days, and the cargo capacity would make it easy to have spares and supplies to help out any riders, and place or collect a few extra signs to improve the signposting around a few hazards on the route. As a purely off-road ride, it would also be a chance to see how well a brand known for their urban utility bikes could transfer to a wilder environment.
As this bike was a demo from Lug+Carrie, it did have a few differences from stock, including having the pannier bags fitted, and a phone mount was supplied instead of the Kiox head unit. The Bosch LED remote still gives all the control and data required for modes and battery life.
On the rail trail
While my first ride was commuting back to the office from Lug+Carrie in Woolloongabba, the next was climbing up the BVRT from Linville, through a frosty valley to put out some essential signs for the gullies on the event route. Riding on the gradual incline, the predictable support from the Bosch CX system was like an old friend. This is a very reliable system, and using the EMTB mode I could have access to up to 340% support when I was pushing hard on the pedals, with a lower level of support when just turning the pedals over. It’s a really great mode to give you the extra boost when needed, while not taking off like an unpredictable rocket ship when you put some pressure on the pedals.
As a rigid bike, and a heavy one at that, you do notice rougher terrain. But the riding position and contact points means the bike is ready to be ridden like a mountain bike. Get out of the saddle and let the bike move. This is so different to Tern’s other bikes, which are primarily designed around being one size fits most and navigating urban infrastructure. The slacker head angle, wide bars and long wheel base means that the Orox responds to rider input in a completely different but appropriate manner – spot your line, level the pedals out of the sit and push through the rougher section and carry on!
In terms of handling, I appreciated the ergonomics of the setup, from the Ergon saddle and grips to the 800mm wide low rise handlebar. The Orox comes in two sizes, which should cover riders from about 155-195cm. I was on the large and at 178cm all I would have changed would be perhaps a stem with 10mm less reach.
Unlike a commuting type e-bike or cargo e-bike, being able to ride the Orox more dynamically is what makes it work so well off-road. Even with a loaded pannier bag (on one side only) it was balanced and confident. What makes a bike like the Orox, or many other high end e-bikes, stand apart from cheaper e-bikes is the how complete and considered the spec is. From custom rolled double-wall alloy rims, to heavy duty 2.6” tyres and some big, 4-piston Magura disc brakes with huge 203mm rotors. Given the load rating (max gross vehicle weight) on the Orox of 210kg for on-road, and 180kg for off-road – proper brakes, tyres, wheels and gearing are a must-have, and something Tern clearly considered.
If you go straight to the marketing, Tern suggest the Orox is for ‘exploring new ground’. Again, compared to their popular bikes like the Quick Haul or GSD, the Orox is leaps and bounds ahead for all-terrain use, especially considering the capacity to have two batteries (as I did) allowing potentially over 300km of range, depending on mode use and system weight.
So does it help for exploring new ground? I think within the bike type, that’s a resounding yes. I didn’t even tickle the edges for load carrying capacity on the Orox over a few days of riding. And while I did ride a few tighter trails, I didn’t get the opportunity to rail singletrack on the Orox, or test it out with 27.5 Plus wheels, or loaded with a couple of kids on it. Or with a bike on the optional hitch, so you can tow another complete bike.
But, BQ Member Hayden Wright did many of those things when he reviewed a Tern Orox for Australian Mountain Bike – so you can watch his review for his take after a longer term and more varied test.
Our take
The Tern Orox is relatively new to Tern and Tern dealers around Australia. As a cargo e-bike with proper off-road capability, the Orox plays in a very limited market. While the Orox was a near ideal partner to assist on our event on the BVRT, that’s just one string in its bow. The Orox is just as capable for loading up with a couple of kids for the school run, or even taking your partner for a night out on the town if you opt for an accessory like the Captain’s Chair. You could attempt a family bikepacking weekend like a loaded pack horse, or just fill panniers with the weekly shop. The Orox can easily cross between being a commuter, car replacement for a young family and a vehicle to support outdoors adventure – all in one purchase.
There are a few things to consider though. Firstly, it is a big and heavy bike to move around. That includes changing direction from where you park it. I was happy enough lifting it up to move it, but you need room for three-point turns, especially if loaded. This is not a bike to sneak down the laneway and over a few steps into your garden shed behind your townhouse or terrace house. Similarly, if your bike adventures are often further afield, you will need to consider how you get there. I had to lower the passenger seat in my long wheel base car van (Citroen Berlingo LWB) and use a loading ramp and some persuasion to get the Orox in. Another option may be a motor bike rack but the overall length will need to be checked once carried across your vehicle.
For some, these won’t be concerns. If you see the Orox as a daily driver that is your car replacement and best friend for activating adventures from your front door – it has few peers. While it may prove more cumbersome in some ways compared to its small wheeled bretheren, for those who want more offroad capacity, be it for parkland, gravel roads or rail trails – the Tern Orox is well worth investigation.
If you’ve ever turned up to a group ride, trailhead or bike tour and spotted a few riders already kitted out in Ground Effect gear — you’re not imagining it. The New Zealand-based company has built a loyal following over 30+ years, and not just across the ditch. Here in Queensland, you’ll often see their understated but well-loved kit at BQ events, on rail trails, and just out in the wild being used and abused.
Ground Effect design and manufacture all their clothing in Christchurch, NZ – not in a high-volume, low-cost offshore factory. So every item they make needs to earn its place, and every feature of said item needs to be justified. And when they get it right (which they often do), riders hang onto their kit for years. That longevity is part of the brand’s DNA — excellent fabrics, clever design, and no unnecessary frills.
The Baked Alaska long sleeve is a winter riding staple. It combines a finely knit merino wool fabric with a windproof front panel and a high collar, delivering the warmth of a vest with the convenience of a riding jersey. It’s the kind of top that makes you wonder why more winter gear isn’t made this way – warm where you need it, and breathable where you don’t. Beyond the Burnt Orange shown, the Baked Alaska comes in Cobalt Blue and Dark Royal. Ground Effect also produce the The Popsicle, the same garment but in a women’s fit and sizing, and also available in three colours.
The cut isn’t a spray-on racing fit making it perfect for layering. Whether you’re pulling it over a base layer, under a jacket, or wearing it as-is on a brisk morning, the Baked Alaska plays well with others. Thumb loops help keep sleeves in place under gloves, and the ¾ front zip offers a quick way to vent heat once you’ve warmed up.
As for storage, there’s a well-placed zippered central pocket (ideal for valuables or snacks) flanked by two traditional jersey-style rear pockets, making it just as functional on the bike as it is warm and comfortable.
Riding in the Ground Effect Baked Alaska
Dressing for a Queensland winter can be tricky. Over the last few weeks I’ve rolled out when there has been a frost, and ended the same rides as the mercury nudges 20 degrees. This means layering, and choosing the layers, is essential. Across different rides, I paired the Baked Alaska with no under shirt, either a short or long sleeve undershirt, and even with a light shell over the top to cut wind – plus my BQ Neck Gaitor of course. This helped cover the complete range of temperatures, and while using the jersey alone close to 20 degrees was warm, the merino fabric is highly breathable, and I was happy to have the long sleeves for the sun protection.
In short, it’s the kind of winter top that earns a permanent place on the gear hook. No flashy logos, no gimmicks — just quiet, hard-working performance from a company that’s been doing that for decades. If you’re after something for the warmer months, you’ll have to check out our review of the Ground Effect Solaris and Flare.
SP arms are a local company based on the Gold Coast providing high-quality sun protection garments to lovers of outdoor sports from cycling to tennis. Their range of UPF 50+ garments include arm sleeves, leggings, leg sleeves, body shirts, gloves and shoulder wraps.
I first tested the Everyday sleeves, which come in one size. Featuring a slight compression fit, these are super stretchy and despite having very long, thin arms, fit me really well, with no sign of slipping down under my jersey like winter arm warmers so often do.
They felt reasonably cool to touch when on, and in really hot conditions I found wetting them down with a bit of water really helped keep me cooler. Additionally, on chilly mornings these provide a basic additional layer that helps a little with the cold before the day warms up.
Being impressed with this product, but after some black arm sleeves, I thought I’d try SP arms Original sleeves using my BQ member 20% discount. Unlike the Everyday sleeves, these are a sized product, and the staff were really helpful in offering me advice on what size to buy when I called them up. The Original sleeves are super stretchy and made from an incredibly soft, thin meryl microfibre and spandex blend that is cooling to touch. They also fit supremely well, like a second skin, with sufficient length to protect my wrists.
Compared to the Everyday sleeves, Originals felt lighter and cooler. The Everyday sleeves were stretchier and I liked the compression fit, although ultimately my Originals fit more snugly around the wrist because I was able to buy them in a tiny XS size. Everyday sleeves were more versatile, however, offering a little more protection from cold in variable weather.
The Originals were an essential companion when riding the Mawson Trail in South Australia.
The Everyday sleeves weigh 36g, and the Originals a mere 24g, perfect for bikepacking if you like to keep things ultralight. Both dry extremely quickly and are easy to wash out at the end of a day’s riding. Being just 24g, the Originals are also my pick for packability when pocket space is at a premium.
Designed, tested, and certified UPF 50+ in Australia and made in Korea, both the Everyday and Original SP arms come in a huge range of fun colours, as well as neutral shades like white and black. With their base on the Gold Coast, shipping is lightning fast and products come in a handy little ziplock pack that doubles as a riding wallet.
Ground Effect have been thriving for 30 years now, creating sensible, practical, and thoughtful clothing for riding in all weather conditions. After years protecting riders from wind, rain, and cold, Ground Effect have always protected riders from the sun too – the Rock Lobster long-sleeve jersey has been one of their most popular items for years. Recently, Ground Effect have expanded their range of clothing to protect us from the sun.
The Flare long sleeve top is notable for its simplicity – it’s a free-fitting, zipperless top with no pockets or fancy features except for a cowl-neck hood and a reflective rear logo – but it does its job with flair (see what I did there?).
You see, the hood, worn down, will protect your neck from the sun. Then you can wear it either over or under your helmet, depending on your preference. And while it’s true that with it worn over the helmet I did look a bit like a Teletubby, it really did protect my neck, ears, and face from UV rays, and (hidden bonus), riding the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail in peak swooping season, kept me protected from the odd beak and claw jab as well.
Ground Effect put a huge amount of thought into fabric selection. The Flare is made of UPF 50+ HyperActive™ fabric, which is cool to touch and features a layer of nano-charcoal polyester against your skin, which makes it incredibly fast drying and anti-microbial. The top floats freely and feels cool.
I was so impressed with the flare that I ordered a second one for both me and my partner, and I’ll be wearing it in the outdoors all summer – bonus – being a BQ member, I scored a free pair of summer merino Foot Soldiers socks with my order!
The Ground Effect Solaris is the men’s version of the Flare, and shares all the same features and materials. It proved to be just as popular as the Flare, and a second item was quickly purchased. Given the cut and feel of the material, both the Flare and Solaris have become popular additions to active wardrobes, just as useful for hiking in, as well as being outdoors in general – anytime some extra sun protection is needed.
Even on hot days, the Flare and Solaris work very well – but on the very humid days at low speed, they can feel a bit warm. Although we’re yet to find anything truly comfortable for those sticky, humid summer days.
Made in Aotearoa|New Zealand, the Flare weighs 180g.
Avoiding being swooped by magpies is an annual challenge for bike riders, walkers and e-scooter riders. There are numerous ways that people try to avoid getting swooped by magpies, and a couple of them even work! At Bicycle Queensland, we will always suggest that if your route is dangerous for any reason, the first choice for a rapid change is to see if you can change the route you take – and this works for magpie swooping season as well. That won’t always be possible, and there are a number of products available that claim to deter magpies from swooping.
PieProof helmets are an Australian company, with a helmet that does not intend to directly prevent a magpie from swooping you. Instead, it aims to make sure you don’t get injured. Magpie injuries can involve a small cut to your ear – but the larger danger is losing focus on riding your bike. The PieProof helmet has lightweight padded mesh ear covers, to protect your ears from the beak of a magpie. The vents have a fine mesh that prevent a magpie holding onto your helmet – and handily they keep bugs out as well. The removable visor also adds some more protection for your eyes.
What really stands out is how these added features aren’t gimmicks on a basic helmet – it’s a high quality helmet regardless. From a full coverage in-mould shell, through to an integrated rechargeable rear light, three shell sizes (in either black or white), with a fully adjustable retention system and high quality straps and buckles. All for about $110.
In use
Fitting the helmet was no problem, with a true to size fit and a very comfortable finish thanks to good pad coverage inside. Depending on your choice of eyewear, you may find the arms of sunglasses foul on the ear covers, but putting them on the inside of the ear covers proved to be the best option.
There was a concern that the ear covers may reduce hearing when riding, but the opposite was almost true. They are not a form fitting ear cover as they are not pushed firmly over your ears like noise cancelling headphones. They did reduce wind noise a little, but their main bonus is protection from an angry magpie – and the sun.
With very few magpies on my regular rides, I did need to venture a little further to coax some swooping. What the PieProof helmet will not change is the initial shock of when a magpie swoops you – but your chance of getting injured from the magpie strike is near zero.
For $109.95 including delivery, the PieProof helmets are a high quality helmet with a size range to suit many riders. While it won’t deter a magpie from swooping, it is a well-made helmet with smart design for year-round use, with some added features to call on in swooping season.
