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TECH NEWS
Tech Roundup: Muc-Off, Garmin, Zipp, SRAM, Sidi, Rapha and more
Tech Roundup was on holiday last week, but it's back with another batch of the newest and most interesting products from the world of cycling.
Sidi Insider Shoe
If you’ve been waiting for Sidi to produce a trainer, well the wait is over, they’ve released the Insider. It’s a high top trainer available in grey or black and costs $149 - we don’t actually know if they’ll be available in the UK at the moment, we’re still waiting for the distributor to get back to us. We do hope so though.
Raleigh launch heritage gift merchandise
Raleigh have dug deep into archives to launch this range of merchandise, which includes mugs, flasks, notepads and bells. They're all inspired by some iconic periods in the company’s 127 years of existence.
Such as the Raleigh Notebook and Drinks Flask which use a classic image from the 1890s of the first world cycling champion, AA Zimmerman, who took the Raleigh name to glory in exhibitions and sprint competitions in North America and Europe. The enamel mug, two ceramic mugs and tin lunch box meanwhile take their cue from the 1950s with the "all-steel bicycles" imagery. And lastly, Chopper and Burner mugs that look cool.
Santini Maglia Azzurra Giro d’Italia 2014 jersey
The Giro d’Italia is just around the corner and here is the official mountain classifications jersey. It's produced by Santani and is constructed in the same way and with the same lightweight polyester fabric as the actual race jersey, so they claim.
It’s described as being ‘highly aerodynamic’ with elasticated and breathable Cyber Rider fabric inserts on the back panels and pockets, with a hidden three-quarter length main zipper. The cuffs are elasticated and the waist band is lined with silicone gripper tape. It costs £74.99.
Muc-Off developing new products with Team Sky
Muc-Off have partnered with Team Sky and IAM this season and they have been busy developing new lubes and chain cleaners for the teams.
They’ve particularly been focusing on the high demands of the spring classics, races like Tour of Flanders where the bikes really get abused in sometimes horrible conditions. Team Sky have been testing a prototype Endurance chain lube, Bio Grease and Carbon Gripper, all products which Muc-Off say will be available to the public later this year.
http://muc-off.com/content/blog/595-future-technology-
Walleva Garmin silicone cases
Garmin already produce a range of coloured silicone protective cases for their Edge 800 computers, but what if you have the smaller Edge 500 or 200? We found this company, Walleva, who produce a large range of colourful silicone cases that will fit. They cost $9.99 each. Here’s a Giro d’Italia pink case to show your love for the Grand Tour.
SRAM release Red 22 WiFLi cassettes in 11-32 and 11-30 ratios
Need lower gears for the hills and mountains? SRAM to the rescue with a 11-32 and 11-30 ratio cassette for their RED groupset. They’re CNC-machined from a single billet of aluminium, they call it PowerDome X. This ensures they’re exceedingly light; the 11-32 is a claimed 196g, the 11-30 just 185g. Of course, such lightness comes at a cost, you’re looking at £284. Yikes! They’re available in June and July.
Faster Zipp wheels with ceramic bearing upgrade kits
Want faster wheels? Zipp have released new CeramicSpeed bearing kits for their wheels, which they claim offer a measurable saving of between 1.5 and 9 watts per bearing set. Unless you have the means of testing those claims, it’s hard to verify, you just have to take it at face value. However, if you’re a believer in marginal gains and have exhausted every other avenue of going faster, this could be for you.
The bearing kits are compatible with Zipp 88, 30 and 60 front and rear hubs, 188v8, Super-9 and Sub9-Disc rear hubs and all freehub driver bodies. Note, 88 front and 188v9 rear hubs are used on all 2014 and newer Zipp 101, 202, 303, 404, 808 wheelsets. They’re quite an investment at £194. They’re available now.
The Race iPad cases on Kickstarter
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Always some interesting projects on Kickstarter.. The Race is a bit of a collaboration, Manchester made Bukcase iPad cases using traditional bookbinding techniques, and decorated with cycling artwork by York-based artist Giuliana Lazzerini.
The iPad case is made from black leather with a birch-ply frame, with a magnetic sleep wake function and the case also doubles as a stand. They’re hoping to launch the cases at the L'Eroica Britannia Festival in June where they will be exhibiting. They’re seeking £3,300 of funding to acquire the embossing tool to get the rider designed added to the cases, screen print the ‘end-papers’ and do an initial run of 100 cases. The cases will fit the iPad 2/3/4 generation or iPad air.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/893092543/the-race-uk-ipad-cases-and-art-ce...
Secret Training Strip System care range soon to launch
Secret Training is a range of race day and training personal care products from SIS founder Tim Lawson. The products include sunscreen, chamois cream, hand cleaners, lip balm, post-race wash and much more, and even towels and bags. Think of it as everything you need to “invigorate, protect, sanitise, calm, cool, moisturise and nourish," says the company.
Tim says, “Coming from the North West of England where there’s more rainfall than anywhere else in the UK, training in the most extreme of conditions, whether it’s the cross winds of Winter Hill or further afield in the blistering heat of Mount Teide, I needed a range of quality, trustworthy and dependable products, that worked wherever and whenever. Having read the lengthy and often scary ingredients list on a variety of oil and rub product labels, it was clear there was scope to create better formulas and work towards a fully, ‘informed sport’ brand. Made for athletes, by athletes.”
Sounds interesting. The range will be launching in a couple of weeks, we’ll bring you more details soon. www.secret-training.cc
New colours for Rapha's water bottle and cycling cap range
Water bottles looking a bit tatty? Treat yourself to some new Rapha water bottles, now available in yellow and pink. They’re made by Camelbak, but not strangely the new-and-improved bottle we tested recently, and feature the Rapha logo on the sides. Choose from two sizes, 610 and 710ml. They cost £12 each. And, like they jerseys, each bottle has a short story printed on the side.
The Rapha Cap has been update with a new panel construction, and there are new colours as well. A one size fits all design made from Schoeller cotton, which is windproof and water-resistant. They cost £30.
Kinoko Cycles launch X Daily Goods cycling cap
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More cycling cap news. London-based cycling shop Kinoko have launched a limited edition cap to celebrate their Daily Goods instore coffee shop. It looks very cool, and costs £10. We want one. Get one at www.kinokocycles.com
That's all from Tech Roundup for another week, tune in next week for another batch of the latest product news from the world of cycling.
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
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45 comments
What is all this he man shite with gearing.Some people push big gears some spin.What ever works for you and the route you ride is the right gearing.Triples look a good thing.The weight of the extra ring is small and the lower gears mean the cassette can be closer ratio for most of your ride.Contador's 11/32 would be for a stage with cat 1/2 climbs.In a flat TT he would run 11/21.Add a triple there and the low could be equal to 11/32 in the real world-like sportive riders etc.
Wow. If only we we're all so perfect. Must be awesome being like some of the commentators here. What being so right and able I judge others so harshly. I can only imagine....
11-32 on a 'top' line road groupset? I don't get it. I really don't. Who spends £1200 on a groupset yet can't spin up everything on a 25 or even a 28?
Plenty folks buy the best just because it's '1 better'
I ride a 28, but with a 39, being an old fat guy, I'm even embarrassed to run that and hope one day to go back to 42, I don't see me dropping below a 27 any time though.
There's this strange parallel universe that exists outside your cycling club where people are able to enjoy the pleasure of quality cycling equipment and the freedom to ride comfortably within the limits of their ability. It's really quite liberating.
Really? That sounds ghastly, I'll look out for that. Cheers for the heads up.
There's this strange parallel universe that exists outside your cycling club where people are able to enjoy the pleasure of quality cycling equipment and the freedom to ride comfortably within the limits of their ability. It's really quite liberating.
How unpleasantly judgemental. Just be happy people are riding. I did 6000m of climbing in the Alps in one day a couple of years back. Some sections of 15%. 28 was sensible. Millar and Contador have ridden 28s in the last couple of years. I suggest you reflect and press reset.
I've done theAlps too. the pyrenness and the Stelvio. My opinion is that 34-28 is enough for nearly everywhere that has tarmac. Your opinion might be different, but mine stands.
I'm comfortable with that. Some people think Rapha is silly, I don't. Spend what you like. It doesn't mean I have to 'get' people wanting a great big 32 on their expensive groupset which in my view is unnecessary. But then I like my ratios 'tight'.
Happy riding.
You ride a compact?
Seriously now. Had it not occurred to you people with a double might prefer to change their cassette than their whole chainset?
I'm sort of with you that perhaps you may be purchasing the groupset as a compensator if you need a 32t.. however there's not really anything wrong with that. You need to stop being so ignorant, ultimately.
Well, your youth(and my age) are showing.
I was into riding straight block cogsets up hair raising climbs until one day, in my early forties, I began to hear this strange popping sound at each crank revolution as I hammered up a steep grade.
Kept wondering if I had a loose pedal or the crank needed adjusting.
Multiple trips to my LBS finally revealed the culprit to be: my left knee!
(Insert phrase here: "It never did THAT before!)
20 years later, Im still hammering up climbs, high cadence, in an MTB 22-34.
No pain, no popping, fast(dont know how fast--never replaced my computer/cadence afterthe last one broke), fun......as far as I want to know, Im as fast as ever.
Ignorance,denial,gears=magic
.....says the man who's never ridden up a decent climb.
Wiggins used an MTB setup on the Vuelta, so did Cadel Evans IIRC.
Some people are completely clueless.
Totally agree with J90. IIRC Contador used up to a 32 the year he last won the Vuelta, and I think even used that with a mid compact chainset on some of the stages. Reason being that spinning a 36 - 32 up a 20% grade is quicker and less draining than higher gearing.
There are many riders who live near steep hills who spin it up. Or, people who are a little slower who need the gearing. I think SRAM's doing a great job making their best group available to as many people as possible.
Well I think they should do what they do best and recall it. It seems to have a design weakness in the 'moral fibre' department.*
*Note - This is tongue in cheek as clearly this needs to be pointed out,
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