Tech Roundup: Focus, Zipp, Look, Polar, clothing, stickers and all sorts

Focus Izalco Max gets lighter

German manufacturer Focus Bikes have been busy working on an updated version of their long-running Izalco. We’ve got some more details winging their way over to us, but we can tell you that they’ve focused on reducing the weight down to 725g (size 54cm), increasing stiffness and improving the ride dynamics and handling. Tune in next week for more details.

Polar Tour de France yellow heart rate and GPS watch

Essentially the same as the regular RC3 GPS, this one celebrates the 100th edition of the Tour de France with a yellow case and official Tour logo, so you can proudly display your admiration for the world’s greatest bicycle race on your wrist.

Colour aside, the watch packs the same integrated GPS features so you can easily track your speed and distance, as well as monitor your heart rate with the supplied chest strap. At just 38g it’s so light you won't notice it on your wrist, and it’s just 1.37cm deep. Battery life is a claimed 12 hours. Available now, it costs £270.

More at www.rc3gps.com/tour_de_france/?language=uk-en

Coloured Look Keo 2 Max pedals now available

Spice up your bike with some colourful pedals from Look. If you want to show a nod of appreciation to the Tour de France, then how about the yellow pedals? Three new limited edition colours are available to allow you to personalise your bike. Choose from black/yellow, white/red or black/green. They cost £89.99.

www.lookcycle.com/en/all/route/pedales/keo-2-max.html

Apres Velo t-shirts

Apres Velo designs allow you to watch the Tour de France than in a Tour-themed t-shirt? They have a range of T-shirt designs inspired by the stage race, some of which we think look pretty cool, especially the Alpe d’Huez print. Apres Velo is an Australian company and the limited edition tees cost £25 each.

http://uk.apresvelo.com/products/celebrate-the-tdf?country=uk

DZR Zurich women’s boots

Wow! These are different. SPD shoe manufacturer DZR have released the Zurich, a limited edition women’s boot with the same SPD-compatible sole as the regular trainers in their range. Just 50 pairs will be made and DZR say they're the first of their kind. Well, we certainly can’t think of anyone else who has combined an SPD sole with a women’s boot like this. It’s got city commuter written all over it.

www.dzrshoes.com/zurich

Mack cycle clothing range launched

Mack is a small Polish company that started out making superlight hubs for fixed wheel track bikes. They've now branched out with their own clothing range. The styling is bold and certainly not for shy, retiring types, but on first impressions it looks smart. They’ve got jerseys, bib shorts, socks and caps, all in two distinct styles, dots and signature Mack.

www.mackhubs.com/apparel/index.php/en/

Cycling Souvenirs add new T-shirts and more

Cycling Souvenirs have added to their portfolio of gifts for the cyclist that’s got everything with a new range of T-shirts, cufflinks and stickers. Everyone loves stickers.

The trio of Y-shirts feature the infamous road climbs of the Col du Tourmalet, Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux. Printed on 100% cotton, the Ts have a small roundel on the front with the mountain’s name and height while the rear features a profile graph of the climb, with the altitude and distance on the axes and villages and woods decorated along the way. If you want to celebrate a successful ascent or simply an infatuation, one of these can be yours for £18.

When it comes to stickers – because everyone loves stickers, don’t forget – Cycling Souvenirs have released sticky versions of their lovely little replica col kilometre markers. Measuring 107 x 70mm, these stickers are cut to look like a summit stone from your most loved, or feared, Alps, Pyrenees or Dolomites climbs. They show the name and height of each col.

There’s also the Pyrenees Cyclist sticker stylishly based on the Haute Garonne flag, and for the proud sportivist there are L'Etape du Tour 2013 and Marmotte 2013 stickers. Measuring 140 x 87mm, these stickers display the route profile of the ride with the altitude of each of the climbs that will be seared into your memory if you did either event. That’s your fridge/toolbox/bike box/car sorted for summer then. Prices are from £2.50.

Last up are the cufflinks that come in a King of the Mountains polka dot...

Or the Combined Jersey pattern - one for the older cyclists there (it was awarded to the rider who did best in all the other classifications).

There are also three designs based around the iconic climbs of Ventoux, Alpe d’Huez and the Tourmalet. Each one is set inside a highly polished steel frame and they come in a padded presentation box. For £15 you can wear your heart on your sleeve.

www.cyclingsouvenirs.com

Proviz supply helmets for Apple campus

At the Apple Campus in California, the HQ for the tech brand, free bikes have been provided to get staff from A to B around the 850,000 square feet of grounds, and bike users are being kitted out with free helmets from British high viz specialists Proviz.

“Apple told us they’d researched helmet suppliers all over the world but chose ours because of our integrated front and back lights,” said Anthony Langly-Smith, co-founder of Proviz. “To get praise from Apple for our innovation and quality is quite something, knowing that our Saturn helmets are protecting some of the best technological brains in the world is the best accolade for a growing British business.”

Go to www.proviz.co.uk for more info.

Zipp introduce Vuka Fit software

Zipp have launched a free software tool called Vuka Fit that allows you to incorporate your Zipp aero cockpit into your bike fit coordinates.

Vuka Fit is available as a free download on the Apple App Store or as a free tool on Zipp’s website. 

The idea is that if you’re interested in using the Zipp Vuka Stealth or Zipp Vuka Alumina systems, you enter basic fit and frame data and Vuka Fit will tell you exactly how to set the product up to get what you need. It’s a really straightforward step-by-step procedure.

Zipp reckon that there are nearly 2,000 possible set-up options for the Vuka Stealth bar. Vuka Fit saves you looking for the right one through trial and error.