Tech fest: The fastest kit of the TDF
The Tour de France is in full swing, and wow, what a spectacular event it’s been so far (we love you, Cav!). For cyclists and tourists alike, the TDF is often hailed as “the biggest sports event in the world.”
Not only do the race organisers do a fantastic job of showcasing the stunning French regions, but with so many eyes on the riders, Le Tour is the perfect stage for manufacturers to launch and show off their new gear. The past decade has seen major technological advancements, all aimed at boosting speed and efficiency. With over 80% of a rider’s power going to overcome aerodynamic drag, it’s no wonder there’s such a focus on aero. Every second counts, so let’s dive into the weird, wonderful, and downright wacky gear being used in this year’s edition!
Scicon glasses
Not too long ago, we wrote an article on the popularity of big sunglasses, so it’s no surprise that Dylan Groenewegen was sporting a pair of Scicon glasses with an intriguing aero nose beak. Does the beak boost speed, improve breathing, or just look cool? Who knows! Personally, I think they look pretty slick. However, the UCI (not exactly known for their innovative or humorous nature) ordered the beak to be removed mid-stage. What do you think about that?
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Lidl Trek Aero bottles
Aero bottles are nothing new. The bike I borrowed for the 2010 national TT champs had an Elite Crono bottle fitted to it. I remember it being a pain in the backside to remove and refit back to the bike. I’m also doubtful that it would have saved me any time. But here we are 14 years later and Lidl Trek have adopted aero bottles onto their road bikes. Trek say that these bottles save 1.8 watts at 22mph. I guess every Lidl helps….(can we even say that? Sorry either way)
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Cav’s socks
Aero socks are nothing new, but our guy Cav has taken it up a notch with custom, made-to-measure aero socks. At just under £1000 a pair (gulp), I doubt many people will be snapping up this particular set from Nopinz. Still, after last year’s tour, I can’t blame Cav for wanting every advantage. Interestingly, he wore a different model sock when he clinched his historic 35th victory. Who knows, maybe those were even faster?
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Conti Aero tyres
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale has equipped their front wheels with the latest Continental aero tyres. Apparently, fitting them to the rear wheels doesn’t provide enough advantage due to turbulence caused by air hitting the down and seat tubes. The Continental Aero 111 tyre features 48 cavities in the tread, known as “vortex generators.” These are designed to help control airflow as it passes over the front tyre and wheel. Pretty cool, right?
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Giro TT helmet
Alright, so we can’t exactly call this one cutting-edge since it made its debut in stage one of this year’s Tirreno-Adriatico. TT aero helmets are notoriously hard to make look good, and it appears that in the relentless pursuit of speed, any hint of fashion sense has been tossed out the window. This helmet sports an enormous visor and a massive frontal protrusion, seemingly designed to bridge the gap between the head and hands when on the aero bars. Aero? Definitely. Cool? Erm… let’s just say it’s a bit of an acquired taste.
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Poggie’s saddle
Tadej Pogačar’s new Prologo aero saddle costs a cool £1,019.00. Spoiler alert: it’s already sold out!
Engineered specifically for Pogačar and officially named the Predator, this saddle features a carbon shell and minimal covering, seemingly for extra weight savings. It’s likely designed to boost Pogačar’s comfort in the time trial position, potentially offering significant (if unmeasurable) aerodynamic gains by enabling him to adopt and maintain a more aero posture. Pretty cool stuff indeed!
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Remco’s shoes
Specialized is at it again, teasing us with more prototype gear being tested by none other than Remco Evenepoel. It’s a win-win situation: plenty of online buzz and speculation about what the next-gen shoes will look like, and a perfect testing ground for the manufacturer.
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Custom Paint
Custom paint jobs might not be new, but they never fail to excite. The 2024 edition has showcased some fantastic designs. While I’d love to share a photo of Cav’s Wilier Filante SLR, we’ve probably all seen it plenty by now. The Factor Ostro VAM, however, really gets me excited. With its paint splatter and chrome logo finish, this frameset looks out of this world. It’s available for us to order, as long as you’re okay with parting with around $5,499 for the frameset. Happy shopping!
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Have we missed anything? let us know in the comments!
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