SaltStick Caps and SaltStick Plus along with their unique, patented capsule dispensers are a well engineered approach to sodium and electrolyte supplementation.

Jonathan Toker’s ingenious products face a strange conundrum: You may only know they work if you don’t use them. If you do use them it’s probable you will have no problems in long distance races. You may never know how much Toker’s SaltStick products may have contributed. Such is the paradox of many nutritional products. Toker’s SaltStick is a line of electrolyte/sodium dispensers and supplements designed for the endurance athlete. They could be thought of as race insurance in hot weather.

Jonathan Toker, Ph.D is a scientist-athlete. Toker, founder and inventor of SaltStick electrolyte capsules and dispensers, owns a Doctorate in organic chemistry from The Scripps Research Institute. Those credentials don’t come easily. Toker has also been a pro triathlete. A combination of analytical thinking, athletic experience and a perceived need led to his company, SaltStick.

Jonathan Toker, Ph.D is a unique combination of scientist and athlete. His athletic and academic credentials give him unique authority in the field of sports nutrition.

SaltStick makes the clever rotational capsule dispenser that mounts inside handlebars and dispenses capsules one at a time with a twist of the cap- and holds them to prevent dropping. They also make SaltStick Caps and SaltStick Caps Plus athletic supplement capsules.

A long list of unique features, some so unique they own a U.S. Patent, differentiate Toker’s products from others in the category. Let’s take a look at Jon’s product line from SaltStick:

SaltStick and SaltStick Mini.

There are two versions of SaltStick’s patented capsule dispensers. They vary in length and capacity. The standard SaltStick is the longer version measuring 5.75″ or 14.7 cm from the back end of the dispenser to the base of the dispensing end. Overall length is 6.5″ or 16.5 cm. The original length (long) SaltStick Dispenser is designed to install inside hollow aerobar extensions and can be mounted to the side of non-hollow aerobar extensions or aerobars that do not have a hollow, accessible inner section. It holds 6 capsules.

The shorter SaltStick Mini is half the length of the SaltStick and will work inside many road bike drop handlebars. It holds 3 capsules.

The SaltStick (top) and SaltStick Mini (bottom) are designed to carry SaltStick and other "0" and "00" size capsules, the most common size. They can mount inside and on aerobars, in road bars (SaltStick Mini) and on trekking poles, bike frames, ski poles, backpacks and other equipment.

The dispenser can also be mounted on almost anything. This dispenser design works well anywhere an action/movement sport necessitates some type of capsule ingestion. In addition to holding SaltStick rehydration capsules any fairly standard size “O” or “OO” capsule will fit inside the SaltStick and SaltStick Mini dispensers. The longer SaltStick holds 6 capsules, the shorter SaltStick Mini holds 3 capsules.

Dispensing capsules from the SaltStick is quick, simple and elegant even in the aero position at speed. Simply turn the dispenser collar clockwise. A capsule emerges without falling out.

SaltStick dispensers load by retracting an internal “pusher” when you turn the dispensing collar counter-clockwise (left as you face it) until it stops. Then you gently push the capsule through the soft red polymer dome into the dispenser “barrel”. To dispense the capsules rotate the collar clockwise a few times until a capsule pushes through the “X” opening in the cap. The soft, polymer “X” opening grips the capsule so it does not fall out, a useful feature in action sports.

The dispenser worked for us without fault. Capsules were installed and dispensed easily and quickly. The ends of the soft capsules get dented in from capsules touching each other when you load the SaltStick dispenser but this doesn’t have an effect on the capsules or the dispenser. Installation of the dispenser is easy with almost no tools. For aerobars with a hollow space the dispenser simply replaces the end cap. Two SaltStick dispensers could be carried, one each mounted internally in the aerobars. SaltStick even provides a color coded separate yellow color polymer cap to help you differentiate between two different capsule loads in separate SaltSticks in case you load one with SaltStick capsules and another with pain medication or other capsule.

An external mounting bracket holds both sizes of SaltStick dispenser. The mount is secure and super versatile adding utility to the dispenser. A SaltStick can even be quickly detached from the mount and worn during the run.

A clever external mount comes with both size SaltStick dispensers and can be worn on a running number belt, backpack or hydration pack strap, and zip-tied to your aero extensions, top tube, ski pole, hiking poles or any action sports equipment.

SaltStick Caps and SaltStick Caps Plus.

Jonathan Toker’s pharmaceutical and research background is apparent when you read the details behind SaltStick Caps and SaltStick Caps Plus. SaltStick Caps contain 215 mg of sodium per capsule along with 63 mg of potassium, 22 mg of calcium, 11 mg of magnesium and 100 international units of vitamin D. This is Toker’s ideal blend of buffered heat tolerance and muscle cramp reduction ingredients. The capsules are buffered for reduced gastric distress and better absorption.

SaltStick Caps Plus and SaltStick provide buffered electrolytes and even caffeine (the Plus version) in an easy to use capsule.

An additional product, SaltStick Caps Plus, contains 30 mg of caffeine and 190 mg of sodium citrate. For comparison the Mayo Clinic tells us an 8 ounce cup of coffee contains between 95 and 200 mg of caffeine. An 8.2 ounce can of Red Bull contains exactly 80 mg of caffeine.

Whether you use sodium and electrolyte supplementation in your racing and training is an individual decision. You simply have to try the product and look at your performance to evaluate any effect it may have. Keeping good training logs will provide an insight into the effectiveness of any product you try. If you have a history of poor performances in the heat that may be an indication that you’re a candidate for electrolyte supplementation. Sodium and salt supplementation have a long history of validity dating back to US military personnel in World War II and then again during the Vietnam conflict where troops were exposed to high work loads in tropical environments. While some recent studies also suggest electrolyte supplementation beyond what is included in sports drinks may not be necessary in all environments it is a credible option.

Rudimentary sodium supplementation through "salt tablets" was popularized in military use during WWII and Vietnam. SaltStick supplements are a much more sophisticated product than old "salt tabs" and work more effectively with less gastric stress. This is an example of early salt tabs as used by a US Navy SEAL in the Rung Sat Special Zone in Vietnam.

In our survey of the literature on electrolyte supplementation in triathlons we found a study debunking the need for electrolyte supplementation but the study did not include sports drinks laden with electrolytes consumed on the course, so even the athletes who showed they were not ingesting sodium and electrolyte supplementation- actually were in the form of sports drinks.

Top professionals like Ford Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander use SaltStick.

Jonathan Toker used his unique backgrounds as athlete and scientist to develop the SaltStick formulations and they are a consistent strong seller in the sports nutrition category, especially as warmer weather comes to Midwest and Ironman season begins.

If you’ve had issues that could be related to sodium and electrolyte levels trying SaltStick is a valid approach in your race preparation. Never try a new nutritional product in a race without first using it in training to verify it works for you, so start your research with SaltStick products well before race day to evaluate if they are right for you. If you use any capsule during training and racing the SaltStick dispensers are the best capsule dispensers I’ve seen from any manufacturer. They keep capsules dry, prevent dropping, dispense them dependably and work without fault in our tests. The SaltStick dispensers are much better than using the little plastic coin purses that allow their contents to get wet and dissolve before you use them.

buy

A leader in the entry price point fullsuit, the Orca S4 sells for $219.00.

An informal poll on beginnertriathlete.com forum suggests the most popular wetsuit price category may be $100-$300 with over 50% of respondents indicating $200 is about what they’d pay for a wetsuit. While wetsuit prices have climbed steadily at the high end since the late 1980’s the sub $300 category is still where most sales are made. That makes Orca’s all-smoothskin outer S4 fullsuit at $219 relevant.

At $219 for a smoothskin outer fullsuit from a major brand, the Orca S4 is a good value.

When we unboxed Orca’s S4 at the University of Arizona pool for swim testing we thought we grabbed the wrong suit. The entire outer of the suit, save the forearms, is smoothskin. This includes the underarms. That’s usually reserved for suits above $250. The S4 reminded me of early “super suits” with it’s almost entirely smoothskin outer. The benefits of a smoothskin outer are better hydrodynamics (it slides through the water easier) and the suit doesn’t soak up water as the swim gets longer, losing some of its buoyancy. The later is important for mid pack swimmers in Ironman distance swims.

With all smoothskin neoprene underarm flex panels, good panel orientation and a wide size range the S4 is a good value at $219.

The entire front of the Orca S4 is SCS-coated Yamamoto #39 neoprene. Both 3 and 4 millimeter thick neoprene are used with the thicker panel being located in the bottom half of the suit below the seam across your belly button. This is a well conceived design since most swimmers need more floatation in the legs, not the chest. It also makes sense for fitting. The middle 80% of triathletes probably need some additional room in the chest and torso of a suit. The best way to provide that room is not to do it with a bigger pattern, but with better fabric that conforms to the swimmer more precisely without letting water accumulate inside the suit during a long swim. Orca put nice quality Yamamto #39 3mm neoprene on this chest panel, a strong choice.

(Left) The front of the Orca S4 is SCS Coated to slide through the water more easily. It uses flexible 2mm Yamamoto #39 SCS coated neoprene under the arm. (Right) The 3mm back of the suit helps maintain value with no SCS coating since this part of the suit remains above the surface throughout much of the swim stroke.

Underarm panels need to be flexible so it’s easy to extend your arms forward during the reach phase of your stroke. Orca went with supple 2mm Yamamoto #39 in the underarms and shoulders. The combination of a well designed 3mm chest and the flexible 2mm shoulder and underarm make the suit feel less restrictive during the front half of your stroke when donned correctly.

Orca did a good job of putting performance features where they’re needed on the S4 and still maintaining price. The entire front of the suit- the part that remains submerged during your swim- uses SCS coating. The SCS coating reduces friction in the water allowing the suit to move with less resistance through fluid. This is a feature usually reserved for suits north of $300 but the judicious use of the coating on the S4 front panels adds value and performance. To maintain price point the back of the suit goes without the SCS coating.

Nice details include reinforced seams (left and 2nd from left), a low, rolled collar design for good seal and low chafing (2nd from right) and even a novel key holder built inside the suit.

Most wetsuit users aren’t as concerned about the low-temperature performance of their suit as they are the high temperature comfort. More people bump their heads on the USA Triathlon 78-degree temperature upper limit (USA Traithlon Article IV, 4.4 “Wetsuits“) than worry about a suit not being warm enough in very cold water. Orca knows triathlons so they designed the S4 with a good middle ground 3mm back. Is the S4 warm enough for very cold swims like Ironman New Zealand, held in a glacial-fed freshwater lake? It’s an individual decision but I’ll suggest “probably” for most swimmers. If you add a neoprene swim cap and wear ear plugs to keep cold water out of your ears and off your head this suit will take you down to the coldest swims.

A conventional zipper design opens by pulling downward on the wetsuit leash.

Zipper design is conventional, sturdy and unremarkable and that’s what you get around $200. Remember though, reverse zippers didn’t exist in early high end wetsuits and athletes still had fast transitions. One concern about wetsuits that zip downward is accidental opening if another competitor gets their arm wrapped in your zipper leash and jerks it down. Even in very crowded swim starts like Ford Ironman Wisconsin and I’ve never actually seen this happen.

The forearms use a pull-panel with a laminated polymer over nylon fabric. Other than the fabric panels at the back of the calf this is the only non-smoothskin on the outside of the suit.  The forearm catch panels are intended to increase “grip” on the water during the catch phase of your stroke. The legs are angle cut and have a stretch fabric back panel for quick removal and durability. Seams are taped in stress points for good durability even during quick removals.

Our pool tests suggested the textured panel on the forearms does sheet bubbles quickly during the entry phase of the stroke potentially improving "grip" on the water according to Orca.

Neck design used a low-rolled neck with the smoothskin wrapping inside the suit for a good seal. We didn’t see chafing issues with the neck of this suit even after an hour of swimming including flip turns.

Orca builds the S4 in 11 men’s sizes and 6 women’s sizes. Their typical height/weight range size chart got our swim tester in the right fit on the first try with no problems. Another potential benefit to slightly more flexible neoprene is a little extra wiggle room at either end of the fit range on a given size. As such this is a good suit to purchase online since there is a good chance the size you picked from their size chart will work.

A low profile neck (left) seals well and didn't irritate skin in our pool tests. The back of the legs (right) is nylon 2 sided neoprene for more stretch and durability during fast removal in T1.

This suit is a strong offering at $219. Our swim testers both thought the suit swam better than its price. When I spoke to Orca about the price point of the 2012 S4 fullsuit they mentioned they are under pressure to raise the price in 2013 due to spiraling neoprene costs. That may make the 2012 Orca S4 an even stronger buy for 2012.

If you are the middle 80% of wetsuit consumer who is shopping around the $200 price range for a full suit don’t miss out on the Orca S4. This orca may be an endangered species in rough water of rising prices, and like the marine mammal the brand is named for, it is a truly credible performer in the water.

Blueseventy is a swim company with strong competitive results from Ironman to the Olympics. The Helix and Fusion showcase their approach to swim speed.

New Zealand based swim company Blueseventy continues in 2012 with their Helix and Fusion wetsuits. This past week we got a chance to swim in them at the University of Arizona pool.

Blueseventy traces its roots back to 1993 under a different name early in the history of triathlon wetsuits. In 2005 the company was re-badged “Blueseventy” in reference to the seventy percent of the earth that is covered with water. The company was an early developer of non-neoprene, warm water legal swimskins- what you wear when wetsuits aren’t legal-  as debuted in Kona in 2006. Blueseventy went on to be a major swimskin innovator for Olympic events.

Blueseventy Fusion.

The Blueseventy Fusion is a $295 entry price point full suit with features trickled down from Blueseventy's higher end suits.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

The Fusion from Blueseventy is a leg floater with thicker 4 mm Yamamoto neoprene panels south of your waist and a thinner 3 mm chest panel. The idea is to correct waterline and position the swimmer- especially the new swimmer who needs the most help- in a level swim attitude. This is a common approach to wetsuit design in the age of the Terry Laughlin Total Immersion style but some wetsuit brands reserve this swimmer positioning feature to their very high end suits.

An additional benefit to using the thinner 3 mm chest panel is some latitude on the size chart and incredible freedom of movement in the arms, also owing to the 1.5 mm FLEX panels. This is a go-to suit for swimmers with a very large chest or athletes who perceive a wetsuit as restrictive.

Fusion from Blueseventy swims much better than its $295 price tag, mostly owing to the orientation of the neoprene thickness with the bias toward leg and hip buoyancy.

A refreshing benefit of the Fusion is simple design. This suit hearkens back to the very first fullsuits, which were extremely fast. The entire outside of the suit (except the very bottom/rear leg) is smoothskin neoprene. There is no exposed jersey fabric to increase friction with the water, get soaked and reduce buoyancy or interrupt the slippery outer surface of the suit. Most other entry price point full suits have fabric panel underarms as a cost cutting concession. Blueseventy took the high road with the upper body design of the Fusion by going all smoothskin.

The suit uses a conventional zipper design that unzips downward. The zipper, leash and neck closure are beefy enough for multiple race seasons even with repeated high speed removals.

The Fusion uses a traditional zipper design that opens by pulling downward.

There is a water-grip enhancing trim panel sewn into the forearm. Instead of a set of horizontal ribs that may slow arm entry the Fusion has a textured forearm that improves “grip” during the pull phase. It’s hard to rate the true effectiveness of these stroke panels, but some stroke panels feel more effective than others. The forearm panel on Fusion falls in between. You don’t get sore shoulders after your first 500 in the pool from holding the water too effectively on the forearm and it does not detract from the suit’s performance or feel. A benefit of this design is maintaining good feel for the water since it is relatively thin. I like this panel design, it’s a good middle ground.

The textured A-Grip panels provide traction in the pull phase without losing feel for your stroke.

Fusion also uses a well designed lower leg for quick removal in T1. The legs are angle-cut to increase the total size of the leg opening. The back of the leg does use a swatch of jersey fabric that is uber-flexible. Your feet blow right through this opening in T1. It’s one of few suits, especially at entry price point, that you can get off from the knees without using your hands by pulling one leg out, stepping on the suit with the free foot and jerking the other foot out. The leg opening is a great design.

Leg openings are angle cut to increase removal speed and there is a small panel of flexible jersey fabric for fast removal.

Our swim tester, Marty Mares of TriSports.com, found no drawbacks with the Fusion and commented that it went on, fit and swam like more expensive suits. In the about- $300 price point this suit is a contender. We particularly liked the almost entirely smoothskin outer on the Fusion, especially when some value-priced suits are using a Nylon 2-sided panel under both arms to reduce cost. While that is a proven way to build a value priced full suit the Blueseventy Fusion goes beyond the typical entry price point specifications with a nicer overall fabric selection. This is a leading suit in the entry price category for full suits.

Blueseventy Helix.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Other than Quintana Roo’s Superfull, I’ve probably swam more races in the Blueseventy Helix than any other suit in the six years it has been available. The Euro-tri magazine “220″ awarded one of four “Wetsuit of the Year” awards won in the media by the Helix. After swimming in a lot of suits the reason I settled on this one is simple: It swam the best. While there may (or may not…) be faster suits such as De Soto’s unique two piece design with ultra-thick legs the Helix is the best all-around suit I’ve used. As the Helix has evolved it has only gotten better.

I’m a back of the middle pack to middle pack swimmer. I can swim distance, but I can’t swim with the leaders in most cases. I want a suit with a ton of floatation and effortless stroke feel in the arms. I also want a suit that doesn’t take on water as the swim gets longer, as with Ironman Canada, Wisconsin or New Zealand. That means precise fit. Lastly, I’m not a fan of wetsuits built entirely of super stretchy neoprene. Suits made of Yamamoto Type 40 neoprene, the most flexible neoprene commonly used in swimming wetsuits, seemed almost tooflexible to me and seemed to change fit throughout the swim no matter how tight I wore them. They were also prone to damage. If you want to read the best insight into swimming wetsuit fabrics written, and written by the man who invented the triathlon wetsuit, Dan Empfield, go here.

Well placed stretch panels and a great forearm design along with great fabric selection throughout make the Blueseventy Helix a standout suit.

While a lot goes into making a suit swim well the key design of the Helix is a perfectly dialed upper body. It lets you swim efficiently and freely while providing the right waterline. Blueseventy built three key components into the upper body and sleeve of Helix to make it swim well. Firstly, their VO2 chest panel is both flexible for better fit and breathing and super thick for good flotation. For athletes who feel a lot of chest tightness in stiffer wetsuits this may be an answer. Second, Blueseventy makes judicious use of Yamamoto 40 cell neoprene only in places where it benefits range of motion for an easy stroke. Best of all worlds: great floatation combined with flexibility. Finally, the TST or “Torsional Stretch Panels” allow easier reach at the front one-third of the stroke. The benefit of this design becomes apparent in long, rough water swims.

A. VO2 Chest panel for floatation and freedom of motion in the chest for breathing. B. TST or "Torsional Stretch Technology" panels make arms movement easy and natural without taking on water. C. 40 Cell neoprene used in underarm area to enable freedom of movement.

For the crowd that loves dimples the chest panel and legs of the Helix are dimpled. We can’t measure if this makes the suit faster but do see a coating of bubbles adhere to the suit when submerged partially because of the dimpled surface. This may marginally increase buoyancy and reduce friction with the water, although Blueseventy makes no specific claims to do so.

In addition to the dimples that run down the chest of the suit there is also a flex panel at the back of the knee. Rather than use a nylon two-sided panel, which I’m convinced absorbs water during longer swims, Blueseventy opted for a textured rubber outer panel that serves the purpose of improving flexibility but does not soak up water like two-sided nylon. Another potential benefit is this flexible panel seems to make the suit come off faster.

Left. A flex panel at the back of the leg seems to facilitate better removal as well as making the legs more flexible. Right, The dimpled texture extends down the legs.

Blueseventy goes on to build several nice comfort and fast doffing features in the Helix including a nice, chafe-resistant neck design, speed cut legs for quick removal and a reverse zipper that pulls upward to open making accidental opening during the swim nearly impossible.

The Blueseventy Helix unzips by pulling upward making it easy to grab the leash and nearly impossible to accidentally open in the swim.

The combination of proven features and recent improvements in the Helix along with a legacy of upgrades cement its position as a best in category suit. At $650 the suit isn’t inexpensive, but this review will tell you it swims- or out swims- some of the new generation of $1000 super-suits. By that measure the suit could be considered a good value. Price point discussion aside, the suit swims great and is super fast, not only in the water but also in T1 where it peels off faster than a ripe orange.

Blueseventy’s dedication to swim speed apparel is proven in triathlon and Olympic swim events and the newer Olympic open water swims. They don’t make bikes and only recently started making triathlon apparel. Swim is their primary business and the Fusion and Helix wetsuits prove they continue to do it very well.

The incredible floatation features of the Blueseventy Helix make all swimmers feel more comfortable in the water.

First Endurance's products feature unique formulations manufactured to the highest standards in the industry. They produce measureably better performance.

A safe, effective and legal sports nutritional supplement that gives you a competitive edge: If it existed, would you use it?

First Endurance has been innovating sports supplements for ten years. They make some of the most unique and effective formulations in the sports nutrition category. Three things differentiate First Endurance: Clinical grade research to test and verify the effectiveness of formulae in compliance with clincal testing standards, unique formulae that fill needs unique to the endurance athlete and levels of manufacturing, packaging and delivery technology that exceed competing brands.

In this crowded category a product has to be measurably different and provide an easily noticeable advantage. Athletes have to know it works or they won’t buy it again. That has been one of the strongest sales cases for First Endurance, especially their Optygen HP product.

Optygen allows your body to make more effecient use of oxygen. If you use any type of heart rate enabled GPS or power meter to measure your performance you’ll have all the proof you need to see the results. Look at your heart rate and speed data. You will see they begin to diverge when using Optygen; at a given heart rate you will be faster. Your pace goes up, your workload stays the same. The results are significant enough that it’s unusual the product hasn’t been regulated by sports governing bodies.

“Rhodiola helped athletes adapt to physical stress better.”

A key ingredient in Optygen is Rhodiola. Rhodiola is proven to enhance the body's adaptation to stress stimulus by improving oxygen use efficiency.

The unique ingredient in Optygen is Rhodiola, a cold weather plant that grows at high elevations. There are widespread clinical and university studies on the effects of Rhodiola on fatigue resistance and oxygen use. Rhodiola is not a stimulant. It is an “adaptogen“. Adaptogens regulate an organism’s metabolism in response to damaging stimulus such as fatigue and stress. It is a relatively simple chemical adaptation within the body, another thing that makes Rhodiola use attractive. The recognition of adaptogens such as Rhodiola began in 1947 under the direction of pharmacologist A.V. Lazarev. Subsequent research in the former Soviet Union verified findings of physiological benefits. It wasn’t until 1998 that the word “adaptogen” was accepted as a technically valid descriptive term for the performance of a substance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This acknowledgement validated the concept of a specific substance chemically augmenting specific physiological adaptations to the stresses athletes experience. It proved Rhodiola helped athletes adapt to physical stress better.

First Endurance combined Rhodiola with chromium and the amino acid beta-alanine in Optygen. These supplements perform different functions in the Optygen mix, with beta-alanine assisting in lean body mass development as revealed in university studies.

Delivery and storage technology from First Endurance enhance the effectiveness of their ingredients. An anti-UV blue tinted glass bottle and special opaque capsule preserve the effectiveness of Optygen contents.

To make the active ingredients in Optygen work better First Endurance designed a special ultra-violet resistant glass bottle and opaque capsule for delivery. These sheild the active ingredients from ultra-violet light that degrades their performance over time. Because of this attention to detail and quality assurance the effective ingredients work more effectively.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

First Endurance Liquid Shot EFS.

Another unique First Endurance product is Liquid Shot EFS. EFS stands for Electrolyte Fuel System. Liquid Shot EFS is in between a sports drink and gel. The consistency is like syrup. There are three flavors: Wild Berry, Vanilla and new Kona-Mocha flavor. Our testers agreed the Vanilla was their favorite flavor.

“The unique, thick liquid consistency and high electrolyte content differentiate Liquid Shot EFS from its competition”

Be sure to remove the packaging from the top of the Liquid Shot EFS container before you get on the bike or start running. The unique consistency delivers ingredients more easily than a gel since it is a thick liquid.

The 5 ounce gel flask container of Liquid Shot EFS contains 400 calories and over 1500 mg of electrolytes. This is a potent solution for ultra-distance events where calorie intake and electrolyte maintenance are critical. There is a large refill container for Liquid Shot EFS to replenish the reusable 5 ounce flask container. You save money and packaging. During testing we had success diluting Liquid Shot EFS with water also, opening up more possibilities for use of this versatile product. The unique, thick liquid consistency and high electrolyte content differentiate Liquid Shot EFS from its competition in the sports drink and gel categories. Liquid Shot EFS is effectively the “missing link” in sports nutrition.

First Endurance Multi V.

First Endurance used the same packaging, quality control and delivery technology as seen in Optygen in one of the most important nutritional categories to every endurance athlete, the multi vitamin. Multi V is First Endurance’s athlete tuned, high potency multiple vitamin complex. This formulation includes high levels of bioavailable iron to improve oxygen transportation. It is also loaded with anti-oxidants. Not all anti-oxidants are the same and consistent with the First Endurance level of quality the anti-oxidant in Multi V has a very high ORAC score, a measure of quality of anti-oxidants.

Multi V uses the same attention to quality and performance as Optygen and other First Endurance products. It is highly soluable and easy on the stomach with a performance tuned, athlete specific compound of supplements.

It’s hard to tell when a multivitamin is “working” but easy to tell when it isn’t. This tester used Multi V for extended periods during substantial endurance training, including Ironman preparation and, along with good eating habits, adequate rest and other common sense recovery techniques had no illness or unusual health incidence.

The ingredient list for Multi V is tuned for endurance athletes. Note the levels of anti-oxidants to facilitate recovery and the iron at 100% RDA, which is a good start point for an endurance athlete since Recommended Daily Allowances aren't tuned for endurance athletes.

Another unique product from First Endurance is Pre Race. Numerous studies have documented the benefits of legal stimulant supplementation in athletic performance. One of the most effective stimulant amino acids is 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, most commonly called “Taurine” and know widely as the active ingredient in Red Bull energy drink. For athletes who want a mental and cardiac “jump start” (according to First Endurance) Pre Race is a solution.

Pre Race contains stimulants and metabolic optimizers to assist specific physiological functions and sharpen mental acuity. It's a better solution than sugary energy drinks.

A few things differentiate Pre Race from stimulant soft drinks. The content list is specifically configured to enhance aerobic performance and mental acuity. The product is a flavorless powder that contains no high concentration of simple sugars. The advantages are no taste interference so it can be mixed with other products easily and no blood sugar spike as with sugared energy drinks. Concentration can also be controlled through mixture and dilution. An interesting possibility is adding it to a pre-race liquid fuel source or a fluid replacement drink consumer early in an event or during an ultra-distance event to maintain mental focus.

First Endurance has established a well defined niche for clinically proven sports nutritionals with the industry’s highest quality control during manufacturing combined with unique storage and delivery technologies. Research and results prove the products make athletes perform better. If you haven’t included trials with First Endurance products in your training and incorporated them in your race nutritional plan, well, you could be going faster with First Endurance.

]]> http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/05/11/first-endurance-sports-nutrition-for-measureably-better-results/feed/ 0 http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/05/03/2012-de-soto-sport-womens-forza-tri-short-and-top/ http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/05/03/2012-de-soto-sport-womens-forza-tri-short-and-top/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 22:25:41 +0000 Tom D. http://university.tri-sports.com/?p=4773
→ Go to article]]> By Debbie Claggett and Tom Demerly with Tracy De Soto, Zara Guinard and Kristen Hetzel.

The De Soto Forza Tri Top and Three Pocket Tri Shorts were redesigned by Tracy De Soto to fit a wide range of figures across the entire size run. Their fit, fabric performance, support and coverage are the new industry standard.

I love original, authentic brands. De Soto Sport defines authenticity and originality.  Founded in the surf and triathlon capital of the world, San Diego, California, in 1990 De Soto Sports is designed, tested and built in the U.S. by athletes for athletes. While tracing its lineage back to San Diego has cool brand equity the company’s founders Emilio De Soto and Dan Neyenhuis bring real-world race experience to their apparel designs. Now women’s apparel designer Tracy De Soto joins the mix with new insights on the real world of women’s triathlon apparel.

“The Forza line is designed to fit, drape, support and flatter the entire size range, not just perfect bodies.”

Tracy De Soto, CFO of De Soto Sports, is an accomplished endurance athlete who typifies the California girl in looks and lifestyle. She brings practical and functional design insights to women’s De Soto triathlon apparel- and not just for the perfect triathlon body. The female De Soto’s influence has optimized fit, fabrics and features to produce a convergence of style and technology on the new apparel across all size ranges.

“Our women’s line now features products that are longer and looser in the midriff to be much more forgiving”, said Tracy De Soto. The new Forza Tri Short and Forza Tri Top typify this new approach to female apparel design that starts with function and ends with fantastic looks on race day no matter what size you wear.

Elegant details like the new, 2-inch wide waist band with flat drawstring at the top of the tri shorts add comfort and flattering appearance in all sizes.

De Soto Sports started with technical apparel in triathlon almost before anyone else was making it. The evolution of patterns, styles, fit, function and fabric runs deeper in the De Soto brand than almost any other brand. Of the early triathlon apparel brands from the late ’80’s and ’90’s De Soto Sports is the only one left under the same ownership. Everything they’ve learned about triathlon apparel goes into everything they make, and its easy to believe they’ve learned more than any other apparel brand. Whether you’ve raced in one of their one piece trisuits or done long training miles in their iconic 400-mile bib short you experience the authenticity of a brand built by people who do the sport.

While De Soto CFO Tracy De Soto (both photos) typifies the fit, fetching California girl herself, her influence on the new Forza line is intended for every body type based on real-world race experience across the size run.

When Tracy De Soto arrived at De Soto Sports the brand was known for its fetching, sometimes daring look in the women’s line. It was built for the perfect beach body, not the average Midwest athlete. Mrs. De Soto changed that. Tracy introduced technical features to improve function along with practical changes to provide better body coverage, looser, more forgiving fit where appropriate and size runs that new athletes could feel comfortable about trying on and racing in. For the new athlete Tracy De Soto’s influence made buying your finish line photo a whole lot better.

“Our women’s line now features products that are longer and looser in the midriff to be much more forgiving” Tracy De Soto, De Soto Sports.

De Soto Sports new Forza line starts with the Forza 3 Pocket Tri Short. For 2012 the high-end Forza Tri Short uses two key fabrics; A Liftfoil fabric front section and Compressor fabric hip and rear section. Liftfoil is a hydrodynamic, low absorbent fabric with reduced friction in water. It slips easily through the swim without absorbing too much water. Fit and feel stay constant even when wet and the innovative fabric helps you swim faster. The Compressor side panels use the same powerful compression fabric made famous in De Soto’s 400-Mile bike short. Since it was invented the Compressor fabric 400-Mile bike short has been an industry favorite according to triathlon forums like Slowtwitch.com and Beginnertriathlete.com. Compressor fabric improves fit, appearance and stabilizes tissue to reduce fatigue. It’s supportive feel is reassuring in larger sizes- think “control top tri shorts” with all day comfort.

(Left) Three external gel pockets are built into the back section of fabric panels. They stay closed during the swim. Compressor fabric side panels (right, lighter color) are used on the sides with Liftfoil fabric front section for better swim performance.

De Soto Sports retained the quick-dry fleece pad in the Forza Tri Short since it is lightweight, breathable and works well over most distances. TriSports.com founder Debbie Claggett used the fleece pad shorts all the way up to Ironman distance with success. On the triathlon forum beginnertiathlete.com some women users reported comfort up to 70.3 (half-Ironman) distance. The pad is a proven performer in the swim since it’s quick drying and on the run its lightweight and flexible.

(Left) the front of the short, shown inside-out here, is Liftfoil fabric for optimum swim performance. The fleece pad is light, flexible and quick drying. (Right) the hem at the legs does not use gripper elastic for a more flattering fit, no more "sausage leg".

The matching De Soto Forza Tri Top uses De Soto’s most supportive built in bra. Tracy De Soto said, “The Forza Tri Top has maximum support.  I haven’t heard a single complaint that it’s not supportive enough.  When designing this top we made sure it worked for B and C cups and even up to D cups. It is very supportive without much movement.  Some people don’t like that much support, for that we have the Carrera line with moderate support.”

The three major details of the top are optimized for a wide range of body types. The length extends below the waistline covering the top of the shorts for a modest, smooth appearance. The bodice is relaxed fit for freedom of movement, comfort and a less form-fitting appearance. The shoulders and arm holes work with the built in bra to reduce unattractive bulge at the arm holes, remain very supportive and provide comfort at the top of the shoulders.

A lower-than-waist cut, relaxed midriff, ultra-supportive built-in bra and rear pockets complete the functional design of the Forza Tri Top.

The built-in, suspended bra is made from high-compression Forza fabric assembled with Microlock stitching. The flat-lock Microlock stitching has the same stretch characteristics as the fabric for great fit, feel and appearance in each sport. The Forza Top is perfect for swimming when worn under a wetsuit and can be used in the swim without a wetsuit but the slightly more relaxed cut won’t perform as well alone in the swim as a one-piece trisuit like De Soto Sports’ Forza Tri Suit for women.

When we asked women on the Beginnertriathlete.com forum about using a built-in bra opinions were mixed. Frequent forum contributor and experienced endurance athlete ”KathyG” said, “Many women prefer no type of support in their tri top and prefer to select their own [separate] support bra.” This trend became more common above C cup sizes. The Forza fabric sports bra built into the Forza Tri Top will solve this problem for some users because of its compression properties. We did notice athletes we asked who had been in triathlons longer trended toward all-in-one solutions such as the Forza Tri Top instead of a seperate sports bra and top.

Supportive and great looking across the entire size run the Forza tri top was optimized by Tracy De Soto: By women for women and made here in the U.S. Some testers up to D cup reported great performance. For C and below this top is the one-piece solution for racing and training.

Tracy De Soto’s contributions to the design and construction of the Forza Tri Short and Top have added a woman’s perspective to fit, form and function to De Soto Sports’ women’s apparel. These are designs for the middle 80% of female athletes across sizes from Extra Small to Large. For women who have had problems deciding what to wear on race day this apparel line offers strong solutions. There are also two different one-piece trisuits in the De Soto Forza line for women, another great race day option across all size runs.

The women who tested and commented on De Soto Sports’ new designs in the Forza line spanned a range of body types, not just the photo shoot types you see here. Each of them found the designs to be functional and credible. De Soto’s new designs for 2012 bring a level of performance to the average and entry level triathlete that didn’t exist before Tracy De Soto’s input. It’s likely female triathletes across all size ranges will thank her for that.

The newest version of the 2XU V:2 wetsuit features speed enhancements refined over years of development and validated in testing and competition.

The wetsuit category is crowded with “performance” features to improve swim speed but short on testing to validate performance claims. It’s likely the best wetsuit is the one that floats your legs well, has a reasonably flexible upper torso (but not too flexible) and external trim features to improve low pressure/low speed hydrodynamics along with great fit and durability. That describes 2XU and their sweet-spot V:2 suit.  Recent generation “super suits” may feel like wearing nothing in the water but are short on durability, barely surviving two seasons of regular racing. The 2XU V:2 strikes an industry best combination of everything you need in a performance wetsuit.

The 2XU V:2 strikes an industry best combination of everything you need a performance wetsuit to do.

Endurance brand 2XU (say “two times you”) has bucked the trend of unvalidated claims with their V:2 wetsuit, a mid-high end suit with great construction, materials, attention to detail, durability and even some speed enhancing design features that seem to work- or at least not hurt. This is a solid suit short on dubious bells and whistles and long on workmanship, durability, speed and overall value.

The 2XU V:2 is a simple, well conceived design built with durability and comfort in mind. It has great floatation and well-conceived speed enhancing features such as the 39 Cell front bouyancy panel for best floatation in the chest (right).

Any discussion of wetsuits needs to be prefaced with a nod to the lack of testing from wetsuit brands. While we compare drag statistics, mechanical features and weight of bicycles ad nauseum we don’t hold wetsuit manufactuers accountable for claims of wetsuit performance. For some reason bike technology testing is sexy and wetsuit technology testing is banal.

2XU can boast an impressive dossier of real-world practical results though. This reviewer has swam in 2XU suits enough in comparison to other suits that their models flush out as a preferred brand. Wetsuit “bestness” isn’t a matter of any one performance metric but rather the amalgam of ownership experience over a few years. Against that yardstick the 2XU V:2 measures up.

Rollbar panels of more bouyant neoprene facilitate body roll to maintain stroke efficiency. These are especially effective for long swims.

The 2XU V:2 starts with great placement of buoyant neoprene panels for the mid-80% swimmer. Most swimmers benefit from a suit that floats the legs and hips better, facilitating better body roll during the stroke. 2XU built extra floatation into the chest, legs and hips of the V:2. The hip floatation, or “Rollbar” places thicker neoprene panels at the top of the hip to help your body maintain good body roll while swimming. The added benefits include floating the lower body well to improve swim posture so you are “swimming downhill” and placing most buoyant, but least flexible neoprene in an area that has very little movement.

The V:2 suit uses a hydrodynamic coating called Nano SCS, a silicone film applied to the outer surface of the suit to reduce friction in the water. Similar coatings are used on competitive racing yachts to make the hull slippery in water. Another textile feature of the 2XU V:2 is Titanium Alpha, a fabric technology that resists water absorption over long swims, improves insulation and maintains buoyancy and hydrodynamics.

The lines on the bottom of a blue whale enable it to swim straighter, have lower drag underwater and expand its mouth to gulp huge amounts of water for straining food. The lines on the 2XU V:2, called "Velocity Strakes" perform similar functions increasing hydrodynamics, bouyancy, directional control and chest expansion for breathing and comfort.

One of the most conspicuous features on the V:2 are the set of longitudinal grooves that run lengthwise on the torso of the suit. These “Velocity Strakes” perform a few subtle functions including stability, better directional control, trapping a film of buoyant bubbles against the torso for better floatation and, like the lines on the underside of a large whale, facilitate both hydrodynamics and suit expansion for better breathing.

At the back of the suit 2XU uses a conventional zipper pull that opens from the top to the bottom. The zipper is mounted in a “Floating Zip Panel” that seperates the neoprene panel with the zipper from the rest of the suit to make the back of the suit more flexible. 2XU claims this increases distance per stroke. After swimming in early versions of the suit one benefit I can atest to is the durability and ease of use of this zipper system. Wetsuit zippers get abused during fast removals and this construction technique seems particularly durable for fast wetsuit removals.

The Floating Zip Panel helps to isolate the zipper from the surrounding fabric making the back of the suit more flexible. It also makes the zipper last longer and function better for fast removal.

At the top of the suit there are no forward-facing seams crossing the shoulder for improved hydrodynamics and better shoulder flexibility. Since the neoprene fabric is more flexible than a line of stitching this subtle design feature is one that helps this suit swim so well. The neckline is very low to prevent chafing and features a rolled-over smoothskin section to seal out water. This may be the most effective neck design we’ve tried on any wetsuit. We had no “wetsuit hickey” with this neck design even in salt water swims.

The completely seamless arm panel improves flexibility and hydrodynamics at the shoulder making it easier to swim especially on long distance swims.

Pull panel forearms on wetsuits are a common design theme. These ribbed sections are intended to improve grip on the water during the catch phase of the stroke. Some manufacturers use a design with ribs that extend sideways across the forearm of the suit. While this may improve grip on the catch phase of the stroke it also likely increases drag at the other side of the glide phase buy running sideways to your forearm. 2XU seems to have moderated this design by installing longitudinal or parallel ribs at the forearm to trap water during the pull but, since they run the length of the arm instead of the width, they don’t slow you down during the entry phase of the stroke.

The parallel ribs on the inner surface of the forearm are called the Concave Water Entrapment Zone. This is likely one of the better forearm designs since it runs parallel to the forearm during entry phase but improves water "grip" during the catch phase.

2XU continued the real-world construction details at the leg openings of the suit. The leg openings are angle-cut to pass over the thickest part of your lower leg easier. Seams are locked with reinforcing tape to give season after season durability even with frantic suit removal. All seam intersections are dot-taped for reinforcement. Fabric at the bottom of the leg is more flexible too, making high-speed removal easier in T1.

At the outside of the lower leg a Propulsion Panel is built in that mimics the Concave Water Entrapment Zone on the forearms. There are also more Velocity Strakes molded into the lower leg, facilitating better kick, hydrodynamics and lower leg flexibility for fast removal. The lower leg design works well for quick removal using only your feet. You can pull the suit down from the waist to just below the knees in one motion, then, with practice, quickly slip one leg out at a time without using your hands.

The lower leg design includes features for better hydrodynamics, more efficient kick and faster removal along with excellent durability.

The 2XU V:2 is sold in 16 sizes and runs true to the manufacturer size chart. At 5′9″ and 173 pounds I fell directly in the “Medium” size range and this suit fit perfectly at the neck, shoulders and inseam. A women’s version is also available with 7 sizes and modified, gender specific fit and panel configuration. 2XU provides a 2-year warranty against manufacturing defects with the V:2.

With full wetsuit price ranges spanning a $1000 range it’s difficult to decide where your best value lies. If you want a premium suit with proven features and multi-season durability that is built to use the way triathletes really swim and use their wetsuit the 2XU V:2 s a functional and performance oriented choice. I consider the V:2 the stand-out suit in the $600 +/- price category with its optimal mix of performance and practical features and $599 price tag.

The 2XU V:2 is the sweet-spot in wetsuits for its mix of performance and durability features.

Compression has become a part of the triathletes' uniform. Not all compression is created equal though. CEP has over 60 years experience in compression, more than any other popular triathlon compression brand.

While compression garments are a recent trend for athletes CEP entered the category as a medical compression manufacturer in 1951, over 60 years ago. CEP’s background in compression gives them insights and experience other compression brands don’t have.

As a brand the lineage to medical compression in CEP products is obvious. The key concept with CEP is “graduated compression” or different amounts of compression in specific areas of the body depending on their need and function. CEP’s athletic insights were developed from CEP’s medical products that prevent edema and help speed recovery, provide joint stabilization and facilitate movement of fluids in tissue for faster recovery. It was a short to leap to apply that technology to improve athletic performance and recovery.

Unique compression applications like CEP's Compression Quad Sleeves showcase their experience and innovative approach.

Two of CEP’s most effective and innovative products are their Compression Quad Sleeve and especially their unique Compression Tri Short. Compression Quad Sleeves are compression for athletes who may not want to wear lower leg compression  but want the benefits of muscle stabilization and fluid return. The quad sleeves can be worn under street clothes for recovery, with running shorts for training and racing and even on the bike with tri shorts. In a pinch they even double as knee warmers although CEP did not intend them for that use. I used CEP’s quad sleeves during a number of runs with baggy shorts over three weeks and liked how they fit and felt. Short of a statistically verifiable, scientific study which I didn’t do (but CEP has results for from University studies) I thought they made my quads feel better while running and “jiggle” less. That sensation of vibration or movement, especially when running on tired legs, is painful. Stabilizing the tissue stops it from jiggling so it hurts less- that part doesn’t require much science to discover. Because it hurt less for me I tended to run faster, even on tired legs.

CEP's Triathlon Compression Shorts, shown here inside out and right side out in a previous version with fleece pad. New versions use an updated molded pad.

Of the CEP compression products I used my two favorite were the Compression Tri Short and their Compression Triathlon Suit. The Compression Tri Short is a joy to run in, much better than a conventional run short or tri short because of the graduated compression in the thigh/quadriceps area that helps stabilize tissue and provide fluid return. I ran on sore legs in hot weather a number of times in this short with a feeling of less sore legs each time. No jiggle, no pain. The level of compression in CEP Triathlon Shorts seems higher than other compression tri shorts I’ve used and this may is likely part of what makes them work well.

CEP's new molded tri short pad provides long ride comfort and seems to disappear on the run. It's an improvement over their previous design.

The first thing I noticed putting the CEP compression tri short on was that the legs are difficult to pull up. Getting them on takes more work than traditional tri shorts, and pulling them all the way up took effort since the graduated compression is most prominent in the thickest part of your leg. They reminded me of seeing a fighter pilot put on a “G” suit. Once on its worth double checking you have them pulled all the way up. While they are tight in the thighs they do not bind at all at the leg opening, a nod to the graduated compression. Because the legs of the shorts feature graduated compression the top portion feels relative loose. Both on the bike and running the effect feels supportive but not restrictive. There is a nice, swimmable pocket in the back of both the tri suit and tri shorts.

CEP updated their Compression Tri short for 2012. You can see the different compression fabric over the quadriceps. There is a nice pocket in the back for gels, etc.

It’s not easy to make a garment with very different stretch characteristics but CEP has done it in both their trisuit and their tri shorts. considering the difference in how much the fabrics expand the panels had to be arranged to facilitate good fit and also optimize the compression benefits. CEP has done both, especially in the one piece suit. I will admit the first time I got into the riding position in the tri shorts it felt like the waistband at the back of the shorts was being pulled down. It’s cut high enough so this isn’t a concern though.

The different fabric panels in the tri short are arranged anatomically to provide the best compression benefit and fit.

The CEP Triathlon Compression Skin Suit uses a front zipper for easy donning and ventilation on the run. The compression is in the legs of the tri suit with a ventilated mesh insert in the top of the suit for temperature regulation. We didn’t get a chance to swim in the suit but the neck comes up high enough to suggest reasonable hydrodynamics for non-wetsuit swims.

With a full length front zip and underarm vents the CEP trisuit is comfortable on race day.

CEP’s classic product is the Allsports Compression Calf Sleeves, a product seen at nearly every multisport event around the world. the graduated compression in the calf sleeve differentiates it from other brands. The unique fabric and knit also facilitate good moisture transfer and temperature regulation even in hot weather.

CEP Allsport Compression Calf Sleeves and socks are seen on athletes like the one on the left in events all over the world.

Each time I review a compression product I’m reminded of the validity of the category. Compression is here to stay. While it is a “look” that defines the triathlete as one of its early adopters it isn’t a trend. It’s proven technology for performance and recovery. No other compression brand has the same level of experience in compression apparel as CEP. They are one of few brands to bring valid medical compression technology to the sports compression application. That experience is apparent when you use their equipment.

Louis Garneau's new generation Corsa and Mondo Evo cycling jerseys make you faster, keep you more comfortable and keep you on the road longer. They're clothing as equipment.

They are so much more than tight fitting shirts.

Performance technology leader Louis Garneau introduces two jerseys that improve rider aerodynamics by a measurable amount, manage temperature and moisture, provide sun protection and manage fatigue.

The benefits of new technology cycling apparel are real and tangible. The advantages are significant enough that secret cycling apparel used by Great Britain’s Olympic Cycling Team in Beijing was shredded for security reasons after the games according to the BBC.  “We got them back and they were shredded as we believe the technology will hold well for 2012,” said David Brailsford. New cycling apparel for 2012 will include the same technology.  Olympic cyclist Nicole Cooke (Great Britain) went on to say, “People spend thousands on lightweight aerodynamic wheels or hundreds on aero handlebars and then put a flappy jersey on and cancel out any advantage gained and more.”

“People spend thousands on lightweight aerodynamic wheels or hundreds on aero handlebars and then put a flappy jersey on and cancel out any advantage gained and more.”

LG's Corsa Jersey uses performance features developed in wind tunnel testing such as the Speed Tech shoulder panels and Aero Lazer Band sleeves.

LG Corsa Jersey.

This is the second version of Louis Garneau’s Corsa Jersey. Design ideas for the Corsa were developed using wind tunnel testing and with similar prototypes worn in the Tour de France by the Europcar pro team. Several apparel brands such as Nike and Assos showed prototype low drag, high performance cycling jerseys in major pro races and all of these new design themes attracted attention.

We got a look at a genuine team issue Europcar jersey from last season. This jersey never made it to production due to cost but the technology inspired the current Corsa jersey.

At $199 this jersey is expensive. I wondered if it’s worth the price. As it turns out Tucson is a great place to test a cycling jersey. My morning commute is between 38 and 55 degrees in the early spring and my ride home is usually over 80 degrees with summer temps getting significantly warmer.

Comfort and convenience: The full zip front design is easy to don even with a helmet already on and makes for great ventilation stomping up a big climb like Tucson's Mt. Lemmon.

Garneau built this jersey to have precise patterning. It is a snug, on-the-skin aerodynamic fit. I wore it with an LG Mesh Carbon Sleeveless base layer in the morning and with no base layer in the afternoon. Fit was fine with base layer and without. Donning the jersey is easy since it is a full front zipper. I appreciate the full front zipper since I always wear bib shorts. Unzipping the front of the jersey makes it easy to pull the suspenders or braces down to use the loo. Convenient.

LG's single piece, laser cut armband is more aerodynamic than an elastic armband and does not cut at the bicep. When you go back to a conventional sleeve jersey after wearing this, you are sad.

The first thing you notice is the sleeve design. The single piece laser cut arm band forms an aerodynamic, gasket like seal around your bicep. There is no flapping, no large bump of fabric on your upper arm. It’s easy to visualize this being an aero advantage. I like this feature since it keeps the sleeves down and works great with arm warmers. It is the most comfortable sleeve I worn on a jersey with no binding. This is a good solution for larger arms since there is a lot of stretch.

Fit on the Corsa Jersey is precise in the forward facing surfaces for best aerodynamics but more relaxed for comfort and ventilation at the midrift. It's a nice pattern if you want something between a very performance oriented fit and older, looser jerseys.

Once you zip up the jersey feels very trim. This jersey is not as snug as the Mondo Evo, the full stretch fabric jersey we’ll get to in a moment, but it is more snug than the jerseys we’ve been used to for the past 20 years. The fit is precise where it needs to be in the forward facing surfaces when in the riding posture, either road or triathlon, but is slightly more relaxed at the midriff.

Details on the pockets are superb. The angled outer pockets are easy to reach into and hold their contents securely even on bumpy roads. A gripper elastic extends around the back of the jersey to keep it in place even with pockets loaded. All seams are bar-tacked for durability. In the center of the hem at the lower back is a bar-tacked polymer retention tab for clipping on an LED light. There is a media port for two way radios and headphones on the inside of the pocket so you can route your earpiece inside the jersey.

Grippers at the hem keep the jersey in place even with loaded pockets. All seams are reinforced, bar-tacked for strength at the rear pockets. A media pass through slot enables headphone cables to be routed through the inside of the pocket and jersey, Tour de France style.

Bottom line on the LG Corsa Jersey: If you try one on you’ll want it. If you ride in one you’ll use your old jerseys to wash your bike with. It’s that good. The jersey provides features I never knew I’d want, like the LED light holder and the angled pockets. The fit and fabric make other jerseys seem like shiny T-shirts. This is performance equipment. Once you wear it you’ll understand.

LG Mondo Evo Jersey.

A. Power Mesh panels provided fitted, aerodynamic ventilation and moisture management in critical areas. B. Lazer Rev fabric provides compression and precise fit. C. Speed Tech fabric in forward facing panels lower drag by optimizing airflow. D. Hidden micro-zipper construction and aerodynamic fabric reduces turbulence lowering drag. Wrinkles are gone.

LG’s Mondo Evo jersey is a more fitted, aerodynamic jersey using four high technology fabrics to optimize fit, moisture and temperature control and improve aerodynamics.

Sleeves use the same opening as the Corsa jersey. Overall fit is very precise through the entire torso. The forward facing surfaces in the riding posture have a textured surface that performs the same function as the dimples on a Zipp wheel. The zipper on this jersey is a hidden, aerodynamic design that is 15″ long- it isn’t a full zip design, but the zipper is long enough to provide plenty of ventilation and enable you to pull the jersey over a helmet.

The 15" zipper runs roughly 2/3rds the length of the front of the jersey. With the zipper open you can pull it off over your helmet.

This jersey is a little work to pull on. Once in place the fabric and pattern are precise and very fitted. On the bike it feels fantastic with a sensation of the air moving over you more easily. Real or imagined, it makes you want to ride fast.  Despite the trim pattern the jersey does not feel overly tight or compressive. Breathing is easy. Perhaps because of more skin contact and other design features this jersey felt cooler to me than the Corsa. This is my choice for a hot Tucson ride.

Snug fitting temperature control fabrics make the Mondo Evo a great choice on really hot days.

This jersey doesn’t feel like a second skin, it feels better than your own skin. The cooling sensation is noticeable as is the compressive, vibration resistance. You jiggle less. Since it is available up to XXXL its actually a good choice for plus size athletes since it stabilizes tissue well. The underarm ventilation panel is also noticeable. This would be a nice choice for a hot Ironman ride in sunny conditions.

With its more fitted fabric and pattern the Mondo Evo feels light and cool even on hot days. The fabric does what they say it will do: it keeps you cool.

Louis Garneau brought new life to cycling jerseys with the Corsa and Mondo Evo. With as many benefit as these two jerseys offer its time to re-frame the way we think about cycling apparel. It isn’t just what you put on to ride. It’s equipment that improves your performance and comfort. Think of it as a big component upgrade- one you wear. These two jerseys are race wheels for your skin.

TriSports.com's Antonio Soto tests Louis Garneau's "Coldblack" heat reflective fabric in the Tucson desert next to Davis-Monthan AFB.

Equipment that keeps you cool, improves aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, enhances recovery and gives you an advantage during training and racing. Clothing as equipment. Louis Garneau’s Lazer Tek triathlon apparel is a new approach in improving performance with design and fabric technology. And it works.

LG’s new apparel line works the same as an aero helmet, a Zipp Sub 9 disc wheel, a De Soto wetsuit or a new Cervelo P5. The clothing provides an advantage over other apparel.

Unlike upgrades that work best for faster, advanced athletes LG’sLazer Tek apparel likely offers the most substantial comfort and performance benefits for athletes that are on the course longer since it controls tissue vibration, regulates temperature, protects from the sun and prevents chafing. For the 12-17 hour Ironman competitor LG’s Lazer Tek apparel makes sense.

The comfort and performance advantages can be measured in the pool, the wind tunnel and even with metabolic testing for body temperature and heart rate. Garneau has done all of this testing and engineered performance advantages into some of the most basic equipment a triathlete can use; their clothes.

LG Elite Lazer Tek Tri Shorts 2.

LG's Elite Lazer Tek 2 tri shorts combine the best of bike short comfort with running and compression short comfort and performance.

If you could design the perfect triathlon racing short it would:

LG started with this performance mandate when designing the Elite Lazer Tek 2 shorts. The Elite Lazer Tek 2 achieves each of these goals.

The short features a higher, non-binding waist band that fits above the small of the back. It’s more comfortable since it is non-binding and provides better hydrodynamics during the swim. On the bike, bent over in the aero position, the 2.5″ high waistband does not dig into your skin, especially in front. This is not just a comfort advantage but a performance one also. The forward facing upper part of the waistband rides under the triathlon top, improving aerodynamics on the bike. In the water during a non-wetsuit swim the waistband rides in the lower back, less exposed to water for lower drag.

“[The pad] completely disappears on the run but provides  pro level bike short comfort on long rides.”

The LG Tri Elite pad is permeable, dries with remarkable speed and provides bike short comfort on the bike for long rides but seems to completely disappear during the run. It is the industry best tri short pad for comfort and performance.

The pad fabric and design on the Elite Lazer Tek 2 trishort is industry best. It is an open, porous fabric laminate that looks like a heavy bike short pad but uses completely different fabric that is more flexible, permeable and quicker drying. It seems to completely disappear on the run but provides the same comfort as pro level bike shorts on long rides.

“How good is the LG Elite Lazer Tek 2? Industry best. Try to find a better tri short. It doesn’t exist yet.”

LG used a longer leg that we measured at 11″ from the center of the crotch to the leg opening when worn and 8″ from the pad inseam. Their website specifies a 10.5″ inseam. This is longer than most tri shorts you’ve seen but still shorter than a pro bike short like De Soto’s 400 Mile Short or Assos shorts. The advantages to this length include no saddle chafing, especially on athletes with larger thighs that tend to rub the saddle nose and rub together on the run, and better muscular support on the run, especially with tired legs.

The leg opening is a wide band of comfortable fabric that does not bind or pull but stays in place even on long rides and runs.

The leg opening is a 2.25″ band of hot-cut, seamless compression fabric. This design is superior to conventional rolled-over and stitched seams and leg openings with gripper elastic. These are comfortable and stay in place even if you don’t shave your legs. They never bind even on larger thighs and they don’t restrict circulation. Having ran and rode in this short it is more comfortable for both than any tri short I’ve worn and can be worn during both long training rides with bike short level comfort then used on a long training run without chafing or interference from the pad.

The Elite Lazer Tek 2 tri short uses 8 separate fabric panels, a staple design among high end bike shorts but not common in triathlon shorts that tend to use fewer panels and don’t fit as well. Good fabric panel arrangement on tri shorts is actually more important than bike shorts since the shorts must fit perfectly on the bike and then in the upright posture on the run. LG did a nice job with the shape and arrangement of the panels. Different fabric is used in the different panels and even the bias, or arrangement of the fabric plys to control stretch, is specific to how each panel will move. The level of attention to detail with design and construction is what you’d expect on a $10,000 triathlon bike, but in a $129 triathlon short.

LG Elite Lazer Tek Sleeveless 2 Tri Top.

The Elite Lazer Tek 2 triathlon top uses non-absorbent fabric to maintain fit and prevent it from bagging. The arm seals are non-wetsuit swim friendly and super comfortable. The also relieve underarm chafing during long runs.

LG continues the Elite Lazer Tek line with their Elite Lazer Tek 2 sleeveless triathlon top. The top uses DWR water resistant/hydrophobic coating. DWR or “Durable Water Resistant” is a high tech chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coating that seals fibers from absorbing water. This prevents the garment from getting heavier when wet and maintains its precise fit even in a 15 hour ultra-distance race. Since it doesn’t hold water it improves hydrodynamics. Other manufacturers using DWR coatings to prevent fabric soaking include Patagonia.

Pocket design on the tri top and tri suit is also industry best. It's is easy to remove items like gel packs but does not trap water in the swim and stays aerodynamic in the riding position.

Pocket design on the Elite Lazer Tek top is, as you’d expect from the level of attention to detail with the rest of the line, industry best. Tri tops and suits with back pockets are often a concern in non-wetsuit swims since they act as little parachutes, trapping water and slowing you down. The pockets on the Elite Lazer Tek top use a fairing that improves hydrodynamics and aerodynamics and prevent gel packs, pill containers and other items from falling out. The pocket is easy to get into even with the cover fairing although one of our two testers thought pocket placement was a little too high on the tri top to easily reach.  With sore arms after a long swim that may be a valid observation, but the placement of the pockets on the back of the top are also optimized for aerodynamics.

The low drag finish on the arm openings are comfortable and prevent underarm chafing during the run.

The Elite Lazer Tek tri top is cut long enough to cover the top of tri shorts. Non-absorbent mesh panels under the arms maintain temperature control along with a 15″ front zipper. The zipper has a full length draft flap to prevent pinching when quickly zipping the top up. The zipper opens easily with one hand but took two hands to zip up when running as with most stretch fabric tri tops.

Tri top length covers the high waist on the tri shorts. The stripped ventilation panel under the arms extends up to the arm opening with Carbon-X mesh and stretches well for swimming.

LG built environmental protection features into the Elite Lazer Tech 2 tri top, shorts and suit using the new Coldblack fabric finish. Coldblack is a Schoeller fabric development that resists heat absorption in all fabrics, especially dark colors. Schoeller’s EMPA tests of Coldblack fabric from 2008 show a 9 degree Fahrenheit decrease in skin temperature under Coldblack fabric. Coldblack also provides SPF 50 sun protection levels. During a one hour photo shoot in the Arizona afternoon sun our model, elite athlete Antonio Soto, did not get a sunburn through any part of the fabric.

The Elite Lazer Tek Suit 2 provides a one piece solution with all the benefits of the Elite Lazer Tek 2 technology.

Durability and fit during a long event when soaked with sports drinks, gels, water and urine is insured by using higher Spandex content knit fabric called “Lazer Rev”. Lazer Rev stretch fabric is only 6.5 ounces per square yard compared to up to 8 ounces per square yard on some conventional Lycra fabrics. The weight difference over the entire garment is noticeable. This high stretch/memory fabric also provides the compression feeling to the top and the shorts. Especially for athletes with a little extra weight this supportive fit feels good when running.

Unlike aome other elite level high end triathlon apparel Garneau recognized the benefits of Elite Lazer Tek apparel would be most substantial for heavier, slower athletes with a less lean build who are on the race course longer and need better tissue support and environmental protection. The LG Elite Lazer Tek line comes in eight sizes up to XXXL. Fit is snug, at 5′9″ and 175 pounds I took a size Large top. Antonio Soto, our photo model is 6′0″ and 164 lbs. Here wore size Medium in the tri top, shorts and trisuit as you see in our photo shoot.

Louis Garneau used wind tunnel testing, test mannequins to measure heat loss and moisture transfer and a host of other technologies to develop the Elite Lazer Tek 2 line. Elite Lazer Tech 2 takes its place alongside TYR’s Carbon line but with a nicer hand and more technical appearance and function. No one has brought this level of technology to triathlon apparel. When you wear Elite Lazer Tek 2 you will feel the benefits- they aren’t subtle.

Crouched forward into a cramped position our man Antonio battles a tough desert headwind that big cargo planes use to take off. Even in the Tucson desert heat LG's Lazer Tek 2 apparel provides protection from sun and heat while enabling triathletes to swim, ride and run with better performance with greater comfort.

Aqua Sphere's roots trace back to Jacques Cousteau and the Aqualung. Their newest suits represent a legacy of technology and development over a half century old.

One wetsuit is $699 and one is $249. What is the difference? What are the benefits?

Legacy aquatic company Aqua Sphere, tracing their origin back to Jacques Cousteau’s Aqua Lung and U.S. Divers brands, have released their new 2012 Pursuit and Phantom triathlon wetsuits. There is no better place to look to understand the difference between high end full suits and entry price point suits.

Although at opposite ends of the price scale both the $249 Pursuit (left) and the $699 Phantom have features no other wetsuit brand offers.

The Aqua Sphere Pursuit: Cheap and Good.

It’s easy to find a “bargain basement” full suit but its hard to find one that’s a real bargain; a suit that fits well, swims great and lasts more than five races. Most quality triathlon full wetsuits are $299 and up. None, except for Aqua Sphere, come from the company that equipped the very first SCUBA divers. That legacy is important for two reasons: Design experience and supply relationships. Both benefit the Aqua Sphere customer.

The Aqua Sphere Pursuit: $249.

In researching my review of the $249 Aqua Sphere Pursuit I found full triathlon wetsuits as low as $97. That seems enticing to first time buyers who want to get their feet wet in the sport.  You don’t have to dive too deep into their specs to see they leave you washed up. Stiff fabric, few panels, limited sizes with poor fit, bad neck designs and sketchy zippers are common in bargain basement wetsuits. It doesn’t seem like a big deal in the fitting room, but a quarter mile off shore during your first triathlon it may be the difference between a decent swim split and a panic attack.

At only $249 the Aqua Sphere Pursuit is a leader in entry price point wetsuits.

While the $249 price tag may be the first thing you notice about the Aqua Sphere Pursuit the details built into the suit are what get you back to the beach faster. Most of the features in the $249 Pursuit weren’t available on $400 full suits five years ago.

The main fabric on the Pursuit is Yamamoto 38 with SCS coating. Some of the fastest triathlon swims on earth have been done in that neoprene. Some tests, including ours, suggest this slightly stiffer, more buoyant neoprene may be faster for most swimmers than the more flexible and expensive Yamamoto 40 neoprene. Wetsuit performance isn’t as simple as “good, better, best”. The Yamamoto 38 SCS is located in the areas that need floatation the most; legs and chest. Aqua Sphere targets this suit at the new triathlete and knows they are likely a weak open water swimmer. Most weak swimmers need help with buoyancy in the legs so Aqua Sphere put most of the buoyancy there in the Pursuit.

A) The seat area of the Pursuit is nylon 2-sided neoprene for flexibility and economy. Notice the nylon 2 sided neoprene used on the 5 mm flotation cells (B) on the elbows of the flagship Phantom suit at $699.

There are panels at the hip and buttocks with nylon 2 sided neoprene to reduce cost and increase hip flexibility. The disadvantage of a textile outer, nylon 2 sided fabric is water absorption and surface friction. Aqua Sphere did well to use this fabric in the best possible place to free-up your kick from the hip and to keep this fabric above the waterline during much of your stroke. In our tests this suit floated and swam very well with no leaking through the nylon 2 sided neoprene and great flexibility. Our main test swimmer, elite age grouper Antonio Soto, remarked at how much more buoyant the Pursuit felt than the more expensive Phantom.

There are concessions to cost on the Pursuit including a traditional zipper that opens by pulling downward. Even with these minor concessions Aqua Sphere still packed features like speed-cut legs with a thinner neoprene panel on the back of the leg to facilitate rapid (and rough) removal in the transition. The key feature in the Pursuit is how well it swims. In our pool tests the suit felt better than many previous model year $400 full suits. While the $249 price point of the Phantom may be what gets you into the suit the impressive fit, feel and performance in the water will mean you won’t find a compelling reason to replace this suit for a few seasons. This suit swims way better than its price.

The Aqua Sphere Phantom: $699.

To make a suit swim tangibly different it has to be designed differently. The stand-out suits all feature something unique: De Soto’s two piece suits, “Metal Cell” suits with totally non-absorbent (albeit stiff) liners, suits with super flexible, lightweight neoprene that are barely wetsuits at all. Aqua Sphere identified a key problem with full wetsuit performance, especially during long swims: The suit takes on water in the lower back, especially for very fit (read: thin) swimmers. Aqua Sphere put a compression “Core Power” internal support belt inside the suit to improve body proprioception. Proprioception is your awareness of body position in the water. The Core Power belt reminds you to swim from the hips and rotate your core, freestyle technique basics.

The Core Power System belt in the Phantom prevent water from pooling in the lower back and improves body position.

Another key benefit to the Core Power System is preventing water pooling in the lower back of the wetsuit, a phenomenon that causes wetsuits to become slower over longer distance swims as they accumulate water in the loose space between your lower back and the neoprene. This not only causes you to become gradually less buoyant during a long swim but it compromises your body position, sinking your legs and making your stroke less streamlined. Our tester remarked that the belt was effective in pulling the lower back of the suit in and prevented water pooling inside the suit at the lower back.

A) Pull panel with a bright, visible "silent coach" maintain water grip and forearm position. B) Auto-Positioning Sleeve is a 5mm thick band of nylon 2 sided neoprene to maintain high elbows during your stroke. C) The Bio Stretch Zone is a large panel of flexible fabric to facilitate free arm movement.

Arm construction on the Phantom features some unique approaches to maintaining stroke efficiency. The Phantom is like a coach on the pool deck yelling to keep your elbows up. Unlike the abrasive swim coach the Phantom supports high elbows with a thick 5mm nylon 2 sided neoprene section called the Auto-Positioning sleeve, just behind the elbow. The Auto-Positioning Sleeve floats the elbow higher through the stroke cycle. The feature is complimented with  the Bio Stretch Zone of flexible neoprene under the latissimus muscles at the under arm and lower back. These enable easier arm movement making swimming feel natural.

Even after 30 minutes of swimming, including flip turns, there was an odd sheen of bubbles on the outside of the Phantom. This makes the suit slide through the water easier and makes it more bouyant.

Whether it was designed in or not we also found an odd ability of the Phantom’s outer surface to hold a sheen of bubbles. This may be related to new coating applied to the outside of neoprene fabrics. The accumulation of bubbles will help with buoyancy and passage of the suit through the water, a technology seen in underwater projectiles.

The large Bio-Stretch Zone is apparent in this photo and Antonio reaches.

In general our testers felt the stroke enhancing features were noticeable during swimming and “helped remind me where to put my arms even when tired” according to one swimmer.

One technology that definately makes the Phantom faster in the transition is a longer zipper that zips downward to close and pulls upward to open. The lower opening means its easier to pull the suit over your hips. While you have to open the hook and loop closure of the Core Power System belt once you remove the top section of the suit this will be done while exiting the water on the move so it does not add transition time. Athletes don’t start to pull their suit down until they are standing at their bike in T1. The first downward pull is critical to get the suit as low as possible so you can pull the legs off using your feet.

The Aqua Sphere Phantom (right) features a long zipper that opens by pulling up to prevent accidental opening during the swim.

Aqua Sphere finished the Phantom off with a horseshoe-cut opening at the ankle and a thin neoprene back panel over your calf to follow through on the design theme of quick wetsuit removal.

Given the aquatic design legacy of Aqua Sphere stretching all the way back to Jacques Cousteau and now with the support of top pro athletes like Olympian Amanda Beard, Multiple Ironman winner Luke McKenzie and New Zealand star Terenzo Bozzone we weren’t surprised the unique features in the Aqua Sphere Phantom produced noticeable results. We were surprised and delighted to see their entry price point $249 Pursuit full suit is a valid category killer in entry level wetsuits and likely represents the very best value in the entire category.

Photos and Story by Tom Demerly for TriSports.com.

Garneau's new Vorttice aero helmet combines new aero designs themes such as dimples and vortex generators with a truncated tail and a well designed visor.

You know an aero helmet will make you faster, but they look so… weird.

Garneau has released their newest version Vorttice helmet to improve aerodynamics and ventilation at all head angles and look less like an alien. Garneau introduced the first legal, approved aerodynamic time trial helmet in 2002 and carved a niche out of the aero category. They also lead development in aerodynamic triathlon race apparel.

The "golf ball" dimples and "V" shaped strakes manage low speed airflow over the helmet.

The Vorttice helmet uses a truncated airfoil shape in addition to golf-ball dimples and wake-disbursing strakes. While this sounds like so much techno-jargon each of these technologies have been used before in other industries. The golf ball dimples disturb the flow of air around the helmet, called the boundary layer, to make it easier for the object to move through using less energy. As with golf balls, this increases travel with given energy, especially at low speeds. The truncated shape has been adopted by Trek, Cervelo and other manufacturers to make shapes more effective over wider yaw angles. The “strakes” or raised, sideways  ”V” protrusions on the helmet are oriented where the helmet’s laminar boundary layer begins to “depart” or detach, potentially creating drag. These strakes prevent the resulting vacuum from boundary layer detachment by keeping the flow of air turbulent at lower pressure.

Louis Garneau's original competition approved aero helmet from 2002. "Strakes" as seen on the FA-18 airplane on the left, have been used to manage airflow and influence aerodynamics in aerospace applications.

Whether a volume of aerodynamic techno-speak is relevant to you or not the unique features on the Vorttice likely have benefit and certainly do not hurt. They don’t appear on any other aero helmet.

The proven fact is that aero helmets make cyclists faster. Another reality of using some longer tail aero helmets is the rider must keep their head in an upward orientation to hold the rear fairing horizontal. If they lower their head the tail goes up. The Garneau design avoids this issue with a truncated tail. The truncated tail also works better in crosswinds and facilitates ventilation out the back of the helmet.

Very long tail aero helmets work best with the helmet horizontal. The Garneau Vorttice still provides an aero benefit with the head momentarily lowered.

Truncated tail helmets are not a new idea. Greg LeMond used a truncated tail aero helmet in the pivotal final time trial stage of the 1989 Tour de France to win the Tour by 8 seconds. His victory over race leader Laurent Fignon emphasized the importance of technology like aerobars and an aerodynamic helmet, neither of which Fignon used. In 1989 the chopped tail on LeMond’s aero helmet was mandated by UCI regulations governing helmet length, not by any aero insight. LeMond may have benefited from the design though, as he frequently lowered his head during the Stage 21 time trial into Paris.

Greg LeMond may have inadvertently benefited from a truncated aero helmet in the final time trial of the 1989 Tour de France since he rode with his head down frequently during the effort.

The Garneau Vortice also uses a nicely designed visor that can be raised and lowered while riding. Some visor designs are snap-on, snap-off designs you can’t raise while riding. Non-retractable visors make drinking from a large water bottle more difficult since the bottle hits the visor. With the Garneau helmet you can quickly raise the visor to drink in an aid station, then slide it back down like a fighter pilot.

The Garneau visor provided with the helmet is a color neutral gray tint. It has vents cut into the upper surface to prevent fogging.

The visor on the Garneau Vorttice is retractable on the fly with one hand, a handy feature in aid stations.

The visor can also be removed by unthreading the mounting bolts at either side of the helmet. A clear visor is available for $44.95. There are ear covers that extend downward on each side of the helmet and are flexible enough to pull the helmet on quickly in T1. The ear flaps are well designed since the chinstrap, when adjusted under the ears, nearly disappears under the ear fairings.

A nicely designed chin strap disappears under the ear fairings when adjusted. The visor features slotted vents to prevent fogging.

The tail is faired underneath below the rear vent, another aerodynamic que. The chinstrap is Garneau’s Spiderlock SL, a wheel-adjustable strap and harness that can be snugged up on the fly riding out of T1 with one hand. Garneau used “Sealed Ice Padding” on the inside of the helmet. When wet the padding produces a cooling effect. The pads are removable and washable.

The Spiderlock SL helmet harness provides snug fit that is adjustable on the fly with one hand using the wheel at the back.

When I pulled on the Vorttice the first time I was impressed by how easy it went on. It also does not feel like an aero helmet, neither bulky nor long. The two vents, one at the front in the area of highest pressure at speed and another in the rear feed three “evacuation channels” to move cool air through the helmet. They work. Even with a black helmet in Arizona afternoon heat I was absolutely comfortable with the visor down.  I like having an aero helmet that works well in crosswinds and that I can move my head around freely in without worrying about putting on the airbrakes when the tail goes up.

The new version of the Garneau Vorttice weighs 507 grams in a size Large. Considering all the helmet features this is a reasonable weight. The Vorttice is $259.95 and is sold in Small, Medium and Large.

Anticipation of the the Cervelo P5 has been high, along with expectations about the bike. Early indications suggest Cervelo has cleared the high bar of consumer expectations with the new P5.

Cervelo dealers from around the United States converged on Tucson, Arizona the weekend of March 3-4 for the annual Cervelo BrainBike symposium. While Cervelo provided insights into their entire 2012 line the main attraction was the new Cervelo P5. Perhaps the only bike introduction with as much anticipation was Cervelo’s release of the previous P4.

As the de facto leader in aerodynamic bikes the industry follows Cervelo’s introductions closely. A media introduction in the remote Canary Islands off the coast of Africa lead to a leaked photo of the P5 that appeared on internet forums around the world, resulting in over 100,000 internet views of posts related to the now famous “Rosencrantz Photo”.

Cervelo's new P5 Six with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Magura RT8 brakes as shown at Cervelo BrainBike.

Based on what we saw and learned at BrainBike the media attention is justified. P5 potentially sets a new standard in aerodynamic bikes built for timed events, not just with aerodynamics but with practical features like better brake performance, fit adjustment and flight case packing ease.

While Specialized, Trek and Quintana Roo have introduced designs with accessory integration and improved aerodynamics Cervelo addressed a major drawback of the aero bike: brakes. Versions of the new Cervelo P5 feature a purpose-built Magura hydraulic brake designed in cooperation with Cervelo for the P5. The new brake provides a level of dependability, control and performance unmatched by even the best conventional road bike brakes. The days of finnicky aero brake set-ups are gone. The Cervelo/Magura brake is a reliable, maintenance free solution.

“The days of finnicky aero brake set-ups are gone. The Cervelo/Magura brake is the bombproof solution.”

The Magura RT6 (left) and RT8 (right) are purpose built hydraulic brakes that weigh less than the lightest mechanical braking systems and deliver adjustment free, dependable braking performance. It's a first for integrated brake aero bikes.

A key philosphy at Cervelo is evolution of new models based on previous ones. The brakes and accessory mounting on P5 are rooted in lessons learned in the earlier P4 and models before that. The BBRight bottom bracket and greater fit/position capability originate from some of Cervelo’s road models.

Since Cervelo’s roots began in aero bike development the P5 is a natural convergence of all their engineering philosophies. This lineage of philosphies, stretching all the way back to their first aerodynamic bikes in 1996, still position Cervelo ahead of competitors. Other brands have gotten closer to Cervelo in recent years  but Cervelo re-opens the technology gap from its competitors with P5.

Unique technologies that converge on the P5 from previous Cervelo models and from new developments.

Some versions of the P5 include a base bar/aero bar integrated cockpit called “Aduro”. The Aduro cockpit features three key design themes: Entirely internal cable routing, very wide range of fit adjustment and designed-in accessory mounting. While other companies have these features on cockpits, most notably Trek, Cervelo’s execution of internal cable routing with the Aduro allows less bends in cables making components and steering work better. Since the higher level models of the P5 use electro-mechanical Di2 shifting and full hydraulic brakes their component performance will always be good. The additional benefit is that even a cable actuated build of a P5 using Shimano’s Ultegra or SRAM Red will feature optimal cable routing using the Aduro cockpit. Cervelo also claims their cockpit is more aerodynamic in all configurations, not just in the lowest adjustments.

The Aduro cockpit provides excellent internal cable routing for brakes and derailleurs, a wide fit range with stable handling. It includes ways to mount hydration and electronics while maintaining aerodynamics.

Cervelo’s Aduro cockpit has a very wide range of fit adjustment. Aerobar height, pad width, extension length and bend and overall reach (previously stem length) are all adjustable with Aduro. This effectively removes the stem from the fit equation. The advantages include stable bike handling in any fit configuration, easier fine tuning of the rider position and complete flexibility of aero extension choice. A seperate extension assembly called the “High-V” with an aerodynamic riser is included with the Aduro cockpit and enables higher positions without compromising cockpit aerodynamics.

The High-V extension set is included with the Aduro cockpit and enables higher positions and accessory mounting.

The Magura RT6 and RT8 brake levers feature an abrasive grip area for secure control with cold, wet hands and an aerodynamic opening on the leading edge to reduce drag.  According to Cervelo initial versions of the Aduro cockpit will ship with “S” bend extensions while later versons will use a shallow ski bend extension.  The cockpit accepts all standard diameter aero extensions so the opportunity to customize with other brand extensions is substantial.

The base bars and entire cockpit adjust for height using a series of 5 millimeter and 10 millimeter aerodynamic spacers in addition to the substantial adjustment afforded by three different bolt-on aero extension designs. Two of the different height extensions are included with the bike, the High-V and a lower position design. A third ultra-low extension set will be sold separately. The interchangeable High-V component, included with the Aduro cockpit, raises pad, extension and accessory mounting height while maintaining component aerodynamics.  There are mounting bolts on the top of the Aduro cockpit spaced for standard bottle cages.

The Magura RT8TT hydraulic brake levers have an aerodynamic opening and abrasive surface for grip with cold, wet hands.

Since there is a lot of open room on top of the stem you can carry a bottle horizontally and still have room to mount a large power meter computer or GPS unit on top of the stem. While most of the excitement is about the frame the Aduro cockpit is exciting on its own. The accessory mounting bolts on the Aduro cockpit enable aerodynamic bottle mounting. The large flat stem surface make carrying a GPS or power meter computer easy.

The P5 is sold four ways:

• P5 frameset with a Tektro mechanical rear brake, no front brake and P5 “Three” low aspect fork for $4500.
• A complete bike with Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 mechanical drivetrain turning a Rotor 3D crank with a 3T Aura Pro cockpit (not the new Aduro) with the narrower “Three” fork and Magura RT6 hydraulic brakes for $6000.
• P5 Frameset with Magura RT8 front and rear hydraulic brakes and the new 3T Aduro cockpit with deeper P5 “Six” fork for $6500.
• A complete bike with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 electro-mechanical drivetrain, Rotor 3D cranks, P5 “Six” fork and 3T Aduro cockpit for $10,000.

A key difference between the builds is the fork and brake configuration. There are two forks for P5; The P5 “Three” low aspect fork and the P5 “Six” fork. The P5 “Six” is the deeper bladed fork with integrated Magura RT8 brakes. The “Three” is a UCI legal, narrower blade fork compatible with any brake including Magura RT6, RT8 or any conventional mechanical brake such as SRAM Red, Dura-Ace, etc.

The P5 Three fork with Magura RT6 brake shown at left, The deeper P5 Six fork with Magura RT8 brake on the right.

Moving back on the frameset the first conspicuous feature is the deep aero head tube. The P5 head tube is in compliance with UCI rules for time trials when used with the narrower “Three” fork. We’ll see Cervelo P5’s with this fork in the Tour de France time trials and have seen them in early season professional time trials already.  There are two bolts behind the stem on the top tube for accessory mounting. TorHans has designed an aerodynamic nutrition box for the P5 to mount in this position that actually improves overall bike aerodynamics. The spacing on the two bolts is the same as a standard water bottle cage opening up many possibilites.

David Zabriskie of Garmin-Barracuda rides a new P5 to 7th in the short 4 mile time trial at the 2012 Criterium International in Porto-Vecchio, France on the island of Corsica. Photo: Cervelo.

At the downtube/seattube union above the bottom bracket there are bottle mounting bolts and a mysterious third bolt in the flat section above the crank. This arrangement facilitates standard and aero shaped bottle cages along with a new TorHans storage and hydration device being released soon. The new TorHans unit will use all three bolts.

Mounting points for standard bottles and an upcoming TorHans storage/hydration appliance are built into the downtube.

The shape of the seat tube continues the aerodynamic design themes learned from P3 and P4 with a slight curvature. The seat tube area above the seat stays is much deeper on P5 than previous models and features a truncated airfoil shape with a flat rear surface. This shape is claimed to test better at high yaw angles (crosswinds) and more common race speeds. The horizontal mounting of the seat stays to the seat tube are inspired by the P4. This intricate shaping continues on P5.

Cervelo's variable geometry seatpost continues with an updated design. This version includes a prototype accessory bottle mount reported to be from X-Lab.

The seatpost continues Cervelo’s successful variable geometry design and has the capability to go to an 80-degree range effective seat tube angle. The new seat clamp design is easy to use with one wrench adjustment. We saw a prototype accessory bottle mount on a P5 that was elegant and lightweight, utilizing a round opening at the rear of the seatpost.

We’ve seen two different seatposts on P5, one with more setback capability and another with a steeper orientation for more open angle between femur and torso.  The longer setback version is presumably for compliance with position requirements in professional bike races sanctioned by the UCI such as time trial stages in the Tour de France and isn’t relevant to triathletes.

A UCI compliant seatpost design was shown at Cervelo BrainBike (left) along with the more open seat angle variant on the right.

An interesting change for Cervelo is the proximity of the rear wheel to the seat tube. With wider frame shapes and wheel designs more space can be allowed between the rear tire and the seat tube while still maintaining optimal aerodynamics. The P5 will accept all of the new generation wide aero wheels such as Zipp Firecrest, HED, Zipp Sub 9 disks, etc.  Dropouts are rear-facing and easy to use once you practice the technique.

Seatmast design includes ideas from previous Cervelo designs along with new ideas. The truncated seat tube includes the seatpost binder assembly and improves low speed aerodynamics at all yaw angles.

Brake mounting under the bottom bracket is clean with no exposed cables or hydraulic lines. A compartment built into the seat tube houses the Shimano Di2 battery or can be used as storage on bikes with cable actuated component groups. Some of the aerodynamic design themes developed on the P4 chainstays are apparent in the rear end of the P5. The dropouts feature adjustment screws. The rear derailleur hanger is overbuilt to maintain durability.

The Magura brake housed under the bottom bracket. The Shimano Di2 battery access panel is visible behind the seat tube.

While the Cervelo P5 story centers on the bike itself the personalities that contributed to the bike are also a part of its development and story. A key player in P5 development is engineer Damon Rinard. Rinard is perhaps the only engineer in the cycling industry on par with Cervelo’s original design team of Gerard Vrooman and Phil White. Rinard helped vault Trek forward in the development of their Speed Concept bikes. Rinard spent seven years at Trek’s Advanced Concept Group before leaving to work for Cervelo in the Vroomen/White Design division. Rinard’s move to Cervelo was so significant that LAVA Magazine editor Jay Prasuhn wrote “…engineers are equal stars as riders…” on the Slowtwitch.com forum.

Phil White is an original founder of Cervelo from 1995 and oversees Cervelo brand presentations like BrainBike in addition to engineering roles. White is not only a talented engineer but also an affable presenter and brand ambassador. Gerard Vroomen is a less visible personality with a sharp analytical mind. Vroomen has recently taken on a secretive “special projects” role with Cervelo’s new parent company, Pon Holdings.

Damon Rinard (left) has had an enormous impact on aerodynamic bicycle design. He brings decades of experience to Cervelo. Phil White, the "White" in Vroomen-White Designs is both an impressive engineer and talented presenter of the Cervelo brand philosophy. His talent at tying technology to media has helped consumers understand the Cervelo story.

The new P5 continues Cervelo’s legacy of industry-leading product introductions. With each new introduction the question “How can they top this?” has to be answered. The P5 brings better braking, improved mechanical reliability and aerodynamic innovation to the market. While previous aero bike introductions have been a race to the bottom of the wind tunnel drag chart the P5’s new features are more meaningful to the rank n’ file athlete than another white paper or claimed “best” wind tunnel result. Since debating wind tunnel results has become its own endurance event it may be easier to appreciate reliable mechanical performance and great braking on an aerodynamic bike. Cervelo delivers all of this on the new P5.

Cervelo's P5 achieves new aerodynamic integration along with the best braking and ease of flight case packing in an aero triathlon bike.

Brooks Running continues their strong introductions with the 2012 PureConnect in the Brooks PureProject line.

Brooks continues their PureProject introductions with the new 2012 Brooks PureConnect. The Brooks PureProject is a shoe line that merges the gap between zero-drop “barefoot” minimalist styles and traditional running shoe designs allowing a more natural stride and feel. PureProject styles are the middle ground. For  runners who want a shift from traditional, built up training shoes the Brooks PureProject not only bridges the gap but makes a better landing point. You don’t have to learn how to run over again to run in PureProject shoes.

The Brooks PureConnect is differentiated from the PureCadence by its rounded outsole at the toe, heel and in the cross section and by a trimmer midsection on the outsole, skeletonized outsole and more medial position of the anchor for the NavBand.

The Brooks PureConnect is the cushioned ride relative to the PureCadence, also in the PureProject line. I reviewed both shoes simultaneously, switching back and forth between them to gain perspective on the difference between the two. The PureConnect has a distinctly different ride than the PureCadence. It’s more cushioned and provides less guidance of your foot’s geometry during contact with the ground. The first phrase I thought of to describe the ride of the PureConnect was “rolly polly”. The shoe has more radius-ed geometry than the PureCadence from every angle.

The round heel on the PureConnect (left) contrasts with the more squared heel on the PureCadence. This, along with other changes in the outsole, make the two shoes feel very different.

The natural, flexible ride of the PureConnect is accomplished with a number of clever design features. Most features remove material from the shoe, reducing weight and improving feel on the foot. The elegance of the PureConnect is how Brooks brought technologies together to influence ride quality. It isn’t one thing that makes the shoe work well, but the interaction of many different design features- some are subtle, some are radical.

“The PureConnect provides protection while allowing flexibility to naturally develop as a runner.”

Switching back and forth between the shoes emphasized how a less guided shoe benefits your workout by focusing on form and development of stabilizing muscles not used on a more stable shoe. A theme of minimal running is “injury-proofing”. The irony is that overzealous adaptation of minimal, “barefoot” shoes has led to a lot of injuries. It contradicts the reason to adopt the running philosophy. The PureConnect provides protection from impact while allowing the flexibility to naturally develop as a runner.

With its non-intrusive design and cushy ride this is the natural shoe you can use frequently.

From toe to heel the PureConnect begins with the “Ninja” style split toe seen on the other PureProject shoes. You see the radius-ed edges of the shoe when looking from the front and feel them on push-off when running. It’s delightfully reserved, allowing you to gently pad-off the ground when you stride. A weird impression I got running in this shoe was that I felt “lighter”, not just my feet- but my entire body. This is likely from the less clunky interaction with the ground. For a dramatic contrast I switched back quickly to a conventional motion control trainer from another brand. It’s amazing how much  more free these shoes feel.

A series of rounded features at the front of the shoe enable a natural geometry to your gait. Notice the open sections of the outsole that reduce weight and improve flexibility. The black carbon wear pads enhance durability.

The side view of the shoe reveals a lot of rocker, or curve to the shoe profile. This additional curvature of the shoe allows for your own natural stride to prevail over the shoe.  As you run in these you sort of “roll over” them during the stride cycle, a nice feeling that reduces your vertical oscillation. Fans of “Chi” running and Pose style running will recognize and  like this sensation. The outsoles are also slotted to increase flexibility.

You can see how rounded the entire profile of the shoe sole is in this side view.

The sole of a shoe won’t work well unless the upper is tuned to work with it. Brooks built the upper of the PureConnect with a gossamer mesh outer over a perforated cocoon inside the shoe. In addition to reducing weight, maxing ventilation and drainage it also makes the upper nearly sock-like. The lightweight polymer roll bar on the side of the PureCadence is gone on the PureConnect. There is still a heel bolster across the back to provide a modicum of guidance at the rear.

The open mesh outer fabric and perforated foam structure reduce weight and improve ventilation and drainage while keeping the shoe ultra-flexible.

 Fit on less structured shoes can be tricky but Brooks used a clever feature called the “NavBand” to anchor your foot to the shoe sole and tune fit in the upper. The NavBand is an elastic strap that runs over the saddle area of the shoe upper, wrapping the tongue and anchoring to the other side of the shoe sole like the main strap of a sandal. NavBand is used on both the PureConnect and the PureCadence but is a trifle more distinct on PureConnect because of the very thin tongue on the PureConnect.

Because the PureConnect uses such a thin tongue there are also anchor points for the tongue to the shoe upper that help donning so the tongue doesn’t push forward into the shoe. These also maintain the position of the tongue when running.

The NavBand wraps the entire upper for a secure fit and feel while the super thin tongue is held in place by little retainers at both sides.

 An interesting benefit to Brooks’ ingenious design of the entire PureProject line and especially the PureConnect is that, when you let the foot adopt its own geometry it needs less guidance features on the shoe. As long as cushioning and geometry are adequate and the design of the outsole and upper facilitate natural interaction with the ground the heavy, rigid heel counters can be removed. The shoe gets lighter, further facilitating a natural running experience. As a result you don’t see much heel in the PureConnect.

The radiused "Ideal Heel", minimal heel counter with the polymer heel strap.

The entire midsole on the PureConnect is Brooks’ BioMoGo DNA. There aren’t layers of different hardness EVA on this shoe as with a conventional shoe. The midsole uses a 4 millimeter drop from heel to toe, also a nice middle ground between a traditional trainer and a barefoot style. Overall the midsole is relatively thin, further influencing ride, feel and control.

With all its cleverly designed ride control features from removing (not installing) material the PureConnect is very light weight. My size 9.5 test shoes from a production run were a scant 7.5 ounces.

At only 7.5 ounces the Brooks PureConnect is bantam weight, improving its overall feel with great response.

Brooks Running created a great middle ground where most runners will land with the PureProject shoes. The PureConnect provides a unique ride within that category that is not only a nice training tool but is a viable everyday shoe even for big mileage runners. There is a lot to love about a new shoe with clever design and entertaining, animated ride that even improves your running form gradually. Brooks found a new category with these shoes that was missing from shoe shelves.

The Brooks PureConnect continues the great Brooks Running PureProject story.

Litespeed's Ci2 continues to establish the Tennesee based brand's place among well spec-ed, high end carbon fiber bikes.

Litespeed continues their direction with carbon fiber road frames and well conceived component specifications with the new 2012 Litespeed Ci2. The bike showcases Shimano’s newest Ultegra Di2, a battery powered, electro-mechanical component group with updates in some areas compared to original Dura-Ace Di2.

The Litespeed Ci2 stays with Litespeed’s successful, but unsung Aerologic molded carbon fiber frameset. While this frame is unlikely to win any lightweight awards it provides good ride quality, stiffness and durability. The reliability of the frame is becoming apparent since we haven’t seen a single frame failure on this frame design since its introduction three years ago. The basic frame configuration remains largely unchanged except for a few details and on-going improvements in lay-up. Some of the new models use a process called “Reactive Pressure Molding” to control compression of materials from the inside of the mold, improving impregnation of resin into the carbon lay-up and improving strength even with narrow aerodynamic frame shapes.

Nice external rear brake cable routing works well on the Ci2 buts seems slightly out of place on an aero frameset. Excellent bottle integration is a legacy feature on the Ci2 we're seeing emulated by other brands.

Frame shapes on the Ci2 include a rear wheel cut-out in the seat tube and leaf-spring style seat stays. These themes merge ideas from previous designs on other brands into one bike model. It’s a nice feature set if you can’t decide between a “ride quality” bike like Cervelo’s R3 and an aerodynamic road bike like their “S” series bikes.

The big news on this new bike is Shimano Ultegra Di2. Ultegra Di2 includes a number of updates over previous Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 including cable connectors about half the size of previous Dura-Ace Di2 and a two cable wiring harness instead of the previous four cable system. Shimano claims the new two-wire harness on Ultegra Di2 is “waterproof” with no need for weather-proofing sleeves seen on Dura-Ace Di2.

In researching this article journalists from Velo-News, Triathlete and a reader’s poll on Cyclingnews all characterized new Shimano Ultegra Di2 shift performance as “better” than previous Shimano Dura-Ace Di2. Wait- Ultegra better than Dura-Ace? A student of Shimano’s  product introductions may recognize a pattern here. Ultegra Di2 is a more recent introduction than current Dura-Ace Di2.  Anyone familiar with Shimano’s product evolutions knows that silence is often Shimano’s most conspicuous indicator of impending change. Several media outlets have reported a “leaked” document from Shimano on BikeJournal.jp that describes an “11-speed” version of Shimano Dura-Ace Di2.

The new Shimano Ultegra Di2 shifters are heavier than previous Dura-Ace Di2 but share identical shape and feel.

Starting with the shifters the new Ultegra Di2 controls are configured identically to Dura-Ace Di2. Hood shape and body size are very similar- nearly impossible to tell apart- with the new Ultegra Di2 appearing a trifle wider as viewed from the top when parked alongside Dura-Ace Di2. There is additional trim molding on the top of the Dura-Ace Di2 dual control lever that is missing on new Ultegra Di2. The lever or “button” travel to make the shift is identical and the pressure feels the same.

The new, more compact wiring harness on Ultegra Di2 is combined with very good internal routing of the wiring harness on the frameset.

Battery size defaults to the new 7.4-volt battery size and shape, same for both groups. Battery life is the same, extremely long. Battery mounting is still external though, with the battery mounting under the left chainstay well-protected by the chainrings and left crank arm.

You can see the difference in size between Dura-Ace Di2 (left) and new Ultegra Di2 (right).

The front and rear derailleurs on Ultegra Di2 are larger than Dura-Ace Di2 with the size difference coming from the polymer servo housings that move the derailleurs.

An interesting feature of the component spec on the Litespeed Ci2 is the FSA SLK hollow carbon fiber crank. I attributed a significant amount of front shift quality with Di2 to the excellent hollow-forged Shimano Ultegra and Dura-Ace cranks. This component spec proves me partially wrong since front shifting on the Ci2 is laser-guided accurate. Nearly everyone who has ridden Di2 says the front shifting is better than any previous front shift mechanism. That continues on this bike even without the Shimano cranks. This crankset is more durable than the hollow forged Shimano cranks that can dent when knocked over.

The FSA SLK hollow-carbon fiber crank uses new machined chainrings and turns on a BB30 bottom bracket.

At the back of the bike Litespeed continues their asymmetrical chainstay design with a much larger right, drive side, chain stay. This likely contributes to the solid feel of the bottom bracket.

This asymmetric chainstay design likely contributes to the Ci2's great rear end feel and stiffness. You can also see the Di2 battery mounting in this photo.

Seatpost and seat clamp are secure and fully adjustable. The dual redundant seatpost binder bolts clamp a nice aero-styled seatpost with sizing increments on the back for bike fitting and quick reassembly out of your flight case. The bike is speced with my favorite Fizik Arione K:ium rail saddle, a 30 cm long saddle with a lot of fit latitude.

Furniture on the Litespeed Ci2 features a wide range of adjustment and a proven saddle.

Litespeed made good choices for wheel and tire spec on the Ci2 with Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels that feature their Two-to-One construction. There are 8 spokes on the non-drive side of the rear wheel and 16 spokes on the drive side. Spokes are bladed, aerodynamic stainless steel. Wheels use Fulcrum’s Dynamic Balance feature, similar to balancing a car wheel once a tire is mounted. These wheels turn around a nicely made oversized hub with sealed steel bearings. This is a good basic wheelset ready for thousands of miles of tough use. The Fulcrum Racing 5’s ride on a pair of Vittoria Rubino Slicks in the 23 mm width.

A reliable, everyday wheelset is part of the component spec on the Litespeed Ci2.

The Litespeed Ci2 is $5000, a round number in line with other high end frames using Ultegra Di2 and nice quality wheels. If you’ve been around bikes a long time $5K for an Ultegra road bike my sound a trifle bracing. The thing to keep in mind is the current generation of Ultegra Di2 equipped, advanced carbon fiber frames has almost nothing in common with the original generation of bonded carbon road bikes with first generation mechanical Ultegra. It’s an entirely different bike.

The Litespeed Ci2 is further confirmation of Litespeed’s continued place in high end road bikes. It is an unsung high end performance bike with strong frame features and a great new component outfit. Litespeed did a nice job here with no mistakes in component spec and a frame design in its third year of a proven track record.

The new Ultegra Di2 features upgrades from the original Dura-ACe Di2. Mounted on Litespeed's proven aero-carbon frame this is a nice combination.

SRAM's new Red group includes a redesigned hollow-arm crank and new chainrings.

 Chicago based component manufacturer SRAM has unveiled their new 2013 Red component group to the media with consumer deliveries slated for first half of 2012. The group features refinements of existing technologies such as cable driven shifting with 10 gears in the rear. This isn’t the battery powered shifting some anticipated in the wake of Shimano’s Di2 but 2013 Red suggests a new high water mark for mechanical 10-speed drivetrains with a host of refinements and substantial weight reduction. Redesigned brakes also set the group apart from previous versions.

Improved chainrings for 2013 suggest better front shifting and greater stiffness. Machining and finish on the prototype we photographed were very good. Notice the shift gates machined into the back of the big chainring and the silver pick-up rivets to assist small-to-big ring shifting.

The new SRAM Red crankset is Exogram hollow molded carbon fiber with more substantial arms and spider along with updated, machined chainrings. The crank is a five spider design similar to Campagnolo with one of the chainring mounting bolts concealed behind the crankarm. The combination of this new carbon crank and thick, solid machined “X-Glide” chainrings suggest better stiffness, a shortcoming of previous SRAM Red cranksets. Compact cranks will be available with 110mm bolt circle diameter for lower gearing.

Two major bottom bracket formats are supported with separate models of the new 2013 SRAM Red crank: BB30 and GXP threaded.   The red anodized, ceramic bearing equipped GXP bottom bracket has improved “Gutter Seal” protection for better weather proofing and smoother rotation.

A new version of the 2013 SRAM Red crankset integrates the updated Quarq power meter.

SRAM’s acquisition of Quarq crank based power meters enables a version of 2013 SRAM Red with a Quarq power meter built in. The new Quarq/SRAM Red combination crank is less bulky than previous versions and has a more designed-in appearance. SRAM technical reps showed us a simple process for pairing the Quarq with an ANT+ power measurement computer such as Garmin and a method of calibration using a weight suspended from the crank arm.

The 2013 SRAM Red ErgoDynamics, Double Tap shifter/brake lever uses a redesigned body with smaller circumference for better ergonomics. The hoods are checkered for enhanced grip, a boon for riders wearing heavy gloves such as winter cyclocross racers. The shifter paddles are slightly larger and the brake lever itself is longer. An advantage of previous SRAM Double Tap shifters is their adjustable reach – you could adjust the brake lever and shifter paddle closer to the drop handlebars for smaller hands. This feature continues with more accessible adjustment on the 2013 version. The lever still angles outward from the bars enhancing leverage. The band clamp used to mount the levers to your handlebars is redesigned for easier use on ergo-bend and newer diameter bars.

The 2013 SRAM Red Double Tap shifter has a smaller body, larger shift paddles and longer brake lever with easier reach adjustment.

Mechanical brakes on the new SRAM Red return to a single pivot design for weight savings and lower frontal area to reduce drag.  Hydraulic road brakes for both hub and rim are slated for late 2012/13. The triangular double arms from previous SRAM Red are gone from the new mechanical SRAM Red calipers. Older single pivot designs were difficult to keep centered but 2013 SRAM Red uses independent left and right adjustment for easy brake centering. The brakes also feature AeroLink and ForceMultiplier Links to provide increased pressure of the pads as they approach the rim. This design suits wider rims such as Zipp Firecrest (Zipp is another SRAM brand). These brakes feel great, with easier actuation than previous SRAM Red and great stopping power.

A) New aerodynamic shaped barrel adjuster and quick release lever. B) New single arm design. C) Single central brake pivot. D) Dual spring centering adjusters. E) SwissStop brake cartridges, black for dry conditions/alloy rims.

The brake pads supplied are SwissStop FlashPro in the black compound (dry conditions) designed for alloy rims.  A green SwissStop GHP2 version is available aftermarket for wet weather braking on alloy rims.  Another yellow compound is sold separately for carbon fiber rims and Zipp told us their Platinum Pro brake pad fits the new SRAM Red caliper and provides excellent wet weather stopping performance on carbon rims. The SwissStop pads have deeper groves for improved braking in each of the compounds.

The new 2013 SRAM Red caliper is a significant improvement over previous SRAM Red calipers with lighter weight, improved aerodynamics and better stopping power especially on new, wider rims.

Improved front shifting on 2013 SRAM Red brings this mechanical group on par with the front shifting of Shimano’s mechanical Dura-Ace with its hollow-forged cranks but still not as automated as Di2 series front shifting. The improvements don’t rely on a single upgrade but several improvements in crank, chainring and most significantly the new front derailleur. The 2013 SRAM Red “Yaw” front derailleur cage changes angle to match the angle of the chain as it shifts. This eliminates chain rub in crossover gears. One swipe of the lever delivers precise front shifting with no trim adjustment regardless of what cog you’re using in the back. We rode the bike in both crossover gears. It worked. No chain rub.

The Yaw feature in 2013 SRAM Red changes the angle of the front derailleur cage to match the chain as it shifts across the cogset.

SRAM also changed the front derailleur cage to use steel, aluminum and carbon fiber to maintain the stiffness and leverage of the cage while keeping it lightweight. Index marks laser-etched into the top and inside of the cage facilitate quick set-up in the work stand. Low profile springs make the derailleur less bulky meaning it will mount to a wider range of frame designs without interference. Derailleur limit adjustment screws are located on top of the derailleur.

The integrated Chain Spotter eliminates dropped chains during sketchy downshifts on bad pavement. It is adjustable and can be removed.

Another interesting feature is the anti-chain drop device built into the derailleur. This “chain checker” deflects the chain onto the small chain ring as it drops down from the large ring during downshifts. It’s likely this will only be needed during desperate shifts from large ring to small on bad pavement when pedalling our of the saddle, a worse case but reality in spring classic and cyclocross races. The armature, called a “Chain Spotter” by SRAM is adjustable and can be removed.

The rear derailleur on 2013 SRAM Red continues the SRAM theme of “Exact Actuation” or a 1:1 pull ratio. The derailleur moves the same amount as the shift lever. This enables great compatibility and the direct feel of SRAM components. For riders who don’t like the disconnected feel of electronic shifting Exact Actuation is the answer.

A) The jockey wheel and guide pulley rotate on ceramic bearings. B) Carbon fiber cage plates reduce weight while maintaining stiffness. C) Rotational adjustment screw controls derailleur angle. D) Limit screws are front mounted and clearly labelled "H" and "L". E) Rear armature is molded carbon fiber to save weight.

The derailleur is trimmed in lightweight materials like carbon fiber cage plates and alloy bolts. Even the jockey wheels are skeletonized to shave a few grams. The limit screws are accessible on the front of the derailleur body and labelled “L” and “H” for quick adjustment. They turn with a hex wrench or flat blade screwdriver. The barrel adjuster is massive and spring deployed for easy adjustment.

With lightweight carbon fiber materials and alloy fasteners the 2013 SRAM Red rear derailleur is extremely light. (R) This s a mechanic's derailleur with easy adjustment from a huge barrel adjuster and clearly labelled limit screws for set-up.

As components have become more refined their appearance, especially up close, has become more attractive. The new 2013 SRAM Red XG 1090 cogset may be coolest looking bike component ever. Eight of the ten cogs are machined from solid steel. This means no play between the cogs and absolutely precise spacing along with longer wear. An added benefit is weight savings. Because steel is stiffer and stronger less needs to be used to build the main portion of the cogset reducing overall weight significantly.

A) Black StealthRing elastomers reduce chain noise and vibration. The steel cogset body is machined out with hollow spaces to save weight. B) The largest cog is machined alloy for weight savings, also machined to save weight. C) Engineered asymmetrical tooth profiles aid shift performance. D) Cogset body maintains alignment on wheel. E) Mounting pins on large cog insure precise alignment.

New StealthRing elastomer bumpers have been installed between the cog positions to damp the bounce of the chain as it settles onto one cog from another. This reduces shift noise and maintains power transfer during shifts as well as reducing running noise. The largest cog is aluminum alloy to further reduce weight.

SRAM deserves note for maintaining their design theme of light weight, compatibility and good mechanical feel. This sets them apart from Shimano’s Di2 and Campagnolo’s new EPS electronic groups. If you don’t like the trend of battery driven component groups SRAM becomes a more attractive alternative with the new SRAM Red for the 2013 model year.

The Brooks PureCadence provides unprecedented ride comfort with enough control for the middle 80%. Could this be the best riding shoe out now?

The Brooks PureCadence joins the Brooks PureProject (one word) lineup as a lightweight, “Pure” concept shoe with a degree of stability just above its lighter, less stable cousins in the PureProject line up.

The Brooks PureProject uses five technologies to make shoes feel lighter, more natural and provide adequate protection while helping your feet and gait adapt to a more natural running style. The PureCadence is the shoe many runners have been waiting for to bridge the gap from traditional shoes with high drop from heel to toe, motion control features and a less flexible last to minimal barefoot designs. PureCadence is not only the bridge between these polarized running styles, it is also enough shoe to fill in the middle gound as an everyday shoe for most runners. It is light enough for a zippy race day choice too. Brooks nailed a new sweet spot with the PureCadence.

“PureCadence is the shoe runners have been waiting for to bridge the gap from traditional designs to minimal barefoot designs.” 

With a subtle combination of cushion and stability features the Brooks PureCadence feels light, airy and natural underfoot. It's never clunky or harsh. Great design meets great ride.

First of the five technologies in the Brooks PureProject concept is the split toe. This “Ninja shoe” design is more a styling cue than a functional feature. This is the only window dressing on the shoe. I didn’t feel much difference in the split toe design in fit or function. Unlike other “toe shoes” the design does not extend to the inner of the shoe, just the outsole.

 Anatomical shape on the PureCadence contributes to its buttery ride. There is simply more outsole and less tooling away of material in the arch. The result is a subtle tendency toward less twisting. Stability without plastic add-ons. Another factor in the surefooted, comfortable feel is dialed-in fit with the Nav Band elastic band.  The Nav Band extends over the instep to pull the foot down to the sole of the shoe, like the strap on top of a sandal. An added benefit for triathletes is quick donning and an oddly secure feel with stretchy speed laces because of the Nav Band. The addition of the Nav Band, and a slightly heavier Nav Band on the PureCadence than other Pure shoe models, make the PureCadence a natural for triathlon use. Nav Band works great. I had no sensation of it being in the shoe except for its improvement on fit. While many people may not notice the Nav Band at first glance this is a key feature on this shoe.

The split toe in the PureCadence is likely more of a styling cue than a functional feature but the excellent heel construction provides noticeably great transitions and a buttery feel at the back of the shoe.

Brooks is advertising a 4mm difference between the height of the heel and the toe. That is minimal drop but this shoe does not feel “minimal”. I chalk that up to the Brooks BioMoGo DNA midsole cushioning.  There is also the PDRB midsole on the PureCadence for a smooth transition around what motion control features do exist in the midsole.

“I’ve reviewed over a hundred shoes, nothing has nailed ride, cushion and comfort like the PureCadence.”

A long list of factors control the “ride” and feel of a running shoe. Some models use distinct structures built into the shoe with sharp transitions from control device to control device. These tend to produce a less elegant ride than the PureProject’s more subtle approach to ride control. The PureProject is a more “synergistic” approach to how the shoe feels while running. Every aspect of the shoe design works together to make transitions less apparent, ride softer and more natural and overall comfort and shock absorption better. I’ve reviewed well over a hundred shoes and nothing has nailed ride, cushion and comfort like the PureCadence.

The Nav Band inside the PureCadence improves fit and feel and makes the shoe well suited for triathletes using speed laces.

 A key feature to the great feel of the PureCadence is the shape of the outsole, especially at the edges. I’ll often test a shoe by running with one model on one foot and a completely different shoe on the other foot to compare and contrast. With a traditionally designed outsole and heel there is a “slappy” feel to foot strike as the foot leverages onto the ground rolling forward. The radiused edges of the outsole and curve of the forefoot on the PureCadence remove that choppy feel. If there is one feature that contributes most significantly to the great feel of this shoe it is the shaping of the outsole. The first time you run in it you’ll be delighted with the smooth transition across the stride.

There are a number of unique and novel features that make the PureCadence ride great but the single most prominent is superb design of the outsole.

 Another strong design cue on the PureCadence is the overall flexibility of the shoe. With the combination of the curved edges of the outsole, the precise fit afforded by the Nav Band and a flexible overall architecture Brooks has found a novel set of ways to allow the shoe to move with your foot while still providing an adequate level of support and cushioning. Imagine the best feeling shoe but without the shoe.

The female specific version of the PureCadence has all the same features in a different colorway.

Fit on the PureCadence is trim and precise, a size 9.5 fitting me perfectly and the Nav Band keeping it snug. It harkens back to stretch upper designs from Zoot and even Nike before that (Sock Racer). The shoe is light at 9.4 ounces measured weight for a size 9.5. There is a gender-specific women’s model available in a different color way with the same features.

At 9.4 ounces for a size 9.5 the PureCadence is relatively light. It's nimble feel and precise fit add to the perception of quickness.

Brooks mentions on their website that the expected wear on this shoe is about 250-270 miles. For most runners that is about 12-14 weeks in the real world. While the shoe isn’t cheap at $119.95 the ride and handling are so luxurious they are a guilty and functional pleasure. I logged about 65 miles total in my test pair before beginning to write my review and more time in casual wear and in combination with other shoe use (different shoe on each foot). I run on asphalt, concrete and  easy desert groomed trail terrain. The shoes held up better than I expected.

Brooks is reserved about the lifespan of the PureCadence. According to their predicitions for wear life this pair would be one-third worn out, but they actually show little wear.

 It’s rare to find a shoe so tangibly different in the constant din of new model introductions. Brooks has introduced something truly unique in the PureCadence. It fits, feels and performs differently from any shoe I’ve run in from recent years. In many ways it harkens back to the luxurious ride of the late 1980’s Phylon cushioned shoes from Nike, but with better fit from the internal Nav Band and the radiused heel construction. Brooks deserves credit for this design. The next time you’re in a Brooks dealer make a point of running in this shoe. You’ll find a fun, new alternative to conventional shoes and a functional middle ground to barefoot styles.

The PureCadence fits and feels like no other shoe: precise control, elegant transition during the stride and light, snappy feel. Try them- I bet you'll want a pair.

"Tower, This is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby." The KASK K.31 Crono brings fighter pilot design themes to aero helmets.

Italian helmet manufacturer KASK has introduced their new K.31 Crono aerodynamic helmet to the U.S. market. KASK, located 37 miles from Milan, Italy in Chiuduno, makes helmets for cycling, skiing, alpine climbing and industrial applications. The 20 year old company does all its own manufacturing in Italy, much of it by hand. Their cycling helmets are revered by European pro cycling teams and their alpine helmets have gained a reputation for performance among European mountain guides.

The KASK K.31 Crono uses a slightly different tail design than other aero helmets. The tail of the helmet forms a vertical “fin” like the tail of an aircraft. This may offer some advantage when a rider lowers their head, as with reading a cyclometer or reaching for a bottle. Some other aero helmet designs feature a more conical tail fairing, potentially creating more drag in the head-down orientation.

The K.31 is built on the platform of KASK’s K.10 DIECI road helmet. The K.31 Crono uses the internal design of the K.10 DIECI with an aerodynamic shell co-molded onto the outside. If you wear the KASK K.10 DIECI as a road helmet, and some pro teams do, switching to the K.31 aero helmet means the aero helmet will fit and feel exactly the same.

The K.31 Crono helmet uses the chassis of the K.10 DIECI (right) as a basis for it construction. Notice how the interior is nearly identical.

Using a conventional road helmet chassis for the K.31 Crono is a strong idea since it fits and feels like a road helmet. The helmet uses the KASK “Up & Down” adjustment system, an occipital lobe retainer that extends around the back of the helmet similar to other cycling helmets like Bell and Giro. A big improvement over Bell and Giro is the hinge on each side of the retainer to fit the helmet on different head shapes or facilitate a ponytail. The Up & Down system stabilizes the helmet on the head and improves fit, preventing it from moving when you hit rough roads, during flying mounts in T1 or are running in the transition area. The hinges on the Up & Down System also move with you, so when you change the angle of your head the brace at the back of your head moves too. This angle-adjustable, pivoting retention system works better than any other helmet retention system I’ve used, and is more comfortable once adjusted also.

The KASK "Up & Down" adjustment system means the helmet stays put on your head and moves with you. This system is used in the chassis of the K.31 Crono and improves comfort, safety and performance.

Hatband adjustment for the helmet is done with a ratcheting wheel that rotates clockwise and counterclockwise to tighten and loosen circumferential fit. You can adjust the helmet easily with one hand while riding. 

A lot of practical thought went into this chinstrap.  The section under your chin uses smooth “Eco-Leather” . This non-abrasive synthetic is more comfortable than a traditional nylon webbing chinstrap. The chin strap does not rub you raw or produce raised bumps under your shin when you sweat heavily. The buckles under the ear are self-adjusting and help keep the chin strap in the right orientation under your ear for best helmet retention in a severe crash. When you wear this helmet on a hot day the benefit is obvious- and welcome.

A rotating knob allows on-the-fly one hand adjustment. The smooth Eco-Leather chinstrap is very comfortable in extreme heat and does not retain perspiration or irritate your chin.

Like many helmets their is a structural polystyrene cage molded inside the EPS foam crush chassis. This holds the helmet together in the event of a severe impact providing protection from secondary hits. The interior pads of the helmet use Coolmax fabric to wick perspiration away from the skin.

Speaking of perspiration: A criticism of most helmets is poor management of perspiration flowing into the eyes from the forehead. The K.31 Crono is no exception. The KASK K.31 Crono and the K.10 DIECI both have three small points at the front. This funnels sweat down your nose and eventually, into your eyes. On a long climb in hot weather this is awful. Several aftermarket sweatbands such as the Sweat Gutr prevent this, but it is one more thing to put on in a triathlon. Helmet manufacturers need to be more proactive about keeping perspiration out of our eyes.

The ear fairings on the KASK K.31 are flexible enough to allow pulling it on and off quickly in transition.

The visor on the K.31 Crono is the best design I’ve used so far. Like a motor racing or fighter pilot’s helmet the visor hinges upward on the fly with one hand. This is useful while taking nutrition or drinking from large water bottles on the fly. Aero helmets that use a non-moving visor lack the ability to raise the visor while riding. The visor on the K.31 Crono is also removable. The pivots unthread from the helmet, you remove the visor, then re-thread back in place to plug the hole. If you notice the optical quality of the visor seems oddly good it is because a major optics manufacturer makes the visor for KASK. The helmet comes with a mirrored, tinted visor with a roughly G15 color-neutral gray tint. This visor doeseffectively replace high end sunglasses on the bike with similar optical quality and very low aspherical distortion. Since using a visor on an aero helmet makes the helmet much more aerodynamic it’s important to have a good one- and this one is the best.

a key feature of KASK's excellent visor on the K.31 Crono is the hinge that allows you to raise and lower the visor with one hand on the fly.

The arrangements of vents on the KASK K.31 Crono is good with a large chevron-shaped vent at the top of the helmet. This vertical vent facilitates heat rising out of the helmet when you are going slow, and the chevron shape helps produce a venturi effect at higher speeds. Great design.

The underside of the fairing on the KASK K.31 is open, not faired-in as it is on the Spiuk Kronos. Closing the underside of the the helmet tail improves aerodynamics, especially in the head down position.

The main vent is venturi or chevron shaped and works well when grinding up a climb at low speed and while going fast in the aero position.

Triathletes need an aero helmet that can be pulled on and off quickly in transition and the KASK K.31 Crono is perfect for quick transitions. The ear fairings are flexible enough to pull to the helmet on and off quickly.You can adjust the helmet to full-open with the rotating knob in the back, pull it on very quickly in transition and reach back to snug it up once you are out of T1 for a precise fit.

Finish and assembly quality on the K.31 Crono is better than most of the other aero helmets I’ve used, and I’ve used most of them. There are two colors in the KASK K.31, a white carbon-fiber look pattern and a black carbon fiber look pattern.

Aero helmets aren't usually lightweight and the KASK K.31 Crono tips the scales at a hefty 495 grams. In this case I'll suggest the performance features are worth the exra weight.

The helmet packs a lot of features into its 495 gram weight but it isn’t a lightweight leader. The KASK website claims 280 grams helmet weight. That is incorrect. The features on the helmet are so good though I’ll trade a little weight for a great retention system, superior comfort and protection and the best visor design I’ve tried.

The helmet is sold in size name “U”, presumably for “universal”. We fit-tested it on a 7.5 hat size male and two very small females to see if the size range is truly universal. It is. The helmet adjusted precisely across all helmet size ranges. That’s impressive. The adjustable feature means triathlon clubs can order a few of these and all members can use them on race day regardless of head size. It also means if you order the helmet from an online retailer it will fit when you get it.

The KASK K.31 Crono has an adjustable fit that spans a wide range of head sizes making it versatile for club use.

KASK did a good job of including a number of details such as precise fit adjustment, a very wide size range, a more comfortable chinstrap, the best visor in the category, extremely comfortable and secure fit across a wide range of head shapes and excellent finish on the K.31 Crono. The few nicks against it such as the non-faired underside of the tail, the lack of an effective sweat management system and relatively heavy weight don’t detract much from the helmet. It’s still very impressive. At $349.99 it is more expensive than the Lazer Tardiz, Giro Selector, Bell Javelin Giro Advantage 2, Gray Aerodome and all of the Louis Garneau helmets but arguments can be made the extra cost is worth it.

The KASK K.31 Crono pulls together an impressive list of features to lead the aero helmet category.

The BH Ultralight combines a stiff carbon fiber lay-up with unusually light weight to produce a stand-out road bike.

Spain’s BH Bicycles joins the lead pack in the race to the bottom of the scale with the BH Ultralight, a lightweight carbon fiber frameset built with stiffness enhancing features such as a proprietary bottom bracket and special carbon lay-up. Claimed weight: 1.65 pounds for the frame. We decided to put a 254 pound rider on it for two months to see what would happen.

Consumers love ”golden BB” metrics, the single number they can compare to measure “best-ness”. Some consider bike weight that metric, others argue wind tunnel results. Internet forums are built around building lighter bikes. Set against that background the BH Ultralight is a contender.

With a functional build of SRAM Red components, Mavic Ksyriums and PRO Stealth cockpit and GPS, Mike's test bike weighs 15.3 pounds

How light is the BH Ultralight? BH Bicycles claims “Less than 750 grams in a 56 cm frame size”, or 1.65 pounds. Impressive. But is it functional in the real world? We decided to find out by putting a 254 pound rider on a 1.65 pound frame. To frame this, our test rider weighs 156.3 times more than the bike frame he is on. While our test rider weighs over a tenth of a ton, his bike frame weighed about the same as a dense loaf of bread. BH Bicycles also covers the bike with a Limited Warranty: “BH frames sold in the USA and Canada are covered against defects in workmanship and materials for as long as the frame is owned by the original owner.” Although the warranty does not cover normal wear and tear according to BH Bicycles, that is an impressive endrosement.

Mike Gibbs of TriSports.com on his size Extra Large, SRAM Red equipped BH Ultralight.

Mike Gibbs of TriSports.com built up a size Extra Large (56cm seat tube measured center to top, the same as a Cervelo R3 in 61cm size name) BH Ultralight using SRAM Red components, Mavic Ksyrium clincher wheels, a Selle Italia Flite saddle and PRO Stealth Evo cockpit with two X-Lab Gorilla carbon cages and a Garmin Edge GPS unit. Total weight: 15.3 pounds measured. This isn’t a lightweight build, and a lightweight enthusiast could shave pounds off this. It is a “real world” build that is intended to be ridden every day on all roads by a heavy rider.

There are two features that contribute to the BH Ultralight’s weight and ride quality. The first is the BB386EVO bottom bracket. This new bottom bracket configuration was designed largely by component manufacturer Full Speed Ahead (FSA). The system is based on the common BB30 configuration but beefed up substantially for greater stiffness in the bottom bracket and the frame/bottom bracket interface. BB386EVO also allows larger chainstays and influences crank design. In many ways, the light weight and frame feel of the BH Ultralight emanates from the BB386EVO design.  If resistance to lateral deflection under pedal load and lighter weight is the high bar for a bottom bracket BB386EVO appears to clear it.

I spoke with Tim Jackson, Marketing Manager for BH Bicycles in the U.S. about BB386EVO compatibility with other cranks such as SRAM and Shimano. “The only limitation is BB30″ said Jackson, “BB30 bottom brackets won’t work”. He mentioned a press fit bearing adapter developed by BH specifically for the BB386EVO configuration. This adapter enables the use  of  “…any standard 24 mm bottom bracket compatible crank” according to Jackson.  There are limitations on crank-based power measurement though, with current SRM and Quark units not fitting. Additionally, FSA will introduce a BB386EVO specific version of the popular FSA SLK crank later this year. That brings direct compatibility with BB386EVO up to two cranks and adapter-served compatibility for many others currently available. I’ll suggest this degree of flexibility effectively takes compatibility concerns off the table.

 Are the benefits of BB386EVO worth using an adapter on some cranks or limiting your crank selection to those directly compatible? I’ll say “yes”. Changing a crank or adding a power meter can only exert so much change on the performance of a bike. BB386EVO likely provides a per-pedal-stroke greater benefit than switching cranks or adding crank-based power measurement. Additionally, pedal and wheel based power meters still work fine, and the FSA BB386EVO crank is a beautifully finished well made crank that is compatible with SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo 10 speed drivetrains. The idea of more closely integrating crank, bottom bracket and frame to reduce weight and improve performance isn’t a new one, and it is a proven one. Cannondale did it along with a handful of other builders. The concept is proven. The execution on the BH Ultralight is very good.

The BB360EVO bottom bracket and crank add stiffness and save weight but limit component compatibility.

 The other weight saving, stiffness enhancing feature on the BH Ultralight is the carbon fiber lay-up. Consumers have a tough time visualizing the effect of different carbon fiber lay-ups on performance until they ride, or pay for, a bike. Different carbon lay-ups account for much of the difference between a $1500 complete carbon fiber bike and a $15,000 carbon fiber bike. They also account for a massive range of qualities that manifest themselves in everything from crash survivability to road feel and weight. The lay-up on the BH Ultralight, in concert with BB386EVO, does produce a ride tangibly unlike any bike I’ve ridden. It isn’t subtle. Test rider Mike Gibbs said, “I can’t explain the physics” he was so baffled by the incongruent relationship between weight, stiffness and even ride comfort. Perhaps more so than the weight of the bike, the attention-getting stiffness of the bottom bracket sets this frame apart from others.

Starting at the front of the bike BH Bicycles uses an all carbon fiber headtube without any metal headset races. Everything is carbon fiber on the head tube and fork, including the surfaces the bearings rest on. The fork is a proprietary BH Bicycles design with a massive crown  and 1.5″ diameter bottom race that aids response and lateral stiffness. While the straight blades suggest a jackhammer ride, the result (even on a smaller frame in my size) was utterly civilized. On out of the saddle efforts it only got better.

An oversized bottom headset race is combined with all-carbon fiber construction in the fork and head tube.

The use of the large 1.5″ diameter bottom headset race enables the down tube to be larger also, increasing frame stiffness and shock absorption since there is more surface area for vibration to be disbursed over.  The transition from one frame section to another within the molded frame is clean with no seam lines. At the seattube a skeletonized alloy clamp fixes the seatpost with a single bolt. The seatpost clamp is modular and replaceable.

The transition from one frame section to another is smooth with each section maintaining the width of the frame for best stiffness and ride comfort.

The seatpost is made for BH Bicycles by FSA and uses two adjustment bolts for saddle angle . It has 2 cm of setback from the center of the post. Both bolts are accessible from the bottom for ease of angular saddle adjustment, a thoughtful feature. The bolts are long enough to accommodate most carbon rail saddles, good thinking for BH since many Orbea models require additional, longer seat clamp hardware for taller carbon fiber rail saddles. The entire design is sturdy and simple. Well done.

A well designed seatpost and seat clamp make adjustments easy.

The frame uses molded-on cable stops with slots for easy cable replacement. BH was thoughtful enough to ship the bike with two polymer anti-scuff decals at the head tube so your drivetrain cable housings don’t abrade the head tube of the frame. The drivetrain cables route under the square-ish down tube. BH put the cable guides in the right place since shifting and braking are crisp. The cable stops seem bomber since they are part of the frame, another boon to shift performance.

Molded-in carbon fiber cable stops are durable and stiff improving component performance and reducing weight.

The rear end of the BH Ultralight borrows a number of proven themes originally developed on the Cervelo R3 including a tapered seat tube and gossamer seat stays. BH does take full advantage of the BB386EVO bottom bracket by mounting a pair of massive chain stays with a Serotta-esque “S” curve to them. This combination of vertically thick chainstay and adding curvature to improve ride quality is a unique morphing of design themes that accounts for a lot of the uncommon ride quality.

A well designed rear triangle moderates lateral stiffness and ride comfort with some proven design themes and the new benefits of the BB386EVO bottom bracket.

Our Clydesdale test rider, Mike Gibbs of TriSports.com, finished his bike off with a PRO Stealth integrated cockpit that uses a one piece molded carbon fiber stem and drop handlebar. Other trim items on the bike were the proven X-Lab Gorilla bottle cages. Mike kept the integrity of the component kit by using the excellent SRAM Red brake calipers for this build. The end result is his dependable, stiff 15.3 pound complete bike including his Garmin GPS.

Mike spent two months and about 500 miles on the bike. Zero problems. This includes long rides on rough roads. Mike also pointed out that, while the stiffness of the bottom bracket exceeded anything he’s ridden, the ride quality was better than many stiffness-oriented carbon fiber frames such as the Scott Addict R1.

Mike's build includes the sleek PRO Stealth Evo cockpit and SRAM Red brake calipers.

Having a 250-pound plus rider on a 15- pound bike is about the same passenger to vehicle weight ratio as having three full grown African bull elephants ride in a Ford Mustang. That makes the engineering of a 15-pound vehicle supporting a 250-pound rider all the more impressive. In addition the the vehicle to load ratio, the ride quality and component performance on the BH Ultralight is well above some other high road frames and a contender for industry best along with other well made, high end carbon fiber road frames.

To appreciate the engineering of the BH Ultralight consider loading three full grown African elephants into a Ford Mustang. That is the vehicle weight to passenger weight ratio of our test rider on the BH Ultralight. Impressive.

The BH Ultralight frameset is $4299 and is sold in five sizes with T-Shirt size names; XS,S,M,L and Mike’s XL. Mike’s Size XL runs similar in geometry to Cervelo’s 61cm R3. Both the 61cm Cervelo R3 and the Size XL BH Ultralight have a 57cm seat tube measured from center to top.  It’s easy to build a sub-$10,000 ultra-light super bike using this frame. Considering the great ride quality and the strength of the frame based on our tests with Mike the BH Ultralight may be easy on the scales but it’s a heavy hitter for the light weight frame shopper.

The BH Ultralight is a remarkable light weight frame with incredible durability. It's an exotic lightweight you can ride everyday.

Saucony's Hattori combines zero drop with a quick don upper for a unique combination of features.

Saucony’s Hattori merges barefoot running design with quick donning features for a unique interpretation of a classic from the 1980’s, the old Nike Sock Racer. The verdict: It works surprisingly well.

The Saucony Hattori uses a laceless,  all-stretch mesh upper with a clear polymer exoskeleton reinforcement across the top. The shoe is closed with two Velcro straps, one at the heel and one across the top of the shoe where you’d normally tie the laces. The rear quarter is synthetic flat-finished Lorica style fabric, an ultra-light artificial leather with good durability and water resistance. There is a medial bumper on the inside of the heel, likely more to resist wear than for stability. Donning tabs are sewn onto the front and back of the shoe so you can pull it on easier. A big benefit of this construction for triathletes is drainage. When you dump an aid station cup over your head your shoes don’t get waterlogged. It’s also a nice blister-resistant construction.

Only one-thrid the weight of a conventional training shoe, the Hattori feels so light you can;t help but imagine you may be faster.

Like the older Nike Sock Racer the Hattori uses a white EVA outsole that is also the midsole. The tread pattern in the outsole facilitates flexibility of the shoe, especially in the forefoot. Three areas on the outsole are reinforced with Saucony’s “XT-900″ carbon rubber, the light green pads. This material “offers exceptional traction without sacrificing durability” according to Saucony. The material also seems to add a level of shock absorption to the areas where its located, especially the heel.

While the outsole is basically an exposed midsole the light green crash pads extend the life of the shoe and add to shock absorption.

The geometry of the shoe is no drop from toe to heel. Your foot relates to the ground the way it would if you weren’t wearing a shoe. The sole is effectively 11mm thick over its length. It tapers to thinner in front of the ball of your foot. If you are an old Nike Sock Racer user, this is where the two shoes part company. The old Sock Racer had a more built up heel and less sophisticated upper. Unlike Sock Racer the Hattori’s ride is board flat and the upper is very sophisticated.

The Hattori bares a resemblance to the Nike Sock Racer from the 1980's, worn by the author at the 1986 Bud Light USTS Triathlon Championships in Hilton Head, S.C.

We weighed a Hattori in size 9.5 US and got 4.3 ounces or 121 grams. To put that in perspective it’s about one third the weight of a conventional stability training shoe. The shoe is extremely light weight. Less weight is more speed and more than one tester felt they were faster in Hattoris. It stands to reason; if the geometry of this shoe works for you a 50% weight reduction compared to a lightweight training shoe is going to make running easier, that will make it faster.

At only 4.2 ounces measured weight in a size 9.5 US the Hattori is only one third the weight of a heavy trainer.

I’m not a devotee of the barefoot genre’, at least not exclusively. Barefoot shoe is an oxymoron. I’ll admit to donning the Hattori with a bit of attitude; “Another low drop shoe?”

I was wrong about these.

The Hattori's outsole, including the extra material in the medial arch, provide a ride better than you would expect in a no-drop, minimal running mocassin.

Hattori has a deceptive amount of shock absorption. The cushy built-in insole and cushioned outsole provide a very soft ride, much softer than its 11 millimeter sole thickness suggests. It’s as soft as some 13 mm shoes. I also suspect the XT-900 crash pads, the light green wear sections on the outsole, do more than their fair share of soaking up road shock. However it does it, it works- very, very well. If you’ve turned your nose up at zero drop shoes it’s worth taking a test run in this one. I wager you’ll like the way it feels.

The Hattori uses two Velcro closures to secure the fit of the shoe. It works, but it can slow donning for triathlon users. They are still faster to pull on than conventional shoes.

Because I raced in the old Nike Sock Racer in the 1980’s I carried that paradigm into my review of the Hattori. When I saw Hattori I thought, “Great! A quick donning, stretch upper shoe!” Maybe. Hattori’s front and rear strap prevent pulling the shoe on as quickly as some earlier stretch upper designs. The upside is much better fit and overall stability. The upper stays coupled to the midsole/outsole. Your foot doesn’t have a tendency to slide off this shoe when cornering, an annoying tendency of some early Zoot stretch upper models. The Hattoris fits and feels solid but isn’t made expressly for fast donning, although with practice I was pulling them on in only a couple of seconds, faster than conventional lace shoes equipped with speed laces.

There is no conventional, removable insole in the Hattori. It uses a plush, stitched down footbed.

How do They Feel Running?

You have to try these. I’ll be disappointed if you aren’t pleasantly surprised. The relative amount of cushion for a barefoot shoe felt fantastic.  When I think “minimal” I think painful. These shoes have a soft ride considering how little sole there is. Be sure to trim your toenails with these if running sockless. As with the older Sock Racers, long toenails can tear the stretch mesh upper on these. I ran both sockless and with socks in these. Both great.

The fit is even better. I read one review where a tester said they ran large. Disagree entirely. I say they are very precise. I take the same 9.5 as other sauconys. The Velcro closures on the forefoot and heel cinch things down securely. Another good ride feature is how the shoe transitions from footstrike to push off. It’s very flexible. The tooling on the back of the heel, the rounded back edge of the heel, make them feel very natural.

There is a hint of mo-co on the medial heel with this demi-heel counter. The radiused outsole at the heel made for excellent transitions on footstrike.

This is an ambitious design and Saucony did a lot right with the Hattori. I can’t find drawbacks with this little shoe. Even the $79.95 price is reasonable. It won’t be a long life span shoe due to the exposed outsole, but the XT-900 pads held up well in testing. The cushioning may wane before the outsole wears. Only time will tell. On the way to that time you’ll get a nice geometry, great riding shoe with unique design and features like quick donning and ultra-light weight.

With quick don features, a nice fit and better than expected ride the Hattori is worth a close look.