I have been very fortunate lately getting to test out some of the coolest new time trial products on the market. I am not sure how much faster they have made me in the “Race of Truth,” but I am fairly certain they helped.
The first product is the Hincapie Time Trial Suit. No, this is not your run of the mill 3 piece suit, it is actually a highly specialized, wind tunnel tested superman suit. Will it make you faster? The resounding answer is yes! In most wind tunnel tests the item that attributed to the most drag other than your body position was your clothing. This suit is definitely slick, it has different materials throughout to take advantage of static movement, your upper body, and fluid movement, your legs. Fit is extremely important in these suits and I would recommend ordering one size down from what you typically wear in bib shorts. You want this tight, modesty be gone! Although this is probably one of the most aerodynamic pieces of clothing you can buy, it isn’t perfect. The shammy is definitely not meant for the long haul, which since it is designed for race day, shouldn’t be a problem and for some reason the cuffs on the sleeves near the wrists are actually slightly loose. It could just mean I just have really tiny wrists, who knew? If you want to go faster in your next time trial or triathlon, this suit will transform you into superman, or superwoman.
Part Duex, I get to race with the new Louis Garneau Vorttice time trial helmet. This is the new evolution of time trial helmets. It has a cut off tail, is extremely light and is also well ventilated. I have been using long tail time trial helmets for years, but recent tests done in the wind tunnel show that a short tail may be more efficient if you keep your head down. Check out the helmets at last years Tour de France and most of them were variations of the short tail. I have worn this helmet twice and both days were pretty hot, mid 80’s, and did not notice it overheating at all. The helmet has one center vent, but it is pretty large, channeling air through the inside of the helmet like a jet port. I also really like the included visor, although I would like a dark version so I don’t have to wear sunglasses with it, plus look all Terminator like. The helmet surface has different diameter dimples and air flow channels which are supposed to aide in the aerodynamics. I don’t know if they work, but they sure look cool. I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to stick with this helmet, but after 2 wins I think it is pretty safe to say I will be bringing this bad boy to nationals with me.
The final piece of hardware I want to review is FSA’s brand spankin new Metron shifters. FSA appears to be finally jumping into the shifting market and if these shifters are any indication of what is coming, I am pretty excited about a 4th component choice. In my opinion, the coolest thing about the new Metron shifters are that they don’t look like shifters at all. They look more like shorty break levers on the end of your aero bars. To shift into a bigger cog, you pull the lever in, to shift into a smaller one you push the top of the unit with your thumb. It does take a little bit to get used to, but after a while it becomes natural. These shifters are perfect for those of us who use aero bars with a slight bend as your hands naturally rest where the shifters are and are very comfortable to use. Unfortunately, those that use flat aero bar extensions may strain their wrists a little trying to shift with these. The shifting performance is good if not great, there is a light feel when shifting up that is very different to most “normal” time trial shifters on the market now. Installation was also fairly easy as the levers came with the cables pre-
installed which made things go by much faster. I had a little problem getting the front derailleur dialed in, probably more from a lack of a cable adjuster than the actual product. I plan on sticking with these throughout the year as long as I continue to use an s-bend extension. If I move to a flat extension, Zipp’s new shifters may be the way to go.
As always, if you have any questions about these great products feel free to drop me a note. Now stop reading about bikes and go out and ride yours!
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