We Noticed: Specialized, Silca …
For this edition of What We Have Noticed we came across a hairy question in the Specialized Win Tunnel, very trick new Silca valve extenders, a tastefully nude brew product from GU, a new endurance saddle from John Cobb, and a t-shirt from Korupt Vision that shows the world around you that you are an insider, and I Love My Wife T-shirt you may like.
To hair or not to hair?
The Specialized Aero Team of Mark Cote and Chris Yu decided to follow up on an often discussed aerodynamics question. Does shaving your legs have an aero advantage or is it all about vanity and tradition? We had fun with this topic on April 1 with the story of certain patterns being more aeo, but Specialized has decided to investigate this properly in their Win Tunnel. The findings were very surprising, but we let you hear the details and results of that wind tunnel test straight from the mouths of Cote and Yu. And Andy Potts, please watch this segment too.
Silca Valve extenders
Josh Poertner has been a very busy man and he is someone that needs to be watched closely by all serious cyclists and triathletes. Not because he is a handsome man, but his products are such that they can be considered as must have when traveling to races. The new valve extenders, which will be available both as regular extenders and removable core versions, clearly also fall into that category. Poertner managed to find a company that makes liquid teflon tape, and that means this extensions are ready when you take them out of the box. No need to find the the teflon tape in your tool box or run to the hardware store before setting up your wheels. Plus the coating on the outside should eliminate the annoying rattling sound we have to come to enjoy when the valve extenders bounces around in the rim valve hole. But you still need to pick the correct length for your setup.
According to Poertner "We worked with a company specializing in thread sealing (not thread locking..that's different) for aviation and medical industries to develop thread coatings that are matched to the specific thread pitch and use. On the fixed/standard type, we have eliminated Teflon tape by literally coating the inside threads with a coating that behaves nearly identical to the Teflon tape, but actually works a bit better."
The question now is, do you really trust your valve extenders? Well, do you?
Lengths: 45, 60, 75mm (removable valve core also has a 34mm option plus a tool)
MSRP: $34
GU Brew Tastefully Nude
Don't be alarmed, we are talking about a nutritional item here and not an overly confident age group triathlete. Tastefully Nude is a new offering in the GU Brew range and it as you may have suspected is flavor neutral. That should serve those well who are overwhelmed by certain strong flavors, plus having a neutral electrolyte / carbohydrate beverage allows you to not worry about mixing too many varied tastes together when also consuming gels and bars.
Available: now
MSRP: $18 (canister)
Cobb JOF Randeé
If you are an Ironman athlete, a Randonneur or Gran Fondo rider, this new Cobb JOF offering might be for you. It is named after the French word Randonneur, but it is not meant to be limited to just that type of riding. As we all know, John Cobb is passionate about triathlon and so a product for that sport is always on his mind. The nose of the Randeé is 46mm wide and the rear section measures 155mm.
Weight: 310 grams
MSRP: n/a
Korupt Vision T-shirt
When you show up at 70.3 Worlds in Mont Tremblant or the GoPro Ironman World Championships in Kona you can obviously show up with race t-shirt you have earned at a qualifying race or another event you have participated in. Plus of course there is an endless supply of swim, bike, run t-shirts available. But do you really want to be sheep and look like everyone else? We know you qualified somewhere and we know that you likely are an Ironman. There is no need to show us. The Korupt Vision T-shirt on the other hand is much rarer sight and you could be a leader versus a follower. Yes, it is that simple. They also offer a tank top if you prefer to show off your ripped physique.
MSRP: $30
DH I Love My Wife t-shirt
I am not sure how to feel about this t-shirt from Damion Hickman Design, but must admit that I smiled when I saw it. This is apparently V2 of the I Love My Wife t-shirt and it can be yours for $23.95. I am personally more partial to the Pedal one on their site, but hey, what do I know. Well, I love my wife, and it does not depend on letting me ride my bike. If I am not riding enough it is because of me and not her. But surely this t-shirt should not be taken that literally, and in all fairness to the females out there, there is a corresponding I love my man t-shirt available.
MSRP: $23.95
