It wasn’t all that long ago that we tested Louis Garneau’s M:2 Tri Skin and found it to be a tri kit that we not only enjoyed testing, but chose to race in it as well. So when LG let us know that a successor was now on the market, there was little doubt that we were looking forward to trying it. And try it we did. In fact, “living in it” may be a more apt description. All season we have been training in our LGneer Triathlon Suit. We don’t leave race wheels just for race day, and don’t leave behind race kits either. This kit has been our go-to brick kit week in and week out, and after almost a season of use, we still find ourselves pulling it out of the closet every opportunity we get. But let’s get back to basics and highlight what makes the LGneer different from its predecessor and why we’re such big fans.
The LGneer Triathlon Suit starts with the same design as its predecessor. It’s a one-piece sleeved tri suit with an attached zipped top that lets your body breathe easy on the run. Think of it as a pair of triathlon-specific bib shorts with the jersey permanently attached to the back. You get the comfort factor of a full bib (versus a pair of shorts that can cut circulation at the mid-section) and the aero benefit of a form fitting sleeved jersey. When you unzip the top, the jersey hangs open and air easily flows around your torso.
Then, Louis Garneau started the upgrade process, beginning with the shorts of the suit moving to LGneer fabric, developed with the help of European experts. It offers three compression zones of varying thickness to help improve blood flow in specific areas of the thigh. The suit’s cut also takes into account the range of motion needed for maximum efficiency in the water and when running. Yes, we know there is a bit of marketing speak in in there, but we can tell you that we really did find the shorts comfortable in the swim, bike, and run. And we regularly did swim-bike and bike-run bricks in it.
LG also uses CB Speedtech and CB M-2 fabrics throughout the suit. CB SpeedTech is one of the most aerodynamic fabrics developed. Made of a dimpled mesh construction, this fabric is light, breathable and chlorine-resistant. CB Speedtech improves aerodynamics for speeds from 25 to 70 km/h. CB M-2 was developed in collaboration with the Canadian Cycling team. The ultra-texturized construction of the CB M-2 sleeves allow better laminar airflow, reducing the rider’s drag factor. What we found that the fabrics breathed incredibly well on the bike as well as on the run. We routinely were on the road in 90-degrees-plus heat, and even though one of the hallmarks of this suit is its ability to completely unzip the front, we almost never bothered. We found it much more comfortable fully zipped.
Speaking of comfort, while with the original M:2 we did find the chamois to be a bit lacking and the leg grippers to move around a bit. The LGneer did not exhibit either of these issues. We rode over 100 miles on the bike with this kit and had no chamois or chafing complaints.
Like the M:2, the LGneer features a coldblack treatment. One of the challenges with a full-sleeve suit—even one which opens to let you cool your body—is over-heating. Coldblack helps reflect UV rays to reduce heat build-up, even on dark textiles.
From an aero perspective LG claims that via both wind tunnel and track testing in collaboration with Alphamantis. The LGNeer suit can shave off up to one second per kilometer on the bike compared to other suits.
Other improvements over the M:2 include both an interior strip of fabric over the zipper and redesigned pockets. With the M:2 we occasionally experienced chafing from the exposed zipper. With the LGneer, the fabric was just what was needed. Never once did we have chafing. And while the M:2 had small gel pockets inside the jersey, the LGneer now gets two floating rear pockets that are easily accessible on the bike or run but have a cover to prevent them from creating drag in the water.
Wrapping up, we know we come off as fawning over this suit. But any suit that has survived a year of training – including many hours in an over chlorinated pool—deserves a little recognition. Unfortunately, the LGneer shares one other attribute with its predecessor – a not so insignificant price. At $379.99 (though currently Garneau.com has a pretty good discount) it will sting the wallet a little. And if you are someone that only uses their race day suits on race day, that might be a tough pill to swallow (unless that 1 second per kilometer is the difference for you between the podium and an early drive home). But for those who train like we race and race like we train – that money will go to a kit that we felt comfortable wearing multiple times a week that we never fount to stretch out or fray. And come race day you can expect us to be rocking it as well, and that is always our highest praise.