March is here – and for the team here at AeroGeeks HQ that means the beginning of race season. While not all of our editors will be racing this week, we do have one toeing her first race of the season. This also means that at least some of the equipment you see on the Current Reviews list is being race tested – make sure to keep an eye out for the latest updates
And for those who are new to AeroGeeks.com, one of our other favorite ways to showcase our readers has always been our Readers’ Rides album on Facebook. You can check out our entire Readers’ Rides collection at http://on.fb.me/12jEqE3.
Now let’s get to it! We’ve got a lot of timely news to cover that you don’t want to miss. Plus, there’s even a great offer code from SLS3 that you can take advantage of just for being an AG reader. So read on!
This Week’s Posts
Monday – SRAM Force 1 – Review
Tuesday – Flo Cycling 2016 Wheel Line – First Look
Wednesday – SLS3 Compression Sleeves – Review
Friday – TUFMED – Review
lovethepain Tri Suits
lovethepain is no stranger to the pages of AeroGeeks.com. This week they launched pre-orders for their new line of tri suits. You can check out the full line here – http://lovethepain.com/lovethepain-trisuits/. The suits feature side pockets for easy fuel access, venting mesh aero sleeves, and coldblack technology to keep the UV and heat rays at bay.
Personally, our favorites are the Speedy13 and Insane Graffiti.
Although the Unicorn would certainly stand out at the start line as well.
Pre-orders are priced at $299, and for now, the only images are product renderings. Final product images are coming soon. And stay tuned for a full review of the new kit.
Shimano Dura-Ace Updates Leaked?
Last week was the Taipei International Cycle Show where not only the latest and greatest tech is shown, but also manufacturers and vendors have the opportunity to (quietly) show off the tech that may still be a year or two out. Typically, this tech sits behind closed doors with large “No Photo” signs with them. And while most heed the warnings, it would seem that sometimes a camera sneaks through.
What you see above may be the next generation of Shimano Dura-Ace. While we are not sure (Shimano did not release any details), we can speculate. The wires on the rear derailleur make us believe that Di2 will stay wired for the time being. The rear cassette also appears to be 11-speed – the same as today’s version. That being said, there does appear to be some definite differences in the derailleur cage, including some extra structural components.
Cervélo 140.6 Update
Last week Cervélo let us know their 140.6 project was going to be delayed. As they said it:
“At Cervelo, every tug-of-war between engineering and marketing ends in a route. These clashes don’t happen often, but when they do, our engineering team inevitably comes out on top. This dominance has nothing to do with bulging biceps, trigonometric mastery, or the fact that marketing is seriously outnumbered. It’s about staying true to our founding philosophy: Engineering faster bikes without the constraints of conventional thinking or marketing pressure. When it comes to breaking the mold through innovation, we’re all on the same team.”
So what does this mean for you and us? We still have some time before Cervélo pulls back the curtain on what they have been building. But until then, may this proper philosophy reign king.
Louis Garneau Drops Minimum Orders
This week Louis Garneau launched a new “No Minimums” policy for their custom kit options.
“We already outfit hundreds of teams. We saw an opportunity to serve more riders by allowing small orders,” explains Vincent Gauthier, Garneau’s Custom Sales Manager. “Offering no minimums is an incredible way to create something exceptionally unique just for you. The only limit is your imagination.”
Those looking to go custom can head over to http://custom.louisgarneau.com/ to check it out. One word of note – while they may be able to do one-piece customs, the price may be worth ordering a second. While you can get a single custom Tri Course Skin, it will set you back $457 (non-custom is $299). But double the order and the price drops down to $320. Order six and the price is just $203. You can see the complete summer pricing guide here.
SLS3 Coupon Code
This week we shared our thoughts on the SLS3 Compression Sleeves saying: “While the price is just a bit higher than other sleeves on the market, we don’t think it should make a huge negative impact on the gear budget—especially since they hold up so well over time. So if you’re looking to try something new for compression, we would recommend giving the SLS3 sleeves a try.” Well SLS3 wants to help AG readers try their gear by sweetening the deal with 40% off your entire purchase at www.slstri.com. Simply enter BLOG40 as your discount code, and you should be all set to give the SLS3 Compression Sleeves—or any other piece of their gear—a try!
Meet Jens Voigt
Those in the South Florida area on March 15th can head on over to TriBikeRun to meet one of the greatest cyclists of our generation – Jens Voigt. With multiple TdF stage wins, Giro stage wins, 5 Criterium International wins, and the former world hour record holder – an opportunity to meet with Jensie will be hard to pass up. Stop by the store from 6:45 – 8pm for your chance to meet him.
For those thinking about going, you can get the latest updates here. And if you go, make sure to send us photos of you meeting the hardest man in cycling!
Current Reviews
Bell Star Pro
We are finishing up our time with the Bell Star Pro, including their new Transition Shield. The new shield goes from clear to a medium smoke in bright sunlight. This has been fantastic for twilight rides.
Bontrager Flare R
While the Flare R may have been developed for cycling, it is routinely finding its way onto our run belts as well. The provided clip holds it securely, and most importantly, the full power of the light is hard to beat.
Wahoo KICKR SNAP
We just started training with the SNAP this week, but so far we are incredibly happy with it. That may be in large part due to its easy integration with ZWIFT, which is totally changing at least one of our editor’s weekly workouts.
