No way the UCI willl let you race in the colors of Discovery or any other of those special team Nike Swift skinsuits in National, Continental or World’s Champs. So what are the best options for getting a very aero but plain skinsuit? The National Team TT skinsuit from our country is not aero at all and I am trying to find a plain top skinsuit where we could fit a flag and the national colors to abide by the rules.
I know the Excel skinsuit has been tested in the WT and has come out of it with good grades. This particular skinsuit is a team skinsuit with a lot of logos, but someone told me that it is made by Nalini and I have seen those in plain versions.
It seems that Cancellara’s Assos is the same as the one offered to the public, and I have heard good things about the UNO Chronosuit.
Any other readily available skinsuit that has been tested in the WT coming out with good grades?
Check out Hincapie and Champion Systems Speed Suit.
I was checking Hincapie’s just before returning to check the post. Champion’s was also recommended some time ago by a person I trust in aero matters and I forgot about that source.
I want to try at least 4 SSs in the WT. It is not an exact science apparently and even top of the line skinsuits like Garmin’s are not always the best for some particular riders.
Some people may think that this is an excess, but loosing medal by just one, two or three seconds (or thousands in the pursuit) always leaves you thinking.
I have used the Assos Chronosuit for the last two seasons and I love it. Mainly because the fit and lack of wrinkles. The pad is really good too if you do longer TT´s. I do´not care much for the pockets however and getting the racenumber can be a bit difficult because it´s so tight. It feels and looks aero fwiw.
Lots of skin suits come with pockets now…if not most. Good reasons, too…a gel pack, food, etc. Also many people like to train occasionally in the SS and a pocket allows them to carry stuff like an extra tube, iPod or just the aforementioned food products.
Having both Champ Sys team gear (including their skinsuit) and Assos personal stuff (but NOT their skinsuit), I can’t imagine the Champ Sys being anywhere near as nice. Since I know you are good for it for Sergio jr., I’d rec the Assos skinsuit!
When I went to the A2 wind tunnel, I had a skinsuit from PBK (don’t recall who made it for them) that had a small zipper pocket located pretty much at the small of the back. It was an awesome skinsuit and I was anxious to race it. I never had at that point. I also had another skinsuit with me, but it was a little too large and didn’t fit as tight as it should.
Mike, the guy who runs the cycling program at A2, took a look at both skinsuits and I told him how poorly the one fit. He said to use it anyway. He said the pocket (though all that was evident of it was the minimal zipper) was in the worst possible place it could be and that he didn’t have to test me in it to know it would be the slower choice.
That’s what he said. FWIW.
I have a Champion Systems skinsuit. It has a little key pocket sewn inside at the back of the collar. It seems like a strange location, at first, but it’s brilliant, really. Anything you put in it ends up under the tail of the helmet. Pretty cool. But you’re not going to get at it while you’re riding.
The Assos ss has two pockets in the lower back area on either side with small openings/zippers. Sure I have used it occasionally to put my car key in when doing"competionlike" training but I´m seriously thinking of removing them.
I was hoping Performance would come out with one, plain Jane color of some kind. I went to their bib a couple of years ago and couldn’t be happier. They last, have no obnoxious billboard mojo and are comfy as ever! If someone finds a plain skin suit please post a link:)
At least one is needed for the radio, or at least that is what apparently they put it there for. Something only Cancellara, Zabriskie, Millar, *et al. *need and are allowed to use.
Thanks for the comments, I found some interesting information in the thread.
**At least one is needed for the radio, or at least that is what apparently they put it there for. Something only Cancellara, Zabriskie, Millar, et al. need and are allowed to use.
Please read on to my subsequent comment in another reply regarding what I was told by the wind tunnel director. I think most of those radio pockets of the pros are completely internal without external zippers or seams. Quite another story from what Assos or PBK or some others are selling.
**At least one is needed for the radio, or at least that is what apparently they put it there for. Something only Cancellara, Zabriskie, Millar, et al. need and are allowed to use.
Please read on to my subsequent comment in another reply regarding what I was told by the wind tunnel director. I think most of those radio pockets of the pros are completely internal without external zippers or seams. Quite another story from what Assos or PBK or some others are selling.
I agree on that. I don’t want no external pockets on our skinsuit.
It is apparently available to the public, but I am not sure what the minimum order is.
Maybe 15-20 of us can order a plain white and black one (or white and red, as around 70% of national flags have white and red). I am sure we can then find a way to put the minimum required logos and/or flags to race in UCI events.
If we can find 25 of us (or 11 that will take two skinsuits and I will take three), Castelli can make a run of custom made skinsuits with any colors or design we choose.
The prices for the speedsuit are:
Short sleeve/ $170 for the X2 PAD and $140 for the Kiss 3 Pad. Long sleeve/$175 for the X2 PAD and $150 for the Kiss 3 Pad.
A very good deal considering the price of around $300 for other top skinsuits like Assos or Hincapie. It is the same speedsuit that Cervelo Test Team wore in 2010.
I am in with three. Who else?
To those interested I can PM the details.
Sergio
PS And these will not have no stinking pocket Bob.
