The perfect lightweight kit for summer road cycling

The perfect lightweight kit for summer road cycling

The perfect lightweight kit for summer road cycling

Hot days and heatwaves call for a special kind of kit to ride in. From head to bike, getting super lightweight and vented is the answer, but hitting the right style is also key so you can show off that hard-earned cyclist’s tan. Luckily Specialized has you very much covered in this department. From innovative new helmet solutions and form fitting jerseys to geometrically perfect shoes and a quality ride, here are some of the perfect summer solutions. 

Helmet 

The best place to start for a cool summer look is with our all-new helmets that have been turning heads ever since their introduction into the pro peloton. How does the most ventilated helmet from Specialized sound for days in the sun? Pretty great, right? The S-Works Prevail 3 is exactly that. These large vents help keep your head cool and also contribute towards a 5-star Virginia Tech® Helmet Rating™. A woven sequence of cables called the AirCage is also anchored to the carbon fibre side panels and allows for vast ventilation as well as a suspension bridge to distribute localised forces in a collision. 

For aero aficionados, there is nothing quite like the redesigned S-Works Evade 3. With a 10% increase in ventilation and engineered with the help of extensive CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and wind tunnel testing, the new model is faster but cooler than ever before. Naturally, both new lines are MIPS with ANGi ready. 

Find out more about our latest helmet innovations here

Kit

The perfect jersey to match the ride conditions, that’s where the new Prime Series comes in. The fabric has been specifically designed to help regulate your body temperature on the hottest of days, you can even feel this cooling factor off the bike. With ample pocket space for refreshment and ride snacks to keep up the energy levels and a convenient VISLON® zipper that can be unzipped when necessary. 

Getting the right shorts is crucial in the heat. Otherwise, you risk the nasty consequences of sweating and chafing. Constructed from soft fabric and sporting the ultra comfy Body Geometry Contour chamois, our shorts are supportive year round but particularly helpful in hotter climates. 

Shoes – Torch 

There’s nothing quite as obviously impactful on a long ride than wearing the wrong shoes. Very quickly your feet will become uncomfortable or severely overheat. This certainly isn’t an issue with the S-Works Torch shoes, the perfect match for summer riding. This is because by combining Body Geometry with biomimicry data science, the shoe has been constructed to be as lightweight as possible. RETÜL data helped greatly to make sure the Torch fits all kinds of foot shape, and an internal I-Beam adds stiffness and strength to eliminate the need for clunky bracing. The result is a 20-gram weight reduction while retaining enhanced efficiency and immediate power output.   

More than anything though, the most incredible thing about the S-Works Torch is that it’s scientifically crafted to feel so lightweight. A 1.5mm built-in Varus Wedge stabilises the natural movement of your forefoot to improve foot, knee and hip alignment, thus increasing power output and adding on average 10 seconds to your time to exhaustion during maximum efforts. It might not sound like much, but this is a huge improvement to your performance over the course of a long ride or race. Patented, moulded arch support also creates a rigid structure to help in this regard as the Metatarsal Button banishes numbness by preventing compression near nerves and arteries. What you’re left with is a lightweight cycling shoe that feels like a pair of slippers but performs beyond your wildest expectations. 

Bike – Aethos 

Swinging your leg over a bike, turning the pedals and riding off to the horizon is one of the simplest joys of cycling. The Aethos line reconnects you with that love of riding and, as the world’s lightest frame, doesn’t hold you back at any point. Choose from a clean carbon chameleon or cool grey chameleon paint job and marvel at how easily the stylish, sleek design matches the rest of your summer kit. The weight of the S-Works Aethos is backed up by a Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and Roval’s featherweight Alpinist wheels for a perfectly balanced climber ready to gobble the summer miles. 

To find out more about our summer cycling kit, come down to one of our stores, get yourself fitted and start soaking up those awesome summer cycling vibes. Speak to one of our friendly staff members, get a feel for which one is the most comfortable and learn all about the innovations we are making at Specialized.

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