Quick Spins – August 22, 2007 Edited by James Huang Got Tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech-heads. Welcome to Quick Spins, an all new section within Cyclingnews' tech coverage were we put some of the smaller items that land on the tech desk to the test. 2XU summer clothing Australia-based 2XU delivers a solid set of cycling kit Photo ©: James Huang Flat-lock stitching is used all around. Photo ©: James Huang Relatively simple construction Photo ©: James Huang 2XU has a firm hold in the triathlon market and is working to gain a foothold in the world of cycling apparel with a full line of high-performance kit, including our Elite Cycle bib short and Elite Cycle top. 2XU builds the shorts from its moisture wicking Kinetic² fabric, which the company says also offers some abrasion resistance, built-in antimicrobial properties, and some compressive benefits courtesy of the high Lycra Prime Elastane content. Open mesh is used throughout the bib section and flat-lock seams are used all around. The four-way stretch 2XU Fusion Pro chamois, however, boasts multi-density padding and seamless construction. Leg openings are finished in soft silicone grippers that won't dig into your skin. The matching Elite Cycle Top is made of a blend of 2XU's SMD Cool (Super Micro Denier) on the front of the body and upper sleeves, combined with more openly woven SMC Mesh fabrics elsewhere for effective moisture transport and increased airflow in warm weather. Further ventilation is provided by the 1/2-length zipper, and impregnated bits of silver help to keep 'the stink' at bay. The rest of the jersey is finished with the standard array of three rear pockets and a lightly elasticized waist. The fit of both items on my 1.7m, 71kg (5'8", 157lb) frame was appropriately snug without being overly restrictive. Wicking fabrics sometimes have a tendency to feel a bit harsh on your skin, but both the shorts and jersey deliver a relatively soft hand. Out on the road, the Fusion Pro chamois feels a hair on the bulky side (maximum padding thickness is 8mm) but proved comfortable nonetheless for four hour-plus rides with zero issues to speak of in either on- or off-road use. In spite of our test kit's 'none more black' color scheme ("but this one goes to eleven!"), the jersey's ample mesh content, reasonably long zipper, and capable SMD moisture transfer fabrics proved surprisingly cool on all but the most ridiculously hot and sunny days when a lighter color would have been useful. The pockets were also easily accessed and sufficiently deep to carry a reasonable amount of gear (you may wonder why we even bother to mention such a seemingly mundane detail, but it isn't properly executed as often as you think it should be). All in all, the 2XU Elite Cycle bib short and Elite Cycle jersey deliver a solid package. They may not rate terribly high on the 'whiz-bang' factor, but they do offer a well thought-out design and cut, reliable performance that's well above average (particularly for its surprisingly mainstream price tier), and enough high-tech features to keep all but most technogeeky satisfied. Hard to go wrong with that, we reckon. Price: US$115 (Elite Cycle Bib Short); US$60 (Elite Cycle Top) Pros: Excellent cut, effective fabrics, quality materials, exceptional value Cons: Chamois may be too bulky for some Cyclingnews rating: More info: www.2xu.com Photography For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com Australia-based 2XU delivers a solid set of cycling kit with its Elite Cycle bib short and jersey. Moisture-wicking fabric, a well-shaped chamois , and intelligent cut add up to worthy long-term performance and comfort. Shorts are designed to offer some compressive benefits to aid muscle recovery. Flat-lock stitching is used all around. A mesh bib section helps keep things cool. 2XU originally planned to incorporate aerodynamic-enhancing dimpled fabrics, but wasn't able to get it done in time for '07 (although the labeling apparently did). Relatively simple construction still manages to fit pretty well. No fancy stitches or complex panels here ; just thoughtful cuts. A half-length front zipper provides controllable ventilation. Three rear pockets hold your gear. De Marchi Sport Contour Racing Limited Edition clothing De Marchi brings forth a decidedly premium entry Photo ©: James Huang The unique fully integrated chamois Photo ©: James Huang How many pockets do you want? Photo ©: James Huang There's nothing simple about the Sport Contour Racing Limited Edition jersey Photo ©: James Huang At least in terms of pricing, De Marchi's Sport Contour Racing Limited Edition collection lies at the far opposite end of the spectrum. The Sport Contour Racing Limited Edition bib short and jersey are both completely hand-made in Italy, and production is capped at just 1946 units each. De Marchi released these items to celebrate the company's 60th anniversary (1946, get it?), and from the looks of our test gear, it pulled out most of the stops, if not all of them, in creating its premium range. De Marchi certainly holds back little with the garments' construction. The shorts are sewn from pre-formed panels of DuPont's top Pro-Grade Power Lycra with an open mesh bib section and unique laser-cut leg openings that forego gripper elastic altogether in favor of an ultra-thin bonded layer of silicone. The chamois is easily this short's most distinguishing feature, though. Rather than simply sew in a pre-formed insert, De Marchi uses an exclusive Stealth model from Italian specialist CyTech (creators of Elastic Interface Technology). The chamois is wholly bonded to the shorts themselves in order to form the insert's outermost layer, and a single stitch secures the edges. The segmented padding also promises unparalleled articulation. A lone reflective logo on the right leg offers some low-light visibility. The jersey uses no fewer than twenty-two separate pre-formed panels of various materials (we lost count after that), including UV-blocking 'Carbonium' polyester, anti-bacterial X-Static, and 'Sensitive' microfiber Spandex. The arm openings receive the same body-hugging laser-cut treatment as on the shorts, and the mildly elasticized waist is decorated with a single strip of grippy silicone. Mesh panels run up and down each shoulder blade and work with the full-length zipper to provide ventilation, and an integrated wire management system is designed to cleanly route your MP3 or two-way radio system. Where might you put that iPod, you ask? Pick any one of the five rear pockets, which include a small elasticized one located dead-center and a secure zippered one large enough to hold your George Costanza-like wallet. As if that weren't enough, reflective logos run up the sides and on the rear for nighttime visibility. Need more features? Right, we didn't think so. If De Marchi was going after the minimalist feel on the bib shorts, we'd have to say it hit the mark quite soundly. Even with its relatively thick padding, the Stealth chamois achieves the 'barely there' feeling in a way most conventional one-piece designs can only dream of, and the multi-panel Power Lycra construction of the shorts delivers a truly decadent fit. Still, though, CyTech may have gone just slightly overboard as the Stealth chamois' separate sections occasionally managed to pinch and/or rub certain parts of us the wrong way just a little. We've fallen in love with the innovative fully integrated chamois design (and would like to see more companies use it), but it might be best to revert back to a single pad that is perhaps equipped with articulating channels to retain the flexibility. The jersey offered up a similarly luxurious fit and feel, augmented by the laser-cut arm openings that only add to the Euro-pro look. Construction quality and durability are also easily among the best we've seen, but given the garment's cost, it's unlikely we'd dare subject it to the fabric-snagging demons of the forest for a mountain bike ride. Much as we hate to admit this to ourselves, the De Marchi Sport Contour Racing Limited Edition jersey was not our go-to top to use when the temperatures reached sky-high. While the Carbonium fabric is undoubtedly top-shelf and seems to effectively wick moisture, it doesn't offer as much airflow as we'd prefer and the mesh panels on the back aren't big enough to take up the slack. Regardless, we still felt fast every time we wore it, though, and that alone may justify the cost for some. Some readers may scoff at the pricing, but what you get in return is an unquestionably premium garment with few concessions made in the name of economy. Is the De Marchi Sport Contour Racing Limited Edition kit twice as good as some other offerings? Maybe not, but it's excellent stuff nonetheless. Besides, those of your well-heeled enough to afford this stuff may place a disproportionate value on exclusivity and style, and are probably looking for a bit more variety and than your existing closet of Assos gear than the ultimate in value, anyway. Price: US$249 (Contour Racing Limited Edition Bib Short); US$199 (Contour Racing Limited Edition Jersey) Pros: Innovative chamois technology, premium materials, outstanding fit, overflowing feature set Cons: Uber-expensive, chamois technology is innovative but not quite perfect, jersey isn't as well-suited to extreme heat as we'd like, reflective logos don't hold up well to machine washing Cyclingnews rating: More info: www.uplandsg.com Photography For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com De Marchi brings forth a decidedly premium entry into the cycling kit market with its Sport Contour Limited Edition bib short and jersey. De Marchi spared little expense in developing its Sport Contour Limited Edition bib short. The luxurious fit is aided by the rather large bib section. The unique fully integrated chamois was created in conjunction with CyTech in Italy. A low cut makes for easy 'natural' stops. Laser-cut leg openings covered with a thin layer of grippy material. How many pockets do you want? How about five? Integrated wire routing is a boon for the MP3-enabled. Sleeves are similarly equipped with laser-cut edges. There's nothing simple about the Sport Contour Racing Limited Edition jersey ; how many panels can you count here?