VN tech ticker: A ‘dry shower’, a body temp monitor, Cadex Classic tires, and more
Three interesting things for your body plus some new rubber from Giant's sister brand.
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The VeloNews tech ticker is a digest of the latest and greatest in cycling gear. Here’s what’s new.
Core Body Temperature Monitor
You know that warming up is good for hard efforts. And you know that overheating is bad for performance. But can you quantify what that actually means for your own body?
The Core Body Temperature Monitor is a small device that clips onto a heart-rate monitor strap and broadcasts your internal temperature on ANT+ and Bluetooth. The Swiss company is working with ANT+ to fully incorporate the body temperature metric into Wahoo and Garmin cycling computers. At the moment, it can be read on the SMO2 and THB fields.
The company claims 0.1% accuracy compared to the medical standards of a rectal thermometer and a swallowable thermometer — neither of which are exactly ideal for cycling.
Being able to study internal temperature in relation to power output, heart rate, and perceived exertion could prove fascinating for coaches and riders.
I did a hydration test in 2013 that involved swallowing thermometers, and the data was interesting. Stay tuned for more on the Core.
Swiftwick Vision National Parks
Swiftwick has a new line of Vision National Parks socks featuring Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion, Grand Canyon and Great Smoky Mountain National Parks. Swiftwick supports the National Parks Foundation.
Also new is a Pursuit Ultralight line of merino blend socks. I’m a fan of Swiftwick’s wool socks; they’re quite durable.
Muc-Off Dry Shower
Yep, it’s what it sounds like: This is a shower — of sorts — in a can.
Muc-Off Dry Shower is a spray foam is a clean-up substitute for when you can’t get to an actual shower. The spray foam is antibacterial and doesn’t require water or a towel.
Cadex Classic tires
Now shipping, the Cadex Classic tires are 25, 28, and 32mm tubeless tires designed for grip, puncture protection and a fast, comfortable ride on rough surfaces.
Giant’s sister brand Cadex first launched tubeless tires in 2019. This is the second tire line, which uses a silica-based compound and a light Kevlar protection layer.
“When tire manufacturers talk about tires, there’s a tendency to focus on rolling resistance,” said Cadex’s Jeff Schneider. “That’s a great measurement to reference if you’re talking about riding on a smooth track or the painted line. But, it’s just not a reliable figure for understanding how a tire will perform in real-world conditions where uneven sections of tarmac, cracks, potholes, and patches all combine to slow the rider down. We don’t ignore rolling resistance; we just place a greater emphasis on lowering the tire’s vibration acceleration. Improve that, and the result is a tire that maintains better forward momentum and, ultimately, allows the rider to go faster.”
