This week has seen an insane number of new product launches, from Pinarello, Giant, Enve, MAAP, Hutchinson and AeroCoach, not to mention an unidentified time trialling object on the heads of the Uno-X pro riders (opens in new tab).
Can’t all the bike brands just set up a shared Google calendar and spread them out a bit so that we cycling journalists can organise our workloads a bit better?
So, for one day only we’ve brought back the Famous Friday Tech Roundup so that we can bring you all the things that in any other week would get their own separate story.
New Adidas spring/summer 2023 road cycling collection
(Image credit: Adidas)
OK, we don’t need to remind you yet again that Eddy Merckx once had his own Adidas signature model cycling shoe because Adidas has now been back in cycling for three years after a 15-year absence. That’s long enough to completely overhaul its cycling range, which is what it’s just done for spring/summer 2023.
The highlight is the Adidas Road Cycling Shoe 2.0, which arguably looks even more like a football boot than the 2020 original road shoe (opens in new tab). We’re guessing Adidas’s target audience would rather be compared to Messi than Merckx and now even claims that the 2020 version is “iconic”.
(Image credit: Adidas)
Here’s what Adidas says: “The Road Cycling Shoe 2.0 builds on the performance of its iconic sibling for a supportive yet comfortable fit that keeps feet fresh and rides powerful. Among the updates are a ripstop knitted upper and supportive tongue construction that support air circulation, and a new, punched-hole lacing system for a clean look. Reflective 3-stripe detailing is retained from the original.”
The spring/summer range also includes major updates to all apparel. This includes the Short Sleeve Cycling Jersey made with AEROREADY fabric that adapts to movement, while the, packable WIND.RDY Cycling Gilet is an additional layer for breezy days.
Meanwhile the Padded Cycling Bib Shorts “make light work of endurance rides with supportive, dual-density pads absorbing vibrations.”
The Cycling Cap is “made with soft, sweat wicking AEROREADY fabric and mesh inserts and tops off a collection of road essentials made for cyclists at every stage of their journey.”
Great, but why can’t Adidas come up with better names? It has football boots called Predator and Speedportal so why all the ‘Ronseal’ names for the cycling kit?
According to product manager Lavinia Shuster: “This new road…