Fizik are best known for their saddles but the Italian firm ventured into the shoe market in 2012 and have two new additions to the range for 2015.
The R5B and R3B follow in the footsteps of the R5 and R3 – with the ‘B’ referring to the BOA closure dial found on both shoes, whereas the existing shoes have a ratchet buckle and two velcro straps.
If you’re not familiar with the BOA system, it uses a steel lace which wraps around the front of the shoe and is controlled by a dial which allows for two-way, finite adjustment and an even distribution of pressure across the shoe. It’s probably our favourite closure system and one used by a number of shoe manufacturers.
The R5B (pictured) is the more affordable of the two shoes at £129.99 and has a Microtex laser perforated upper with reflective inserts and a carbon-reinforced nylon sole, for a claimed weight of 260g for a size 43 shoe. The R5B is available in the white/light grey pictured, alongside a black/dark grey option.
The R3B, meanwhile, gets a full unidirectional carbon fibre sole. This drops the claimed weight to 230g per shoe (for a size 43), while the price rises to £215. Otherwise the R3B, available in black/red and white/black, shares a similar Microtex laser perforated upper to the R5B but it doesn’t have reflective inserts.
Also new from Fizik is this updated Aliante saddle. The Aliante is for riders described as ‘bulls’ according to Fizik’s ‘Spine Concept’ – or those with poor flexibility. This redesign removes the v-shaped cut-out at the rear of the saddle and slims down the nose, though the seat dimensions remain the same as what has made this such a popular saddle. The redesign gives the Aliante a sleek new look and sees the claimed weight drop by approximately 30g.
The 2015 Fizik Aliante saddle will be available in four models, including this flagship R1 perch with a carbon/nylon base and carbon braided rails. UK prices are to be confirmed.
Finally, as far as Fizik are concerned, the ‘Superlight Dual Touch’ handlebar tape (price TBC) is also new and is made from a 2mm-thick Microtex material which has a smooth finish on the sections used for the top of the handlebar and a grippier finish on the sections used for the drops.
Fizik products are distributed in the UK by a company called Extra, whose brands also include Topeak. The popular accessories manufacturer has a new range of safety conscious products called iGlow, which includes the saddlebag pictured above – a clever way to increase the visibility of existing products.
The Aero Wedge iGlow, which has a 0.8-litre capacity, has a built-in 0.5W red LED which surrounds the bag, alongside two additional red LEDs. The two CR2032 batteries are replaceable and the saddlebag costs £36.99. The iGlow range also includes a bottle cage (price TBC), pump (£24.99) and mudguards (£59.99).
Extra have also taken on a new brand for 2015 – cap manufacturer Walz. It’s an American brand, based in San Diego, and there are four caps in the range, with the cotton (right, £17.99) and wool (left, £24.99) caps pictured sitting alongside ‘wicking’ (i.e. summer, £16.99) and winter (£27.99) caps.
Website: Extra UK
