The 2012 Core Bike Show opens tomorrow (Sunday 29).
Don’t rush to Silverstone unless you’re on the guest list – it’s an invitation-only, if-your-name’s-not-down-you’re-not-coming-in affair for trade types granted the first look at the sparkling new kit that will be filling the shelves of your local bike shop in the weeks and months ahead.
Fear not – we’ve been invited, and will be bringing you word on new shiny things from the press day on Tuesday (31). Here’s our final preview piece before the doors to Core swing open tomorrow, a clothing special featuring WorldTour team kit from Nalini and real world garments from Endura.
The official 2012 kits of Astana, FDJ, Lampre-ISD, and Movistar, worn by the teams at last week’s Santos Tour Down Under, will be shown alongside the latest variation on Cofidis’ signature red-and-white outfit.
With two months until the change of the clock signals the start of British Summer Time, and perhaps a few wet and chilly weeks after that, it’s sadly not yet time to forget about winter kit. Based in Scotland, Endura probably spend more time than most pondering ways to keep out the weather, and here’s the kit going on show at Core, some of which is already in the shops.
The Photon jacket is a waterproof number with two-and-a-half layers to keep out the rain, but designed to be sufficiently lightweight and packable (stuff sack supplied) for the arrival of that longed-for break in the clouds. All seams are taped for total waterproofing. The reflective detailing on the shoulders and sleeves could be a bonus for all-day rides finishing at dusk, while the high visibility colourway might suit those packing most of their closed season training into evening rides. The relaxed fit will appeal to riders still tapering towards a Contador-esque racing weight. Separate male and female options are available.
Another new edition to Endura’s winter range is this FS260-Pro
Jetstream jersey, a garment to beat the breeze with windproof fabric at the front and a fleece-lined back and sleeves. A promised ‘athletic fit’ and pre-curved sleeves may deliver the look of a pro cyclist, even if, for most of us, the legs and lungs may not be quite up to the mark. A silicone gripper at the rear is fitted to stop the jersey from riding up. Endura bill this jersey as a versatile garment suitable as an outer layer when merely chilly and a midlayer when downright cold or wet. A triple rear pocket – easily the best and most functional pocket design for cycle clothing – completes the piece.
Endura have placed the emphasis on clean lines with Henry Ford colourway options on their new Roubaix jacket (any colour you like, as long as it’s black). The result is a sleek-looking garment likely to match anything in your cycling wardrobe (except, perhaps, those Mapei tights you won’t be parted from). As the name suggests, the jacket is made of insulating Roubaix fabric, smooth on the outside, fleecy on the inside, and fitted with a full-length zip. Three pockets on the back include a zipped security pocket. Another garment intended to serve multiple purposes, Endura say the Roubaix fabric’s ability to insulate and wick away sweat makes the jersey suitable as an outer layer in chilly conditions, and as a midlayer when the temperature plummets.
Endura pledge ‘breathable warmth’ from their Thermolite Roubaix Glove. Silicone is used in the palm and fingers for grip, while a high, strapless cuff is designed to fit under sleeves. Short cuffs and padded fingers are the order of the day with the new Windchill Glove, billed by Endura as ‘low bulk’ and equipped with gel zones in the palm to absorb pressure.
