Gear Break: Tyres, Saddles, Fanwear, Tool Pouch, Virtual Training & Live Racing!

Gear Break: Big and varied – That’s today’s Gear Break: Selle SMP prostate saddles work, Revelate Designs and Wolf Tooth release the ToolCash, Continental launches the Grand Prix 5000 Special Edition with a cream sidewall, get ready for LEPAPE Granfondo Marmotte Alps with Kinomap, Le Coq Sportif celebrate the Tour de France with fanwear and GNC launch the Race Pass.

Our Prostate Saddle Works! Tried and Tested by Scientific Studies, Selle SMP Saddles Win

The value of research
The first value that guides us is research. All Selle SMP saddles have been made by researching, designing and performing tests. There was a time when all this was not enough for us. We wanted more, we wanted the performance of our saddles to be checked by doctors who deal with the disorders of cyclists. We wanted to find the answer to the question: “Does the prostate saddle work?”

The real purpose of the prostate saddle
As we have already written in the blog, the term “prostate saddle” is not entirely correct because this type of saddle is not created only to solve problems connected with the prostate but all disorders that affect cyclists. The most common are pain in the penis or vagina, or numb areas or small lesions, however, other problems are related to sexual activity and fertility, the urinary tract, veins and arteries, and nerves.

Here, we are also talking about a prostate saddle referring to a saddle designed to protect the genital area, also known as the perineal area. We all have a perineal area: it is the area where the blood vessels and nerves of the genital organs are found, as well as the prostate (a gland). That’s why compressing this area can cause pain and various problems. And this is why we need to measure the blood flow in this area. The question is: What type of saddle least impedes blood circulation?

Scientific study
To find out if a so-called prostate saddle is able to do this, we further tested Selle SMP saddles, which are precisely created to relieve pain in the perineal area. Four doctors conducted a scientific study with the following aim: to find out which saddle leaves the blood free to circulate, thus reducing compression of the vagina and penis.

How the experiment was performed
The experiment involved 29 cyclists who used one of Selle SMP saddles, designed specifically to reduce compression in the perineal area. To understand the state of blood circulation, a sensor was placed on the cyclist’s penis. Thanks to accurate tools and the non-invasive method, the doctors wanted to understand how and to what extent the shape and the characteristics of the saddle influence blood circulation. Pain and tingling are caused by compression of the perineal area, which hinders blood flow.

Results of the scientific study
The results were clear and unquestionable. In both the stationary measurement and the pedaling measurement, our saddle maintained a greater blood flow, which means that the penis and the vagina receive more oxygen, leading to wellbeing and comfort for the cyclist. Thanks to the scientific data obtained, the four doctors have drawn the following conclusion: our saddle limits compression of the genitals, improving blood circulation.

All Selle SMP saddles have been designed to the millimetre and it is precisely the shape that makes all the difference. The shape adapts to the areas that support the pelvis so that the saddle follows the shape of the body. This is why we talk about a prostate saddle, even if the more correct term would be an ergonomic saddle.

Publication of the results
The purposes of the research, the experiment and the results have been published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the medical journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine, the international body that promotes research into various issues related to sexuality. If you would like to learn more about this topic, please read the scientific article here.

We care about your wellbeing
We are the only saddle manufacturer to have participated in a scientific study published in an internationally respected and renowned scientific journal. However, we did not take part in order to say that we are better than others.

We wanted to participate in this study to demonstrate that our prostate saddle works and to confirm that we are a reliable company. We want to show you that we can deliver on our promises: to increase the wellbeing of you cyclists. So that every ride is an enjoyable one.

● More info on Selle SMP saddles at www.sellesmp.com

Revelate Designs + Wolf Tooth Collaborate to Release the ToolCash

Revelate Designs and Wolf Tooth Components have partnered to release the ToolCash. Designed around compact trail tools like Wolf Tooth’s Pack Pliers and EnCase System Multi-tools, this combination wallet + tool pouch utilises a smart tri-fold design to simplify repairs and resupplies.

A trailside repair often calls for more than one tool, but sifting through your frame bag for the right ones can be frustrating when you want to quickly get riding again. Luckily, this is where Wolf Tooth and Revelate meet in the middle. Sharing a passion for high quality bike accessories with unique designs and premium materials, this collaboration between Revelate and Wolf Tooth has been in the works for over a year. The resulting design by Revelate was made with the specifications of Wolf Tooth multi-tools in mind.

Weighing just 1.9 ounces, the ToolCash is a robust organiser for riding necessities. Built with Revelate’s proprietary abrasion-resistant VX, the bi-folds of the ToolCash feature a zippered pouch on one side, and a mini tool roll with three open ended slots on the other. The fold-out wallet features two card slots and a slide pocket. In addition to providing space for bank cards, the fold out secures the tool slots and is fastened by internal toggle. A sleek aluminum hook serves as an external closure.

The three slots of the ToolCash maximize efficiency when paired with Wolf Tooth’s multi-tools. The Pack Pliers are a​ 4-in-1 multi-tool that installs and removes chain master links, tightens valve stem lock nuts, removes Presta valve cores, has a tire lever, and has magnetic storage for two sets of quick links. The Wolf Tooth EnCase System has two compact multi-tools: one is a hex bit wrench with 14 functions and the other has a chain tool at one end and a tubeless puncture repair kit on the other. These multi-tools were designed to handle most repairs and keep you riding to the trailhead or next town.

The ToolCash is available now through Revelate and a special edition co-branded ToolCash is available exclusively through Wolf Tooth. MSRP $45. Made in the USA with domestic and imported materials. Available in black and blue from ​Revelate Designs​. Special edition ToolCash available in black from ​Wolf Tooth Components​.

● More info at www.wolftoothcomponents.com

Continental Launches the First Ever Grand Prix 5000 Special Edition Tire with a Cream Sidewall, in Honor of the Tour de France

● The first cream sidewall on a Continental classic road tire
● Marked with Tour de France licensee 2020 stamp
● Available to buy from 13 July worldwide

Continental marks the second rest day of the original dates of the 2020 Tour de France today by announcing the Grand Prix 5000 TdF LTD 2020 – the first Special Edition of its industry benchmark-setting Grand Prix 5000 road tire.

The Special Edition clincher tire has all the technological features from the original Grand Prix 5000 model that make it the best allrounder in the field – increased puncture protection with VectranTM Breaker, the legendary Continental BlackChili compound for efficient grip and Active Comfort Technology for a smoother ride. Handmade in Germany, the Grand Prix 5000 ushered in a new era of all-round tire performance for road cyclists when it was introduced as the update to the Grand Prix 4000 S II in 2018.

This launch is the very first road tire from Continental to be designed with a cream sidewall. The distinctive color makes the new Grand Prix 5000 a fashionable asset for those wanting a super stylish ride and harks back to a classic era of tire design.

As Main Partner of the Tour de France, the Special Edition tire has the official race stamp on the sidewall, paying tribute to the race that is considered to be the pinnacle of elite cycling. Continental tires are the trusted brand of choice for many of its competitors, with the Competition ProLTD tubular tire currently on the wheels of Team Ineos, Team Movistar, Bahrain-McLaren, Groupama–FDJ, Team Sunweb and Arkea-Samsic.

Oliver Anhuth, Continental’s Global Head of Marketing Bicycle Tires, said: “Along with cycling fans across the world, at Continental we’ve been looking forward to this year’s Tour de France since the close of 2019’s epic stages. And although racing is not taking place this summer for everyone to enjoy and get excited about, we didn’t want to hold off introducing our first Special Edition Grand Prix 5000 this summer when the Tour de France would have taken place. We are proud to present and launch the colored sidewall for the Grand Prix 5000 – a stylish product for the stylish ride all cyclists deserve.”

Grand Prix 5000 Special Edition Tour de France 2020 key features:
● Clincher tire
● Cream sidewall and Special Edition Tour de France stamp
● BlackChili compound for excellent grip, higher mileage and efficient rolling
● VectranTM Breaker, a synthetically produced high-tech fibre that is extremely tear-resistant but minimal in weight for stronger puncture protection
● Lazer Grip micro profile structure to provide outstanding cornering
● Active Comfort Technology embedded in the tire construction to absorb vibrations and smooth your ride
● 25 – 622
● 3/330 Tpi
● Weight 255g

Pricing and availability
The Grand Prix 5000 Special Edition Tour de France 2020 will be available to buy on 13 July for €69.90 RSP each in stores worldwide.

For more information on Continental, visit conti-bicycletires.com.

With Kinomap, Cyclists From All Over the World can get Ready for LEPAPE Granfondo Marmotte Alps!

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LEPAPE Marmotte Granfondo Alpes is in 2 months. All the cyclists are looking forward to get back on the track of the cyclosportives and the beautiful alpine landscapes.

While waiting for it first events of the year, Kinomap and LEPAPE Marmotte Granfondo Alpes propose a series of challenges to discover the stage of such mythical event.

Indeed, until August 30, all cyclists (registered or not) will be able to compete in the 4 challenges on 4 mythical Marmot cols, through the videos recorded. They will have about ten days to complete each challenge:

● From July 10 to July 19: The Glandon Pass challenge
● From July 20 to August 2: The Telegraph Pass challenge
● From August 3 to August 16: The Galibier Pass challenge
● From 17 August to 30 August: The Alpe d’Huez Pass challenge

These challenges will be available for free on Kinomap, the geolocated video sharing platform. Cyclists will be able to ride the 4 stages through their home trainer, whether it is connected or not. An ideal tool to locate and discover these simply roads from home.

With this challenge, the goal of both parties is to offer the pleasure in terms of discovering the most beautiful passes in the Alpes. However, in order to motivate the participants, the winners will receive an official Marmotte Alpes cycling jersey (2020 collection). Several categories will be rewarded (men and women):

Smart Trainer category:
● The fastest on every climb
● The 3 fastest on the 4 climbs
● The on who’ll cover the most kilometers on these climbs

Non interactive Bike-Trainer category:
● We’ll draw randomly 2 people from those who successfully complete each stage

● To participate in the challenge, go to http://partner.kinomap.com/lamarmotte

About la LEPAPE Marmotte Granfondo Alps
LEPAPE Marmotte Granfondo: 174 km & 5000 m elevation gain on September 5 2020 Departure: Bourg-d’Oisans // Arrival: Alpes d’Huez

Marmotte Hikes over 2 days on September 4 and 5 2020
September 4: Bourg-d’Oisans – Valloire // 98 km & 2700 m elevation gain
September 5: Valloire – Alpe-d’Huez // 76 km et 2500 m elevation gain

Alpes d’Huez Climb: 13km et 1100 m elevation gain on September 3 2020 Departure: Bourg-d’Oisans // Arrival: Alpes d’Huez

Information & registration on https://lepapemarmottegranfondoalpes.com/

About Kinomap
Kinomap edits interactive indoor training applications for cycling, running and rowing. The platform has more than 250,000 km of real & fully geolocated stages, coaching videos and has already more than 500,000 members worldwide. Kinomap turns your equipment into a powerful and fun fitness, whether it is a bike trainer, an exercise bike, an elliptical bike, a treadmill or a rowing machine. The app takes control and adjust the resistance or the incline of your equipment in real-time according to the elevation profile or structured workout. Train from your home on roads recorded by our video makers around the world. Moreover, a multiplayer mode allows you to join public races or invite your friends to join you for private sessions.

2020 Tour de France BBR Pack

This summer, Le Coq Sportif will celebrate the Tour de France by launching 3 new lifestyle and performance textile packs. All of them are inspired by the DNA of Le Coq Sportif and the archives of the Tour de France. The first pack will be released on 14th July, France’s national day, and will be decked out in the Blue, White and Red dear to the French sports brand.

Simple, elegant and in the brand’s colors, the products in this first pack put the spotlight on the colors of the French flag, styled in horizontal Blue, White and Red lines around the torso. This three-colored pattern chimes with the roots of the French brand as well as those of the Tour de France, which winds its way through the country each year. The Tour is one of the sporting emblems of the Gallic nation abroad, giving star billing to the regions, landscapes and traditions of this great country.

The Blue, White and Red collection is made up of the essential parts of a cyclist’s kit:

● A high-performance jersey for bike rides, combining a material mix of polyester and Lycra that ensures elasticity, aerodynamics and high technicity.
● Two t-shirts, in navy and white, made from cotton blend for wearing every day.

There is a “TOUR DE FRANCE SINCE 1903 – LE COQ SPORTIF” woven label inside each of these garments.

The BWR pack is available in Le Coq Sportif stores, on-line on lecoqsportif.com, from the Tour de France web store and abroad, as well as in the event’s partners’ specialised stores.

Product List:
● Cycling Jersey: 2011058
● TDF 2020 Fanwear Tee SS N°1 M – 2011061
● TDF 2020 Fanwear Tee SSN°1 M – 2011059
● More info at: www.letour.fr

GCN App’s New Premium ‘Race Pass’ Service Unveiled
Giving fans unrivalled live and interactive pro-cycling race coverage, with insight, analysis and expertise

The Play Sports Network (PSN) has created the ultimate destination for cycling fans launching its premium subscription-based ‘Race Pass’ via the GCN app. The GCN Race Pass is 100% Cycling, by fans for fans and offers unrivalled live, interactive and on-demand racing experience. That is multi-platform, multi-territory, multi-language and multi-currency.

GCN Race Pass will be launching in multiple markets around the world including North America, Europe, Japan and Australia with many more to follow. Fans will have a localised experience and be able to watch live coverage and use interactive features and content in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch and Japanese. They will also be able to watch on the go via their mobile devices or at home on the big screen through Chromecast and Apple AirPlay.

The GCN Race Pass sits exclusively within the GCN app as a premium subscription-based service offering fans uninterrupted live and on-demand coverage of men’s and women’s pro-cycling events. For each race the GCN Race Pass will delve deep into statistics offering information about each event, race previews, start lists, route maps and profiles, results and standings plus a live race updates feed.

The current version of the GCN app is a free resource offering news and interactive features including hack/bodge, quizzes, polls, cycling inspiration, news, GCN video and a pro section – an ultimate guide to World Tour teams, riders and bikes

Content will not be limited just to the races; fans will also be able to interact live with our coverage through polls and quizzes on what is happening during a selected race. Fans will have access to start lists and current standings, as well as replays and highlights following the live event so they will always be up to date with their favourite teams and riders.

The GCN Race Pass will also give fans access to the weekly World of Cycling show – exclusively for Race Pass subscribers – offering coverage of the biggest and best events in the world, with highlights, analysis, and reportage of both men’s and women’s racing, with a focus on great characters and making sense of the season, all done in GCN’s signature fun and informative style.

Dan Lloyd, Director of Racing at GCN said: “Racing is back – and now it has a new home. Cycling is in GCN’s DNA and we have missed it as much as anyone. I am incredibly excited to celebrate the return of bike racing with the fans, and Race Pass gives us the perfect platform on which to do this.”

Simon Wear, Founder and CEO of Play Sports Network, said: “As we move into the premium live sports business, with our extensive racing rights, we feel offering a paid subscription service delivered from our unique position and style reinvigorates the way fans can consume cycling, and this differentiates us from traditional or competitive cycling broadcasters as we can offer more engaging, fan-focussed and interactive content.”

GCN Race Pass will be available in 59 countries across 5 continents. It will all be localised in 6 languages – English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese.

GCN Race Pass will launch as a subscription product for live racing once the professional racing schedule for men and women resumes – which is currently scheduled from August 1st in line with the most recently published UCI calendars.

GCN Race Pass discounted launch price:
Early Bird discounts off annual subscriptions will be available until 12th August 2020 – prices vary by market. A Monthly Pass option will be launching later this month starting from £6.99/ €6.99/ $8.99.

● Download the app and subscribe to GCN Race Pass via Android or iOS.

Note: PezCyclingNews ask that you contact the manufacturers before using any products you see here. Only the manufacturer can provide accurate and complete information on proper / safe use, handling, maintenance and or installation of products as well as any conditional information or product limitations.