12 Days of Dig: Day 8
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Dec 20, 2016 – It’s day eight of the 12 Days of Dig, and we are mixing it up with a few items that we find seriously cool.
Peloton
GORE-TEX ACTIVE. It’s tough to overestimate how much advances in apparel have improved our lives on the bike, and one of the biggest steps was the invention of GORE-TEX back in 1969. GORE BIKE WEAR has been leveraging this technology in the saddle and just launched the next big step: GORE-TEX Active. This fabric is the lightest and most breathable GORE-TEX ever, yet it’s permanently waterproof without any coating. GORE BIKE WEAR has used the new material to make a minimalist, waterproof and super-breathable, limited-edition jacket called the ONE GORE-TEX Active. We love the jacket and its aversion to water, but what gets us really excited are all the possibilities this new fabric represents. We can’t wait to see what GORE BIKE WEAR does with it next. $300; goreapparel.com
CASTELLI’S LINEA PELLE. Linea Pelle means “skin line” in Italian, and it’s a fitting expansion of Castelli’s product line. Castelli has protected riders’ skin from nasty elements and long hours in the saddle, but instead of fabrics, this time it’s chamois cream, embrocation and foul-weather cream. Both the embrocation, nicely warming without going thermonuclear, and the chamois cream, are executed well, but it’s the Foul Weather Cream we have fallen in love with. Use the cream instead of knee warmers or tights and it creates an incredibly durable and effective barrier against the elements, especially effective when the rain is heavy and most leg warmers would be sopping-wet rags around your ankles. $20 (each); castelli-cycling.com
NICETRAILS. If it’s not on Strava it didn’t happen. Now Nicetrails is adding another element to this, making your rides jump off the Web to become beautiful 3D models depicting your latest adventure. Upload a .gpx file from Strava or any GPS ride-tracking unit and Nicetrails creates a 3D-printed topographical map of your ride, painted with satellite imagery and your ride track. With sizes from 5cm to 20cm long, it’s a three-dimensional model of your time in the saddle, complete with every hill, mountain, valley and descent. 50-250 euros; 50mm-200mm; nicetrails.com