Three Cool Travel Bits: Saris, Castelli, Lezyne

As large swaths of the country begin to thaw out and the European peloton enters classics season, the travel plans dreamed about in January become a reality. Here are three bits of gear we love for all kinds of travel from issue 73 of PELOTON Magazine – the Saris Superclamp EX2 for easy car travel, the Castelli Perfetto Convertible jacket for a single garment that has you covered in almost any weather, and the latest from Lezyne GPS puts navigation, training and everything else a premium GPS needs in a small, affordable package. Get your own copy of Issue 73 with PELOTON Direct right here. 

PELOTON

SARIS SUPERCLAMP EX 2-BIKE.

Hitch-mount racks don’t have the best reputation. If you want your bikes to be secure, the rack might as well be an anchor. If you want light weight, it’s built like a tinker toy. While new hitch-mount racks from a few brands are turning this convention on its head, Saris is leaping to the head of the pack with its new SuperClamp EX 2-Bike. At just 35 pounds, it can carry two bikes with a total capacity of 120 pounds and is packed with smart features. It has integrated locks, tilts for tailgate access, folds up when not being used to shorten your vehicle’s footprint and uses a single-bar design to mount two bikes. Our favorite feature is the dual wheel-clamping hooks that never touch your bike’s carbon. It’s faster to load than racks using a rear-wheel ratchet strap and more secure. Plus, the wheel-clamp arms pivot on casehardened brackets for strength and durability, which means they won’t get wobbly or loose over time.
$470; saris.com

RELATED: Go riding on Majorca’s pristine roads.

CASTELLI PERFETTO CONVERTIBLE JACKET.

We’ve never been fans of convertibles. We love the concept: One item that can do the job of two or more makes packing for a cycling adventure much easier. But convertibles usually had a poor fit, let air blast through zippers and were impossible to convert in the saddle—until now. The Castelli Perfetto Convertible fits like a slim jacket with no billowing arms or shoulders, and because it converts to a jersey, not a vest, the air doesn’t flow through the zipper, chilling you. Those arms can be removed in the saddle by anyone with passable bike-handling skills (just roll to the back of the group please!). Made of Gore Windstopper X-Lite Plus fabric, it offers wind protection and water resistance, yet breathes nicely, increasing its versatility. If the day warms up, it converts to a Perfetto short-sleeve jersey. When we travel, we pack the Perfetto Convertible to get more function out of fewer garments. The convertible has finally been done right, thanks to Castelli.
Temp range 6°-18°C (43°-64°F); $230; castelli-cycling.com

LEZYNE SUPER GPS: LIMITED EDITION.

To get a full-function cycling GPS without strapping what looks like an iPad to your bars look no further than the Lezyne Super GPS. It does everything you could ask for, including turn-by-turn navigation, in a 43mm × 68mm package with a battery that lasts more than 20 hours. Unless you’re riding the Tour, you charge this thing just once a week. It has smartphone notification, Strava segments and live tracking, Bluetooth Smart, ANT+ and a companion app—and it costs hundreds less than units with comparable features. The new Limited Edition comes in blue and red, but that’s not all that’s new. Recently launched firmware allows you to load workouts from Training Peaks and Today’s Plan to the Super GPS to execute right from your bars. In addition to the usual power data, it displays left/right smoothness and left/right torque effectiveness. Combined with the new workout features the Lezyne Super GPS is a potent tool in a small package, even for elite riders.
76g; $150; lezyne.com