Endura's Hour Record breaking skinsuits banned by UCI

Used in the team kits of Movistar Team and Bigla Team, as well as being  Bridie O’Donnell and Vittoria Bussi's Hour Record breaking outfits, Endura's Encapsulator skinsuit has been deemed to have fallen foul of the UCI regulations and therefore will be banned for use in competition.

The UCI has now decreed it illegal on the basis that the Surface Silicone Topography (SST) silicone textures on the forearms has been applied on top of the standard fabric, creating from something other than just the fabric of the garment.

Having launched SST on to the WorldTour in 2015 at the Vuelta a España, Endura said the fabric treatment was the result of years of research and development, studying airflow in the wind tunnel in conjunction with the development of ground breaking new production methods to bring theoretical ideas to real world riding.

>>> Endura releases it's fastest ever skinsuit previously only made for the pros

The strategically positioned 3D chevrons positively affect airflow around the body, reducing drag at the speeds relevant to the target rider.

Endura said that it was already back in the lab working on the next generation of aero kit when the UCI invited it at it's own discretion to provide input into the framing of the new rules back last summer, along with several other WorldTour clothing sponsors,  to discuss the rule change.

"What we have in the wind tunnel for testing now will be on the backs of our pro teams this season and available to the public soon after" said Katrin McDonald, PR manager and marketing coordinator at Endura.

Endura has teamed-up with brand ambassador Graeme Obree - who has already had his fair share of falling foul to UCI rulings, famously seeing two of his aero positions; the crouch and superman positions banned after successful record rides - to highlight other cycling designs and innovations that have also been banned by the UCI over the years.

"Who better to look at some of the other revolutionary designs that have been banned by the sport's governing body than our disruptor-in-chief, Graeme Obree, no stranger to the UCI's notorious technological whims" said McDonald.

"It was a good run," she continues, "our Surface Silicone Topography has been banned by the UCI for use in their competitions after early March this year  - it's just too fast."