Tech of the week: Chris Froome’s Pinarello, new aero bikes and new helmets

Team Sky’s Tour tech

We’ve had a video peek this week at Chris Froome’s Pinarello Dogma F10, complete with a carbon fibre race number plate instead of aluminium for the most marginal of gains.

Another bike ridden by Froome at the 2016 Tour de France was a yellow Mavic Neutral Service replacement for his broken Pinarello. It didn’t go well. Now Mavic has taken steps to make its Neutral Service bikes more adaptable for different riders, with a dropper seatpost and multiple pedal system options.

In other Team Sky tech news, the go-faster bobbles in their skinsuits caused complaints from other teams, despite having been worn in previous races. They were just less obvious in black than the white Tour kit.

New shoes and helmets

Kask has launched a new helmet designed to be super-ventilated and worn by Team Sky for hot and hilly stages. Met too has a new helmet for the Tour de France, with Dimension Data and UAE-Emirates both wearing the new 215g Trenta design. While if you’re after a new lid yourself, we’ve found the best deals out there.

Staying with light, we’ve also had news of Giro’s new Prolight Techlace shoes, which weigh under 300g a pair in size 42.5. They’re also pushing the price envelope at £349 a pair, although there’s still some way to go to reach the £900 price of Mavic’s Comete Ultimate or some other custom options.

We’ve had a tour of Gaerne’s shoe factory in Italy too, to see what goes into designing and making a top flight cycling shoe.

And new aero bikes

We’ve covered a crop of new aero bikes this week.

Merida launched its new Reacto. Grazing the 6.8kg UCI weight limit, the third generation Reacto is more aero and more comfortable than its predecessor. We’ve taken a ride.

Also this week, we’ve spotted a new disc brake Giant Propel aero bike. And Orbea has launched its new Orca Aero. With tube profiles that take advantage of the recent relaxing of the UCI’s 3:1 tube profile rule, Orbea says it will save you Watts.

Who should be riding these new aero road bikes? Well everyone, according to the best analysis. We have looked at the evidence.

In bike launch news for UK brands, the new Orro Terra C gravel bike has impact protective fibres included in key areas to guard against rock bashes. And Whyte has a new single ring only version of its Wessex carbon year-round road bike.

Meanwhile don’t forget to check out our pick of Wiggle deals and Sunday Trading bargains on Northwave and 3T kit.