Technical roundup: Brompton celebrates World Car Free Day, limited edition Brooks Swift Eroica saddle, POC Team AMANI collection and Pirelli Cinturato S tires… plus new Pearl Izumi Pro shoes

While most cyclists need no excuse for choosing two wheels over four, statistics still show that at least in the UK and US we still have a long way to go when it’s about choosing sustainable transportation options for people on a short-term basis on a regular basis. , daily journeys that we all have to make.

Since we are still taking the car in overwhelming numbers, World Car Free Day (opens in a new tab) celebrates and encourages alternative modes of getting from point A to point B, including cycling. Brompton, which is doing more than little to promote cycle travel, is marking today’s festivities by transforming a London service station into a cycling mecca, complete with free coffee and demonstrations of its latest models.

POC is also focusing on encouragement and support, this time in the form of its Team AMANI collection of helmets and goggles. Sales of the products all help the team, which seeks to provide greater racing opportunities for African cyclists and level the international cycling field.

Elsewhere, we’ve got a limited-edition Brooks saddle tipping its hat to the cycling event that made retro bikes cool again; Italian gravel tires that should be at home in the UK and a trio of shoes with a distinct PRO bent…

Brompton celebrates World Car Free Day 2022

Current figures show that 71% of car journeys in the UK are less than five miles; World Car Free Day encourages motorists to park their cars for the day, instead using sustainable transport for short journeys such as the journey to school or the journey home to work.

Is there a more practical solution to this problem than the humble bicycle? We would say no, especially when you add in the health benefits of cycling. Brompton, the folding bike gurus, agree and to help celebrate World Car Free Day, Brompton is taking over a former gas station (opens in a new tab) between Borough Road and Newington Causeway near Elephant & Castle in London and turning it into what he describes as a “cycling paradise”.

As fuel prices continue to soar, the irony of repurposing a gas station to promote cycling as a way to reduce carbon emissions will not be lost on anyone. Brompton will open the site from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, offering free coffee, test drives of its latest models via the Brompton Hire wharf and rides.

For more information visit brompton.com (opens in a new tab)

Brooks marks 25 years of L’Eroica with limited leather

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the original L’Eroica (opens in a new tab), a celebration of the golden age of cycling, which saw enthusiasts don woolen jerseys and ride steel road bikes perfect for the time on the white gravel roads of Tuscany. The event contributed to the birth of similar events (opens in a new tab) around the world as well as the annual one-day race Strade Bianche WorldTour.

Naturally, Brooks, whose saddles were the perch of choice during this legendary era of cycling, has been involved in the event for many years. To help celebrate a quarter century of Eroica rides, Brooks has created a Swift Eroica saddle, limited to just 100 pieces and costing £175/$210. The Swift was the obvious choice as the brand’s signature racing saddle with its signature copper rivets. This limited-edition model features all the traditional styling plus a laser-etched “XXV” motif on the leather upper to indicate the milestone.

For more information visit brooksengland.com (opens in a new tab)

Pirelli flexes in search of better gravel grip

Gravel bike aficionados have as many ways to describe their favorite terrain as snow Inuits. This wide range of conditions has been a boon for tire manufacturers, with Pirelli expanding its range of gravel tires, under the Cinturato name, to include the S.

S stands for Soft Terrain and the tires are designed for what the Italian brand describes as “the softest, toughest terrain”. The tubeless-ready offering borrows its tread pattern from the Scorpion S, a mountain bike tire, but has redesigned the tread blocks for technical and rugged gravel trails, where grip and safety are a priority .

As with tires in the Cinturato range, the S uses Pirelli’s SpeedGrip compound, which it claims reduces rolling resistance without compromising grip in wet and dry conditions. The 60 tpi nylon carcass features a TechWall gravel “belt,” which essentially provides the tire with bead-to-bead protection.

Seemingly equipped for wet and muddy conditions, the Cinturato Gravel S could handle plenty in the UK, which is no stranger to gravel which is on the claggy side of the spectrum. It is now available in 700x40mm and 700x45mm sizes, with black and classic sidewall options. Later in the year, the S will expand to include a 50mm version offered in 700c and 650b sizes.

Prices start from £57.99/$82.90

For more information visit www.pirelli.com (opens in a new tab)

The Amani collection from the POC team is “more than performance or protection”

Team AMANI, which supports East African cyclists at amateur and professional level, bringing together initiatives to build inclusivity and create opportunities, is still coming to terms with the loss of the team captain. Sule Kangangi team. The Kenyan tragically passed away while competing in the Overland gravel race in Vermont.

Already in the works at the time of his death, and with Kangangi playing an instrumental role in the design process, POC and the AMANI team continued to release a new collection of helmets and sunglasses out of respect for the fallen leader. .

The POC Ventral AIR MIPS AMANI Edition comes in six colors – Sulfite Yellow, Moldanite Green, Prisman Red, Natrium Blue, Uranium Black and Hydrogen White – each with fluorescent orange rear vents, along with decals of the flags of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. American and Australian flags to highlight the positive contributions of Mikel Delagrange, the AMANI team leader and EF Education – EasyPost pro Lachlan Morton, a long-time supporter of the project. Aspire Amani Edition sunglasses are available in all colors except white.

“Our AMANI team helmets and goggles are very special and represent much more than performance or protection,” says Delagrange. “With the team, Sule was central to the design which was created to give the team consistency and still offer each rider uniqueness and an ability to fly their national flag. We have been racing with them for some time and are very proud of what they represent and now on top of that they are a connection to Sule that we want to share with everyone as we know would love to see our team supported and our helmets and goggles mounted all over the world.

Now released in limited numbers, all proceeds from the collection will go to the continued support of the project and the AMANI team.

For more information visit pocsports.com (opens in a new tab) and teamamani.com (opens in a new tab)

Pearl Izumi Introduces A Trio Of New Shoes To Their PRO Collection

Pearl Izumi’s PRO series of products represent what it calls “the highest degree of cutting-edge design, comfort and performance.” And he’s now added three new pairs of shoes into the mix.

Developed alongside pro riders and brand ambassadors, the trio includes the PRO Air, Women’s PRO Road and Expedition PRO. The PRO Air is an updated model, featuring an improved BOA system with dual Li2 dials said to offer a “two-way fit”, a breathable mesh laminated upper and a PRO Air Plate carbon sole. All that adds up to a svelte 237g per shoe in a size 42.

The Women’s PRO Road shoe is, as you might guess, a women’s specific version of the PRO road model. Like the PRO Air, it features the Air Plate carbon sole, a perforated synthetic leather upper and an updated BOA Fit System.

No shoe line is complete without a gravel shoe these days and the Expedition PRO combines the lightness of a road shoe with protective elements borrowed from the world of mountain biking. Again there’s a BOA Fit system, this time with two L6C dials and soft lace guides. The carbon sole includes TPU toe and heel bumpers as well as a “backing plate”. The wide tread is designed to both shed mud while providing good grip.

For more information and pricing, visit pearlizumi.com (opens in a new tab)