All tri-suits have to meet certain criteria no matter the price. Comfort is vital, both from the chamois and the suit’s material, but it also needs to dry quickly, breathe well and allow you to stash nutrition away as needed.
How fast a suit is will also come into play, especially if you’re competing for age-group honours. So here, as well as testing based on the aforementioned qualities, we’ve also taken all 11 of these tri-suits in the wind tunnel at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub with The Bike Tailor (thebiketailor.com). We used a baseline suit at a 7.5° yaw angle (simply, the amount of crosswind on your bike) and ran each suit through at 30km/h and 40km/h speeds over a 40km bike leg with the rider in the same position on tri-bars.
For each suit here we’ve provided a summary of those tests, but for more stats and longer reviews please head to 220tri.com.
CASTELLI PR 2 SPEED SUIT
Castelli hasn’t strayed far from the original’s template with the PR 2, but that’s no bad thing. Its drag-reduction appeal includes the lithe but effective laser-cut arms and legs, the latter hugging the thighs but staying restriction-free on the bike and run. The ribbed sleeves also offer speed-saving potential, while the sizeable two rear pockets should deliver further aero gains due to their low-profile. The covered openings help in the water in non-wetsuit swims, while they’re easy to access at speed on the bike. The kangaroo-style pocket can also carry plenty of gels, and it doesn’t sag when loaded. Castelli bill this for middle- and iron-distance racing and that feels right, with the breakaway zipper helping with toilet stops. The supportive Kiss Tri pad also has long-course appeal. The PR 2 excelled in the wind tunnel and was the second fastest overall – 96secs faster than our baseline suit at 30km/h and 97secs quicker at 40km/h over 40km.
COMPRESSPORT AERO SS
This story is from the July 2024 edition of 220 Triathlon.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2024 edition of 220 Triathlon.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How to Carb Load - Packing your working cells with carbohydrates in the build-up to your big race is a proven strategy to race stronger and faster...
Whichever distance triathlon you're racing, the intensity and duration of your activity will see your body tap into its stores of carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) to power your effort. While it's possible to top up your tank on the go, it's better to start your event with your stores full to the brim.
The Olympic Champion - On 31 July, Great Britain's Alex Yee put together arguably the greatest one-day performance we have ever seen at an Olympic Games to win gold. And we were there at the finish line to speak to tri's new poster boy...
The opening line of the race report read how 20 years on from New Zealand’s first and only Olympic triathlon gold medal, Hayden Wilde had put in a careerbest performance to regain the title for his nation. Then Alex Yee comes around the corner.Yee’s charge, seemingly from nowhere on the final lap of the 10km run in Paris, didn’t just help him become the most decorated Olympic male triathlete of all time, and didn’t just cap a rivalry that has been building for six years, it left seasoned watchers of swim, bike, run in awe. It will go down as one of the greatest triathlon races; Yee, still just 26, as one of the greatest triathletes. His medals from Paris added to the two from Tokyo, leaving his haul at two gold, a silver and a bronze, and counting.
"I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THE GROWTH OF TRIATHLON"
British Triathlon CEO Ruth Daniels talks Paris, her plans to grow tri and her own personal goals... knees allowing
ZWIFT RIDE
£1,199.99 Zwift's new Ride is an indoor bike that might help you break your PB... but won't break the bank
PARIS SHOWED THE VALUE OF OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
With the spotlight on triathlon like never before at these Games, debutant athletes talked about being overwhelmed by the unique environment
GAMES AT THE GAMES
After watching and enjoying the Olympic triathlon events, Brunt amused himself by playing the 'guess how far into each event I would die' game...
WHERE EAGLES DARE
With little heat prep, the wrong gear choice and a course-recce mistake, would experienced extreme triathlete Sean McFarlane soar like an eagle or drop like a stone in Italy?
HOW TO INCREASE RUN PACE WHEN FATIGUED
The ability to dig deep in the latter stages of a race helped Alex Yee achieve Olympic gold. Here Ben, a member of Team GB's coaching staff in Paris, explains how you too can find that extra gear...
BUYER'S GUIDE: BIKE COMPUTERS
Log your rides, find your way and monitor your multisport training with a quartet of impressive bike computers...
POLAR GRIT X2 PRO
\"You can't be anything other than impressed with the GPS, whose design is one of the significant changes to the V3\"
