Scottish cycling clothing maker Endura developed a new printed SST fabric texture tech to make their D2Z Aero road race line more aero over the last couple of years. It debuted racing in 2015, and well… now the UCI has banned it. Who else better to recount the story than fellow UCI banned Scot, Graeme Obree, aka The Flying Scotsman…
Banned by the UCI for being too aero!
Endura calls it a “good run” for their Surface Silicone Topography (SST) tech. First raced in the World Tour at the 2015 Vuelta a España, the three-dimensional printed on silicone chevrons were worn to break some hour records as well. But now the UCI has decided that it is too fast for competition. And we suspect that will mean several other manufacturers that used printed on surface treatments to their skinsuits to improve aerodynamics are likely to be prohibited by the UCI going forward as well.
Not too worried about the news it seems, Endura enlisted their favorite UCI aero regulation bad boy, Graeme Obree to spread the news – and a bit of history on the whims of UCI banning technological solutions. If for no better reason than how fun it is to hear him tell a story! (Oh, and with subtitles which are super helpful for any non-Scots!)
Obree has worked with Endura as a brand ambassador for a while now, helping to develop the D2Z Aero Encapsulator skinsuit together with Drag2Zero’s Simon Smart. They even call him their Disruptor in Chief.
In the meantime you can go faster yourself with SST gear if you aren’t riding in UCI sanctioned events. And Endura tells us their next gen aero clothing fits within the UCI’s at time arbitrary rules (or at least arbitrary enforcement). It’s already expected to be ready for their pro teams to race this season, and will hit the consumer market soon after as well.
If you haven’t seen it, here’s some more from Endura & Obree – a short film called Graeme Obree, Athlete or Genius that tells more of his mold-breaking thinking and exploits on the bike (and a washing machine.)
