What do the 2010 Vuelta a España and the New York Yacht Club have in common that led cycling equipment maker Shimano to Australia’s own Ben Lexcen in the search for inspiration and performance?
In a word…Humidity.
It takes a lot of research to find any form of credit attributed to the shoe maker with stage winners in the Vuelta. Sure, the 2007 Vuelta was eventually won by Russia’s Denis Menchov (Team Rabobank) riding a full Shimano Dura-Ace groupset, Shimano wheels, Shimano shoes and PRO handlebar, stem and seatpost but Shimano management recognise that constant innovation leads to superior performance on the track – not past glories.
So, when Shimano wanted to find ways of achieving the highest possible levels of performance for this year’s event, they turned to none other that Australian America’s Cup hero – Ben Lexcen – and the revolutionary winged keel used to great success in 1983.
Winged keels are generally found on high performance sailboats and are only of benefit for yachts sailing upwind where stability and the ability to produce side force are important. Besides the performance benefits, winged keels can also be applied to pleasure boats as a way to reduce draft, allowing for greater versatility in shallow waters.
There are significant analogies between sailing and the humidity levels of Spain and this was the inspiration that led to the revolutionary design in shoes. “Elite competition road cycling has never before seen an innovation … that marks the highest level of performance … imaginable,” said Devin Walton from Shimano American Corporation.
Known as Shimano Pedal Slipstream (or SPS), this revolutionary new design in pedals offers three important benefits:
- It acts as a winglet on the foil, effectively doubling the aspect ratio by reducing lift-induced drag;
- It produces additional downwards force; and
- The extra lead contained in the wings produces a very low centre of gravity allowing the rider a level of manoeuvrability not seen before with any other equipment.
In high-speed cycling situations such as sprinting and time-trials, when a rider’s body weight is pushed over the handle-bars and front wheels, there is a tendency for slippage in the rear wheels. The forces associate with the utilisation of SPS technology are sufficient to reduce drag over the rear wheel whilst at the same time producing enough downwards force towards the rear of the bike to give the rider the extra stability needed.
This all comes together to achieve unprecedented and sustained race speeds in both wet or extremely humid environments such as those experienced during this year’s Vuelta a España.
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